Stubborn Mare won't load

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lea

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My mare didn't want to go in the trailer today despite the fact she has been in it before. She stands on ramp and then refuses to budge any further even when food (the love of her life) is tempted infront of her. We tried a bit of join-up therapy with a special headcollar and even lunge lines to guide her in. The only way we got her in was by placing her feet one at a time up the ramp. Once in she just stands there. Does it sound like she is just having a laugh?? A few people suggested a crack across the bottom with a whip! Thing is mares arn't very forgiving either so I want to do the right thing by her! Has anyone had this kind of problem?
 
Mine isn't a mare but I had this same problem when I bought my first trailer. Louis was a saint always to load on the lorry to I wasn't expecting a problem! He would load in, then panic, and bolt out backwards! I wouldn't suggest a crack across the bottom as this may just cause her to panic and then you go back to square one!

I would say the best way to handle this situation is patience and gentle persausion, I was adsvised to load louis on and off of the trailer consistently until it became almost boring and I praised him constantly with every forward step we got. I opened the ramp and side door and left the bars down and once he finally loaded just walking straight out the side ramp, I continued walking him on and off until it became routine. I did this consistently for a few days in a row until it became routine. Now he loads like a saint.

Good luck
 
I tried the lungeing line too, but it didn't work. We ended up with the line right up against her bottom but she just stood and looked at us as if we were idiots. Might try and give her a feed on it every night this week. Supposed to be competing on Saturday but I am not going to take her out until she starts behaving!
 
Question: Have you done much trailer training with her? By that I mean have you loaded her when you are not taking her anywhere?

It could be that yes she loaded for you before, but the result for her was that you shut her in and took her somewhere.

Could just be her way of telling you she wasn't too impressed. Beating up a mare is rarely productive, so I would suggest doing some training and loading her lots when you are not stressed and trying to go somewhere.

I also advocate natural horsemanship and trailer mirrors. The less flapping and stress is definitely the way forward.
 
Feed her in the trailer every night for a month and I pretty much guarantee you won't have any problems in the future.
 
My mare stopped loading for no known reason. I spent 2 hours doing some ground work followed by walking her in and out my lorry worked a treat, and haven't had a problem since.

I had her in a bridle, so I had a bit more control and used a lunge whip (with the lash removed) to tap her forward. I found it best that I held the whip as I could tap her when required and also needed to be able to load on my own (please note lunge whip was used only as a guide and to tap her on, not to whip her with). Had big bucket of treats waiting for her when she went in. Loaded and unloaded her about 30 times in total and carry a lunge whip on the lorry (just incase).
 
I've had two stubborn mares who've done this to me in my time ... and both loaded perfectly in the end.

The first came with the problem: I created it, I suspect, through inexperienced handling of the second.

With both, the remedies were the same. We put the trailer with one side against a wall. Attached a lunge line to the other side. Loaded in a bridle, making sure we walked at her side rather than tugging or following. Fed, rewarded, and praised her when inside.

Try this, make sure you always give her a smooth ride when in, and if it doesn't succeed call in an expert. Horses do have some natural misgivings about loading, and some are minxes, but calm and confident handling will get you through in the end. Honestly.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Feed her in the trailer every night for a month and I pretty much guarantee you won't have any problems in the future.

[/ QUOTE ]

I have tried everything over the years, lunge lines, bridles, blindfolds, even a sharp poke with the yard broom..would agree that regular feeding in the trailer is the easiest way of acheiving a long term change
 
Although question - how to feed?

Do you:
1) take out the breast bar and feed via bucket on the floor
2) stand there and hold it
3) use a nosebag

Or have I missed a totally obvious solution that doesn't involve me ending up with horse feed in my hair???
 
A never fail tricks or ours.
Lunge line on either side of the headcollar. One person on each lunge line.
Hook the lungline thru sumthing at the front of the trailer and both pulls evenly, keep a contanstant pressure on it and dont give up. It may take a few mins but eventually she will go forward as coz you have her on a leverage there is no where else to go.
We have used it on problem horses/ponies....its never failed yet!
 
It must be a mare thing. Yesterday, Toffee took 15 minutes to load at home (not very long in the great scheme of things, but long enough to get herself splattered in mud!), then on the way back she walked straight into the trailer. Sometimes, it is the other way round, or she won't load either time, or she loads perfectly both times. She is a moo bag!
 
[ QUOTE ]
Although question - how to feed?

