loading youngster, sorry its a bit long!

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u02srg3

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If anyone remembers, Im the one with the highly strung but very sweet TB mare who was having problems hacking out alone (last month). Gladly that is now resolved through patience and giving her lots of confidence. However....I have a new problem!! Tried loading her tonight for the first time (got her newly broken and so do not know if she had been in a trailer). She walked straight in after my lead as she really trusts me now and we have a good bond, but once in she seemed to be very claustraphobic and jumped the ramp going out! Tried a few more times and although she kept walking straight up the ramp, she was still bombing out. Thinking maybe I should put the bar up and unload backwards (she will do this) but does anyone have suggestions for making her more relaxed in the trailer? Had the opposite problem with my last horse, refused to load but after an hour or so would walk calmly up!
 
i'd definitely put the bar across so she doesn't get the habit of charging straight out.
i'd feed her in there... stand holding the bucket the whole time, scratching her head and making a fuss of her. your arms might drop off by the end, but it should chill her out, hopefully.
i'd unload her backwards until she's calm in there... she's more likely to hurt herself trying to exit at speed and jumping the ramp, than going backwards.
 
Great minds think alike - thats exactly what I did! After 3 attempts of her rushing out I put the bar across and fed her in it whilst rubbing her head and speaking to her. Then she slowly backed out the ramp. Think I'll just keep doing this until she relaxes and then start taking her out the front.
 
if shes very upset i wouldnt put the bar across
but if shes standing in the box for a while and then flying out i would keep her in with some feed and put the bar across,prehaps even bringing her friend to the front part(if there is a jockey door you can leave open) so she feels a bit more secure the first few times.
dont be in too much of a rush
 
I had this problem so started to unload backwards. This has now caused a problem in that he goes straight in, eats feed or treat and then rushes out at speed backwards. We tried to get the ramp up and he freaked, this was after spending about a month feeding in the trailer then loading him again straight after as he always runs out. Got him to the stage he would walk in, out, stop on the ramp, in again etc but just cant get the ramp up. After he freaked we tried reverse psycology and got him just to walk right through and unload from the front. Ive not tried since as Im becoming nervous now too.
 
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