Trailer loading problems

[horseyhazel]

We have a 12 year old new forest pony who we've owned for 7 years. Since this time we have never tried to get him in a horse box or trailer. Six weeks ago we brought an Ifor Williams 505 trailer and started his trailer training. First we got him to go into the trailer and walk him through (walking him out through the front ramp) tempting him with treats and praise. After several successes with this, we progressed to putting the bar up behind him. The first time he panicked a little and bucked out but after reassurance he settled down and carried on munching his hay. It was tricky to get the bar up as he would get suspicious and back up, but when we managed to get the bar up he relaxed more each time and so we kept him in for a bit longer (no more than 10 minutes though). My daughter was standing inside the trailer near the jockey door, comforting him. We then seemed to take a backwards step and I cannot think of anything that happened which would have particularly scared him at this point. He wouldn't stay in the box at all for more than a few seconds before reversing out each time. So we resorted to limiting his grazing so that his main source of food was the hay net in the trailer. We also tried to use force behind him with the schooling whip but he would just reverse back and become even more stubborn. Tying him up didn't work either because he just snapped the bailing twine before we had a chance to put the bar up. The problem we faced now was getting him right up to the front bar so that we could put the bar up behind him without touching his tail. However he still managed to get the hay even when he wasn't up to the bar in front although it was at the furthest point in the trailer. This meant that he would feel the bar going up behind him before we had a chance to hook it in. My daughter spent a long while stroking him down his body and getting him used to his back end being touched whilst in the trailer. My friend at work, who has horses of her own, suggested putting a strong rope behind so he wouldn't feel it behind him. However he saw my hand as I put it up and pushed back and managed to bend the metal hook so he could get out! We managed to get him back in tempting him with treats but as soon as he saw my hand he whizzed back out again. A few days later we tried again, my daughter fed him treats and reassuringly talked to him and I managed to get the bar up after many attempts. After a few seconds he realised and began pushing against the bar, dropped his hindquarters and pushed causing the bar to pop out of the retainer. I know that putting the locking pin in would have prevented this however now he has managed to escape from both the bar and this rope we are scared that if we were to put the pin in he would drop his hindquarters push back and possibly get himself stuck under the bar, putting him and us in danger! We know this pony well and we could see that when trying to get out he wasn't scared as when he got out he was fine (not shaking or wide eyed). He just doesn't like it in their, he's just plain cheeky and awkward!! Please help, we are desperate to go to some local shows and would be grateful of any help/ advice that anyone could offer. Thank you!

 

[dotty1]

Can't you just put the ramp up quickly?. My mare is a bit quirky and panics so I find it easier with no partition and just put he ramp up as soon as she's in, she has never reversed into the ramp luckily and once it is up she is fine but obviously I can't load on my own which is a pain. I just cross tie and she seems happy like this.

 

[Dizzy socks]

I may sound harsh, but we had a similar problem with a pony tried everything, bribery, etc. but he would just keep one foot on the ramp, ready to back out. We decided this just couldn't go on.
So, we got a bamboo cane, while someone stood inside the trailer holding his (berry long) lead rope, and holding out treats. Basically, we started tapping him on the bottom with the cane (it was bamboo so made some noise) and just kept doing it. He leapt about a bit, then leapt into the trailer. He then got lots of food. The second time it took hardly anytime, and the third we never touched him. He was fine after that.

 

[TarrSteps]

Can't you just put the ramp up quickly?. My mare is a bit quirky and panics so I find it easier with no partition and just put he ramp up as soon as she's in, she has never reversed into the ramp luckily and once it is up she is fine but obviously I can't load on my own which is a pain. I just cross tie and she seems happy like this.

Just a note but people have been seriously injured doing this and I know of one person who was killed! If the horse comes back fast while you're putting the ramp up (no rope is going to hold, or at least not without breaking the horse or the trailer) and if it hits the ramp at speed there is no way you can hold it and you're quite likely to end up underneath it.

Anyway, it's unnecessary. I agree loading training is a bit trickier on your own but it's perfectly doable and the whole point is to end up with a horse that is comfortable and relaxed so it doesn't WANT to run out of the trailer. I know lots of horses that "shotgun load" and go up with the handler still at the rear, ready to put the bar up and close the ramp before going around to tie the horse up. Again, perfectly doable.

OP, my advice is to access the many books and videos on the subject or, better yet, get someone in to work with you, your daughter and the pony. An actual person is useful because sometimes there can be individual aspects of the situation that need seeing for the best results. Then do the right work the right way and all will be well. Good loading and travelling is, in my opinion, an essential life skill for a horse and definitely worth the investment of time and/or money to perfect.

