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Post by bluecarrots on Jun 4, 2012 21:00:32 GMT
Hi, hope ive put this in the right section.
Id love to hear stories and experiences of horses that wouldnt load but now do. I really need some tips.
(I am a jockey and this is not my horse)
We took him to a local show today. It took bout 35 min to load on the way there and over an hr on the way back. He doesnt have a problem when.hes in the box, hes perfectly settled, will walk out the box calmly and isnt stressed.
I have tried a pressure halter but not seemed to work (do u think rope ones are better)
Any suggestions would b appreciated x
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Post by Yogananda on Jun 5, 2012 16:51:25 GMT
Personally what worked for mine was practising walking through it on a daily basis. My boy has not ever liked travelling on his own very much and one of the times I loaded him he jumped the breast bar and was half hanging on it, very scary for both of us. So I rested him from it for about 6 months (not that you will need to do that!) and then started by walking him through it for a week, it took a little time for me to get him up the ramp but I made sure I was not in a rush (I also found walking up by his shoulder rather than in front helped mine) as thats very important as as soon as they know you are pushed for time they will put the stoppers on. I then started the next week stopping in the trailer and talking, increasing this from 2 mins up to about 10 before calming unloading him each time. Following this I did a short journey to our new yard with him, 3 miles but it felt like 20  , and he loaded immediately and travelled super. ETA - I found loading up with a lunge rein easier on my hands just in case they pull back but you then have enough to keep a hold of them rather than them doing one, also I didnt do it with food as I tried this way last time with him, 20 mins at a show trying to coerce him in with oat biscuits that he loaded with on the way that took 10 mins to get him on with! Good luck x |
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pn.x
Full Member
Posts: 500
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Post by pn.x on Jun 5, 2012 18:04:28 GMT
my boy never liked loading, he wasnt scared.. he just DID NOT WANT TO!
i used to open up my wagon and practice, all day, everyday! never did anything, like blindfolding, lunging lines behind him, teasing with feed! i just sat there and waited for him to come up in his own time, it took me about a week and then one day a he just came up, then up, down, up, down, up, down, up, down.. i then used to take him round the block every other day until he got used to it and realised everything was fine! now my boy loads everytime, at home and at a show. never once refusses.
i guess everything works different with every horse though.
i hope you get your problem sorted. good luck. x
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jeeves
Junior Member
Posts: 95
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Post by jeeves on Jun 5, 2012 18:40:16 GMT
i had one that after feeding him daily in the box he grew out of it after a while
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Post by FF on Jun 5, 2012 19:27:45 GMT
I aquired a horse that I was told didn't load (he arrived on hoof) but as that is no good to me we started box training. I parked the box on the yard and thought i'd feed him in it every day as he was quite poor anyway I thought he'd go in for food. It took weeks to get him to go in, we used lunge lines, dually head collars etc but the only think that stopped him dragging me off the ramp was unfortunately was a chifney. Just got him listening to me rather than doing what he wanted.
I took the partitions out and opened the front and back ramps and also used other horses to lead him in. none of it worked until one day he just went in. He ate his food and then promptly left. That was fine I thought as it was progress. He started to eat his tea in there most days and after wards I'd try to get him to stay even just for a few minutes. He was genuinely scared. He'd been through a lot of sales and I guess he saw travelling as going to another home. poor boy. Once he was happily going in we put the partition back in and got him doing that, he wasn't happy to stay in by himself but would only go in 1st, strange boy.
Our 1st trip out we boxed to the local forest a few miles down the road and then rode home so we didn't stress him about loading for the way home. It worked. Then we boxed to a friends farm down the road, went for a ride and tried to box back. It took us 2 1/2 hours and 5 people to load him back in even though he went straight in at home. we did that again the next day and got it down to an hour and 3 people. Then we went to local dressage. It took us 45 minutes to get him in on the way home and the next time was just half hour. We only went local for a few weeks just incase he wouldn't load so we could ride home, once he realised he was always going home he started to just go in on 1st attempt. We don't need the chifney any more and I still haven't travelled him on his own and don't think I ever will as I just don't think he'd cope. It's a bit of a pain but hey it's better than not at all.
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Post by fruity on Jun 5, 2012 19:39:37 GMT
I parked my lorry next the hedge and ran a lunge line from the lorry to the corner of the yard block. I was recommended to lay rugs over the lunge line to create a wall effect.I was also recommended not to make an issue of it and to certainly not travel once loaded. Walk on and off a few times a day until it became boring and a non issue. Used a bridle.
