Mega Loading Issues, Desperatly in need of help!

[nattyhorseluver]

I thought we had our loading issues nearly sussed :(
She is happy to walk through the trailer, and will stand in there for very short spaces of time now. she has got over all fear of the trailer and I find that she is mucking me about :o As soon as you try to get to the back up she runs out backwards. Im in need of any help as we're going to an arena tomorrow, but if she wont load I cant go :(

[winterwood]

Google Sarah Dent and contact her. she is based in Yorkshire and does excellent work with difficult loaders/travellers

[starrynight]

Anyway you can get someone to help you - maybe you stay in the trailer with her and someone puts the back up while you fuss over her then you go out the front - would that work? Obviously not a long-term fix but it might work just for tomorrow?

[orin]

I thought we had our loading issues nearly sussed :(
She is happy to walk through the trailer, and will stand in there for very short spaces of time now. she has got over all fear of the trailer and I find that she is mucking me about :o As soon as you try to get to the back up she runs out backwards. Im in need of any help as we're going to an arena tomorrow, but if she wont load I cant go :(

i may be confused but how does she come out backwards? do you not have a bar behind her?

[nattyhorseluver]

No theres nothing behind her, just the ramp

[HashRouge]

To be quite honest you should not be travelling without a bar behind her. Its dangerous - what would happen if the ramp came down whilst you were travelling?

[Kate&TheHerd]

you cope with whatever equipment you have. i currently only have a bungee strap at the back as the chain thing made her go nuts. I highly suggest NH person even if only once they come. The horse needs to go off pressure as it should anyway. get someone to stand behind as you go out the jockey door and when horse goes back just press on its bum and it should go forward. i dont know the whole situation so cant fully comment, but i have had EXTREME loading problems and fully recocmend NH all the way :D

[nattyhorseluver]

Theres a chain on the divider but you have to move it over so she can get in and then back again once shes in, as soon as anything moves she pulls out or goes through the chain

[Kate&TheHerd]

like i say she should move off pressure so get someone to help :)

[nattyhorseluver]

We managed to get her in the trailerso how do I ask someone to apply pressure to keep her while the ramp is being put up?

[tandp]

If a horse doesn't want to be in a trailer and the back bar goes across anyway...well, real damage can be done if the horse kicks out, or even worse, gets underneath the bar.

[nattyhorseluver]

:( I could cry, I havent been able to ride all week and I've been looking forward to this so much. Im going to give it a go and get her in but if shes not happy then im not forcing her, we'll go when shes ready. The arena is about 40 mins ride away but the roads around there are too icey to hack on :(

[rtk]

I wouldn't even attempt to go anywhere yet.

I had a horse with similar problems and it takes time to overcome them.

If you cant get help then you could try what worked for mine.

After I had finally got him to walk through the trailer and stand in it to eat. I put the back ramp up while the front one was still open. This stopped him feeling trapped as he intended to go out of the front one anyway. You have to be careful as if they panic it can be hard to get the front bar off to get them out.

Make sure you stand at the side of the rear ramp as you can get killed if the horse runs backwards and you get trapped under the ramp (its amazing how fast they can do it)

I did this every night for a week or two, when he was totally happy I started to do it with the front ramp up but the top door over it still open (so he could see outside) After another week of this I closed the top door and he was OK.

I practiced keeping him in the closed trailer to eat his feed for a few days before we started to move off.

The first few trips out were only a mile down the road in case I couldn't get him back in There is nothing worse than being stuck at an event.

Good luck

[Kate&TheHerd]

i wouldnt attempt to go anywhere til everything is safe. applying pressure to behind, like putting a rope accross her bum, or using a bungee cord anythin there so she can feel it.


there is however, unfortunately no simple fix. loading horses CAN be dangerous I have seen it. thats why i have invested in a NH to come and help me so I know my girl is in safely. My only suggestion to you is to do the same.

[wonkeywoody]

She sounds as thought she still has a fear issue.

i wouldnt attempt to go anywhere til everything is safe. applying pressure to behind, like putting a rope accross her bum, or using a bungee cord anythin there so she can feel it.

Ditto doing this but NOT IN THE TRAILER!!!!! Check and see (in a safe place) whether she has issue with something across her bum - if yes, work on it on its own.

Second "test" - build a 4 foot wide parallel jump and hang carpet/rug over each pole to mimic solid sides. Walk her tro it, make her stand between, go in and reverse out of gap. Gradually make gap narrower. Repeat exercises. Watch for her becoming unconfident as it gets narrower. She need to remain calm and confident till the gap is same size as trailer gap ie about 2'6 -2'9".
Play around with these two exercises until she and yu are both happy.

The next stage is trailer. Pop her in and ask her to stand in there without any form of restraint (tying up or breech bar) and to come out calmly.
When you have mastered that, put partition in middle of trailer and repeat.

Finally she should be walking into the trailer (herself), standing quietly while you do up a PROPER breech bar (get one fitted for yours and her safety) and put up the ramp.

This is not going to happen overnight, so TAKE YOUR TIME!

It all about her confidence. Horses dont do things in a hurry unless they are scared or excited!