Do you:
1) take out the breast bar and feed via bucket on the floor
2) stand there and hold it
3) use a nosebag

Or have I missed a totally obvious solution that doesn't involve me ending up with horse feed in my hair???

[/ QUOTE ]

I lead in, leave the breast bar in place, hold the feed and keep her in place as though she is tied, then walk out off the front ramp..so it is as close to being tied and transported as I can make it..this often involves feed in the hair
 
[ QUOTE ]
It may take a few mins but eventually she will go forward as coz you have her on a leverage there is no where else to go.

[/ QUOTE ] There is - upwards. Not saying it won't work on some horses, but if they really, really don't want to go in, then they will try and fight the pressure by rearing vertical
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[ QUOTE ]
Question: Have you done much trailer training with her? By that I mean have you loaded her when you are not taking her anywhere?

It could be that yes she loaded for you before, but the result for her was that you shut her in and took her somewhere.

[/ QUOTE ] I would echo that - with some horses it is not the fear of going in the trailer which is the problem, but they have had a bad ride - either due to careless driving or just the fact that they have trouble keeping their balance. Feeding regularly in the trailer is very effective, but once you start taking her out on journeys again she might regress, in which case you may need to experiment with different ways of travelling her to make her more comfortable. Some people find that their horses travel better without the partition in, for example.
 
Strange weekend - my gelding just walked on the YO's lorry this weekend of his own accord when we were walking past it when it would normally take at least 20 mins in a trailer. I think the aroma of haylege helped though! I just let him eat a bit and then left it at that. I don't think Chum is scared of travelling - he is fine once he is on, doesn't sweat up and doesn't rush off, I think he just stubborn too. I think that time and patience is better than force though it is very hard holding your temper sometimes
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I am seriously considering buying my own trailer or lorry so I don't have to rely on anyone else and also I would have all the time in the world to practise loading.
 
Like everyone else I would suggest giving breakfast and tea in the trailer. Go for little rides around the block to show her that it isnt that bad.
We once had a mare on the yard who would just not go in the trailer, she was a complete cowbag. It wasnt that she was scared she just didnt want to. In the end we backed the trailer up to the barn door so she had no where else to go and poked her up the bum with a stiff broom. This worked everytime and was the only way we could get her in.
 
My mare reared and cut her head when I hired a trailer. So bought a taller trailer and spent time just getting her in. Putting no pressure on her but praising every step forward. It took us 6 hours but it was a warm sunny day and hubby kept me supplied with coffee. I had a lunge line hooked over the bar at the front so that I was standing next to her.
I now hook the rope over the front and go back to her side tap her on the shoulder and she walks in. I have time to put the bar up at the back before tying her up.
I do have to bring her out backwards because she rushed out of the front taking chunks out of her hip every time.
 
Our boy used to load fab - basically throw the lead rope over his neck and he'd load himself. He then started to stop on the ramp and then go in, but this got worse and worse and everytime someone would get behind him he'd buck or kick out and refused point blank to load. We changed our trailer for a much newer one and said that he would have to start loading - no feed or treats. It was straight in. So, when we had time we parked the trailer in the middle of the yard and opened it right up, put his bridle on and just sat there. He stopped. So I sat on the ramp and just ignored him, talked to people (which he hates as he loves a fuss). He eventually got bored and went in, but I led him straight back out again. I brought him round again, he stopped so I sat down and within minutes he went in again. Eventually I would just walk him in and walk him out. We then walked him on, stopped him and then walked him off. Then the front breast bar went up and he stopped, we undid it and off he went. We carried on like this until bit by bit he was loading and everything was being closed. He's walked on first time since and we never have a problem. Patience is the key - don't do it when you want to get somewhere - plan to have to spend all day there doing it until she gets in. It worked for us, but if you're still there at midnight you might want to forget everything I've said!
grin.gif
 
I had awful problems trying to load Chex when I bought me trailer. I found the most important thing was to keep calm. Using lunge whips and lines and brooms etc just got us both in a tizz and no closer to getting in the trailer. They just made the whole trailer experience pretty horrible for everyone. I got a be-nice, and put poles up the sides of the ramp so he can't swing his bum off the ramp. I found my attitude makes a huge difference, if I'm worried he's not going to go in, he won't. I have to take the attitude of "you are going in this trailer", not angry, but assertive. I fed him in the trailer for months, and then started small journeys and built it up. Now hw loads like an angel, but its taken ages!
 
Suggest that you feed your horse in the trailer at least once every day for the next three months so that she gets used to going in and out.
 
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