Tips on getting a foal to load please!

[Ilovefoals]

We were supposed to be taking my mare and foal to a show today to do the sports horse class but couldn't get the foal to load.

He wouldn't follow his mother in, (I was leading him), and she was getting very upset and kept backing out of the trailer at 100 mph!

We then tried loading her and trying to get him in the front ramp so they could see each other but he'd just rear and freak out.

We tried placing his feet on the ramp with my OH virtually carrying his back end on but he'd just rear off the side.

We gave up after 30 mins as I was worried he'd do himself some damage.

Should I have practiced beforehand? I kinda assumed he'd want to follow his mother in!

Any advice or tips appreciated. The next show is in 2wks!

 

[GinnieRedwings]

Yes practice is key and no, they don't necessarily follow Mum in, though Mum is likely to follow foal out, as you have found out!

Cut into small chunks. Loading = scary noise of feet on ramp + going UP a ramp + going into a scary enclosed space with things in (partitions etc...) + getting shut in scary box + scary box moving & rattling + (and most people forget that bit) going DOWN the ramp.

This is what I do:

Lesson 1: place a large sheet of ply on the ground in the paddock. Let foal have a look and an explore by himself. Curiosity often kills the cat... When he first puts his feet on the ply, he will probably back off, because of the strange noise, but most foals just try again and again until they climb on all 4 feet - great game. Better to leave them to it to figure out by themselves - it's safe, they can't hurt themselves anymore than just being turned out in the paddock - I normally get my foals to play this game asap (a week old or so).

Lesson 2: when lesson 1 has got boring, LEAD the foal onto the ply. Now, I get someone to hold Mum on the other side and I also use a “handbag” to help the foal along the way – just a rope in a figure of 8, one loop of the 8 around the chest and the shoulders, the other loop around the quarters behind the bum, crossing over just behind the foal’s whithers. I hold on to the area where the rope crosses over, like the handle of a handbag . I can then move the foal forwards, backwards and sideways quite easily, and certainly I can stop him reversing without having to pull on the head at all, which is great for keeping things calm and in control. Even if the foal has been happy climbing on to the ply by himself, I find most are reluctant to do it when asked! So I persevere, not letting the foal reverse, releasing the pressure and giving him a break and a scratch in favourite itchy spot each time he makes the slightest movement forwards – very important to reward the slightest try. Then I move mum a bit further away etc. Eventually they get over, rushing or jumping often, but I don’t try and restrain them, just let them go and see mum for a bit of comfort. Then I do it again, and again and again until he walks across without hesitating.
With very young foals I do this over 2-3 days as they get tired quickly and then they stop learning. Quit whilst you’re ahead, on a convincing try and start again the day after, until the foal is happy to be led across the ply, then stand on the ply and stay there for a few seconds, then get on, stand, stay, reverse off, etc... you get the idea.

Lesson 3: place the ply in front of the stable door. Mum in the stable. Lead the foal across the ply and into the stable several times, same technique as above. I then raise the side of the ply in front of the stable by an inch and repeat the exercise – but this has to be 100% safe – you cannot afford for the ply to collapse as you are leading the foal across it and into the stable! Again lots of repetitions. If mum is quietly eating inside the stable and therefore very relaxed, things normally go very smoothly at this stage.

Lesson 4: remove all partitions and front bar from your trailer and open the front unload. The trailer has to be hitched up so it doesn’t move too much whilst you’re practicing. Again foal wearing the “handbag”, I place mum at the front unload (but NOT on the trailer) so they can see each other through the trailer and encourage the foal to go and join mum going through the trailer. They often plant themselves there, but I persevere without fighting, again the handbag stops the reversing, without pulling on the headcollar (which normally results in foal going up and sometimes back and over!) with mum being fed with her head at the front unload, so she is happy and relaxed and they can see each other. I sometimes need to place one foot on the ramp to help things along, but generally I just very calmly and firmly encourage forward towards mum, making sure he knows going backward is not an option and rewarding by releasing the pressure and scratching each time the foal is thinking about going in. Maximum time it has ever taken me to get the foal on using this technique and at this stage of the training is 15 minutes! The foal normally then goes up the ramp all in one go. When he’s on, let him say hello to mum through the front unload and make him stand. I then reverse the foal down the ramp, one step at a time, as they often find it very hard to negotiate the going forwards downhill part and often will jump out at the risk of injuring themselves. Then do it again and again – repetition is key.

Lesson 5: when the foal happily goes on and off, then I put the front bar (I don’t use the partition until they are about 4 months old), load the foal, ask him to move to the side, then get my helper to load mum, get them both to stand, then unload mum reversing down the ramp, then the foal and start again. Then I put the ramp up and leave them with someone in there talking to them and holding the foal. Then when everybody is happy I start the engine so that the foal can feel the vibrations. It helps if mm is a good traveller, of course. Then I do it all again (out and back in) lots of times and then I go for a little ride around the block – always coming home immediately the first few times so there isn’t the added stress of going somewhere he doesn’t know. I always finish off by loading the foal on and off by himself a few times afterwards, with mum’s head at the front unload, to make sure he is happy to load again.

Lesson 6: Go to the show and watch your foal load again at the end of the day without a worry and watch the look of envy of everyone else trying to load their own youngsters!!!

