Unloading Problem!

[Lakesidelil]

My new horse arrived yesterday and I'd been advised by the owner that he would leap out of the trailer if he went via the front ramp.
It was a transporter who brought him on a trailer. Just as I got to the trailer the chap started to open the front ramp. I told him it was best not too as the horse would leap out. He said not to worry and continued. The horse absolutely shot out and it really was dangerous. The guy doing the transport was no wimp, but had no chance of holding the 16.2hh back.
Poor horse shot off and cut himself in the process. Anyway, injury treated and horse settled.

I've been around horses for more years that I care to count, but I really don't know how to approach this problem. Obviously at some stage the horse has perhaps hurt himself unloading or been frightened of something. He's a very large and big horse to hold back so any ideas how to go about trying to sort the problem out? I'm in the process of trying to find out when this all started and what happened.

I use a trailer myself and yes, it's fine to back him out, but what happens if he ever has to go on a lorry or a side loading lorry!

Any advice greatly received.

 

[MardyMare]

I cant offer advice but I can sympathise and will share my experience. My mare (although much smaller) had the same problem. In fact it became dangerous from the time we stopped - my OH (who is a large chap) would try steady her out and eventually it got to the point where she would leap out and clear the ramp completely. I posted on forums asking advice and I got practice going in and out - go in through the front door ??? all sorts. Nothing worked. I eventually got a NH person out who (after loads of emails, references and conversations) seemed the right person to have. Well it was a complete disaster and £100 down the drain. It got to the point that we had to ask her stop as my horse now wouldnt go in the trailer - something that had never been a problem before - she was so worked up she kicked out at me and I called it then. Luckily by the next day she seemed to have forgotten the ordeal and I have never had a problem loading again. So, we just back her out and she is calm and has it down pat now - she backs out slowly and does this swivel thing on the ramp and turns around. Luckily I know she is fine on a lorry as she can turn and has a big space to come down. We also always park away from everyone and often get strange stares and have been asked why with a brand new front offloading trailer I choose to back out lol. I think its just the narrowness and the turning out of the trailer that seems to upset her. It is very worrying though and I hope you manage to find a way to deal with it.

 

[BigRed]

My horse does not like using a centre partition. Even in my new wide trailer, she feels restricted and worries about my moving the partition over, and then having to bend to exit thr front ramp. Now she has a breast bar and the whole trailer to herself and she is a happy relaxed bunny.

I suspect at one time he has caught himself unloading and is now very worried about it. I would suggest you remove the centre parititon and try playing with him by walking straight through a parked trailer. If he is calm about that, you might want to try putting a breastbar in and asking him wait for a few seconds (with the front ramp down). Then just open the bar and let him walk though. Try not to make a big deal of it.

People often make claims that they cannot cure a horse of a problem, but then in a fresh pair of hands, the problem can easily disappear.

Make sure you wear gloves, hat etc.

 

[TarrSteps]

It's a surprisingly common problem - I worked with one horse that has scalped herself, jumping out and catching the top of her head on the roof edge!!

First. I would make sure he does back out of your trailer. As you say, it's not a solution but it's a good option to have and probably your safest short term bet in situations where he's likely to become excited.

Loading and unloading problems are always leading problems. A horse has to go where you want, when you want, at the speed you want. Period. Lots of horses don't *seem* to have holes in their leading because by and large they know the drill and don't mind going along but the cracks can show once a horse has had a negative experience or if the stakes get to high.

I know having horses lead properly now seems to be lumped in with "natural horsemanship" - and some people seem to consider it either unimportant or possibly even a stupid thing to work on - but to me it's just good safety. I have no great desire to be run over or stepped on, myself.

So you need to make sure he's listening to you whenever, wherever. How you do this, as in what system you use to teach/test him, is really your business. Some people like using a control halter, I'm rather more fond of a rope/chain over the nose as it gives me finer control. Whatever I use, I put it on the horse as a matter or course, not as a last resort when I've already had a problem, as I want to use the restraint aid to help the horse understand, rather than using it as punishment.

Then do your ground work. Make sure he backs up, moves to the side, moves his quarters, moves his shoulders, drops his head (this is a key one), slows down, speeds up, walks through/over/close to anything potentially anxiety-causing. Make sure he goes off a light aid (this also has repercussions for riding) and stays out of your space at all times. Do this until it's consistent.

Then work with the trailer. Walk him up, one step at a time, making sure you can stop him and have him relax at any point. Once he's in, stand quietly until he's relaxed before doing anything else. For the first time or two I'd be inclined to have the front door closed and back him out, then, if he shows no anxiety, try it with the door open. The important part is having control over EVERY step and giving him time to relax in between. Make sure you have lots of time and not too much "help" around.

Once he's in, with the door open, and standing quietly, take ONE step towards the front door. If he gets tense stay calm, keep a consistent feel on your lead, and ask him to take a step back again, just as you did in your ground work. Keep going CALMLY until he'll take a step then relax before the next one. If he does barge, stay calm and, after you both settle, try to take him back to the same step and go at it even more slowly. He should get the idea of it in one session or it's not working properly, but it will take reinforcement to become habit. If he even looks like he might touch his hip on the door STOP and reposition him so he's safe again. He needs to trust you to keep him safe or you won't be able to trust him to put his desires before your own.

To be fair, this level of control is not all that common and probably not necessary in many cases, but once a horse has a problem you have to go back over the work more thoroughly. And, tbh, fewer horses would get in trouble, I suspect, if people took a bit more time with this sort of thing initially. You have a great opportunity to make a solid start with your new fellow, proving yourself calm and trustworthy, and help him overcome his issue at the same time.

 

[CBFan]

My youngster would rush out of the trailer at high speed so we started to get a second person to stick a feed bucket under his nose as we were coming off and just litterally letting him move one step at a time, giving him lots of praise as he did and letting him relax in beween steps...

worth a try? does he want to shoot off as soon as ramp is open? i.e even with breast bar still up? perhaps you could try just stanitng him in trailer with breast bar up and just opening and closing the ramp? again with a bucket of feed to entertain him?

btw... my boy now unloads perfectly!

 

[Enfys]

I had an arabian that was just like this out of a front unload, so much so that although our trailer had one we never used it, he backed out perfectly well, and was quite calm going in and out of a lorry.

Does your horse go in and out of stable doors calmly too? Maybe it is too soon to tell what is normal as you are new to each other, presumably you had him vetted, if not, from previous sad experience, I would consider having his eyes checked.

 

[MagicMelon]

I've seen a horse who did exactly the same, they just allowed him to shoot out each time though!

I'd probably work like mad on this at home. Take out the trailer partition completely and make sure its parked in his field (ie. somewhere secure). Then I'd probably give him his feed in there every day. I wouldn't have a headcollar on him or anything, I'd simply call him, put his feed bucket in the trailer then open up all the ramps and let him wonder in of his own accord. He'll have to exit the trailer when he's finished. Hopefully he'll learn simply by doing it on his own enough times that its not scary. Then I'd take it from there (ie. once he was wondering in and out calmly on his own, I'd put a headcollar on and walk through with him and build up to a normal unloading situation). If you're worried about him hurting himself then of course put on travelling boots before doing any of this.

 

[JoBo]

My old horse use to do this at the start, we managed to cure it by sticking his head in a bucket of his favourite feed (distraction basically), and just getting him to walk out step by step, taking it really slowly. It worked for him, but obviously it helped that he was a foody, worth a try?