First day, OH followed with broom. First hesitation, big fella got a nudge with the bristles ,- on he walked. Second time broom swished the floor no hesitation, third, no broom. Next day,s we loaded on and off three times in a row, no hassle. Did that a few more times and Within a week he was loading fine so a short journey every other day. Within three weEks sorted
Worked for us
Oh, mines a big horse too, so we left plenty of room and always put bedding down for him.
Good luck
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Post by lauracster on Jun 5, 2012 20:07:32 GMT
i got a 5 year old section D mare about 3 months ago , she had been handled very little and was brought to me after being forced in a 3.5t box by a horse transporter she arrived in a state, sweated up and very stressed! after a long time settling in and handling i tried to get her in my single trailer........ 1st day had a good look round sniffed ramp etc and happily stood at the bottom of the ramp
2nd day ..... similar but she did step on it with 1 foot!!
3rd day ........ i positioned the trailer with a fence at 1 side and made a fence with electric fencing tape at the other side to guide her........... she walked straight in and out of the other side........ several times happily.
Since then she has gone to shows and travelled in a single trailer, double trailer with a pony, 7.5t horsebox (sideways) and a 3.5t horsebox (backwards). she hasn't sweated up at all and is happy to load if there is a piece of electric fence tape at each side of the ramp to guide her!!
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Post by bluecarrots on Jun 5, 2012 20:38:29 GMT
thanks for the advice guys, it sounds like a few of you have used chiffneys. I might give it a try. He isnt at all phased by being in the box, not stressed at all and is very calm. I have tried, food, opening partitions, lunge lines, plastic brriers at the side to stop him bouncing to the side, lifting his hoof and putting it on the ramp when hes stood at the base of the ramp but nothing. He's 14 going on 4 so I hope I can teach an old horse new tricks x
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Post by fruity on Jun 6, 2012 11:03:07 GMT
If you use a chifney pls pls pls make sure you know what you're doing (no disrespect meant at all)
I have a fear of them in the wrong hands after a pony lost its tongue. If you've never used one, just talk to someone first.
That said you horse doesn't sound difficult to control, so perhaps a bridle in the meantime and try these channeling techniques. I'm a big fan of a broom nudge, horses really don't like the bristles!
MOA what does he do when you try to load him??
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Post by highlanderlass on Jun 6, 2012 13:33:22 GMT
We had to cross the water by ferry to pick up our pony and she was horrendous to box then - it wasn't that she was scared or anything it was pure stubborness, we missed the ferry we were suppose to go on but 6 hours later and a helping hand got her in  . When we got her home we fed her in the box daily, she got 10 minutes at the most to go in for it and if she didn't she never got fed  . Within two weeks she was walking in and out like a pro and has never looked back since. She will now load herself in to the trailer or lorry (she doesn't care if it's for her or not) and has been no bother ;D ;D. It just takes a bit of patience and half the battle is the fact that it is stubborness and not fear! |
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Post by smiggs on Jun 7, 2012 15:09:43 GMT
I have used a Richard Maxwell Presssure Halter on several horses that won't load and as long as the horse is schooled correctly onto it and it is used correctly, it has NEVER failed me :-)
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Post by colourpiaffe on Jun 7, 2012 18:03:32 GMT
Loading issue's is one of the things I deal with as trainer, I never use Chifney for this ever, all I use is pressure and release training with a dually headcollar (my pref to rope sort), desensatising trainer and have never in last 10yrs + failed to get one in.
I did one the other day for some people that were in 'hurry'......4hrs later they called me to help....3.5 mins after setting everything up he was in and standing happily, they stood gobsmacked and said what did I do.....I replied its what I didn't do thats important, no shouting, unfair or rough handling, brooms, whips, lunge lines, and my body language had to remain low and non invasive. Trust me is so much more simple than forcing them on as this way they are not truelly going on because they want to and whilst they may if you are lucking be fine thereafter, most rarely are and it will rear its ugly head when you most need them on board as they will sense the urgency.
Practice the pressure and realease technique well before trailer training, and never practice when you are in hurry, be prepared to take as long as it takes the first time, get them on and take them straight off, then back on and off until they are walking withough hesitation through and build on that trust.