All this can take as little as a week, but I like to give my foals a day off to “digest” in between each lesson. Don’t forget to start each training session with something they know, so stand on the ply before you attempt the ramp, even if you know he can do it with his eyes closed.

Good luck, and sorry for the novel!
x

 

[Maesfen]

Load him first or preferably at the same time so he has dam beside him the whole time but yes, it might have been an idea to have done some practising. Have leader for mare who can crab walk beside her and loops arms behind foal's backside with you (assuming you don't have any extra helpers, if you do, one has mare, 2 or more have foal) so that you literally push or lift him in. It's not perfect but in an emergency you have to do what you can but practise is the name of the game as it instils behaviour for the future; now is the time to get it loading beside the dam without a fuss and whatever you do, do not tie the mare up until you have foal beside her and ready with the ramp up.

 

[Ilovefoals]

Thanks so much guys! I will put all of that into practice. It's usually just me and hubby but a friend has offered to come a few times during the week to help practice.

My foal last year just loaded beside mum no problem - walked straight in! So I was silly in expecting the same from this years foal.

He is a bit of a handful I have to admit! Bold and cheeky which I don't know if is a positive or negative. I'll have to practice with my filly too!

Away to find a large sheet of ply now! Thanks again. x

 

[Toast]

uh oh... what if you have no box to practice with?! *worries about futurity*
x

 

[Holly831]

We had a practice session and managed to load in about 5 minutes.....going to try again tomorrow to see if I can get him to walk straight in this time!

Once in he was good as gold and stood while the trailer was enclosed etc, even walked out like a pro......I hope its not just first time lucky!!

Rocky is totally uncaring re his dam and spends the majority of his time with Louie and his dam

Good Luck with the loading for Futurity - The good thing re faols is iu can always lift them in if needed!!

Forgot to add - usually my foals aren't loaded until going to stud! or if Mum is having a year off, not until weaning but don't normally cause too many problems as long as I have plenty of time to spare (famous last words..)

 

[LMsporthorses]

Ive been very unlucky and lucky ... as because my foal was ill I had to go to and from the vets quite a bit she is nearly 5 months now and loads perfectly jumps up the ramp like an old pro !! The first time she was 6 weeks and we had 4 people 1/ to hold the mare in the box 2/to lead the foal and 3+4/ to push foal from behind after 5 trips back and forth now I only need 2 people one for mum and one for baby as she knows what to do now !! So all Id say is make sure you have enough pairs of hands to avoid a problem in the first place its a pain but better in the long run !!

Good Luck !!

 

[Aredis]

Hi

We use the same method as LM. Its a four person operation the first couple of times.

A couple of strong guys link arms behind the foal ( if needed ) and help them in to join mum, a bit like loading a starting stall and after a couple of times the foal will get the idea.

Sometimes just having people stood either side slightly behind the foal with outstretched arms will be enough, make it so its easiest option is forwards to join mum.

 

[Serenity087]

We just dragged River in!

She tried to follow Dorey (who, like a pro, was standing there getting stroppy that River was delaying the party!) but the nasty ramp made a bad noise!

Take two, ramp now covered in some huge cloth thing we found in the back of mother's car... less noisy, but still a funny level! (This, from the foal who refused to leave her stable because the straw was an inch higher than the concrete... figures!)

Got sister up behind her and me at her head when she lurched forward and landed on my foot. River LOVES standing on my feet, I think she finds the purple face and attempts not to swear really funny. Either way, she was more than happy to walk into the box as long as one foot was on mine at all times.

Took 10 minutes all in all. And one very purple foot! But she was only 4 weeks old which made her much lighter to push up! Only took the two of us!

 

[GinnieRedwings]

Could I just say that of course you can just manhandle a young foal onto a trailer if you have enough people on hand and after all they want to be with Mum, but... my method, OTT as it may seem, sets them up for the next 20-30 years' worth of loading... not just the next show, or the next trip home from stud. Ask any horse trainer what the number 1 training issue they get called out to solve is - you got it: loading!

 

[Holly831]

I do agree its much much better in the long term if a foal/youngster can be taught to load safely and easily but there are times (emergencies/vets etc) where there is no choice but to manhandle the foal in. I also think it's important for young foals to learn to load at a young age - not quite so easy with a stroppy 3 year old!

Rocky loaded happily on the second day with only one 'false start', there is no rearing/pulling/shoving involved.

Now on day 5 and he is like 'Mummm why do I have to do this? its soooo boring' and will happily walk in/out with or without Mum. But then he hasn't had any negative experiences either. He is not the easiest foal to handle (unlike Louie who I now call my Dope on a Rope) and is hyper when not on the lead rope - he flattened my 'runner' for futurity next week and broke her foot when we were having a pactice trotting along side Mum session....

 

[burtonse]

last year my foal wouldnt load when his mum needed to be taken to the vets and we had to get 4 big men to pick him up and carry him in.

your post has made me think i should try and teach him to load this summer. shall give the board technique suggested a try!

 

[Serenity087]

Could I just say that of course you can just manhandle a young foal onto a trailer if you have enough people on hand and after all they want to be with Mum, but... my method, OTT as it may seem, sets them up for the next 20-30 years' worth of loading... not just the next show, or the next trip home from stud. Ask any horse trainer what the number 1 training issue they get called out to solve is - you got it: loading!

Fabulous, but aside from an ex ILPH veteran, I've never had a problem loader, and that includes three foals...