loading problems

miggy

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May 23, 2004
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west sussex
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Am getting despondent about loading Robbie into my lorry :confused:
Since the disaster attempt last weekend, have been feeding him in there every day this week. He will happily go up the ramp and eat his feed inside the box now (and I can see that if it was a trailer, I would be able to laod him by having someone put the back bar up at that point) But in the lorry, he has to go in and the be pushed over to the side so that I can shut the partition and travel him rear facing. the instant I put any pressure on him to move over, he just backs out. not in a panicy way, just a determined fast ish backwards walk, but theres no stopping him.
I did manage to move him into position once by moving the bucket around, but since then he is wise to that ploy and I move the bucket-he backs out.
Cant see a way forward at this point.
Any ideas?
 
Feeding in the lorry is unlikely to be the most efective training for him. It's a bribe - bribery doesn't tend to work long term. Have you read up on trialer loading methods / theory at all ? Most of the succesful programs I've looked at will tell you to work the horse away from, around, towards and near the trailer ... and then offer him the chance to step in. 'Send' him forward on a long line, ask him to look at the trailer - start from where he is at - if it's getting stressful for him to be five feet away from the trailer - start there. Let him rest at five feet away from the trailer. Rest a minute... then back him up and put him to work again. Sideways, round in circles - backing up with energy is always a good one, and lots of emphasis on getting your 'go-forward' cue really strong. Then back to the trailer to rest at four feet away.

You just keep at it. Never ask the horse to go in the trailer, just rest near the trailer.... then back him up and put him to work. After a little while of this, you can be resting him really close to the trailer - with his nose in it. Now, here's where your go-forward cue needs to be strong because from there, the next time you rest you want to ask him to put one foot in the trailer. When he does, I find it's best to back him straight out again, and rest just outside the trailer. Until he's really comfortable with however many feet he has in the trailer, don't expect him to rest in there.

There's usually a sticking point with two feet in the trailer, before you can easily get three feet in. I tend to ask for the two feet, then a little step forward - but I'll accept just a shuffle. After a few more backings out and puttings to work... then I ask for two feet, and a shuffle forward, and a nother shuffle forward. Sooner or later, he finds it easier to offer a hind foot stepping up, than to keep doing the silly shuffle with the back end.

Other people can do this a lot quicker than me, it's taken me a couple of weeks at least of working not every day, but most days to get the difficult loaders to be absolutely consistent.
 
I'll be interested to see the replies. Skye has a horrible loading problem, she won't even step anywhere near one. It's a frustrating problem, and the only reason i've ever considered selling her.
 
Just a thought, if your only having problems positioning him to the side once he's in the trailer perhaps it would help if you concentrated on disengaging his hind quarters in an open space and then progressing to a more confined area such as against a fence.

When he's happy moving to the side from there, try him again in the trailer.

Good luck and keep us updated on your progress. :)
 
Kate-not sure about how to apply that method, he will happily charge up the ramp into the trailer, in a straight line, its just the final bit I cant do. If I dont get anywhere soon though-am going to get an RA out so she would be able to help with that kind of approach.
india-he will happily yield off the lorry, he just knows that if I push him over, I can shut the partition and block his exit-so tinsy bit of pressure =backs out.
Managed to get him right in and round today and shut partition while he finished his tea. I know its bribery but its also positive reinforcement surely?
 
Managed to get him right in and round today and shut partition while he finished his tea. I know its bribery but its also positive reinforcement surely?

Miggy, as long as it's getting a positive result - go for it. :)
 
Well..........................................
She came last Thursday and was here 3 hours, I have to confess that much as I wanted it to work, the first 2 hours when we were doing in hand stuff in the school, I was thinking "yeah yeah, this is all good and well but you will see the real problem when we get to the lorry!"
So first attempt-10 minutes, 2nd attempt 1 minute, by time 4 he was practically dragging me up the ramp :D
Really spooky thing was that she couldnt actually do anything practical as she has a disc injury, so she was just telling me what to do-and it worked!
Was v scared of doing it on my own in case it didnt work without her magic presence, but I tried at the w/e and it was fine :D
Strange thing is, even from the first loading, his attitude to the lorry had changed, before he was anxious and could be bribed in but would rather be out, now he will happily stand at the top of the ramp looking out-chilled as anything.
Havent actually been out yet though-Had poohsmate out at the w/e-really for Chance- I asked him to have a quick look at Robbie and he was horrified, his saddle is far too narrow and he has muscle wastage where its been pinching him-it may even have a broken tree. So am forbidden to ride till he comes back w/e after next. Have been lunging and am going to try long lining tomorrow (note use of word "try"-will be a first for both of us!)
 
