Birker2020
Well-Known Member
First of all the point of this post isn't to overly criticise or misrepresent anyone or anything, its just my own point of view and experience on taking my horse to the Monty Roberts demo yesterday afternoon.
For those who have been following my posts about the loading problems I've encountered since June 2011 when my rising 16 year old gelding overnight decided he would be reluctant to load following a visit to see a couple of pigs whilst at a show centre.
On arriving at SRC (Solihull Riding Club) where I'm virtually a 10 mins drive down the road I unloaded my horse (he'd actually loaded in under a minute that day, sometimes it takes 10 mins, or 20 mins or 2 hours, and sometimes not at all). First reaction when met by Linda (team member) was that my horse was lovely and my trailer wasn't tall enough, a theme that carried on again later in the day. We were allowed to chose a stable and that's where the communication ended. No one told us where to go, what to do, we asked and were told to report to the indoor school at a certain time but then that changed. Then we had a chat with Monty and Kelly and were able to ask questions. I tried to put across that my horse had been frightened at the pigs at the show centre but nothing much was asked about that. Bailey is a very spooky horse, both in hand and under saddle, again no questions asked about this. Then we were told to report back at 2.30pm. Meanwhile we watched a starter horse take a rider, and then each horse was looked at for about three minutes in the round pen in front of Monty and a physio. Monty said Bailey was a lovely horse and moved nicely and I said about the pigs and that the day I showed him the pigs was the day he wouldn't load to come home and it took 3/4 hr to load, and every time without exception for 7 1/2 years before that day he'd virtually trotted onto the ramp, he seemed to lose all confidence in himself and me that day. But nothing was really mentioned about the pigs, and it was considered an aside. I thought that Kelly and Monty would ask in depth questions about the horses but nothing was really asked at all and it was quite frustrating. I also thought that our horses would be individually worked with with us, to try and help us, but that wasn't the case at all, in fact as far as I am aware the horses were not handled at all during the day by Kelly, Monty or the team. I had hoped that Kelly would help me with my loading problem, and although she spent ten mins with me at the end it was only to load him to go home and it was sadly the same conclusion as it had be when we arrived - that the trailer wasn't tall enough for the horse, and yet it had been fine for all my previous horses, four of them 16.3 - 17.1hh over the seven years I'd had them, and it had also be no problem for Bailey for the 7 1/2 years out of the nearly 9 years that I've had him.
Then there was another meeting between owners and Monty and Kelly (no one had told me this was happening) and was lucky enough to stumble across them all in the school. This is when we found out all the horses were going to be used for the demo and I got quite emotional as I had so hoped Bailey would be helped.
Anyway Bailey was used for a join up with some chap whose ship had been hit by an Exocet missile. Lovely chap, but I was very suprised as I hadn't been told he was going to be used for this which was a shame. It was a great demo of how join up works, Monty helped the chap, I've done a little join up with Bails years ago, and then he was walked over and through some obstacles (again I've had him walk though his stable door over shavings bags, left them over his tea so he pushes the bag aside with his nose, folded one a billion times and made it bigger whilst rubbing it over his body, etc). Then the loading part and Kelly showed me how to load using the Dually which was brilliant and he loaded onto the lorry a little reluctantly (hoorah as this replicates what he is like every time) but nothing major and then it was all over. I'd never used a Dually halter before, and it would have been nice for a quick run through before hand of how to use one. I did wonder whether working with the owner before the demo would be conceived as 'cheating' but I would have been so grateful for the chance to be perfectly honest. It means so very much to me I can't tell you how much to get Bailey happy again with the trailer, and nothing has really been resolved in this respect.
I made some new friends, I enjoyed the day (I am not saying I didn't). Kelly, Monty and the team were helpful and interesting to talk to - I could have fired questions at Kelly all day, and I am glad I went. But it hasn't really helped me, or Bailey.
I am under no illusions whatsoever that he will not load without food, and will have to be 'starved' of his breakfast (but still given hay) prior to loading and presented with a bucket of tasty (and expensive) treats to get him on which frustrates me greatly as I am rewarding him for not loading, a point my clever horse learnt only too well and too quickly in an effort to get him home away from the pigs that day in June 2011!!
I honestly feel a little sad about it all. And frustrated, more for Bailey than me.
And what's really made me sad was at the end when it came to load to go home and Bailey was filmed inside the trailer -as an example no doubt to show people in the future "this is why this horse has trouble loading, because his ears are touching the ceiling and its not tall enough for him" when all along Bailey and I know that's got nothing to do with it, its not the real reason at all. I can almost hear the voice over on the film. "And here ladies and gentleman is the reason this horse won't load". And I will never be able to say "Well hang on a minute general public, that's not the real reason why, its because he had the scare of his life, and then seeing the piglets run in front of him down the lane 4 months after seeing them at the show centre reinforced his fear". I do hope and pray that they won't use that footage, but I am more than certain they will, after all I signed away my rights to allow them to use what they wanted as I needed the help.
So to conclude my very long report, I will leave it to you to judge. But I would say, please don't take it lightly your decision to decide whether to take your horse to a demo. I think its to enjoy the moment, your bit of 'fame' and that's how to look at it. Its not a long term (or even short term solution) if the facts are not addressed and the owner isn't really even able to demonstrate what they do to try and load (or even asked). I know its a long, long process to reeducate both horse and rider, I read the magazines and books and things, I've been to the odd demo before. I know its not an instant remedy.
For those who have been following my posts about the loading problems I've encountered since June 2011 when my rising 16 year old gelding overnight decided he would be reluctant to load following a visit to see a couple of pigs whilst at a show centre.
