Unloading problems..... long :(

[Carlosmum]

Horse loads happily & travels well, but unloading him from the Ifor williams is a nightmare. He is not ( & never has been) happy to stand in the trailer, but will cope as long as I'm out of sight. As soon as I get back he wants out. Once the side ramp is down & I've dropped the breast bar he's gone, mowing anyone down who might be in the way . I've learned to keep clear! So I tried reversing him... same reaction he catapults out backwards. He once got caught by the swinging partition as he came out & this has made him 10 times worse.
He's 15 & has been travelling regularly since he was 6 but recently its become unsafe. Anyone have any ideas, before someone (probably me!) gets hurt?

 

[dianchi]

What are you unloading in ie just a head collar? Personally would do ground work in hand where you stop and back up at all sorts of random places.
Also I would be using a pressure head collar or bridle so you have extra control.

Working on dropping the ramp and not taking him off is probably worth doing as well. As ever time and patience is the answer!

 

[Carlosmum]

He wears a dually to load & actually wont move off the trailer until I step to the side, but he hops up & down on the spot winding himself up. He has a very stressy character and this is pressing all his panic buttons.

 

[putasocinit]

have you tried giving him a bucket of feed when you arrive still in the box so he equates the box with nice things and to try and relax and even have the door open whilst he is eating so he realises the door is open but he is eating and there is no rush.

 

[AengusOg]

This is one reason why I don't advocate unloading horses by the front ramp, as there is always a possibility that something touching the horse's ribs or quarters as he exits will spoil him and encourage him to rush. Once a horse is committed to rushing out of the box it is very difficult to persuade him to exit in a controlled manner.

There is potential for this when rear unloading, but the handler is often in a better position to prevent it happening, so rear unloading is safer.

Plenty of groundwork, especially stopping and starting when being led, can help. The horse learns to be very attentive and to stop and to back up in response to the handler's movements, rather than the halter and once he is at that stage he can be taken to the trailer and that put into action in teaching him to unload calmly and under control.

Horses which are under such control can be taken onto the ramp, stopped, backed up, led forward again, and some can be dissuaded from rushing by this means. The handler teaches the horse to mirror his movements, without being able to anticipate, and the horse learns trust and habitual compliance, and this can cancel out the former undesirable behaviour.

With such horses it is important to get them unloading well by the rear ramp, so that they have to rely more on the handler to guide them. It is easier to control a horse if his vision is compromised, than it is if he can see where he is going.

The horse's head is the means by which he is guided down a rear ramp. If his quarters deviate to one side, simply bring his head to the opposite side as this will cause him to straighten up.

Remember, when you are teaching in-hand work such as is required here, you must be very aware of your body posture and language. Use assertive energy/posture/signals on the halter when asking him to back up, and definite passive posture when you want him to stop on the ramp and/or re-enter the trailer.

 

[Vicstress]

Won't be popular but i used to load and unload my Mare in a chiffney....shed jump up the ramp and back out...really not worth therisk