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Discussion on Help!
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Member:
Zoe
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Posted on Monday, May 9, 2005 - 4:22 pm:
My horse is really bad about loading... and I need some tips on how to get her in there without injury. I also want to be able to get her in the trailer quickly if its an emergency. Can someone give me help??
~Yo Zoe~
P.S. anyone can call me Z instead of Zoe if you want
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Member:
Doroann
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Posted on Monday, May 9, 2005 - 5:29 pm:
Hi Z....I have recently been in the same situation as you, so I think I can speak from experience. There is absolutely no way to safely load a horse on a trailer (that doesn't want to go) in an ER. You need to spend time getting her to accept the trailer and load safely before that ER arises. And there is no other way to do it than TIME. I have found myself sitting in the front of the trailer, holding on to the lead line with light pressure -she stands at the end of the ramp and looks at me? Evenutally she gives to the pressure and steps in. In the beginning it might have been one foot. Then I let her back out. Next time it might be two feet. Then I let her out. She is learning that the trailer is not to be feared, that she CAN get out if she wants. When she finally gets all the way in I lead her back out. Same story - she is learning she can get out, it's not a trap. Back in we go....and I don't close the bar - or door - until I see that she is comfortable. This is not supposed to be a trap. She is supposed to be comfortable and content. Of course the content part takes time, but each time we load like this she learns it's safer and safer. For both of us! I don't get hurt - she doesn't get hurt. Does that help?
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Member:
Christos
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Posted on Monday, May 9, 2005 - 6:34 pm:
Hi Z and Dorothy,
DrO has a fine article under:
Horse Training >> Training your horse's Mind >> Trailer Loading a Horse.
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Member:
Zoe
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Posted on Tuesday, May 10, 2005 - 6:52 am:
Ya that helps mea alot! Why didnt I think of that! Well thanks Dorothy and Christos!! Now I know what to do!
~Z~TO all!
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Member:
Alden
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Posted on Tuesday, May 10, 2005 - 9:23 am:
Z.
I agree with Dorothy with one exception, the time part. I also went down this road with a eight year old mare. She would follow pressure, but she also figured she'd out live me if she waited long enough! Then a friend showed me another way, which turns out is almost exactly the way Clinton Anderson teaches. So if this doesn't make sense get his tape.
The advantage to this is the horse learns to go where I send him and he is to respond. It will help with other things besides trailer loading. My new vet was surprised this week when my young horses (3 and 4 yro) walked right into his building on the concrete floor for their shots. They probably wouldn't have given a choice but they did because I sent them.
Anyhow, both my friend and Clinton use what I call the work/rest approach. Using the trailer we lounge the horse in one direction until he gets to the side of the trailer, then back the other direction to the other side of the trailer. Any time the horse wants to investigate the trailer let them. Choose a point to let the horse rest, send him into the trailer. It doesn't matter how far he gets at first, just his nose is fine, let him smell the sights. Let him rest as long as he is interested in the trailer. Then repeat the lounging, then rest again in or close to in the trailer. Each rest will be further into the trailer, before long the horse will figure out the trailer is a really neat place to hang out. Let him rest real good, back him out and repeat three or four times.
Even with the worst horse I've worked with, an older mustang mare, this has never taken more than an hour and they remember very well. I'd be happy to answer any question, either here or by email.
Good day
Alden
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Member:
Kcovell
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Posted on Tuesday, May 17, 2005 - 6:53 am:
I have a 3 horse slant load trailer. I bought this because one of my horses won't load in a straight load, but there were still problems.
When it came time to put her in the trailer the only way I could get her in was to back the trailer up to the pasture gate and as I was walking her closer to the trailer start closing the pasture gate. She'd get right in then. Once we got to where we were going when it was time to leave she never gave me any problems, just got in like, ok lets go home.
You didn't say if it was just at home where you had problems loading her, but if it is and it's an emergency this might work.
KC
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