On arriving at SRC (Solihull Riding Club) where I'm virtually a 10 mins drive down the road I unloaded my horse (he'd actually loaded in under a minute that day, sometimes it takes 10 mins, or 20 mins or 2 hours, and sometimes not at all). First reaction when met by Linda (team member) was that my horse was lovely and my trailer wasn't tall enough, a theme that carried on again later in the day. We were allowed to chose a stable and that's where the communication ended. No one told us where to go, what to do, we asked and were told to report to the indoor school at a certain time but then that changed. Then we had a chat with Monty and Kelly and were able to ask questions. I tried to put across that my horse had been frightened at the pigs at the show centre but nothing much was asked about that. Bailey is a very spooky horse, both in hand and under saddle, again no questions asked about this. Then we were told to report back at 2.30pm. Meanwhile we watched a starter horse take a rider, and then each horse was looked at for about three minutes in the round pen in front of Monty and a physio. Monty said Bailey was a lovely horse and moved nicely and I said about the pigs and that the day I showed him the pigs was the day he wouldn't load to come home and it took 3/4 hr to load, and every time without exception for 7 1/2 years before that day he'd virtually trotted onto the ramp, he seemed to lose all confidence in himself and me that day. But nothing was really mentioned about the pigs, and it was considered an aside. I thought that Kelly and Monty would ask in depth questions about the horses but nothing was really asked at all and it was quite frustrating. I also thought that our horses would be individually worked with with us, to try and help us, but that wasn't the case at all, in fact as far as I am aware the horses were not handled at all during the day by Kelly, Monty or the team. I had hoped that Kelly would help me with my loading problem, and although she spent ten mins with me at the end it was only to load him to go home and it was sadly the same conclusion as it had be when we arrived - that the trailer wasn't tall enough for the horse, and yet it had been fine for all my previous horses, four of them 16.3 - 17.1hh over the seven years I'd had them, and it had also be no problem for Bailey for the 7 1/2 years out of the nearly 9 years that I've had him.
Then there was another meeting between owners and Monty and Kelly (no one had told me this was happening) and was lucky enough to stumble across them all in the school. This is when we found out all the horses were going to be used for the demo and I got quite emotional as I had so hoped Bailey would be helped.
Anyway Bailey was used for a join up with some chap whose ship had been hit by an Exocet missile. Lovely chap, but I was very suprised as I hadn't been told he was going to be used for this which was a shame. It was a great demo of how join up works, Monty helped the chap, I've done a little join up with Bails years ago, and then he was walked over and through some obstacles (again I've had him walk though his stable door over shavings bags, left them over his tea so he pushes the bag aside with his nose, folded one a billion times and made it bigger whilst rubbing it over his body, etc). Then the loading part and Kelly showed me how to load using the Dually which was brilliant and he loaded onto the lorry a little reluctantly (hoorah as this replicates what he is like every time) but nothing major and then it was all over. I'd never used a Dually halter before, and it would have been nice for a quick run through before hand of how to use one. I did wonder whether working with the owner before the demo would be conceived as 'cheating' but I would have been so grateful for the chance to be perfectly honest. It means so very much to me I can't tell you how much to get Bailey happy again with the trailer, and nothing has really been resolved in this respect.
I made some new friends, I enjoyed the day (I am not saying I didn't). Kelly, Monty and the team were helpful and interesting to talk to - I could have fired questions at Kelly all day, and I am glad I went. But it hasn't really helped me, or Bailey.
I am under no illusions whatsoever that he will not load without food, and will have to be 'starved' of his breakfast (but still given hay) prior to loading and presented with a bucket of tasty (and expensive) treats to get him on which frustrates me greatly as I am rewarding him for not loading, a point my clever horse learnt only too well and too quickly in an effort to get him home away from the pigs that day in June 2011!!
I honestly feel a little sad about it all. And frustrated, more for Bailey than me.
And what's really made me sad was at the end when it came to load to go home and Bailey was filmed inside the trailer -as an example no doubt to show people in the future "this is why this horse has trouble loading, because his ears are touching the ceiling and its not tall enough for him" when all along Bailey and I know that's got nothing to do with it, its not the real reason at all. I can almost hear the voice over on the film. "And here ladies and gentleman is the reason this horse won't load". And I will never be able to say "Well hang on a minute general public, that's not the real reason why, its because he had the scare of his life, and then seeing the piglets run in front of him down the lane 4 months after seeing them at the show centre reinforced his fear". I do hope and pray that they won't use that footage, but I am more than certain they will, after all I signed away my rights to allow them to use what they wanted as I needed the help.
So to conclude my very long report, I will leave it to you to judge. But I would say, please don't take it lightly your decision to decide whether to take your horse to a demo. I think its to enjoy the moment, your bit of 'fame' and that's how to look at it. Its not a long term (or even short term solution) if the facts are not addressed and the owner isn't really even able to demonstrate what they do to try and load (or even asked). I know its a long, long process to reeducate both horse and rider, I read the magazines and books and things, I've been to the odd demo before. I know its not an instant remedy.
I think the common theme here is weather there is a pig issue or not, your trailer is too small. Tbh if my horses ear's were touching the ceiling of the trailer I wouldn't be putting my horse in - sorry.
, but can you say 110% that on the day you went to the show nothing happened in the trailer. Could he of slipped, jolted into the breast bar, banged his head, got caught on the hay net,could there of been a very large noised that could of scared him? I think unless you have a camera into see no one can be that sure. Have you ever travelled in the back of a trailer when its moving, it's not a great experience.
That was it. No help or anything.
