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Isobel lincoln

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Hi! In desperate need of some help.
My mare raced and has been in a box loads of time. She then started to refuse to load after a trip to the vets. We got past the loading issue and she walks on fine now.
My issue is the second you close the box she absolutely freaks. It’s terrifying. She’s broken the partition, pulled it clean out. Broke the jocky door and is lucky she didn’t break a leg.
She was in the box for less than a minute before she freaked and she had company aswell. (She used to travel worse alone)
I’ve got no idea what to do and it’s just so dangerous.
I’m not to keen on the idea of hobbles just incase she still freaked and started bucking (which they can do in hobbles) inside the box, I would struggle to get her out safely.
I’m just on the verge of giving up and it’s breaking my heart thinking of selling her
 
How is she if you walk on, stand with her for a second, then walk her off again? If she's calm for that, I'd try increasing waits on the box before unloading, then try giving her a feed on the box, then try shutting the front ramp, feeding then unloading, shutting both ramps feeding and unloading etc.
It might also be worth trying without a partition, at least to start with.
I'd also check the soundness of the box (floor, axle etc) to make sure she's not picking up on something amiss with it.
 
Get professional help, it's dangerous and easy to make it worse.

A GOOD natural horsemanship practitioner would be my suggestion just because they tend to have more experience with serious groundwork problems.

I've been to some Joe Midgley clinics, he travels all over the UK.

Also there's absolutely no shame or guilt in selling her so long as you are honest about her issues and check her new home has the experience to work through them.
 
SpeedyPony said:
How is she if you walk on, stand with her for a second, then walk her off again? If she's calm for that, I'd try increasing waits on the box before unloading, then try giving her a feed on the box, then try shutting the front ramp, feeding then unloading, shutting both ramps feeding and unloading etc.
It might also be worth trying without a partition, at least to start with.
I'd also check the soundness of the box (floor, axle etc) to make sure she's not picking up on something amiss with it.
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She’s absolutely fine as long as the doors don’t get shut. The second you shut them she freaks out to the point it’s just dangerous for her and me..
 
Yep professional help is the way to go, I would also consider what she's like with enclosed spaces you might find she'd react the same if a stable top door was shut.
 
Alibear said:
Yep professional help is the way to go, I would also consider what she's like with enclosed spaces you might find she'd react the same if a stable top door was shut.
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Yeah did think about that, unfortunately our stables don’t have top doors or else I would of started trying to desensitise in the stable.
 
Isobel lincoln said:
Yeah did think about that, unfortunately our stables don’t have top doors or else I would of started trying to desensitise in the stable.
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Get creative, you could use a bin bag or something to block it for training purposes. It needs to be something you can take down in a split second and sounds like it's at a two-person job, one to man the window and one to manage the horse. A professional will help you by spotting the root cause and coming up with achievable ways to address it.
 
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Take it from someone who wasted 2 years trying to get a horse to load, don’t waste your time just call in a pro! Mine wouldn’t load, if I even got him on, the second the ramp was lifted he kicked off big style! At the end of my tether (having had local ‘pros’ fail) I messaged Richard Maxwell and he came out, loaded, doors and ramps shut in less than 3 hours, i was amazed!! His timing and ability to read the horse was second to none and i had him out a few years later to a different horse (i didn’t mess around the second time!)
 
Identityincrisis said:
Take it from someone who wasted 2 years trying to get a horse to load, don’t waste your time just call in a pro! Mine wouldn’t load, if I even got him on, the second the ramp was lifted he kicked off big style! At the end of my tether (having had local ‘pros’ fail) I messaged Richard Maxwell and he came out, loaded, doors and ramps shut in less than 3 hours, i was amazed!! His timing and ability to read the horse was second to none and i had him out a few years later to a different horse (i didn’t mess around the second time!)
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Yes contacting a few professionals, Richard would be very expensive for me as I’m Scotland based but if all else fails I’ll give him a go
 
