people ‘helping’ with loading

"Helping" with not asking is dangerous as well as rude. The person on the other end of the lead rope may not be prepared for the horse's reaction or, as happened when I was loading a tricky horse, the horse may run back at the speed of lightening and give the interfering person both barrels - I did refrain from saying much in that instance and fortunately said person wasn't badly injured.
 
I purchased a young warmblood who had never left the property he was born on. With food and time we got him loaded on the lorry, however a 3 hour trip on a hot day was too much for him! I started doing loading training but he learnt a Nasty habit and it was obvious he had no ground training. I employed a professional to teach him ground manners before we started to load him. One session, we were loading and it was obvious that he'd had a bad experience, he was terrified! Then a lady from the yard sent her kid over with a stallion chain, telling me her mother said she always got horses on with this. I politely told the kid to pass on that we weren't worried about getting him on, we were simply trying to build trust and respect....
Said horse came good, he'd still occasionally balk for a few minutes. One day at a show, he'd been a little off and I decided to head home. For some reason, he turned into a rhino and planted himself. I doggedly stuck to my techniques and eventually he was going up the ramp, but refused to turn sideways (herringbone lorry). I was there for 3 hours, and had so many people barging up with whips, ropes, plastic bags and plethora of very second hand, low rate advice. One lady actually squeezed her way up the ramp, passed me and the horse and then tried to pull him by his head further into the lorry! I had to get cross before she got out, horse flew backwards and scared himself further. She cost me 40 minutes, to get him back up the ramp. It's fine to ask, but I was so cross a random presumed to know my horse better than myself.
 
This is my pet hate!!
I have unfortunately been the owners of many bad loaders and I cannot stand people getting involved uninvited!
I don't mind people asking if I need help, which I will all ways politely decline, as I have usually sussed a way to encourage them to load and the ghastly beast just needs a minute!
Urg even when I was loading my mare to go to the vet college everyone on the yard got involved and I had to tell them all to back off, felt awful coz they were only trying to help, but it wasn't helping at all!
 
millikins said:
Has anyone ever actually managed to load a "sticky" one using a lunge line?
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I've only ever seen it result in horse rearing, leaping off the ramp, kicking so pleased it works sometimes. Only have one who is a poor loader, a Richard Maxwell rope headcollar worked wonders, I still put it on even if I then don't use it, she's a baggage and takes the mick if she knows it isn't there :). In fairness to her we did discover that she hated stepping on the bottom of the ramp because it sometimes moved, she'd often place herself to get on halfway up.
 
Mine can be sticky. The best way to get her on is to pretend it doesn't matter, don't increase the pressure at all, keep trying and suddenly she will just walk on.
If she has an audience she feels ganged up on and puts her defences up and is harder to load.
I had a good experience at Lambourn vets, a stable hand offered help and I declined and was part way through explaining she's better when we are on our own when the stable hand practically finished my sentence. She clearly knew the score and that help wouldn't be helpful at all.
 
I've told this story on here before! A bought-in brood mare refused to load after a show. She reared six times, three times falling on her side and twice completely over backwards. I have no problem telling people I don't need help, but one man did emerge from the crowd who convinced me he knew what he was doing. To cut a very long story short, he took hold of her head collar and when the mare reared for the sixth time, unbalanced her so she fell into the trailer (IW505). As she started to get up, he pulled forwards and she did another mini rear inside the trailer, He yelled to shut the ramp, adding "She's got her leg over the bar, but I'll sort that". Well, he did sort it and I have never been more grateful to a complete stranger in my life!

Roll on 12 months and the mare had to be returned to the (infertile) stallion. Relations with the stallion owner had by now deteriorated (five servings, three mares, no foals!) so I knew she would not help loading. Well, we got the mare on after I'd let my helper try her 'for sure' method using a long rope and a broom! Desperate situations require desperate measures, especially when the stallion owner was watching from the window!

A few weeks later and we had that mare free loading on command. It was a matter of teaching her that there was nothing to fear in the trailer, then quiet persistence. (Mind you, I haven't tried to load her recently as we now have our own stalion!:D).
 
EventingMum said:
"Helping" with not asking is dangerous as well as rude. The person on the other end of the lead rope may not be prepared for the horse's reaction or, as happened when I was loading a tricky horse, the horse may run back at the speed of lightening and give the interfering person both barrels - I did refrain from saying much in that instance and fortunately said person wasn't badly injured.
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Indeed. As the person who grabbed my mare found when she twisted the leadrope around her muzzle and pony reared and ran backwards, I got her and got the rope off and we got her in with quiet assistance, but really that was an experience she could have done without at her first show! The moral to my story was -move your box or trailer to a quiet corner before attempting to load, being a spectacle at the ringside only compounds the problem! And invites unwanted interference!
 
Jesus you guys have me worried now. Mine doesn't load bad as such but he likes to stop at the bottom and sniff the trailer out of curiosity. Once I let him do that he walks on no problem. His one issue is that any time we stop he stamps his feet as he assumes he gets to come off now and when we do actually stop to get him off the trailer he is very insistent that he must be brought off before we do anything else.

