Selling a horse that doesn't load...

indie1282

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...or one that is a pain to load.

I need to sell one of the horses next year but not sure if there will be a market for him.

In a nutshell:
16.2hh black 13 year gelding.
Nicely bred - Grannex/Landgraf lines
Enjoys jumping - will school but does not like it much.
Hacks alone/in company - not keen on big or fast traffic due to previous accident.
Thrives on work and loves having a job.
Never competed
A git to load - could improve but i dont have transport to practice
In Cornwall/South West area

Had since a foal so very reluctant sale and would loan to right person...FB_IMG_1545227862287-800x452.jpg20181219_140828-800x452.jpgFB_IMG_1545227957680-800x451.jpgFB_IMG_1545227932692-800x663.jpgFB_IMG_1545227858553-600x710.jpg
 
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indie1282

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Anything sells if priced right.

It’s also pretty easy to teach a horse to load if you have the time, experience and set up.

I have time and experience but unfortunately not the set up. I don't want to sell cheap as he is a lovely horse but I'm also realistic regarding prices.
 

The Fuzzy Furry

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L Fuzzy I brought v cheap, way below her market price as she was a non loader. Took me over 3 hours to get her on my little box, and about a year before she was a confident loader. This was having my own box and able to do daily repetitions.
Good luck, there will be someone out there but you'll need to think of adjusting price or loaning out x
 

PapaverFollis

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I got a non-loader in her mid teens. Loaned first then bought for a nominal sum. We'd have done more if she was easy to load or if we'd had transport and could have spent more time training. She went in most times I needed her to though. I only had to hack 11 miles to move yards the once! 😂

I don't think it's a deal breaker for everyone especially if he's a nice horse in other ways. The not liking fast traffic or schooling would put me off more... but that wouldn't put everyone off either. I would start asking about and see what comes up. And advertise honestly to find a good match.
 

indie1282

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I have added some pics to the OP. He would be fab in a hunting home or somewhere with good hacking. Although he does not enjoy schooling he will do it and he is nicely schooled. I just feel that he would enjoy a home where he can have fun.

Tbf to him the only time I load him is if I have moved yards and once he is on the box/trailer he travels like a dream.
I think if he went on regularly and was hunting maybe he would associate loading with something enjoyable.

I would happily loan.
 

indie1282

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L Fuzzy I brought v cheap, way below her market price as she was a non loader. Took me over 3 hours to get her on my little box, and about a year before she was a confident loader. This was having my own box and able to do daily repetitions.
Good luck, there will be someone out there but you'll need to think of adjusting price or loaning out x

I would prefer to loan if I'm honest as he is quite special to me.
 

MrsMozart

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My last horse wouldn't load. Bought him as a little handled three year old. Took an experienced transporter with me, no dice. Long story short, bought a lorry and took Micky Gavin, our local horse whisperer, with me. After a couple of hours he was loading nicely.

An expensive way of doing it for sure, but worked like a dream as he loaded first time ever since, until I lost him to a birth defect.

So I'd say get someone in to help for a few hours. Ask friends if you can borrow their lorry / trailer. Even a hacking only home may want to go to new places, plus what about vet visits.
 

indie1282

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The loading wouldn’t bother me. The accident I’d want more details on and is it’s a sarcoid on his eye/lip?

A car was coming towards us and wouldn't slow down, then cut the corner and clipped the horses bum with wing mirror. I came off which I think scared him and since he's not keen on big or fast traffic coming towards him.

If he's in regular road work then he's fine. I still hack him out on the quiet roads.

No that's not a sarcoid, its white markings.
 

indie1282

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My last horse wouldn't load. Bought him as a little handled three year old. Took an experienced transporter with me, no dice. Long story short, bought a lorry and took Micky Gavin, our local horse whisperer, with me. After a couple of hours he was loading nicely.

An expensive way of doing it for sure, but worked like a dream as he loaded first time ever since, until I lost him to a birth defect.

So I'd say get someone in to help for a few hours. Ask friends if you can borrow their lorry / trailer. Even a hacking only home may want to go to new places, plus what about vet visits.

Unfortunately I cant afford a lorry! I have spent time in the past loading him into lorries and trailers and had him in and out no bother but unless he does it regularly he turns back in to a git. Its something I would like to work on for sure and it doesn't mean that he won't t load, it can just take a bit longer. I have always got him in.
 

Pc2003

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Being a pain to load wouldn’t be a deal breaker for me either, but I suppose if you want someone to go out and have fun on him then maybe loading becomes more important. The traffic issue would bother me more
 

milliepops

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Ah. Not how I'd read the initial post.

Do you have a friend whose transport you can try him on every weekend, get him used to it?

i think this is a great suggestion an it would be worth putting yourself out a bit to try and resolve this.

Many more experienced people looking for a competition horse etc would overlook a loading issue because they can mostly be resolved with a bit of training and practice, but it sounds like you're looking for a more low level all rounder type of home, and I think that market might possibly want a horse that is ready to go, so to speak?
 

indie1282

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Being a pain to load wouldn’t be a deal breaker for me either, but I suppose if you want someone to go out and have fun on him then maybe loading becomes more important. The traffic issue would bother me more

The traffic issue is such a shame because he was perfect on the roads before it happened ☹ Hes not dangerous and just gets a bit joggy and tense but I sit quiet and talk to him and he's ok.
 

indie1282

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i think this is a great suggestion an it would be worth putting yourself out a bit to try and resolve this.