Well..........................................
She came last Thursday and was here 3 hours, I have to confess that much as I wanted it to work, the first 2 hours when we were doing in hand stuff in the school, I was thinking "yeah yeah, this is all good and well but you will see the real problem when we get to the lorry!"
So first attempt-10 minutes, 2nd attempt 1 minute, by time 4 he was practically dragging me up the ramp :D
Really spooky thing was that she couldnt actually do anything practical as she has a disc injury, so she was just telling me what to do-and it worked!
Was v scared of doing it on my own in case it didnt work without her magic presence, but I tried at the w/e and it was fine :D
Strange thing is, even from the first loading, his attitude to the lorry had changed, before he was anxious and could be bribed in but would rather be out, now he will happily stand at the top of the ramp looking out-chilled as anything.
Havent actually been out yet though-Had poohsmate out at the w/e-really for Chance- I asked him to have a quick look at Robbie and he was horrified, his saddle is far too narrow and he has muscle wastage where its been pinching him-it may even have a broken tree. So am forbidden to ride till he comes back w/e after next. Have been lunging and am going to try long lining tomorrow (note use of word "try"-will be a first for both of us!)
Tell me your secret!!! The only way too get my horse in is bribery. He is not scared of the trailer, just doesn't see the point without food. He does however load like a charm in a slant-load, but refuses without treats in a straight-load.
 
Tell me your secret!!! The only way too get my horse in is bribery. He is not scared of the trailer, just doesn't see the point without food. He does however load like a charm in a slant-load, but refuses without treats in a straight-load.

:eek: Hope no one minds me butting in with my own story, but Sparky was just like Gitcha a few years ago.
She wasn't scared of the float, she'd load fine one moment, then just decide that she didn't feel like it the next day. I tried bribery, rope around the buttocks (which I hate, which she hated!) then gave up and asked a wonderful fantastic NH person to come around. He took one look at Sparky and said "you do realise shes not scared right?"...they had a bit of an eye-up when he asked her on, and she said no, so he asked her on, so she said no, so he asked her on, so she said "oh fine, maybe then you'll leave me alone!"....about half an hour later, she was in the float. I then had a go, she then decided that since I'd gotten this man out, I must be serious, so marched straight on.....and two and half years later, and shes never refused to go on (One scary occasion, she took it into her head to trot on :eek: )
 
Great isn't it :D Had big trailer problems with Mayo but Mayo is terrified, had a couple of lesson with Jayne Lavender with the trailer (wel known NH trainer) and after practising what she's taught me with him in terms of trailer loading everyday......I now can get him to go in at liberty and stand for a little while!! Next step is to put the bar up and the ramp!!
 
We just used to use two lunge lines to lever Ferdy into a lorry. And if we wanted to move him over to one side, we just crossed the lines so the cross was on his bum and kept tight until he moved.

Note that two big strappy rugby players as assistants helps when using this method :p
 
I'm going to butt in here. Because I had a trailer loading problem today!
All my own horses have NEVER had loading issues. I've been riding a friend's horse to condition her. She's trying to get her other two in shape. Anyway, the first time I took her out (I always trailer) she got right in and right out just perfect - no issues. Today, I went to pick her up and she got right in, no problem. We did our ride and when I went to put her back into the trailer to go home, she refused. She didn't seem scared, she just seemed to be saying, NO. Although.... when I got her out of the trailer when we got to the ride site, she was a sweaty mess. Which was odd. So, back to getting in back in after the ride, I didn't have anything with me to coax her in. No riding crop, no food, nothing. I had to call my husband for help. He came out with a small riding crop. He took the lead rope and I tapped her lightly on the butt. She got her front feet in and with another small tap, she jumped in the rest of the way. Got her home and she was sweaty. Something is bothering her in there! What do you guys think it could be??
Her owner was home and I explained the situation. She couldn't believe it as she has "never" done that before with her. I had her re-load the mare and she refused to get into my trailer. She got the buggy whip out and that made matters much worse. Her owner finally got her going in and out without coaxing. I did the same but she is NOT comfortable. She wants OUT.
The owner's trailer is a 4 horse slant load. Mine is a large 2 horse slant load.
I want to keep taking her out this year but this trailer issue really has me concerned. I have no idea why she is so stressed about it.
HELP..
 
just bumping this to say that if you are having loading problems, getting an RA out is so worth every penny :)
For various reasons involving holidays, dodgy saddles and dented lorries, Robbie had not been near the lorry for a good month and not done a trip out since the RA came. On sunday we were supposed to be going to a show so loaded him up (first try) then flipping lorry wouldnt start, took ages to find jump leads etc, during which time he was getting a bit stressed at being in the lorry but not moving, eventually had to give up and unload. Thought I had really blown it.
As it happens I had a lesson booked for today so I thought I would just try and bless him he loaded first time, straight up, there and back :)
So basically some RAs can work magic :D
 
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