Now worried some mad person with a bag is gonna see him stop and run at him!
 
Haha rachk89 that is exactly what happened to me. I would make some kind of sign saying thank you we are managing or something to save having to keep batting people away. Polite offers of actual help are good but bossy rough interfering people are not.
 
I have always got a horse on with a lunge line, or two criss crossed behind. You don't hoick until it keels over, just keep gently pushing, no pressure on the head end.
As I am always on my own loading I have devised many cunning plans over the years, I had a lunge line from headcollar thorough front ring, out grooms door, round ponies bum to me on end.
I often load using a few nuts and the number of people who have told me I should not use bribery - well, whatever works IMO, and always set yourself up to succeed - I usually had the lunge line and nuts in place beofre I went near the horse if it was a dodgy loader.

When I was about 10 I rode the worlds most stubborn small pony. Mum had taken me to a show and it would not load to come home. An old Irish boy had been watching the two hours of histronics and when he deemed the time was right he offered to help. Mum said yes please, he said hold its head straight then, walked behind the pony, lifted it's tail and touched his cigarette to the ponies bum. It loaded like a rocket. I wouldn't suggest trying that at home, mum was appllled even though it did work.
 
Think I must look scary as my mare has recently gone through a slightly sticky patch with loading to come home (reason understandable and resolved). She's another one who is better if you just keep pressure mild and on/off...she'll load when it's off but needs a bit of repeat requests to say 'yes I'm afraid this is what I want'.

Any sustained pressure or to much unwanted attention behind her and she gets stressed, then stroppy and is a bright strong girl..!!

Whilst her reluctance to load irritates me, I know it's just a time thing and it's improving massively with quiet persistence.

I've never had help offered even when she took a good 45 minutes (her worst by a long time) at a sponsored ride.

Scary me or maybe scary her!

Hopefully well on our way to resolving now as I believe it was stress/gut issues and she'll be back to her normal loading virtually before I can get in the trailer first.

Whilst a non loader is irritating as hell, I never quite know why random strangers seem to think the more people crowding the horse the better. One on one and quiet always seems to work for me.
 
Back last summer I took my lovely boy to his first ever show. We loaded up fine to go, travelled really well, unloaded like a pro(not like me as I'd developed jelly baby legs) Tacked up, did our classes, even got placed 3rd and a 5th!! Got back to our shared transport to find other horse already loaded to go home. Next half an hour was a complete blurry hazy mess. All my boy did was stop at the bottom of the ramp as he'd just seen big white bum facing him, I if I'd have been on my own I would have just given him the 5 second rule we have... look, think and process for 5 seconds then... WALK ON!! but no..... Lots of shouting started then waving of arms which just confused the beejeezus out of him. Then the pressure really started as the lead rein was snatched of my hand and they proceeded to pull him which he reacted to and did a mini rear off the ramp.Then they got the lunge lines out which completely threw him. As it wasn't my trailer I felt myself losing the will of speech but my dear little pony just looked me straight in the eye and said Help Mum?! So I just calmly took control of my pony walked him off on our own around the area calming down which was amazing as I could hear the sharer shouting,screaming and crying that I was "letting the pony win"... 5 minutes later me and my boy walked up the ramp after having his 5 second rule allowed. No shouting no screaming no pushing,shoving. I have had to spend weeks getting him not to fear the ramp and load properly.... all because of impatient interference. Next on my wish list is my own transport.
 
My mare can be a nightmare to load sometimes and it took us a while to figure out the right way to load for her. I remember being at a show and she wouldnt load to go home, so I had someone take the lead rope and try, I had someone put a pressure halter on her (even though I said she will rear as she can be head shy) - she reared, had the lunge lines round her bum, brushes poked at her bum and many more things. I ended up chasing everyone away as I was getting upset with how upset Darcy was getting. I ended up taking her away to graze for 10 mins and taking her back. I let her stand at the bottom of the ramp and I got inside with some food and low and behold she came in herself.

Its gone from taking 45 mins to taking 5 with letting her come in herself with some food. Id rather give us extra time than force her now. Thankfully she is retired and doesnt go in a box too often but still only takes 5 or so minutes to get her in. :D
 
I am baffled why anyone would want to willingly get involved in someone else's loading dilema with the potential for using up considerable amounts of their time and possibly getting flattened by someone else's horse.

Is it an ego thing? Do they have nothing better to do?
 
millikins said:
Has anyone ever actually managed to load a "sticky" one using a lunge line?
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Hell yes. One of the most effective ways if done right. Also can go wrong if you have eejits holding the line. Generally works best with the slightly ignorant stubborn ones.
 
millikins said:
Has anyone ever actually managed to load a "sticky" one using a lunge line?
Click to expand...

Mine every single time!

I go out alone so it can be frustrating if she plants. That said tho she is very sensitive and only the lunge line works. ALL very quietly and gently. Last time out she went in as soon as my friend picked it up. I think it is a really nice method with no shouting and brooms up the backside! I do unload again and keep going until she loads WITHOUT the line though and then she is good for another few months til I have to do it again.

