She *Now* Loads Herself! :D

EquiEquestrian556

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I'm so proud of my little girl! :clap: She will finally load herself into the lorry.
After she fell over in our old trailer 2.5 years ago (thankfully she was unharmed) she was scared of loading, especially into a trailer. It once took around 3 hours to get her into the trailer after a hunt, and we eventually had to haul and 'lift' her in with 4 people (not that she seemed to mind). We then got the lorry a few months later, which she preferred loading into, but still wasn't 100% about the whole thing, and would still take around 5 - 10 mins to go in without a bucket or lunge line - she would always load, just not immediately.

Anyway, after a lot of practice and patience these past few days, I now have a self-loading pony, who doesn't need a bucket or whip to go in! You just lead her to the ramp and up she goes, into her position and waits for the partition to be closed.

So pleased with her! :)
 

snowstormII

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So how did you do it and how often? Mine is also a very very reluctant loader. I managed it the other day because he was untacked and I had a herbal treat or two up my sleeve. Sat there prepared for it to take hours like normal and he more or less walked straight on (mutters under breath, but also overly delighted!). But I would put a hundred pounds on him not doing it if he had a sweat rug/boots/tack on! Perhaps I will try it today to see.
 

Joyous70

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Well done :D Its blooming hard work isn't it?

I have got my girl to the point she will self load, but now im struggling with my own demons, as im afraid of putting the bars up and shutting her in alone, i need to bite the bullet, as i think with my girl its the actual travelling that upsets her, so need to move on a step, its just difficult when im mainly on my own.
 

EquiEquestrian556

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So how did you do it and how often? Mine is also a very very reluctant loader. I managed it the other day because he was untacked and I had a herbal treat or two up my sleeve. Sat there prepared for it to take hours like normal and he more or less walked straight on (mutters under breath, but also overly delighted!). But I would put a hundred pounds on him not doing it if he had a sweat rug/boots/tack on! Perhaps I will try it today to see.

I used a bridle under her headcoller - expecting her to be awkward, and left her unrugged and without boots (for traveling she's got lots of protection) and used a schooling whip. I've been practicing these past few days, after riding, or after she'd come out her stable and eaten her breakfast, and yesterday was the day she stated loading by herself. I often found that previously she'd go in fine the first time, however when asked to go back in after that she'd be reluctant.

I also found that looking ahead, into the back on the lorry helped, as opposed to looking down at the ramp.
Feeding them their supper is also helpful.

How did it go today? :)
 

PorkChop

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Really well done, especially after such a knock of confidence :)

We teach ours to self load, I initially used to do it because I used to compete two horses by themselves, so it was so much easier when the put themselves in the box!
 

EquiEquestrian556

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Really well done, especially after such a knock of confidence :)

We teach ours to self load, I initially used to do it because I used to compete two horses by themselves, so it was so much easier when the put themselves in the box!

Thank you! A lot of people didn't seem to understand just what a confidence knock that was for her, she was only just 6 years old at the time and had previously only loaded a handful of times, when moving yards and when she changed ownership, so was still very green with traveling. She sadly still has a mental block when it comes to trailers though - she had to go in a friend's trailer when our lorry broke down, and was genuinely terrified of going in, but that's understandable.

She does travel fine in both lorries and trailers, it's just the loading bit that scared her.
 
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