trailer problem help!!

[lamprellsarah]

my friend has a trailer and i have been borrowing it to practise loading my 16 HH about 600kg mare.
it's a Ifor williams one and is new and can take 2 17 HH horse.
the problem is i have been putting the stabiliser on, taking her in, and the front on the trailer has gone up in the air making the whole thing rock and of course worrying my mare, so i have not done it again, as i do not want to worry her more+ this is unsafe.
what am i doing wrong ??? should i have something esle on, i thought you didn't have to have it attached to a jeep/4x4.

[Janice Corbett]

If it's not attached to a vehicle you must put the jockey wheel down to stabilise the front
Jx

[Jane.A]

Trailers should be hitched up for loading. You are putting 500kg in weight on the back so its going to be like one person on a see-saw without the weight of a vehicle on the other end to balance it. The only way a trailer can be used un-hitched is if you have rear stabilisers attached. These are metal rods at the rear of the trailer that you drop and secure . They are an extra and not a standard fit to the trailer so check if you have them. They then make the trailer seure on three points with the jockey wheel in fron and the two stabilisers at the rear.

[lamprellsarah]

yeah that s what i meant it has got rear stabilisers and i did put them down, but i am sure the jockey wheel was down (it's just a wheel at the front that does down right!!!??? was up otherwise the trailer would have been low at the front!!!

[Wally]

I would only try loading while the trailer is attached to a vehicle.

[Jane.A]

Mentioned your problem to hubby and he said that the stabilisers are only there to balance the trailer whilest attached to the vehicle in case you are loading a large horse which tends to bounce up and down on the ramp, and he would never attempt to load unless the trailer was hitched up.

[liz--y]

I thought you should never load into a trailer unless its attached to a vehicle

[lamprellsarah]

ohh i did ask the owners and they said it would be fine :( but i am not rying that again!!!
that means i can not practise loading now :( i will nver get my horse in a box then :(

[larri]

I hired an Ifor Williams one and parked it in the field with the jockey wheel and ramp down and practised for a weekend with my old horse - no problems at all ( apart from the obvious horse not going in ones!;) ) We must have gone in and out 50 times without any movement from the trailer.

[Wally]

If you really want to do it with no vehicle, chock the wheels with concrete blocks. (front and back) Build blocks up under the back of the trailer (don't rely on the stabilizers) and make sure the jockey wheel is firm.

Make sure you are on level ground.

[Outrider]

If you had a steel pipe fence, you could push the tongue up to a solid steel post and secure it there with chain to the pipe fence and post, but I would use concrete blocks underneath the back just to make sure. Happy Trails!

[rusk]

:( My problem is one of the most common, I suppose. I have a horse who won't load. Well, sometimes he will and sometimes he won't. I can't risk going anywhere alone in case I can't get him in when it's time to come home. It really limits what I can do and I have to rely on someone being there all the time to help me. I have tried all the usual things such as pressure head-collars, lunge reins, easy loaders, feed buckets etc: Each solution might work once or twice. I'm pretty sure he's not frightened and I drive very carefully when he's in the trailer. He's a very dominant horse, and he just makes up his mind he's not going in. However there are times when he walks right in without any fuss at all.
What next can I do ??

[Jane.A]

I was told that establish a positive pattern then the exercise,ie.loading needed to be practiced everyday for a week, every other for two weeks and then once a week for a month. We have occasional problems with my new horse. We started on the practice programme, but didn't get past the first week. That alone caused a major improvement. Once the weather improves I do intend to do the whole thing. I just allow a good half hour to 45 mins for loading and add it on to my preparation time. That way I don't get stressed and often when they realise you will quietly insist they usually cave in. The other alternative is to bite the bullet and have Richard Maxwell come out to your place and do his trailer loading session. It costs around £300 I am told, but a friend of mine claims it revolutionised travelling for her. I can dig out his number if you like. My youngster went to him for starting and I can wholeheartedly recommend him.

[rusk]

Thanks Jane,
I would like his number. I have a friend who is in the same position and she was talking of getting Richard Maxwell too. The practice thing sounds great, actually. I had to do something like that with an older horse who was genuinely afraid. It only took two weeks and we fed him in the trailer every night and left him loose to go in as he wanted. The first few days he took a mouthful and then ran out but we kept well away. With the awkward one I haven't really thought about practice, but it may well work. I'm always so stressed when he HAS to go in the trailer that I can't face a fight when he doesn't!! My friend, who is very level headed can't fathom him out either as sometimes he is so good. I have got to the stage where I dread taking out the trailer at all. :(

[Jane.A]

Here's Max's number: 01799 542738. I too used to get stressed about loading. I think a combination of age and my disabling accident taught me patience and a quiet determination. I KNOW my mare is going in. The question is how long will it take. One of the truest words I heard Monty Roberts say was:
" If you've got all day it will take a few minutes, if you've got a few minutes it will take all day"
My mare has never taken longer than 30 minutes, so I allow 45. The bonus of this is that on the days she goes straight in we get there nice and early. We also get a stress free drive there and have even been known to stop at McDonalds for a sausage and egg Mcmuffin on the way! Good luck with whatever method you choose. I know you will succeed!:)