Another loading question - how to do it on your own.

[DITZ]

I am having continual loading problems still. I took him out last week and having bought a bucket that you can hook over the front door to enable him to eat his tea whilst on the move which seemed to work. As soon as he is in one of the girls shuts the ramp and we're sorted.

Coming back however was another matter as I was on my own. I had someone on standby who would drive out and help me but didnt want to enlist their help if at all possible. I've also missed out on going somewhere if there has been no one to help me.

What seems to work instantly is a lunge line as without it he goes sidewards and I was just wondering if there was any way this method could be adapted to be used on your own? I know there is such as thing as an easy loader but the photo shows it being used by 2 people.

My horse is not scared of the trailer and actually travels well but he is a canny little thing and tries it on.

[Murphs]

are you loading into a trailer that has a front ramp as well as the back? I've learnt to load on my own using a lunge line to lead Ebony into the trailer (front breastbar already across) - i duck underneath the bar and then can either walk out the trailer via the front ramp and round to the back to encourage her final steps in then put the back bar across or if she's loading sensibly, duck under the bar, give her some fuss, walk along the other side of the partition and put the back bar across - have to say, touchwood, it works everytime :)

[DITZ]

I used to load him that way without any problems, he was very calm you could just walk him in tie him up and do the back ramp yourself but lately like I said he has been trying it on. Now we have a mixture of success with luring him on with some hard feed but if that doesnt work then the lunge line comes out and 3 times I have used it, 3 times its work immediately.

I do have a front unload but the oroblem is he either gets halfway up the ramp then backs out again or if he's really being awkward he'll turn his backside out to the side and you've got no chance.

So how do you use the lunge line when you load then? I cant picture what you are doing in my head. When we have used the lunge line before I have clipped it to the side of the trailer at the back at about chest height and held it taught so that he cannot go sidewards into it.

[virtuallyhorses]

If he's not scared you would be best to simply improve his ground manners and in particular his leading\stand on command. If you have your own trailer you can use this to practice in, but if you don't it doesn't matter.

Train him anywhere and everywhere to follow respectfully, without being pulled. You need to practice through small gaps, around obstacles on command i.e. without you moving your feet, to pass by you when asked and to be 'driven' on a lead rope and to stand still when asked. If he is obedient to all these things then loading is no problem.

[DITZ]

Unbelieveably his ground manners are superb. He has sore withers at the moment so I took him for a walk in hand yesterday for about 4 miles and he was wonderful. Coming back we even went up a hill which we mostly gallop up and he never broke from walk. He is quite literally just trying it on.

[cvb]

there's normally a reason for a horse 'trying it on'. Trouble is the only way they have to tell us is to play up and we just know they are trying to tell us something, but not what that something is !

There's a parelli DVD on trailer loading - which would give you a way of loading by youself - if you're interested in that kind of thing.

There are various ways to do the (lunge) rope trick with one person - but all have associated risks to horse or person in terms of rope getting tangled, caught up etc.

Have you also thought about the risk of going to events on your own eg if you had a fall and possible concussion how would you get home ? Its not just for loading that its worth having another person around ;)

[DITZ]

I generally do have someone with me but usually they meet me there as its a pain to come to me first. Problems I encounter though are if there is no one around at my yard to help when I leave (my YO lives there and is always happy to help but sometimes I feel awkward asking especially if she's shut up for the night and I am wanting to do an evening show for example). The only time I have travelled and not had someone at the other end to halp was last week but I did have my partner on standby to come out and assist if necessary as I was only 6 miles down the road.

I dont know what my horse is trying to tell me, if anything. We dont always go to the same place, we have only done 2 shows so the majority of runs have been for fun. When I first go him he refused to go out of the yard unless the YO followed me with a lunge whip. I think what he was trying to tell me the (as now) is that he is the boss!

[Murphs]

i used to use the lungeline how you describe - ie. tied to the back of the trailer and cross behind but had mixed success. I now use the lunge line as the lead rope (ie. clipped to the headcollar) that way if she loads straight on great - if she doesn't i can carry on walking, release some line but keep the tension on - it's the keeping the tension on the headcollar that encourages her to load - not the line around her backside (she would just back into it). I spent a lot of time training her to load (and not going anywhere) and now she's great:) Just remember to wear a pair of gloves incase he pulls backwards!