Very frustrated - want to cry!

[Ravenwood]

My mare wouldn't load either when I got her. I know from her history that she was beaten like hell to get her in. I always have to load on my own so I had to find a way to get her in without lunge ropes etc as I only have 1 pair of hands!!

I parked the trailer on flat grass and put down all the ramps, opened up everything and took out the partition and then after much persuasion I just led her straight through it and out again and left it at that. I did this for a couple of days. Next I led her in and stopped for a few minutes just to eat and then led her out again. Once she was happy to stop and eat for a few minutes I tied her up. Next I would put up just one ramp for a minute or close a door, let it down and take her out. This then progressed on and on until all the ramps were up - when she panicked! But I perserved and took a step back if anything happened. Eventually I hitched up the trailer got her in, drove around the block (5 mins) and let her out and did this several times as well. About 6 weeks later, she now loads really well (sometimes has to have a think about it) but I still have to have the front ramp down and partition moved over to get her in.

Even now though she absolutely will not go in if someone is standing behind her, even me if my daughter leads her in - I don't think she has ever forgotten that beating.

Good luck, this method worked for me, might be worth a try.

 

[OWLIE185]

I try to load bad loaders in a very laid back manner and without putting any pressure on them so that it becomes a pleasant rather than unpleasant experience.

I find the best way to train a bad loader is to spend time each day with them and feed them in the trailer/lorry so that it all becomes routine. After 3 months of loading them each day to feed them in it it all becomes routine and automatic and the horse should just walk in by itself.

I always suggest parking down hill so that the ramp is almost flat rather than steep and having all the ramps open.

Also store feed in it so that it smells of horse feed so that the horse associates it by smell as food.

 

[MizElz]

Awwww Ravenwood, your poor mare

Now THAT I do find unnacceptable, beating them to get them in. So glad you've found a way to get her to trust you - yours is obviously a case where she was terrified, not naughty. This is what saddens me: when people cross the line between being 'firm' and being cruel