Loading with a lunge line

[RuthP]

Would you / do you do it?

Now, I would never do this usually BUT i have a incredibly stubbon mare- she's not at all scared- she travels impeccibly (sp?), never really sweats up, falls asleep once on the lorry. But to load she is plants her feet on the ramp and won't budge, after about 45minutes she gives up and takes herself onto the lorry!!
In desperation at a show, it was peeing it down (ramp getting very slippy) dad put lunge line behind her and she calmly walked on- no messing about absolutely no chance of her rearing, bucking injury herself.
Since then I've found if i just walk behind her with the line, i don't even have to touch her, but she just walks on- she doesn't mess about, no chance of her injuring herself/others.
But does anyone else do this or is it hideously frowned upon? I would never do it if there was a chance of her hurting herself but she's the kind of horse that needs telling once in a while or she takes the pee! Am i doing the wrong thing resorting to this?

 

[dianchi]

If it means she doesnt hurt her self and it all goes well definately would!

You never know once she has confidence up, just some one walking behind her might do the trick!

 

[jumpthemoon]

That's what I do with my horse - he sounds the same as yours. He has no problem once on the lorry, but plants himself on the ramp. Put a lungeline up and he goes straight on

 

[doris2008]

At the moment a lunge line clipped to each side of my trailer & a person on either end is the only way my horse will go in my trailer. He too travels well...and just seemingly takes the michael. He has a clever tactic of putting front feet on ramp & swinging rest of body sideways around trailer so you have to take him off & start again. Lunge lines help stop him from doing this. Works for me..without too much drama...not sure what other people think...

 

[CastleMouse]

Ali is VERY difficult to load, the only way he'll go in is if we use lunge lines, otherwise he'll have a big tantrum and will rear up continously. We always use the lunge lines and he loads straight away - our "method" has also helped difficult loaders at several shows. I'm sure a lot of people will say we shouldn't be relying on the lunge lines all the time, but to be perfectly honest I don't think Ali will ever load happily without them! We have an Ifor Williams 505 and Ali will only load when the partitions are out as well. We use two lunge lines of the same length, and attach them with clips to the "handles" (sorry I can't explain what they are exactly!

) on each side of the outside of our trailer...

 

[gothdolly]

For mine its the safest, quickest way to get him on the box. If you start the procedure without it, you can be messing around for hours. With the lunge lines, he goes straight up. If its safe and quick, he goes up without dramatics, why not?

Cassandra

 

[SSM]

If it works keep using it!

Donkey kicks out at a lunge line (we have had one caught between her hoof and shoe) but will load to gentle rhythmic taps from a lunge whip on her rear - when SHE is ready

 

[Stacie_and_Jed]

I wish my loading issues were solved as easy as this.

Jed would try to kill me if i went behind him with anything. He will only load with lots of patients, a quiet atmosphear and two people. If there is more than two people around you have no chance. And he always used to load brilliantly, used to walk straight on but not any more.

I have recently brought a new head collar which acts as kind of a twitch, it goes under his top lip instead of round it though......im yet to find out if it works.

 

[Maesfen]

[ QUOTE ]
If it means she doesnt hurt her self and it all goes well definately would!

You never know once she has confidence up, just some one walking behind her might do the trick!

[/ QUOTE ]

We used to have a hunter mare as a livery who would take the pee but if you as much as picked up a broom, not even anywhere near her, she's scurry on and look as if butter wouldn't melt; she was a good traveller too so just being pig headed. One day, owner was late boxing up, everyone else had long gone; he thought he was there for the duration on this very quiet lane, been there 30 min's, her feet planted at the bottom of the ramp not budging - then a dog walked around the corner miles away, she saw it and snatched the lead rein out of his hand and loaded herself!

They're beggars when all they're doing is taking the pee, very frustrating and if lungelines, brooms or whistles work for you without hurting anyone why should you change it?

 

[jinxy]

If it works for you and your horse keep going with it.

My gelding used to rear, drag me off the side, back up anything so he didnt have to go in yet once he was in he was fine. We started using a lunge line behind his bum and we kept practising and a couple of weeks ago after some cross country schooling with the lunge line attached (just incase) we walked him in without lifting it and he was in first time no questions asked. I always give him a reward for going in aswell.

 

[Tiffany]

Similar situation to my friends mare. She won't walk on the ramp unless someone is stood behind her - weird ! She travels well, doesn't sweat up and always just walks in coming home?
If she walks in calmly and there's no chance of her hurting herself I'd use the line from the start so she doesn't have time to mess about and stress herself.

 

[HorseS0S]

It works! It is brilliant Do it use two if necessary one on each side. Flicking water lightly on there rear is a great extra shock (in the nicest possible way)!!!

 

[BigBird146]

My horse is a b****er to laod and someone tried this at the last event I went to. He tried to kick the ropes, tried to kick them, and got himself even more wound up!
In the end I asked everyone to leave me to it and he walked in when he was ready.
Was really cross with myself as I'd sworn not to let people try and pressure him in after problems in the past.
All I'm saying is just cos it works for one doesn't necessarily mean it'll work for all!

 

[Theresa_F]

Yes if she goes on I would use them. Why spend ages waiting if she goes on immediately with them.

Chancer went through a stage of planting/backing up - I put on his choke chain and he received a couple of smacks on his rear each time harder and he got the message. He was not frightened, just trying to see what he could get away with.

I still load him with his choke chain under ths chin and carry a dressage whip - he goes on every time, and unloading waits until commanded to back up - he has to be perfect loading and unloading as I am by myself nearly everywhere I go.

Yesterday I just used the chain - he stopped once I gave a small tug and he went on - I will still keep the dressage whip in the car just in case. Long term I plan not to have to use his chain too, but again will keep it in the car.

Yesterday someone had a difficult sort - I lent them my chain so going back was uncomfortable, her friend and I stood either side with two whips and waved them if she went to the side - she realised it was nicer to go on and was straight up the ramp. Owner is now off to the pet shop. This does not work for frightened horses, but is great for micky takers.

 

[ajn1610]

It is just finding a trick that works for your particular horse. You have to distinguish between what is a genuine problem/fear and bad behavior and have the sense to only take on fights you know you can win! There are some horses you can't force because they will wind up killing you/themselves. If you travel mostly on your own IMO people 'helping' usually isn't helpful because then it is impossible to close all the doors next time when you are alone again!
These are the tricks that I've found work for some of the horses some of the time.
Lunge line behind bum
Flicking water
Yard brush
Lunge/schooling whip
being against a wall
Food in a scoop
Just waiting it out
Lunging/ ground work
Drawing them in with a line through a ring in the lorry
Pressure halter
Blind fold
The only thing that has consistently made a difference to all the horses I've encountered and has stuck (as opposed to forcing them in which often just causes a bigger issue) is putting 3/4 days aside for loading training. Put them on with a nice hay net shut the ramp and leave them for a minute then get them off, then on, then off, then on (can you see a pattern?!) do it like 150 times each day. Repeat for one session a couple of weeks later , then another in a month. By the time they have done all that they are so bored with the whole thing all they forget to be a pain.

 

[RuthP]

Thanks guys! You've put my mind at rest! If it was genuine fear I'd take a completely different approach but she's just being a cow! Thanks!