loading tips

[parsley]

As some of you may know my son's pony is currently refusing to load into the lorry (despite having been to lots and lots of shows in his life)

I have been coaxing him up the ramp with feed, standing at the top of the ramp and letting him back down whenever he wants. Having read a small fact sheet and talked to a very nice lady at the yard yesterday I suspect I am doing it completly wrong

I am going to be show how to use a be nice halter correctly and have been told not to let him back out whenever he decides to.

Have just read an fact sheet saying DO NOT use feed as a bribe to get them up the ramp - OK to feed once they are there. ALSO said do not stand in front of them.

The problem is that he either won't go up, backs down and off the side a bit when he is half way up, pauses when he is in the lorry and eats some food and then tows me down the ramp. I think he has some genuine fear of the lorry but sadly he will shamelessly take advantage of anyone he thinks isn't quite up to the job. I have seen him load for someone else and travel alone with very little fuss

SOOOOOO

Loading tips please??? I don't mind if they contradict what other people have said - different things work for different people.

I was THINKING of using a lunge line attahced to his in hand bridle bit with a double clip, with the line threaded through a tie ring to hold him when he decideds to dissapear (lunge line so I don't lose him into the distance as I thought was going to happen yesterday. A head collar over the top with a normal lead rope for persuading him up and a lead rope attached to the tie clip at the top so I can attach him before he makes off.

 

[Hornby]

I've seen Richard Maxwell get brilliant results with a Be Nice halter. The aim being to get them TOTALLY obediant to that on the ground before you go near the box. Every step that you make they must watch and follow - so there will be no pissing off the lorry when he feels like it. Also take a lot of time, only allow forward steps or backwards ones that you have asked for - release the pressure every time they take a step that you ask for - pressure on if they take a step away. Richard kept insisting on correct behaviour - and rewarded the good responses - for much, much longer than most people have patience for....in the end the horse was loading in an ordinary headcollar for the owner (at a demo). It's like riding - make it totally clear what is right..no bribes used at all.

 

[kick_On]

elo
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I have seen him load for someone else and travel alone with very little fuss
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not being rude but here may be the problem. You may becoming nervous and your body lanugage changing (only very small change) thus that's why pony will load for someone else and not for you so well.
Working on the ground forming relationship good but i would suggest that maybe that you should try loading everyday for a week and so the routine of loading is good for you aswell as pony. And take your time and make sure you do have time and prastice, prastice and prastice and you will get it sorted.
If he going to tank off use a bridle everytime, make sure he know forwards is good, chat to him but don't let him go backward or pee.. off (very difficult i know) but
BE very firm but slowly slowly does it and you will get it
You may also want to try taking a friend and see if that helps??
good luck

 

[Claireg9]

How big is the pony? My dad has been known to basically stand behind our 12.2 slightly to the side with some one else the other side and join hands, then get under ponies bum and pick them up and push them on! Only works with some though lol!
However get rid of the be nice head collar he sounds like hes being naughty, try a chiffney, dont hesitat walk by the side be positive walk fast and straight up. If it doesnt work you need lunge line one side, lunge whip the other side not to hit but tap or place on bum as enouragement and someone strong to hold so pony can not go back down the ramp. Also try loading in an enclosed space to invite pony up, open all doors and windows so it is more inviting too.
I guess what im saying is be firm but fair, i dont agree with beating but i dont agree with being a soft touch when there taking you for a ride.
You can do it!

 

[MagicMelon]

I have used feed for brides for years, never had a problem with it! I ALWAYS make sure I give the horse a titbit once it does go in though, even the horses who always load perfectly (I prefer to keep it that way!).

Ive never got on with using lunge ropes round their ass. I think it just panics a lot of horses and if he "tows you down the ramp" then if he gets upset, he'll likely tow you about even more.

Have you tried the usual brush up the butt? Just get a usual yard broom (with decent bristles!) and get someone to tap him on the bum with it when he's almost in. Can give them the surprise they need to pop forward. Or use it if he begins to try to come out backwards again, as he needs to brake that habit.

Failing that, one of our youngsters has a thing about loading perfectly at home but at a show (to come home), he ALWAYS would go half way up then stop for a few minutes looking at the scenery then suddenly decide to walk in. It got a bit irritating, so my friends got a squeezy drinks bottle, fill with water and then squirt at him from behind when he stops! Must say, we've only needed to do that twice and last time out he went straight in!

A controller headcollar is a good idea. I dont know about a Be Nice one. Ive got one of those thin string ones which simply tighten up if the horse pulls. I couldnt live without mine on my bolshy Welsh cob! He went through a little phase early on, of not loading at all and basically just running off the ramp towing me off. This soon put a stop to that 'game'. And he learnt if he reversed, the headcollar tightened so he'd have to move forward to loosen it again. They learn very quickly in it, yet it doesnt hurt or startle them!

