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[Baccara]

Has anybody got any thoughts, stories and information about horses that will not load. Ive been down the professional help route, with well regarded local trainers. The horse in question is worked in hand, understands the aids regarding going forwards, backwards, sideways. He is self opinionated, and has been discribed as "a very naughty boy." Im not soft with my horses, but with him I really have to raise my energy levels for him to respect me. Hes talented, very good looking and good in all ways apart from loading. If he was a man, he would probable be very rich and powerful!! Any suggestions anybody? Just to add, he has had veterinary problems in the past, but these have all been sorted out, and has regular checks with physio, teeth, and the saddle.

 

[cauda equina]

Are you sure your transport is in good nick too?
My trailer had an annual service but for some reason no one looked at the ramps, which eventually turned out to be rotten

 

[Goldenstar]

Into a trailer or a truck ?

 

[Baccara]

Are you sure your transport is in good nick too?
My trailer had an annual service but for some reason no one looked at the ramps, which eventually turned out to be rotten

Lorry all good. My other horse loads and travels well in it x

 

[Baccara]

Into a trailer or a truck ?

A 7.5 lorry, he nearly desroyed a 3.5 I had.

 

[Ranyhyn]

They do say if you're horse cant answer the question then you're asking it wrong.

Maybe try someone else?

 

[Baccara]

They do say if you're horse cant answer the question then you're asking it wrong.

Maybe try someone else?

Im not sure how many other ways I can ask!

 

[Baywonder]

My old boy used to be a pain to load when I first got him. He would either plant his feet firmly on the ground, spin and take off down the field, or he would put his front legs on the ramp, spin sideways, then take off down the field. Either way, we used to end up down the field!

Anyhow, I started parking the trailer / lorry next to a wall, and I attached a lunge line on the right hand side (this was his favoured side) and a friend used to hold this. I also used a Chifney - which I know some people don't like, but it stopped him tanking off. As soon as he tried to pull away, I just stood there and held the lead rope. He soon realised that he wasn't going to get anywhere, and after a few times loading, he was following me up the ramp in just his head collar.

As others have suggested, check your ramps / flooring too, just to be on the safe side.

 

[Ranyhyn]

Im not sure how many other ways I can ask!

Not you, I kind of mean whatever trainers you've used to try to get him to load. Maybe their method hasn't been the one he needs.

 

[bubsqueaks]

Do you use a training rope halter - makes big difference - we use Richard Maxwell.
I have both a stubborn loader & a stressed loader.
With the planting stubborn mare if she plants then I do 10 minutes of moving her on 10m circle both reins, backing up, moving forwards - represent her & fine - its unlocking her backward thinking brain forward - she also wears an equi travel safe harness as she tried jumping over breast bar & never want that experience ever again!
With the stressed loader who goes straight on now but tries to barge his way out, its been all about teaching him space respect & putting him firmly in his place.
I have found it doesnt matter how many times you practice or feed them or coerce them, they always know when youre off on an outing because of your increased anxiety/heart rate so I also bought myself some rescue remedy.
Ive travelled both of them slightly sedated before too.
Always have a camera watching them.
Always ready for every eventuality whilst travelling.
Its my pet hate travelling horses - you wont understand that until youve had a bad experience like most things I guess.

 

[fredflop]

Try getting someone like Richard maxwell out

 

[Adoni123]

What is he doing when you say he's not loading? Is he planting/rearing/turning round and running away?

 

[Baccara]

What is he doing when you say he's not loading? Is he planting/rearing/turning round and running away?

Yes to all of those!!

 

[Carrottom]

What has happened when you have had a professional trainer out? Have they loaded successfully at all?

 

[Goldenstar]

Is he afraid ?

 

[Callieann]

My mare was an absolute horror. She would do every thing she could think of not to go up that ramp. Including running straight over the top of me. I got a trainer out. Result, in about 20 minutes she walked up that ramp on Her own, with the trainer standing outside the box. No coercion, no force, no whips. I was amazed.

 

[Quigleyandme]

Michael Peace’s method of loading worked very well for me. Detailed in his book The 100% Horse.

 

[Spottyappy]

What sort of “expert” help did you get? What did they suggest?
will e loa if the lorry is backed into a corner, and the third side blocked off, so the only way is forward?
i may get lambasted for this, but one we subsequently sold, only loads with a blindfold. Have you tried that?

 

[Baccara]

yes, he has loaded with the professionals. And with me for several days/ weeks after. Then one day, he will come out with attitude and say no thank you. You are then back tosquare one. No, I dont think hes frightned, as he travels very well, and will come out of the lorry very calmly. The trainers ive used are very calm and quite, and have never used any force, for one thing I wouldnt allow it. I do think lot of this horse, but unless he will load consistently he will be a companion to my other horse. And no, hes not a nappy horse, as in not wanting to leave his companion.

 

[Baccara]

I must say, I never thought of blind folding him!

 

[Adoni123]

I would get an expert out as that sounds really dangerous - if you keep at it when it's not working it could get better or worse but it's a risk to take!
I've seen people fix this problem with one session from an expert

 

[9tails]

If you want a story, here is mine. My mare travelled home with me from her previous home and it was horrendous. She kicked and reared in the 3.5 ton for 50 miles. Lucky I'd hired it! The next time I went to load her, she went on willingly but then panicked and after that she refused to load. A Parelli enthusiast offered to help out and he worked on her for a few weeks before we tried our first outing. I quickly realised that travel boots made her kick like crazy so those came off and she travelled well. Next time, she was on the left in a trailer and she couldn't balance, so she was swapped to the right and travelled beautifully home. All these times, her loading was a bit sticky, but she would go up on her own after a few minutes and I would put up the breech bar. With practice and fun destinations, she has become a consistent and excellent traveller who rarely sweats up. She only wears overreach boots. One memorable and very long fun ride, we came across an open trailer and she made a beeline for it with me still aboard, her way of saying time to go home!

I think the answer to loading is to make the loading their idea and they then are at peace with the decision. When learning, we would be standing there for half an hour sometimes, tapping her butt with the horse looking asleep before she took another step forward. But we got there, there was no hauling or whips/brooms/lunge lines.

 

[Errin Paddywack]

We used to blindfold my sister's mare when we were showing her as a 2 yr old. Blindfold on, walk her round till she got a bit confused then straight into the trailer. Can remember doing it at Derby County show and had a lot of Shire handlers watching us totally bemused. Think they were even more amazed when it worked.
My sister had one pony who was a real pig to load until the day we were at a gymkhana at the local RC. Only had a single trailer then so my husband took me and my pony home then we went back for my sister's pony. My sister had started hacking him and done about 4 miles. He was tired so when we dropped the ramp he made a beeline for it. Learned his lesson and was really good after that.