Help - Horse-loading

[VickiGG]

Hi everyone - I am new and from NZ - I have a 20 year old horse called Blue who hates floats (horse trailers)...I started clicker training him on but once we did the partitions up it all went out the window...he was a nervous wreck and wouldn't attempt to go back on....I know he has had a hard life before I got him....This NH guy taught me how to get Blue on and it included scaring him on basically by chasing him in with the dressage whip. While it worked, Blue didn't exactly seem thrilled with the idea and basically gave me that look like - what the hell are you doing?"
He was ok travelling on the way to the school ( I loaded him by myself in an angle load) - but on the way back (he ran out of the float frontways three times each load attempt) he was really sweaty and heavy breathing - and he took ages to calm down. He still came up to me in the paddock a few hours later but he seems nervous of me almost now....like as if to say - when is she going to attack me with that whip again. It's not like I beat him with it - I can't hit anyone or anything let alone a living creature so it really goes against the grain threatening him with the whip by tapping him (hard) with it or chasing him with it.
I feel REALLY stressed ie on the brink of tears - and have felt like that since I got home. I wasn't upset that he bucked in the lesson (yes we had to give up on the lesson - there were motorX bikes next door so that really didn't help....- but I am wondering;
1. should I be making him do all this - why should he just have a happy horse life in retirement - I think he has had a pretty tough life so far
2. I also think - it would be nice to have a horse that would load easily and not be so dramatic about everything including riding.
3. it's so stressful all this - everyone keeps telling me I am learning heaps and congratulating me for getting him on the float - so why do I feel so bad?

This is an example - the angle load has a front end (head end) and a back end which they can lean on for balance. To get him on I have to use the whip on his bum to get him to move over (tapping quite hard) - he moves forward more and then doesn't have much headroom and therefore can't lean on the back - it's too far away...he's so far up as if to say - if I get further away you won't hit me....

I know I'm not HITTING him but he looks at me like I am....

He still thinks it's punishment.....

To make matters worse - on the way out he was turning to come out nicely and the side partition swung out and hit him in the bum which made him leap off practically.

I feel like going back to clicker training again - at least he was calm them...but it's quite hard to do - ie would take ages....

Help - any ideas????? :( I feel sooooo bad.

[Jessey]

If I were you I would think long and hard about how you are approaching this, is he really scared or is he old and wise and knows all the tricks/evasions?, depending on the answer to that would depend on how I proceed.
My filly was being a monster to load but she had a pretty rough time on her first trip in a trailer so I knew why but a few months on with gentle encouragement she now loads and travells well, people on here gave me some really good support and advise.

J

[Jessey]

If I were you I would think long and hard about how you are approaching this, is he really scared or is he old and wise and knows all the tricks/evasions?, depending on the answer to that would depend on how I proceed.
My filly was being a monster to load but she had a pretty rough time on her first trip in a trailer so I knew why but a few months on with gentle encouragement she now loads and travells well, people on here gave me some really good support and advise - http://www.newrider.com/forum/showthread.php?t=46835&highlight=loading

J

[Miriam]

Know how you feel on that one. I clicker trained Rhi to go in the trailer and then like you said it went out of the window. I've had to revert to the be-nice head collar.

[Rosieee]

I would suggest you practice loading him every day, at first just loading him giving a little feed then bringing him off again and then when he is happy with this progressing to loading going for a very short trip, giving a feed then unloading thus making the experience enjoyable for him. This shouldn't take that long to have an effect if you are consistent and as soon as your horse thinks of loading in a more positive way will progresss quickly. Whether the horse is scared or just doesn't like travelling that much and 'knows the tricks of the trade' to get out of it this should work. To load him in the first place I would suggest using a pressure halter, working on a pressure and release basis i.e put pressure on and as soon as the horse moves towards the trailer release the pressure as a reward, if the horse goes backwards ask him to continue going backwards further than he would like and is wanting to go forwards. hope this helps, definitely don't give up this should be easily solved but the horse has to want to load so make it pleasurable for him.

[VickiGG]

thanks everyone - and Jessey the link to your thread was indeed very helpful, I shall try all those things! Plus I am reading and really enjoying Kelly Marks Perfect Manners.

I think he is clever and knows all the tricks, but was scared at the way I loaded him, and the fact he was 'locked' in, and then got himself worked up.

Miriam - I am not going to give up on the clicker - he really knows that means good things - but I shall combine these things I think. Making a 'pretend' or mock trailer is a great idea...

Thanks Rosieee - I will start practising with him....

I'll let you know how I go. We are going to start with some claustophobia work tomorrow.

[katefarmer]

It sounds as though you need to break the whole process down into smaller bits and just work on a little at a time to keep the stress level down for both of you. There's an article on my website on loading at http://www.harmony-project.net/skin.asp?user=katefarmer&tab=weblogs&fid=0&nextdate=7%2F4%2F2003+8%3A12%3A05+AM&direction=n&bflag=#may03

This shows you how to work with the horse's focus and work on just a little at a time. It also gives you some preparation exercises, which might help.

Use the clicker if you want to - but the key thing is noticing the changes in his focus and attitude. Lots of praise in the form of quiet stroking for the little tries.

Keep it all low energy and forget the dressage whip. I don't believe threatening and frightening a horse eve gets long lasting results. You can terrorise a horse into a trailer once - but each successive time it will get harder.

Try my method and see - I think you could both end up finding it a very enjoyable experience! (I use this approach on very tough cases - and it works every time!)

Good luck!

Kate
www.harmony-project.net