Yearling and loading...what shall i do?

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lucyjay11

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hi all,

just thought i would ask for some advice as i really dont know where to start with this.

i've got a gypsy vanner 11 month old yearling, who simply wont go on a trailer or a horse box. hes not scared of them as he will happily eat and whatnot. however he becomes routed to the spot and will not go near it, or the ramp.

hes been on a trailer twice, first time when i first bought him as a four month old, and then when we moved yards when he was 10 months. i dont know how he loaded the first time, but the second time was a complete nightmare!

please any advice would be appreciated as this is my first foal to breaking project and i simply cant find anything with regards to teaching them to load...

thank you!
 
Have just gone through this with mine. Firstly, take your time, small steps daily if needs be... put hay/straw on the ramp and, if you can, place the lorry/trailer slightly downhill so the ramp is flat. Calmy walk on as if going into a stable. Foal /yearling hopefully not fazed and happy to go on as hay/straw muffles the sound of the ramp. If no progress the 1st day, then keep trying every day without getting flustered. Good luck!
 
I recently moved a yearling who hadnt been on a box since Nov, although he did travel quite a bit as a foal to shows etc before Nov. He lives out with my retired horse, so we loaded the retired lad first and the yearling followed. When we brought him back home he loaded into empty trailer no probs. Might be an idea if you have a sensible beastie who would stand quietly to pop it on to provide a bit of encouragement for the baby.
It can also be an idea to tempt them on with a feed, let them eat it and back off again for a few days without any actual moving of the box/lorry.
I would agree with WB re ramp, calmness/confidence and patience. Good luck
 
They often go on the first time but then have a hizzy fit, be very careful with his travelling .....once you get him in of course!
Always have sunlight shining in to trailer or lorry, and if a trailer have both door and ramp down.
Try not to cause a fuss, let him smell the ramp etc, and don't try to bring him out of his stable and straight in to trailer, do little in-hand "halts" and "walk-ons" first.
He should be a good boy when tied up both outside his stable and inside
 
Leave the front jockey door open so that there is light coming through. Lots of straw on the floor. Get someone to walk on first with hay net/feed bucket. Having an experienced companion load first may also help
 
I tried a technique used by Monty Roberts when I had to move my two year old and an older horse who was a terrible loader (three hours trying everything, then I left him at home!).

It worked way better than I expected it to, ten minutes to load the baby who had never even looked inside a trailer before and around fifteen minutes to load the older horse, they travelled well too (not together). Amazed!

All they had to be able to do was back up when asked. Someone else on here will probably explain things better, but what I did was lead the horse towards the box, when he stopped I backed him up a bit then walked him on again, eventually we got to the ramp-same thing, back up then walk on, he put a hoof on the ramp, I backed him up, two feet on the ramp, back up, by now he's looking at me like I've lost the plot! He starts wanting to come up the ramp, I let him go so far then back him up, then actually into the trailer and out again, did it a few times until he really wanted to be in there, then he walked straight up the ramp and just stood there as if to say "come on then, are we going or what?". Couldn't believe it!!

One thing I will say whatever way you choose to do it, leave plenty of time, try to pick a nice quiet day, try to only have calm, sensible people around to help and if it's going wrong, leave it for later. Good luck!
 
Some good advice given so far.
I wouldn't, personally, open the jockey door, just in case he see's it as a way out if he gets worried when you first walk him on!! I have worked with a couple of horses that have exited through the jockey door (one was 14.2hh) and they aren't too keen to load again.

Ensure he is responding to simple commands to walk with you, stop when you stop (without overtaking) and back up willingly. Get him comfortable walking over a sheet of ply wood on the ground, moving on to fixing it to a couple of forklift pallets so he has to step up onto it.

Break the loading down into small steps. Asking for him to take a step or two at a time when approaching the trailer. If he plants, ask for him to take a step sideways, so you are moving his feet. By concentrating on simply asking him to move his feet it takes your focus and intent away from actually loading him, which can take a lot of pressure off both you and the horse!

Remove all partitions to make the trailer as inviting as possible. If you open the front ramp be aware that he may rush out. However if he is understanding the initial start/stop/back up groundwork he will be less likely to do this.

You could try contacting Sue Palmer at www.holistichorsehelp.com to have a chat
 
Welcome to the forum ben1.
a) It looks from your posts as if you joined to advertise.
b) That's a very interesting video to put on Youtube to promote a horse trainer.
 
I would definitely get help if you can, you can make or break the pony re loading with what you do now. i thoroughly recomend IH/NH methods andif you have a trainer near you I would use them.

I though winterwood suggestions good, and would add once you have go forward and crossing tricky things on the ground established I would ask the horse to cross the ramp before you ask the horse to walk into the lorry/float. My horse was especially difficult re float loading, and we have established a pattern he is now familar and comfortable with, it always starts with him walking accross the ramp. That is easy and he is happy to do it. The next ask after a few times backwards and forwards across the ramp is in, but we go in & out as much as it takes for him to feel comfortable. I always know he is ready to load and close the door when I can ask him out of the float and change my mind half way and ask him back in. When he stops and goes forward on a suggestion, (my body language) I know he is feeling ok and the deal is done. This is a horse that used to panic in the float and was injured twice through throwing himself down.

There are some good NH vidoes available, but nothing is better than having some one ther in person.
 
After a freak accident with my boy in the trailer who went in every single time first time it has taken me 6 months to get him to go back in and he still gets upset in the trailer sometimes I was very lucky my horse was trained to go in by a pro when he was a baby as I think I would never have got him in ever again if not. I agree with getting professional help.
 
I simply left the trailer, suitably stabilised, in a taped off area next to my yearlings paddock over winter. Every day they got hard feed near the trailer until they were boldly going up the ramp and inside. This took a few weeks. But why hurry? Soon they'd rush out when I opened the gate, eager to get into the trailer!

One of these was due to go down south at age 18 months (500 mile trip). The trailer was backed up to the round pen and the youngster gently worked through a variety of "obstacles". If he ventured near to the trailer ramp, I'd turn my back on him for five minutes. Gradually, with gentle encouragement, he'd go further and further in -- no panic, no fear, just slight reluctance which he gradually overcame. When he was in, I gently rattled bum bars and thumped the ramp. No problems.

When Gillies lorry arrived, he was in the field. It took ten minutes to catch him, head collar him, lead him to the lorry, and get him loaded. I was told he travelled perfectly, also loaded and unloaded without problems at various stop overs. Much better to take these things gradually and let them work it out for themselves.

Video at (I'm not a pro!):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ia34rjhBgA
 
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