Loading troubles - any bright ideas?

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Lill

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Old lorry was apparently non-scary and fine he would walk up the ramp and on ok and went out a couple of times in it.

New lorry is however very scary and he will not get on it.

I can only think, it's brighter than the old lorry, more shiny and it's metal ramp/floor rather than wooden so louder.

I've been feeding him for what feels like months (probably a month) on the ramp and gradually moving it up into the lorry. A couple of weeks ago all 4 feet were in and then he moved and the lorry moved and he freaked out and jumped off the ramp.

Now we are back to just standing on the ramp with head inside but no feet.

It's driving me insane. Any ideas of help would be much appreciated! ?
 
Is the ramp steeper? or just different material?
Does he plant or rear/ throw himself around to avoid going on?
Did he every go in it? did he go in once and have a bad experience?

Patients is usually the key, if he;s not too silly could you put some old carpet down as he walks up to deaden the noise?
 
Start banging things around while he is on the ramp if he is happy there. I change rugs or groom while mine is eating and then you can drop stuff or bang panels to get them used to it. Also try asking them to move over or head up just as you would if they were in their stable.
 
He just stops and refuses to go any further then selects reverse mode until he's completely off ramp again.
He's never been on new lorry no!
 
Have you got rubber on the rampand floor? You said the floor was loud and scary, maybe that's your answer.

Ah yes, you said the ramp and floor are metal rather than wood.
 
I know of a lady that bought a new lorry, horse loaded fine onto old one but wouldn't load onto the new one.

Turned out horse was getting static shocks from the new lorry (I don't know the ins and outs of it) so could be worth checking out?
 
Try smell... we've found with new boxes / trailer putting down used bedding or poo may help...

Also check ramp covering doesn't move under foot as some horses find the change in pressure off putting.

If all that doesn't work I'd suggest pressure halter
 
Interesting about the electric shocks. He is quite a 'static' horse if that makes sense, often gets static shocks from rugs, or if i have trainers on sometimes?

We have a pressure halter somewhere, will have to have a search for it.
 
def ditto the smell especially if it is totally new lorry - try above suggestions but also hang his smelliest rugs over partition - when closed will encourage 'his' smell and actually when open for him to get on, may help to deaden accoustics.
 
Does the new ramp feel flimsier underfoot? My guess is it does... this could be what is putting him off... my boy had got really good at loading into my Ifor trailer and then I had to load him into my friends new Richardson Rice which felt quite unstable underfoot, and he HATED it. Travelled the worst he's ever travelled and took forever to load.

If I were you I'd set aside a whole day, put some of his bedding down in the lorry, and maybe a rug or two of his in there so it smells very much of him and then you are just going to have to spend the day getting him on there... however long it takes (My guess is it won't take that long once he realises you won't give up) - youre half way there already if he's getting on the ramp. Then make it into a game. he goes in, gets fuss and a treat and comes out again, goes in, gets fuss and a treat, comes out again...
 
My lorry broke down, recovery vehicle was brand new and completely different to my lorry. Police had closed the main road both ways which caused huge jams, recovery driver was getting very aggitated but horse refused to load. I got someone to poke horse up the bum with a broom and he went staraight up the ramp. Not very PC I know but it worked. Worth trying? If I'd had a pressure halter he'd have gone up pretty quick too.
 
Can you load another horse onto the lorry first?

I had trouble with my TB, he would walk up the ramp and then very quickly back off before you could get the bum bar done up. I tried loading him with another person (he would just push past), feeding him in the float (trailer/horse box), walking him on and off the float, using a bum rope, clickers....

The only thing I found that would work was to load my other horse first, then load my TB, do up the bum bars, close the ramp then give them both carrots and pats, before unloading my other horse and then finally my TB. It took a few sessions of that before my TB realised the float wasn't bad and now he self loads.
 
oldie48 said:
My lorry broke down, recovery vehicle was brand new and completely different to my lorry. Police had closed the main road both ways which caused huge jams, recovery driver was getting very aggitated but horse refused to load. I got someone to poke horse up the bum with a broom and he went staraight up the ramp. Not very PC I know but it worked. Worth trying? If I'd had a pressure halter he'd have gone up pretty quick too.
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i second this but maybe not a broom. i attach a lunge line to the side of a trailer and someone else pulls it round behind her bum. it is much less stressful then her stressing out and me trying again and again. we dont have our own trailer so no time to practice. she know goes in really easily. but the lunge line is always there is i need it.
 
My horse has the same problems sometimes. He's fine loading into boxes, but not overly keen on trailers. He's not naughty, he just walks up the ramp then reverses back out!

I put my friends horse in first and put her bum bar up and Disney literally dragged me up the ramp and into the trailer!

They often find comfort knowing another horse has gone first and hasn't been eaten by the 'pack of wolves' that hide in trailers and lorries!
 
i had porblems getting my hoss to load into my ifor after he arrived at the yard as the previous owner delivered him for me in a trailer that was too small he was jammed in when it came to him getting off the trailer was also too short and it had rubbed through his skin on his bum causing it to bleed.

After a lot of work between myself and my OH he now loads. i used Parelli to get him to trust me enough and follow basic orders on the ground it took a long time but he now walks into the trailer and stands happy. By the end of it he was walking up the exit ramp and going out the rear of the trailer with ease :)
 
I have always had sucess with a Dually (Monty Roberts pressure halter). They also double up as a headcollar so can be used to travel in too.