Many more experienced people looking for a competition horse etc would overlook a loading issue because they can mostly be resolved with a bit of training and practice, but it sounds like you're looking for a more low level all rounder type of home, and I think that market might possibly want a horse that is ready to go, so to speak?

There are people on the yard that have trailers but they wont let me use them to practice.. He could be a fab competition horse as he loves to jump and is very bold but he doesn't have any previous competition experience and at 13 I think someone would want something more proven. Hes out of work now and doesn't look quite like the pics!! 😂 So maybe I'll bootcamp him in spring and see where we are.
Currently enjoying life 😁20181020_100911-800x600.jpg20180815_183550_crop_497x619.jpg
 

Pc2003

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The traffic issue is such a shame because he was perfect on the roads before it happened ☹ Hes not dangerous and just gets a bit joggy and tense but I sit quiet and talk to him and he's ok.

I sympathise as I had a pony that was scraped by a car and she was never the same again in traffic for her whole life. It was okay as like you say if you know them you can deal with it. There was a horse at my yard who got hit by a car fairly substantially and once it recovered and was out hacking again it never batted an eyelid in traffic!
 

splashgirl45

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my first thought when i saw his pic was he looks like a hunter...perhaps you could find a hunting home to loan him to, he may load better if he is going onto a lorry with other horses and the traffic thing would be less of a problem if he is in company. might be worth asking around to see if there would be any interest...
 

indie1282

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my first thought when i saw his pic was he looks like a hunter...perhaps you could find a hunting home to loan him to, he may load better if he is going onto a lorry with other horses and the traffic thing would be less of a problem if he is in company. might be worth asking around to see if there would be any interest...

I think it would be his idea job. He loves galloping and will jump anything. I think after a few days out hunting he would load no worries! I will work on him this summer and try to find a hunting home next season 😁
 

D66

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Ask around for a pro to teach him to load who can bring their own trailer. It would be with asking anyway. £200 spent now would speed up his sale or loan, reducing future livery costs and potentially saving you money.
 

Myloubylou

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This. My mare can be sticky to load on her own but happy to go on when another is already onboard. I’d watch Richard Maxwells videos about brace as a lot of it is apparently about groundwork and making the walking up the ramp the easy choice. Good luck!

my first thought when i saw his pic was he looks like a hunter...perhaps you could find a hunting home to loan him to, he may load better if he is going onto a lorry with other horses and the traffic thing would be less of a problem if he is in company. might be worth asking around to see if there would be any interest...
 

Neversaydie

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Having a bad loader I would never buy another one. Months and months of help and practice and various methods and nope still not consistent. Will
Load, won’t load, Will load to go somewhere but won’t load to come home :( trailer, 3.5t 7.5t honestly just became and expensive circus.

Lost count of the times the vet had to give sedation so we could drag into the trailer to get home.

Just gave up. Never again.
 

MiJodsR2BlinkinTite

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He looks a lovely horse!

Re. the loading; I don't know whereabouts you are in the South West, but if in Devon area I know of an excellent professional who would be able to help with the loading issue, she is based in East Devon and helped me with my awkward toad when the blighter wouldn't load!

Economically, it just might be worth getting a "pro" in to sort the loading issue after which you should then expect to get a good price: otherwise I fear you may struggle to sell what is a cracking-looking horse.
 
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indie1282

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He looks a lovely horse!

Re. the loading; I don't know whereabouts you are in the South West, but if in Devon area I know of an excellent professional who would be able to help with the loading issue, she is based in East Devon and helped me with my awkward toad when the blighter wouldn't load!

Economically, it just might be worth getting a "pro" in to sort the loading issue after which you should then expect to get a good price: otherwise I fear you may struggle to sell what is a cracking-looking horse.

Thanks 😄

I dont need a pro to help me as I can do it fine myself. I know how to get him in but as a previous poster said, he will go on and off multiple times in a day then next day back to square one.

I will work on it this summer and see where we are.
 

indie1282

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This. My mare can be sticky to load on her own but happy to go on when another is already onboard. I’d watch Richard Maxwells videos about brace as a lot of it is apparently about groundwork and making the walking up the ramp the easy choice. Good luck!

I am going to work in groundwork this summer and see if theres an improvement. He just switches of and plants, wont respond to pressure from the headcollar, lunge lines, using a stick or even if another horse goes in before him.

Then when he finally does go in he eats the hay and is perfectly chilled! Travels like a dream too!
 

be positive

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Being realistic he is soon to be 14, has no competition or hunting experience and is not great in traffic so in my view the loading is only a minor blip that sounds as if it will either be resolved with regular trips out or be a non issue to a hacking home, he is a smart looking horse that someone will be prepared to work with if your terms are sensible.

If I were you I would get him back onto work as soon as you can in the spring and look for a local loan home, ideally someone who has good off road hacking and give them a view to buy option at a sensible price that reflects how he is when they take him on, not what he may be if they take him competing or hunting, you are more likely to find a home in spring/ summer than waiting until the autumn.
 

hopscotch bandit

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Be worth paying for a behaviourist to come out prior to selling to see if you could sort out the loading issue, I can recommend Grant Bazin, used to work with Monty Roberts for a number of years and is very good with poor loaders. If you can afford £50 and speculate to accumulate it would be worth it in the long run.
 
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