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Post by rubyshoes1 on Jun 8, 2012 6:37:54 GMT
I had a mare that didn't like the trailor, I used to load her wearing her bridle for more control & open the front ramp so she thought she was walking through, it did work but it was a good excuse to buy a lorry!
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Post by Karen, garrettponies on Jun 8, 2012 9:15:03 GMT
I like dually's too. Just lent mine to a friend with her nightmare to load pony. Once she had worked with him on the ground and he understood what was required he hasn't been a problem at all. He was hell as he would throw a tantrum to go in and once in would swing round and belt straight back out, he is happy to walk in and out and stand. No fuss, no arguing from either pony or owner.
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Post by GinaGeo on Jun 8, 2012 9:16:41 GMT
We use a similarish technique to colourpiaffe. Mum's appy is terrifed of trailers, lorries - we don't know his history but reckon he's had an accident as it was pure terror not stubborness. We had an IH rep out in the end, which was a godsend. He taught us some very valuable techniques.
It's hard to explain, but you have to make everywhere other than in the trailer an uncomfortable place to be. Starting off with putting pressure on them, pressure halter and irritating them with something, no beating involved just irritants of increasing pressure. Once they take a step in the right direction, all pressure comes off as their reward. Give them about thirty seconds of quietly standing and then up the pressure again, once they step forward take all pressure off. etc etc until they're in the trailer/lorry. Our youngster decided against loading after a slightly longer journey than he's used to the other day. It took about 20mins, but he went in without a fight. We were away from home and as he's never been difficult to load previously I didn't have everything to hand. I will in the future though.
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sophiea
Full Member
Its not an obsession, Its a dedication ;)
Posts: 290
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Post by sophiea on Jun 8, 2012 17:28:02 GMT
as mines obsesed with her belly, my dad walks into the trailer with a bucket of carrots and we just follow him up
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Post by winterwood on Jun 9, 2012 19:24:17 GMT
Loading issue's is one of the things I deal with as trainer, I never use Chifney for this ever, all I use is pressure and release training with a dually headcollar (my pref to rope sort), desensatising trainer and have never in last 10yrs + failed to get one in. I did one the other day for some people that were in 'hurry'......4hrs later they called me to help....3.5 mins after setting everything up he was in and standing happily, they stood gobsmacked and said what did I do.....I replied its what I didn't do thats important, no shouting, unfair or rough handling, brooms, whips, lunge lines, and my body language had to remain low and non invasive. Trust me is so much more simple than forcing them on as this way they are not truelly going on because they want to and whilst they may if you are lucking be fine thereafter, most rarely are and it will rear its ugly head when you most need them on board as they will sense the urgency. Practice the pressure and realease technique well before trailer training, and never practice when you are in hurry, be prepared to take as long as it takes the first time, get them on and take them straight off, then back on and off until they are walking withough hesitation through and build on that trust. Yep. I agree. Very similar to how I go about working with awkward loaders www.youtube.com/watch?v=TU6L9uz3ktg |
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Post by bluecarrots on Jun 16, 2012 14:02:55 GMT
thanks for all your comments we are going to try a few methods and see what happens. winterwood that video helps too thanks. he is quite similar to that but much stronger with his head x
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Post by workingcob on Jun 16, 2012 15:59:36 GMT
Loading issue's is one of the things I deal with as trainer, I never use Chifney for this ever, all I use is pressure and release training with a dually headcollar (my pref to rope sort), desensatising trainer and have never in last 10yrs + failed to get one in. I did one the other day for some people that were in 'hurry'......4hrs later they called me to help....3.5 mins after setting everything up he was in and standing happily, they stood gobsmacked and said what did I do.....I replied its what I didn't do thats important, no shouting, unfair or rough handling, brooms, whips, lunge lines, and my body language had to remain low and non invasive. Trust me is so much more simple than forcing them on as this way they are not truelly going on because they want to and whilst they may if you are lucking be fine thereafter, most rarely are and it will rear its ugly head when you most need them on board as they will sense the urgency. Practice the pressure and realease technique well before trailer training, and never practice when you are in hurry, be prepared to take as long as it takes the first time, get them on and take them straight off, then back on and off until they are walking withough hesitation through and build on that trust. Amen to all that |
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sarahp
Happy to help
Posts: 9,510
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Post by sarahp on Jun 25, 2012 3:44:27 GMT
Another vote for pressure/release techniques and home training before trying to go anywhere.
