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View Full Version : Doesn't float

Cupcake
17th Jan 2007, 01:01 AM
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colettybetty
21st Jan 2007, 06:59 AM
Wondered what you meant by 'float' at first, hadn't heard that expression here in the UK before,but then English terms must be just as confusing I guess.
Sounds like its quite an ordeal for her.Just wondering if you back her up by asking her to go backwards ?You could practice backing up on the yard without having a horsebox there. Walking her forwards , coming to halt and then asking her to go backwards for a few steps before walking her forwards immediately after.Also moving her laterally, directing her head towards you while you ask her hind to move away.Maybe try a few spook- busting exercises to improve her confidence and trust in you.Lots of praise and rubs when she does something right.
When you next try to load her, make sure you have all the time in the world and its no big deal if she gets on or not.Get rid of all the hyper extra helpers, just have someone standing quietly by to put the chain across.Then try the NH method of walking towards the box, stop and ask her to step backwards and repeat several times, til she's starting to get bored and the option of just walking on seems preferable.Be very quiet and relaxed about the whole thing as she'll feel your stress too.
Fingers crossed.
Bay Mare
21st Jan 2007, 09:23 AM
As she's had a bad experience of loading it's probably worth getting someone in to help you with her, some trainers will bring their own trailer though you will have to pay for it.

In the meantime doing some groundwork with her will help when the time comes to do loading training.


She's not a very trainable pony, she has her ideas and gets very angry if things change.

Most horses/ponies are trainable you just need to find the best way to teach them. If you think about it they have to learn quickly and forget slowly to survive in the wild. If they've had a bad experience in the past then you aren't going to eradicate it overnight, that is the way of the horse. You need to replace the bad memories with good experience and that, unfortunately, can take a lot of time an patience.