Moving young horse

[lifewithflash]

Im moving my rising 4 y/o farms Wednesday and I’m stressing out

He’s been pretty unhandled for a month or 2 and haven’t had time to do much with him, we hadn’t planned to move so soon so I thought I had more time to prepare him.

He hasn’t been in a trailer for 2 years and he was a struggle to get on. I don’t want to stress him out, push him on or anything like that. I have 2 day to somehow prepare him to lead up a mile long lane and get him in the trailer. I use clicker training with him btw

Im having nightmare with how stressed I’m over it

How can I help prepare him??

 

[maya2008]

First, don’t be stressed around him. He’ll pick up on it and worry.

Second, for the leading part, if he’s rising 4yo and was once well handled, he won’t have forgotten in two months. So take carrots and some feed if needed, but he should remember how to headcollar and basic leading just fine.

(If you’ve never taught him how to lead, I would go down multiple times a day for short lessons with big rewards.)

Third, for loading - do you have access to the vehicle he will be moved in or something similar? I lead them up with food the first time, let them eat some of it in there, lead them off. Repeat. For reluctant loaders, you reward every single movement in the right direction. Lots of breaks, don’t expect to get all the way in on the first session. Make the whole thing as positive and encouraging for him as you can.

If you can’t practise with the vehicle: several people, a removed partition and something to block him running/jumping past it. We got our then unhandled mare on the lorry last summer by backing it into a barn, dropping the ramp, using tall gates to make running past undesirable and herding her on. Whatever you use to block the sides needs to be really tall though. I had a 13hh Welsh throw herself over a 5 bar gate once. She was handled but wouldn’t load. In the end, we tired her right out in the arena then she gave up and went on. Wasn’t ideal but she had to leave that day.

 

[Edward28]

Im moving my rising 4 y/o farms Wednesday and I’m stressing out

He’s been pretty unhandled for a month or 2 and haven’t had time to do much with him, we hadn’t planned to move so soon so I thought I had more time to prepare him.

He hasn’t been in a trailer for 2 years and he was a struggle to get on. I don’t want to stress him out, push him on or anything like that. I have 2 day to somehow prepare him to lead up a mile long lane and get him in the trailer. I use clicker training with him btw

Im having nightmare with how stressed I’m over it

How can I help prepare him??

Hey,

I totally get how stressful moving can be, especially with a horse. First off, kudos for considering your horse's well-being during the process. Regarding leading, the advice about keeping it positive with carrots and feed sounds solid. For loading, if possible, the gradual approach with treats and breaks seems like a good plan. If you can't practice with the trailer, the idea of using multiple people and barriers to guide him on is clever – safety first, right? Just take it one step at a time, and I hope the move goes smoothly for both of you. Deep breaths, you got this!

 

[lifewithflash]

First, don’t be stressed around him. He’ll pick up on it and worry.

Second, for the leading part, if he’s rising 4yo and was once well handled, he won’t have forgotten in two months. So take carrots and some feed if needed, but he should remember how to headcollar and basic leading just fine.

(If you’ve never taught him how to lead, I would go down multiple times a day for short lessons with big rewards.)

Third, for loading - do you have access to the vehicle he will be moved in or something similar? I lead them up with food the first time, let them eat some of it in there, lead them off. Repeat. For reluctant loaders, you reward every single movement in the right direction. Lots of breaks, don’t expect to get all the way in on the first session. Make the whole thing as positive and encouraging for him as you can.

If you can’t practise with the vehicle: several people, a removed partition and something to block him running/jumping past it. We got our then unhandled mare on the lorry last summer by backing it into a barn, dropping the ramp, using tall gates to make running past undesirable and herding her on. Whatever you use to block the sides needs to be really tall though. I had a 13hh Welsh throw herself over a 5 bar gate once. She was handled but wouldn’t load. In the end, we tired her right out in the arena then she gave up and went on. Wasn’t ideal but she had to leave that day.

tbf im not to bothered about the leading part, he just has his baby moments sometimes.

I don't have a trailer to practice with. where we will be loading him its on a road and my mare will be on there as well, im hoping he goes straingt in after her but Im worried he won't. I don't want to traumatised him at such a young age and make him scared of trailers.

I guess I could sort of make a box with poles or something to resemble a box?

 

[LEC]

Your options are limited so I would put some handling in this week. Yeilds, backing up, leading etc

I would be practicing with strange things to walk on just building confidence about it and I would have him on the road if possible and safe and be feeding food so it’s a relaxing place and not completely new on the day.

 

[CanteringCarrot]

Is he food motivated?

Before mine had any real loading skills, he was just lured in with a bucket of feed, but he loves his feed or anything in pellet form it seems! Might also help if he sees your mare load and stand on there.

Basically, it's going to be what it's going to be.

Don't show any hesitation or nerves. Just march right up the ramp and into the trailer like it's no big thing and be confident.

Brushing up on leading skills wouldn't hurt. Forward sharply on command, reverse, yielding to pressure, etc.