 

[Gingerwitch]

Just cheking that the trailer was attached to a vehicle so it felt stable to him ?

 

[lelly]

Have you tried a dually head collar? Three or four training sessions on the ground until he knows you are the boss and then try loading him. They are very effective but I know it might not work for every horse. I have had great results with a young unhandled cob.

 

[arlosmum]

This may not be very PC or new age. If my daughter's ponies are a little 'reluctant' to load on the trailer, I clip the lunge line to the ramp spring, go round the back of the pony, my daughter leads her on, I pull the lunge line tight across her bottom, pony goes on to trailer, eats hay, bum bar fastened, ramp up & away. This works fine with ponies, not with my 17.3 gelding. He loads with a chifney.

 

[Theocat]

Sounds to me like he's learned trailer = standing getting bored. I would only practise loading and immediately unloading, and stop leaving him on the trailer for any length of time - that can come later. When you're moving he'll keep himself occupied keeping his balance. I'd lower the back bar - if he can get his bum under it it's too high - and just be quick to get the pin in. Then unload straight away so he doesn't associate the trailer with boring confinement. He'll learn to stand over time, safe loading and unloading should be the priority and it sounds as though leaving him on is compromising that.

 

[kgj66]

Could you try going back a step and letting him walk out of the front ramp again so he learns that that is his exit, not backing up. Once he is doing this you could practice getting him to halt, back up and walk forward on the box at certain points until you get to a point where you can walk forward, get the back bar up, and back him up to get the front bar up. Obviously you should be careful of ending up with the same problem for the front bar, put providing he has some manners this might work.

I also recommend a dually headcollar. Using one, along with always having the front ramp open worked on my mare who used to rear as soon as she thought she was going into a box.

 

[9tails]

I agree loading training is a bit trickier on your own but it's perfectly doable and the whole point is to end up with a horse that is comfortable and relaxed so it doesn't WANT to run out of the trailer. I know lots of horses that "shotgun load" and go up with the handler still at the rear, ready to put the bar up and close the ramp before going around to tie the horse up. Again, perfectly doable.

Mine loads like this. We had issues and hauling on was never going to work so I asked help from a chap who practices Parelli. I make sure I set up for success, so trailer clean with no poo in the way, attached to car (obviously) with car handbrake firmly on. A bucket of treats are in the front of the trailer, the haynet is outside to be put up when she's in, the front partition is up and secured with the back part of the partition secured to the other side of the trailer so it doesn't rattle. You have to learn timing and give them a quiet rest, as continually asking for more when you've been offered a small effort won't be taken kindly. She's now spot on, walking straight up and on without hesitation while I stand at the ramp ready to put up the back bar. I thoroughly recommend that route as I can load without help and horse is much calmer. You'd never believe she was a tricky loader, the other advantage is that she travels so much better than when she went on reluctantly.

We see lots of bad loaders when we're out, usually with a whole host of helpers yelling "GOOD BOY" and scaring the horse back off the ramp.

I'll be happy to try and help if you're in Essex.

 

[MissMistletoe]

Can't you just put the ramp up quickly?. My mare is a bit quirky and panics so I find it easier with no partition and just put he ramp up as soon as she's in, she has never reversed into the ramp luckily and once it is up she is fine but obviously I can't load on my own which is a pain. I just cross tie and she seems happy like this.

This is what we have to do. My young mare has a habit of panicking and running out backwards.

 

[horseyhazel]

Many thanks to everyone for the advice! We are going to try again today

 

[oldie48]

Hi I hope you've had success today but if not, I'm another one who has great success with a controller halter. Mine was the Richard Maxwell one and it worked a treat with two horses that would reverse at speed off the ramp. I obviously spent some time on the ground getting them to understand the pressure and release function of the halter and in both cases after one fruitless go at reversing off the ramp, both horses happily stood until they were secured and we were ready to drive off. I've also found it invaluable for handling silly horses at turnout time, so a worthwhile investment.

 

[kal40]

Can't you just put the ramp up quickly?. My mare is a bit quirky and panics so I find it easier with no partition and just put he ramp up as soon as she's in, she has never reversed into the ramp luckily and once it is up she is fine but obviously I can't load on my own which is a pain. I just cross tie and she seems happy like this.

Please do not try this method op. I was seriously injured doing something like that and I am now disfigured for life.