For these reasons I always ask if I can help if I see someone (usually alone like myself) with a planted horse but I wouldn't never dream of simply taking over and just ask as I am always grateful when I am asked. Thankfully I've never met anyone who takes over but can only imagine how my horse would be with a "bully".............
 
Mine can be a bit tricky since she injured her back legs and finds standing in a box hard work before that she would stroll up any ramp that happened to be down. I know her very well and the reasons for her hesitation - I would go mental at anyone who presumed to interfere. She is very cautious of strangers and strong willed, we have our own ways of doing things and like to stick to them. I usually just loaf in the trailer with her favourite treats until she can't resist them any longer. No dramas, everyone's happy; I just make sure I schedule the time to do it our way.
 
Stockers said:
I am baffled why anyone would want to willingly get involved in someone else's loading dilema with the potential for using up considerable amounts of their time and possibly getting flattened by someone else's horse.

Is it an ego thing? Do they have nothing better to do?[/QUOTE

In some instances it is an ego thing for sure-an automatic presumption that they will get your horse in faster than you
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millikins said:
Has anyone ever actually managed to load a "sticky" one using a lunge line?
Click to expand...

My mare is "sticky" usually worse coming away from home, we think its due to her insecurities and the fact she doesn't want to leave other horses/ponies behind.

I use a lunge line sometimes when she starts to plant, but I don't use them around the back of the trailer, I use the same method that Michael Peace does.

What I do is attach the lunge line to her headcollar, then take it down the side of her body and around her bottom, then tie a reef knot to make a loop the sits around her bum a bit like a harness, and the end where I have tied the knot I then have in my hand, so effectively I have one line two reins but can hold them at the same time, what I do then is if she plants just give a gentle tug on the line around her bottom, it encourages her forwards and most of the time up and into the trailer :)

ETA: My mare is incredibly, sensitive, strong, stroppy and very intelligent, plastic bags, brooms, whips yelling and shouting would see the people responsible in A&E. I had someone recently walk across the car park with a broom in their hand, fortunately my friend politely decline, explaining that my mare would put them into the middle of next month if she put that any where near her bottom! They soon left
 
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Sleipnir said:
It's a natural phenomena. Even if you'd attempt to load your horse alone in the middle of a barren desert, suddenly people with lead lines, plastic bags, loud voices and more opinion than one would ever need, would appear out of the blue and start "helping".
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And when they've wound the horse up with their whips, lines, bags and shouting, they melt back into the barren desert, leaving you with a quivering wreck and no chance of persuading it on board.
Half wits with huge egos and no equine understanding.
 
What I don't understand is the number of people who say someone just came and 'took the horse off' the person who was trying to load! Anyone who tried to take my horse while I was handling her would get a mouth full of abuse! I would never just go up and try to take someones horse from them because I think I know better (unless of course it was a cruelty issue!). Some people are just so rude!
 
XxCoriexX it happened to me. And i really can't explain it. It was someone I knew and she literally snatched the pony from me, it all happened so fast. i was trying not to be rude to people because my children were so mortified at the whole thing, and then I had to sprint after this woman who had wrapped the leadrope round the pony's nose and she was running backwards then reared.......I got her back and the woman swore.....so embarrassing! All at the ringside.....!!!! EWventually two sensible onlookers gave quiet sensible assistance and pony loaded. It was her first ever show with us and a bad experience. She has loaded ever since and I really believe it was all the distractions that were causing the problem in the first place.
 
Both my horse and my friend's horse tend to pause at the bottom of the ramp. I'm a firm believer in letting them think about it - they don't get out much so it's "new" every time. Both then tend to load fairly well.

However, we had a know-all YO previously, who, when friend's pretty calm and reliable horse paused to have a look, took it on himself to whack him on the bum. Result: broken arm when horse objected. That horse is a fine judge of character ;)
 
My old boy was the absolute best at not loading when he felt like it. 99 times out of 100 he'd be fine, but occasionally (always on the way home and when there were at least 40 others around for maximum embarrassment) he'd say no. When he did you had 2 methods of getting him on.
1. Stand on the ramp and do something else pretending not be interested at all in loading him (I'd always take my tack cleaning stuff to shows). The second he sensed any sort of confrontation coming it became a game and he would do anything to win it. If one person came to try to help I'd be there at least another hour.
2. (The absolute last resort) Have about 20 people surround him and literally crowd him in. Any less than that he'd find a gap and flit through it, sending anyone in his way flying.

As a result, if I see anyone struggling now, I always ask if they want help or if they're better off on their own. I always say it like this so they know you're not going to be offended if they say no thank you.

Having said that, it's always very satisfying when you load one that someone else has failed to load. Someone asked me for help with her new youngster at a lesson the other day. She had only had him a few days and was pussyfooting around him gently encouraging him. I was going to stand behind but she handed me the lead rope, so I took him a fair distance back and just led him very purposefully with him almost jogging to keep up. I had no idea if it would work but luckily it did. She now thinks I'm some sort of wonder loader rather than just lucky!
 
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