Loading tips please - pony hasn't traveled for 7 years

[BenvardenRach2]

Long story short(ish!!), we are going to pick up a pony next week, we owned her 9 years ago. When we first bought her she had not left the farm where she was bred and walked onto a 3.5 tonne box for us like a dream, she was young no reason to be afraid, traveled with no issues at all. The next time we tried to get her in anything (trailer/boxes) she would refuse, head up, backing up, feet planted. We practiced and practiced and manged to get her to stand on the ramp but wouldn't go inside. I'm not sure whether she had a bad journey in the lorry on the way to us as she was picked up by a transport company (loaded by breeder) then traveled 3 hours to us, got off the box fine no sweat seamed completely fine.

We had to sedate her after 2 hours of trying to load her for her to go to her new home, in the end the vet and 2 hefty farmers had to practically lift her in as she was planted. She traveled perfectly and slept most of the way home.

The opportunity has arisen for us to have this pony back, we are absolutely delighted as she left a huge impact on us all. She was my first 'proper' pony and gave me such happiness. We are having her back to keep with us until her time comes <3

She is kept 3 hours away from us, we are going to pick her up in two weeks time, taking our own trailer. We have arranged for a vet to be there on standby. Her current owner has no trailer to 'practice' with, so we are going in blind... she has not been asked to go into transport since we sold her 7 years ago.

Does anyone have any sort of advice/tips? I really want this to cause as little stress to her as possible :-(

Once she is home and well settled we will be having natural horsemanship sessions to help with her fear.

Thank you!

 

[stormox]

She might be fine - dont worry too much. Suss the place out and find a spot beside a wall or something to block one side. Open front ramp down completely. Have a gate handy to put the other side of the ramp and have a feed to help encourage her in. Use a halter and lunge line rather than a headcollar for more control. Good luck dont approach the task with a defeatist attitude things are rarely as bad as you think they might be.

 

[BenvardenRach2]

She might be fine - dont worry too much. Suss the place out and find a spot beside a wall or something to block one side. Open front ramp down completely. Have a gate handy to put the other side of the ramp and have a feed to help encourage her in. Use a halter and lunge line rather than a headcollar for more control. Good luck dont apptoach the task with a defeatist attitude things are rarely as bad as you think they might be.

Thank you Stotmox really appreciate it, we are trying to be as positive as possible however if she just walks on i think i'll faint ha ha!! Keep your fingers crossed for us!

 

[dominobrown]

Have everything prepared, including maybe a bucket of food, helpers, hats and gloves on ( I am very health and safety at the moment!) But you will probably be surpised. Just walk her on like its all normal and she probably won't think anything of it.
Once she is on be ready tovget moving straight away.... often they dont like standing around and faffing and settle better once they are moving.

 

[ShowJumperL95]

That's lovely news you are getting your beloved pony back!
My boy used to be such a bad loader. He would run from either side of the ramp, plant his feet, walk backwards, rear up the lot. I do not like trying to tempt horses on with a bucket of food but that's just me I don't feel it would work every time. The thing I did was I bought myself a Be Nice Halter (on recommendation) which applies pressure to the head when they pull back and as soon as they walk forwards it releases the pressure straight away, the same with moving a direction you do not want. I would open up the trailer fully front ramp etc to let as much light in as possible and move the partitions to the side to make it more inviting. I would just calmly stand at the bottom of the ramp and if he wanted to prat about I just let him but I would never step off the ramp and turn him away from it because that send to him that he has won that battle. With the Be Nice Halter arguments got less and less and once he walks up the ramp i used to walk him straight out then built it up to stopping inside the trailer and having a cheeky treat for standing still in the trailer then off again. I did this with him everyday for a month and now he loads like a dream in a normal headcollar. It is just practice and patience there is no point getting angry and upset with an animal that won't load as that will always just escalate the situation more.

 

[BenvardenRach2]

Have everything prepared, including maybe a bucket of food, helpers, hats and gloves on ( I am very health and safety at the moment!) But you will probably be surpised. Just walk her on like its all normal and she probably won't think anything of it.
Once she is on be ready tovget moving straight away.... often they dont like standing around and faffing and settle better once they are moving.

Thank you for your advice DB, ps just read your thread - really hope you feel better soon :-(

 

[BenvardenRach2]

That's lovely news you are getting your beloved pony back!
My boy used to be such a bad loader. He would run from either side of the ramp, plant his feet, walk backwards, rear up the lot. I do not like trying to tempt horses on with a bucket of food but that's just me I don't feel it would work every time. The thing I did was I bought myself a Be Nice Halter (on recommendation) which applies pressure to the head when they pull back and as soon as they walk forwards it releases the pressure straight away, the same with moving a direction you do not want. I would open up the trailer fully front ramp etc to let as much light in as possible and move the partitions to the side to make it more inviting. I would just calmly stand at the bottom of the ramp and if he wanted to prat about I just let him but I would never step off the ramp and turn him away from it because that send to him that he has won that battle. With the Be Nice Halter arguments got less and less and once he walks up the ramp i used to walk him straight out then built it up to stopping inside the trailer and having a cheeky treat for standing still in the trailer then off again. I did this with him everyday for a month and now he loads like a dream in a normal headcollar. It is just practice and patience there is no point getting angry and upset with an animal that won't load as that will always just escalate the situation more.

We are absolutely over the moon, my 10 year old sister is learning to ride on my horse at the moment so we hope that she will be able to enjoy her just as much as I did when I was a kid ! He sounds very much like the pony, she is a connemara so is as stubborn as they get haha! Thank you for your advice, I will take a look into the be nice head collars - I was looking at a dually.

 

[ShowJumperL95]

We are absolutely over the moon, my 10 year old sister is learning to ride on my horse at the moment so we hope that she will be able to enjoy her just as much as I did when I was a kid ! He sounds very much like the pony, she is a connemara so is as stubborn as they get haha! Thank you for your advice, I will take a look into the be nice head collars - I was looking at a dually.

That sounds lovely! I am sure she will, she sounds like a lovely pony bar the loading . I think the dually is good for certain horses but I think for loading the pressure is in the wrong place but that's my opinion. I hope the move goes well! Very excited for you guys.

 

[BenvardenRach2]

That sounds lovely! I am sure she will, she sounds like a lovely pony bar the loading . I think the dually is good for certain horses but I think for loading the pressure is in the wrong place but that's my opinion. I hope the move goes well! Very excited for you guys.

Thank you so much, I feel like a giddy little girl again ha ha!! Agree with you there, I need to do some research! I will update the thread once she is in the trailer maybe for comedy value