Too many risks associated with this

 

[horseyhazel]

Mine loads like this. We had issues and hauling on was never going to work so I asked help from a chap who practices Parelli. I make sure I set up for success, so trailer clean with no poo in the way, attached to car (obviously) with car handbrake firmly on. A bucket of treats are in the front of the trailer, the haynet is outside to be put up when she's in, the front partition is up and secured with the back part of the partition secured to the other side of the trailer so it doesn't rattle. You have to learn timing and give them a quiet rest, as continually asking for more when you've been offered a small effort won't be taken kindly. She's now spot on, walking straight up and on without hesitation while I stand at the ramp ready to put up the back bar. I thoroughly recommend that route as I can load without help and horse is much calmer. You'd never believe she was a tricky loader, the other advantage is that she travels so much better than when she went on reluctantly.

We see lots of bad loaders when we're out, usually with a whole host of helpers yelling "GOOD BOY" and scaring the horse back off the ramp.

I'll be happy to try and help if you're in Essex.

Thank you for the offer of help! I'm afraid we live in Leicester though.

 

[horseyhazel]

Hi I hope you've had success today but if not, I'm another one who has great success with a controller halter. Mine was the Richard Maxwell one and it worked a treat with two horses that would reverse at speed off the ramp. I obviously spent some time on the ground getting them to understand the pressure and release function of the halter and in both cases after one fruitless go at reversing off the ramp, both horses happily stood until they were secured and we were ready to drive off. I've also found it invaluable for handling silly horses at turnout time, so a worthwhile investment.

thanks, think we will invest in a controller halter. It will be useful for just leading him in general as he is a big fan of grass and needs a bit more discipline!

 

[Gwyntbryn]

When I teaching my babies to load I start with leading them through, up the back ramp and down the front. They only ever come out the front, so they aren't expecting to come out backwards. I also second the use of some kind of controller halter, I use the Richard maxwell one for reluctant ones. We did have problems with a gelding who developed severe loading fear after various problems. It actually took me a year in all to overcome as his problem was complicated. However a combination of extreme patience and clicker training got him to the point where he will now load. He has to have his head in a bucket of feed when the ramp goes up tho. (Not that I would recommend this normally!). Once in and with the ramp shut he is fine and travels like a pro.

 

[horseyhazel]

When I teaching my babies to load I start with leading them through, up the back ramp and down the front. They only ever come out the front, so they aren't expecting to come out backwards. I also second the use of some kind of controller halter, I use the Richard maxwell one for reluctant ones. We did have problems with a gelding who developed severe loading fear after various problems. It actually took me a year in all to overcome as his problem was complicated. However a combination of extreme patience and clicker training got him to the point where he will now load. He has to have his head in a bucket of feed when the ramp goes up tho. (Not that I would recommend this normally!). Once in and with the ramp shut he is fine and travels like a pro.

Today we brought Ned up again and tempted him into the trailer. We have taken the advice of starting again and just walking him back through and out of the front ramp. We managed to do this a few times, and we aim uild up his confidence again after yesterday's events. Thanks for all the help everyone, much appreciated!

 

[horseyhazel]

Hi everyone,

Just a quick update- we have finally managed to get Ned confidently into the trailer with bar and ramp up! Tonight we have just taken him on a short journey and didn't really bat an eyelid! This was done with a lot of weeks of patience and time by making the inside of the trailer a nice place and the outside less so. Every time he backed out of the trailer we made him work outside, which made him believe that the trailer was a place of rest, food and fuss. Thank you everyone for the advice!

 

[AengusOg]

Excellent! Well done.

 

[Gwyntbryn]

Excellent. We travelled Bradley for the first time on Saturday having used the method I indicated above, and he loaded first time, travelled well, came off the trailer at the show calmly, and loaded between classes calmly. We did need to use a bucket to encourage him in for the return journey, but I think he'd got fed up with being in the trailer by then (it had been tipping it down with rain so we were all in there!).

 

[MagicMelon]

Have you tried a dually head collar? Three or four training sessions on the ground until he knows you are the boss and then try loading him. They are very effective but I know it might not work for every horse. I have had great results with a young unhandled cob.

This. I had a big strong 3yo who went through a phase of this a few years ago, I just bought a cheap string halter off Ebay (not a dually, they're so expensive!) that tightened if he pulled. He was a pain to lead as well (would tank off sometimes) so he soon learnt if he pulled on it that it tightened and was uncomfortable. He learnt extremely quickly and it worked wonders. So if he starts to pull back in the trailer, just stay still and as he goes back it'll tighten and when he chooses to move forward again then it releases the pressure. Never tie them up in them though (I used to have a headcollar over the top so once in, I'd just pull off the string one from underneath and safely clip on the rope to the usual headcollar). Have you tried also feeding him his feed in the trailer rather than just treats which they often just grab and then go? His feed in there would mean he'd have to stay in for a while. Once he does start loading well, I think its good to always give them a treat every single time they load just to keep them sweet. All of mine always get a polo when they load even if they've been doing it nicely for years, just avoids any issues arising I think.