Otherwise PRACTICE a lot! If possible pen off a small area at the bottom of your ramp, leave pony in there for hours at a time with hay etc. IN the lorry (where he can see it). Give him his feed in there too. Quickly enough, he should soon be trundling up and down on his own.

 

[rema]

Most things have been covered but one thing that i have thought of is when you approach the ramp do you face him??.like when you walk to the top off the ramp expecting him to follow do you turn and look down on him???.A pony i knew dident like to be looked down too!!.

Have you tried the lunge line around the bum.Or an easy loader????.

 

[Happytohack]

Richard Maxwell halter worked for me when our chap decided he was on no account going in our lorry. I worked him in it on the ground for 2 weeks, to get him totally used to it and understanding that he put himself into pressure and when he was with me, I was his comfort zone and there was no pressure. First time I loaded him, I walked up the ramp and he took 25 mins to load, after that he has always loaded straight away. Richard M. did bring out a video about loading which I had and was brilliant. For about £250 (I think?) he will come out and spend whatever time is needed loading for you and showing you exactly how his methods work. Sounds expensive, but in some cases probably worth every penny.

 

[TequilaMist]

I can only tell you what has worked for my lot.I also have a bolshy welsh cob ,with him as long as I had a bucket of feed (didn't get it til he was in)and a lunge line he goes in,after a while didn't even need lunge line chasing him up the rear!Other one to be fair to him was a bit unsure but had the habit of rearing and aiming for your head,so chifney was used with this one only needed to use it a couple of times.A mare I used to have (deceased now) used to refuse to go in lorry and pulled you about and on advice of a person who used to transport horses for a living used a chifney(this was 1st time I 'd used it as to be honest they scared me )Again only had to use this a couple of times before she loaded ok and as soon as she showed signs of refusing put chifney it again but seldom had tnly thing I would say about chifney is you don't need a lot of pressure I usually just needed to 'tweek' it and do not lose temper and yank as believe you can do quite a bit of damage as it is severe(this was thie bit that scared me).The chifney was a last resort for me as had tried all other methods even waiting horse out (31/2 hrs later she was quite happily resting her leg and dozing on ramp grrrr)

 

[_jetset_]

I use a Richard Maxwell halter which is absolutely fantastic... I also had him up to Hannah last year because she hadn't loaded in four years, and he was a miracle worker!

 

[flyingfeet]

Monty Roberts technique all the way!

Buy a dually halter and watch the DVD that comes with it!

Never look at your horse when loading, always at the ground / elsewhere. Looking at them sends them away, so you are using mixed messages

 

[PeterNatt]

The secret is to load the pony each day for 3 month and feed him in the trailer/lorry. Then it will just become routine.

 

[RachelB]

We are in the process of teaching my friend's horse to load nicely for our first show together next month. We stuck a chifney on him (he rears) and tried being nice, tried being forceful, tried a schooling whip tickling him (can't hit him as he shoots backwards and rears, then again we agreed we wouldn't hit him anyway as we are both against it), tried walking him up the ramp by moving each foot one at a time... eventually his owner decided to drag him up at a brisk trot, and on he popped! Much to his owner's (and his) surprise!
I haven't read through all the posts, but one thing to mention is never, ever turn the horse away from the ramp. No matter where they go, do not turn the horse away. My friend made that mistake an turned her horse in a small circle about 20 yards from the ramp, and for 5 minutes he refused to go any nearer the ramp! It takes their attention off the job, it's much easier to keep them focused on the trailer.
And another bad thing is hitting them in, I once spent two hours loading my difficult pony to go to the vets, only to find that the woman who brought her back beat her onto the trailer. She took ages and ages to load after that, she was never the same having been beaten. Not that I'm suggesting you'd beat your horse! But just in case you think about using a schooling/ lunging whip, it's better to just irritate them with it instead.
Most of all... good luck!

 

[Louby]

Stay at the side of him, dont get in front as he will win every time. I would put a bridle on so he cant drag you all over and walk calmly but positively up to the ramp at his side, carry a schooling whip and if he hesitates, tap him with it but dont get in front of his shoulder. If he stops and backs off, turn around and approach again. I think hes maybe taking the mickey as he has travelled well before.
Once hes in, loads of praise, treats, even a small feed.
Listen me talking, my boy travels great in a lorry but I had the same problems as you getting him into a trailer, he kept running out backwards! Last weekend we got him in, so my next step is a short drive...gulp!
Good luck.