Isobel lincoln said:
Yes contacting a few professionals, Richard would be very expensive for me as I’m Scotland based but if all else fails I’ll give him a go
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I’m North East England, he was expensive but i had already tried the recommended local ones, one of who didn’t even present him to the trailer! I was at the end of my tether and had no other options
 
Do check your box - find a reputable person to go over it. One of mine went down in our trailer and started to refuse to load. After being never being problem at all. Turned out the brakes were dodgy. Got it fixed and all was good. When she started being funny to load again we checked trailer, all was good, so we vet checked her and she had hock arthritis. So we treated that and could load again, but we stopped competing her. Fast forward a couple more years years, and when my boy suddenly started being odd loading, I had the trailer checked and turned out the hydraulic bit at the front (no idea what it’s called 🤣) was worn out and so when breaking it was juddering.My trailer chap is brilliant and went through the whole trailer, replacing springs and making sure there were no rattles or bangs. Pony now loads perfectly.
 
This is exactly what the ex racer mare did I was given, and sadly gave back as she wasn’t right. As soon as the back doors shut she galloped on the spot, totally freaked out.
This was without a partition and she was fine to load, I think it reminded her of the stalls :(
 
mustardsmum said:
Do check your box - find a reputable person to go over it. One of mine went down in our trailer and started to refuse to load. After being never being problem at all. Turned out the brakes were dodgy. Got it fixed and all was good. When she started being funny to load again we checked trailer, all was good, so we vet checked her and she had hock arthritis. So we treated that and could load again, but we stopped competing her. Fast forward a couple more years years, and when my boy suddenly started being odd loading, I had the trailer checked and turned out the hydraulic bit at the front (no idea what it’s called 🤣) was worn out and so when breaking it was juddering.My trailer chap is brilliant and went through the whole trailer, replacing springs and making sure there were no rattles or bangs. Pony now loads perfectly.
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The box is brand new 🫣 and she was vet checked not long ago… it’s not loading that’s an issue it’s the second the box gets closed that she just goes absolutely mental so I’m wondering if it’s small spaces or something that is making her freak. She will go in and stand in the open box fine
 
Hormonal Filly said:
This is exactly what the ex racer mare did I was given, and sadly gave back as she wasn’t right. As soon as the back doors shut she galloped on the spot, totally freaked out.
This was without a partition and she was fine to load, I think it reminded her of the stalls :(
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That’s the sort of thing I was thinking.. flash back to race days or reminding her of her vet trip. Hopefully a professional will help with my girl.. if not I’ll have to sell and it’s so heartbreaking
 
Isobel lincoln said:
That’s the sort of thing I was thinking.. flash back to race days or reminding her of her vet trip. Hopefully a professional will help with my girl.. if not I’ll have to sell and it’s so heartbreaking
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That sounds like claustrophobia and high adrenaline, and if she’s an ex flat racing mare, starting stalls are likely the root cause.
Do get an experienced professional, just try and make sure you’ve found someone who really knows their stuff because there are no end of ‘equine behaviourists’ advertising - good luck!!
 
Exasperated said:
That sounds like claustrophobia and high adrenaline, and if she’s an ex flat racing mare, starting stalls are likely the root cause.
Do get an experienced professional, just try and make sure you’ve found someone who really knows their stuff because there are no end of ‘equine behaviourists’ advertising - good luck!!
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Indeed, look at the APBC register, they have an interactive map so you can see local qualified professionals. Even if they can't help directly they will be able to point you in the right direction.
 
Isobel lincoln said:
The box is brand new 🫣 and she was vet checked not long ago… it’s not loading that’s an issue it’s the second the box gets closed that she just goes absolutely mental so I’m wondering if it’s small spaces or something that is making her freak. She will go in and stand in the open box fine
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Ah prob not box then. I would see if Richard Maxwell or someone like him can help. Or speak to vet - would a bit of Sedalin help take the edge off her not panic?
 
Richard Maxwell was going to Balcormo for a while, I'm not sure if he still does but if you're anywhere near Fife it might be worth seeing if you could tag a visit onto him coming up? A livery of mine had him up in the 90s and the horse was transformed.
 
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