Trailer loading tricky horse

[Chipmunk1]

My youngster has only travelled four times, but has always loaded with 5/10 minutes, just having a look and then loading quietly into my Ifor Williams, (with front unload). We have tried to load again this week but he was totally refusing to load. I should add the previous journeys were only ever about 10 minutes each, and he was driven with the utmost care. So on a daily basis we have quietly practiced, but have found the only way to get him into the trailer was to walk him quietly through and down the front ramp. We progressed to getting him to stand at the breast bar, (without it in place), and then quietly moved down the front ramp. Then we walked him in with the breast bar in place, got him to stand quietly, then released the breast bar, (which I believe is now the problem, as when released it does make a noise when it drops down, I have now wrapped a thermal boot around it so it doesn't). So now my horse will only walk straight through, refuses to stand, and will not load when the breast bar is in place. Can anyone please offer any suggestions that may help. I should add he is quite a sensitive soul, but has been well handled, and is good with his groundwork. He also couldn't care less about any food offered, he's just not interested. I also use a dually, and lunge line.

 

[twiggy2]

I always teach them to come off backwards, I have never enjoyed sharing the space on the little ramp at the front of a trailer with the size of even a small horse.
I find most horses are much better for coming off backwards, it's usually calmer, slower and just generally less panic.
You can teach them to move one step at a time and when their head is out the often stop and take a moment to have a look around then you just continue off.
Maybe this will work for yours?

 

[Shay]

We still load with the breastbar down for our young connie. He was a bit tricky when we first started him having never travelled in a trailer. We dealt with it exactly the same way you did. Every day. Starting with walking through, then walk to stand with a feed, then walk, stand, bar etc. Two years on he is fine to load but does prefer to have the breast bar down. So we do - it isn't a problem. We load him, back bar, ramp, then nip round the front and do the front bar.

We do teach them to back off - and also to step up. Becuase they are for hunting we can't gaurentee being able to get space to load / unload. So they all can come off backward if the front ramp isn't safe. And the trailer back is split van door style so we can bolt the two together as a traditional ramp, but also open one side or the other and ask the horse just to step up into the trailer without a ramp in case there isn't the space to get a ramp down. Very useful!

 

[claret09]

completely agree with shay. even now i walk my boy on and off the trailer before we load. i then put the front up and he will load with a bit of tooing and throwing. i never have the breast bar up. it;s easy to do once they are in. my boy has the full width of the trailer. . i almost always take him on my own. he is actually easier in many respects. also never by afraid to say thank you but no thank you to help. i rarely, if ever find it is helpful - people mean well and hate to see you struggle. i always thank people and say i will call if i need help. i quite often will shout at people to put ramps up. he will often only load if both ramps are down. i actually don't use a back bar (i know not advised). it seems to worry him far, far more than me just putting the back up. ironically once on he travels like an angel. he also travels in normal woof boots not travel boots. if we are going a long way i will bandage him. i have had him for many, many years and know his quirks - i liken it to playing chess

 

[Donkey66]

Feed him in the trailer, both ramps down, no breast bar. Then he will have to stop. Don't try to be quiet, build up the noise gently until he will tolerate you banging the side of the trailer or the breast bar without stopping eating. If this is too difficult for him set up a three sided pen on the ground for him to eat in (with pallets or something) and start there.