I normally use rope halters because I've been using those for years anyway before the more sophisticated versions came in, but then I'm normally working with first loading education with my home bred babies who are trained to rope halters for all leading from the beginning, I only use headcollars for tying up. But for anything with an existing problem I'd use some sort of pressure halter - daughter has a Richard Maxwell one. And I've met two naughty ones who know the difference between than and anything else, they make no trouble whatsoever with the RM but won't load in a headcollar.
I'm normally a one woman band, and have found that anything normally loaded with the help of lunge lines or brushes very soon learns that it's not there so they don't have to....... The above method teaches them it's no big deal and nothing to be frightened of so no reason not to load.
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Post by princessalysx on Jun 27, 2012 15:08:19 GMT
I was told about an old wives tale to load my pony ten times a day for ten days! Worked for us but obviously the hardest part is getting them on the trailer is the first place!
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sarahp
Happy to help
Posts: 9,510
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Post by sarahp on Jun 27, 2012 17:32:30 GMT
Well with my "blank page" youngsters, ie never been in a lorry and don't have any actual problems, I reckon two sessions is fine for most. The first time, load and take off a few times, which takes a shorter time each time and then in the next session, do the same again, normally straight on and off by now. Next time, off to a show!
The worst I had was one VERY spooky one, I tried with her for 1 1/2 hours and then had to stop due to backache and blisters (silly me had forgotten to wear gloves) but I did in my head change the objective to getting both front feet on the ramp instead of going right in, which I did, then made a big fuss of her and led her away and round the garden going on and off every different surface I could find as this was what she didn't like. My invaluable friend came over that evening to finish the job for me, I think it took her 1 1/2 hours to get her on, then 1/2 hour the next time and then on and off without a hitch.
Oh, and I do use an extra length of rope or a lungeline on the halter which makes it much easier to keep hold of them, ideally with the pressure on, if they are one of those that rear and back up and away.
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Post by angelkisses on Jun 28, 2012 11:55:08 GMT
The worst loading experience i've had is when my pony just point blanked refused to go into my friends box, he has loaded perfectly all his life, but he was obviously very scared
he wouldn't go anywhere near the ramp, and if he did he'd rear twist and take you with him!
he would swing around the side of the ramp, and jump over it! putting his back feet down in the middle of the ramp and push himself off even further! after about a an hour in hail and rain and wind and a lot of me being pulled around! he went in, and then because of all the rain etc, we got stuck in mud! and then had to be towed out! so after a trip which should of took 5 minutes, it took around 2 hours! he got home and was white with sweat and clearly petrified!
we just put this experience down to the ramp being quite steep and the box being relatively dark although being a brand new box! just one of those days
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Post by bluecarrots on Jul 2, 2012 21:38:34 GMT
tried for an hour on friday, no luck, tried today again for 3 hours and still no luck. :/
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Post by bow1607 on Jul 2, 2012 21:48:43 GMT
What did you try?
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Post by shelliewilson on Jul 2, 2012 21:50:12 GMT
also seen the broom trick work on our yard - it doesnt hurt its just annoying for them and they do anything to get away from it - also its alot safer if they going to kick out than to be stood right behind them! this pony now loads fine too! also dont give them a way out other than on the box!
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sarahp
Happy to help
Posts: 9,510
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Post by sarahp on Jul 3, 2012 3:16:40 GMT
It might not if it ever realises the broom is no longer there, eg if there is only one person there to load him at some point.
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Post by GinaGeo on Jul 3, 2012 7:16:14 GMT
Bluecarrots, have an IH rep come to see you. It will make life alot easier. I'm sure Kelly Marks, she's a member, will be able to recommend someone local to you.
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sarahp
Happy to help
Posts: 9,510
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Post by sarahp on Jul 3, 2012 8:43:38 GMT
Bluecarrots - your horse is winning the battle, not you! I agree with GG, get an IH person in.
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Post by bluecarrots on Jul 3, 2012 13:34:22 GMT
we got someone over twice. Hes really good and instantlygot leo listening, using lunging techniques so that he either has two choices 1. to work 2. to go in the box. and i know he isnt fit enough to work for 3 hours straight. He looked so interested in the trailer when he is being worked then by the time he gets to the trailer he just stood there (given the time to think and weigh everything up) so usually they walk in after a few attempts which I have seen but hasnt worked. We have had 2 sessions, x1 1hr on friday and a 3hr session trying on monday.
I might sound stupid but whats an IH rep>?
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, and he loaded immediately and travelled super.