My new youngster didn't understand my 3.5t side loading lorry as had only travelled in a larger lorry with other horses, so gave me some issues for the first few attempts.

I now load him with the above and he has cottoned on very quickly - I had him loaded 6 times in less than a couple of minutes the other day, and keep practising every time he comes in for a ride.

The halter works on the principle of pressure and release - if the horse plants the halter puts pressure on the nose, but as soon as the horse steps forward, that pressure is released. Therefore the horse learns that it is better to go forward, and hopefully up the ramp!!!

The other good thing with a Dually is it allows you to load them on your own - my horse is kept at home and know full well that he will load immediately if somone is standing behind him, but don't always have that option.

Good luck as know how frustrating loading issues can be!
 
martyn beer on facebook he is excellent has a calm gentle manner with lots of reccomendations and v reasonable . his num 07562752151
 
Soooo an update!

I paid out £50 for a monty roberts pressure halter. Rather expensive halter i thought!

Spent 10days working in the arena with this, and then today had a go at loading again.

He protested to begin with, first 4 or 5 attempts weren't too great and i had to establish forwards and backwards with the halter on the ground again but after this and a bit more arguments he walked all the way up the ramp all the way in about 7 or 8 times :D:D turned around stood looking out down the ramp and then we had another go just to make sure it wasn't a fluke! :D

So, this week will practice the same again each day and hope to have the ramp up and go for a short drive round the block with him at the weekend :D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D
 
Sorry to hijack your thread but I feel really gutted that my boy has just started to not load. He's always been excellent and just plodded on in the 3 years I've had him but 4 weeks ago I went to a local dressage and I walked him towards the ramp to load him for home and he just planted himself. He planted there for a few mins then my friend came and got behind him waving her arms and he went on. I put it down to the fact it was a hot day and we were parked on loads of lush grass and I thought he just wanted to stay and eat, however today I was booked in to a dressage clinic and took him towards the trailer and he reached the bottom of the ramp and planted again !! He again went on after a few minutes. We arrived at the clinic had a fab time but again when loading on the way home he planted at the bottom of the ramp !! the lady who took the clinic tried to help with pressure and real ease but no joy. He was planted at the bottom of the ramp falling asleep !! we eventually found a pressure head collar and at first he started rearing up vertically (hes never reared before) but eventually he gave up and went in the trailer. It took almost 2 hours !! I feel really down as I'd had a fab time and feel that its going to mar any future outings. I can't understand why he would suddenly start doing this ? He's always been brill. He didn't seem scarred just stubborn. Any ideas anyone ?
 
bowdazzle10 said:
Sorry to hijack your thread but I feel really gutted that my boy has just started to not load. He's always been excellent and just plodded on in the 3 years I've had him but 4 weeks ago I went to a local dressage and I walked him towards the ramp to load him for home and he just planted himself. He planted there for a few mins then my friend came and got behind him waving her arms and he went on. I put it down to the fact it was a hot day and we were parked on loads of lush grass and I thought he just wanted to stay and eat, however today I was booked in to a dressage clinic and took him towards the trailer and he reached the bottom of the ramp and planted again !! He again went on after a few minutes. We arrived at the clinic had a fab time but again when loading on the way home he planted at the bottom of the ramp !! the lady who took the clinic tried to help with pressure and real ease but no joy. He was planted at the bottom of the ramp falling asleep !! we eventually found a pressure head collar and at first he started rearing up vertically (hes never reared before) but eventually he gave up and went in the trailer. It took almost 2 hours !! I feel really down as I'd had a fab time and feel that its going to mar any future outings. I can't understand why he would suddenly start doing this ? He's always been brill. He didn't seem scarred just stubborn. Any ideas anyone ?
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I would take your trailer for a service, check the floor and the suspension, it's possible that it started giving your horse an uncomfortable ride.
 
Def ditto some sort of change in the ride quality, unless there has been a one off occurrence that you may not have noticed, like a bee getting in the box with him, or a loud vehicle right next to him when in the box.
 
That's a good idea thanks. It's not actually my trailer its my friends that I borrow and I'm not sure if its up to date with servicing. Also ive not towed any other trailers for ages so perhaps sould notice if it wasnt quite towing right. any ideas for getting his confidence back ? I want to nip it in the bud before it escalates ! My other friend will lend me her trailer a bit and I know hers has been checked ova.
 
Lill said:
Soooo an update!

I paid out £50 for a monty roberts pressure halter. Rather expensive halter i thought!

Spent 10days working in the arena with this, and then today had a go at loading again.

He protested to begin with, first 4 or 5 attempts weren't too great and i had to establish forwards and backwards with the halter on the ground again but after this and a bit more arguments he walked all the way up the ramp all the way in about 7 or 8 times :D:D turned around stood looking out down the ramp and then we had another go just to make sure it wasn't a fluke! :D

So, this week will practice the same again each day and hope to have the ramp up and go for a short drive round the block with him at the weekend :D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D
Click to expand...

I've had great success with this type of halter but it's really important to get the horse used to it's effect before using it to get it to load, I did find it works better for horses that run back rather than plant though.
 
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