 

[maya2008]

Is there anywhere else you could load him? If he gets away on a road, he’s loose, potentially panicked, in traffic. Even quiet roads lead to busier ones. Or he could suddenly jump off the ramp sideways in front of a passing car.

I would have a lunge line for at least the side of the trailer near traffic, and more people than just you and driver. I hope it goes well.

 

[lme]

When we needed to move a 3yo who had not yet been taught to load we got the vet out to sedate him. Made it a very low stress experience. Now he understands the process, he loads and travels well.

 

[lifewithflash]

Is there anywhere else you could load him? If he gets away on a road, he’s loose, potentially panicked, in traffic. Even quiet roads lead to busier ones. Or he could suddenly jump off the ramp sideways in front of a passing car.

I would have a lunge line for at least the side of the trailer near traffic, and more people than just you and driver. I hope it goes well.

the road isn't a busy one but yes it does lead to a busy main road. im hoping I won't have to walk him up the lane but its got loads of potholes so I don't think is safe for a horse box to drive on

 

[planete]

Could the trailer be backed into the entrance to the lane so you are not loading on the road itself?.

 

[MissMay]

I would definitely not load on the road. It will increase everyone's stress and be a disaster you need an enclosed space

When we were teaching our baby to laod it was nightmare. We would have every door on the box open make it super bright and airy. Let him watch the experienced loader load up on the right side and walk straight through out the side door maybe 3 or 4 times. Then load the experienced horse on the left and walk very deliberately to the right side with baby. Allow him time to sniff and look but keep his feet moving don't let him get stuck.

Make sure everyone you have helping has a similar thought process last thing you want is someone 'helpful' behind using a scare tactic as that can raise adrenaline and turn the whole thing into a disaster very fast.
Decide if your going to use a lunge line around the bum for a pressure if needed have food ready make sure it's a high value and plenty of it.
Allow time do not add more stress by giving yourself half an hour.
We used to give ourselves the entire evening to teach loading with nowhere to go and we did it over 3 or 4 days (we had an especially paranoid and stubborn youngster) we probably spent over 12 hours the first week teaching loading and then loaded every week for some reason to solidify it
Only once we were rock solid did we even consider loading on the road and that was because it was going to be required for hunting so we practiced.


Also are you sure your own horse will stand quietly on the box for however long it take without kicking off? It might surprise you that some solid loaders and travellers do not tolerate standing whilst a baby is having a melt down outside making the whole thing worse.

 

[nutjob]

I bought a 2yo with only a limited amount of handling and no loading / travelling experience the breeder sedated him with sedalin and walked him straight up the ramp of a lorry. I would sedate if you have no chance to do any practice before hand. Also, load 4yo on the side of the trailer which off loads first and try to off load on grass if possible as sometimes (like mine!) they launch off the ramp and can slip on concrete.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

Could the trailer be backed into the entrance to the lane so you are not loading on the road itself?.

Was gonna say this and it gives them less room to dive off the side.

 

[lifewithflash]

I would definitely not load on the road. It will increase everyone's stress and be a disaster you need an enclosed space

When we were teaching our baby to laod it was nightmare. We would have every door on the box open make it super bright and airy. Let him watch the experienced loader load up on the right side and walk straight through out the side door maybe 3 or 4 times. Then load the experienced horse on the left and walk very deliberately to the right side with baby. Allow him time to sniff and look but keep his feet moving don't let him get stuck.

Make sure everyone you have helping has a similar thought process last thing you want is someone 'helpful' behind using a scare tactic as that can raise adrenaline and turn the whole thing into a disaster very fast.
Decide if your going to use a lunge line around the bum for a pressure if needed have food ready make sure it's a high value and plenty of it.
Allow time do not add more stress by giving yourself half an hour.
We used to give ourselves the entire evening to teach loading with nowhere to go and we did it over 3 or 4 days (we had an especially paranoid and stubborn youngster) we probably spent over 12 hours the first week teaching loading and then loaded every week for some reason to solidify it
Only once we were rock solid did we even consider loading on the road and that was because it was going to be required for hunting so we practiced.


Also are you sure your own horse will stand quietly on the box for however long it take without kicking off? It might surprise you that some solid loaders and travellers do not tolerate standing whilst a baby is having a melt down outside making the whole thing worse.

im really hoping I won't have to load on the road but theres no other place really.
the last time I loaded him there was lots of people trying to push him on and I think that really stressed him out causing him to not want to load at all.

my other horse is 23 and is literally the most perfect mare. They have a sort of mother son relationship with each other and I'm hope that will help him a bit if she's there.
He is very trusting towards me tho so thats good, he knows i'd never put him in a situation that would hurt/is dangerous for him.

 

[AmyMay]

im really hoping I won't have to load on the road but theres no other place really.
the last time I loaded him there was lots of people trying to push him on and I think that really stressed him out causing him to not want to load at all.

my other horse is 23 and is literally the most perfect mare. They have a sort of mother son relationship with each other and I'm hope that will help him a bit if she's there.
He is very trusting towards me tho so thats good, he knows i'd never put him in a situation that would hurt/is dangerous for him.

Load the mare first, then your youngster.