Naughty Ronan has decided he won't load.........

[joandlad]

I have a massive confidence problem when it comes to travelling (Lads has so much to answer for! - Rearing and falling over backwards off the ramp, rearing and breaking my toe, trying to go over the partition, laying down, always shaking from head to toe and having a major panic if I left his side).

Now that I've got Murph (who as Ceej has said has had no bad experiences and no reason to be anxious about travelling - well worth spending the £500 for a lovely rear facing lorry to bring him up from Cornwall!) I have to try very, very, very hard for him not to pick up on my nervousness. I've just bought a trailer (picked it up on Sunday ;D ) and I know that I've got to put in a lot of work to sort my issues out before Murph picks up on them. I've already completed stage one of my plan! I've gone with my friend and her horse to her lessons (10 mins trailer journey) and done all the prep and loading/unloading for her. Her horse is a great traveller and I just need to get into my mind that there are horses out there who travel fine! The next stage of the plan is to take Murph out on Sunday in my friend's trailer, with my friend's horse (his field buddy), with my friend driving. We'll do this as many times as it takes til I feel that I am confident of Murph travelling. Then my friend says I can drive her trailer, with them both on board, then with just Murph on board and then we will take him out together in my trailer on his own (her horse is too big to fit in my trailer!). Top Tip - when you feel yourself or you your horse getting stressed, stop, take a deep breath and give a long sigh. It's amazing how much it calms you down.

I remember having to take Lads to the vets in Newmarket with a suspected fractured fetlock. I'd practiced for 3 days before and had got to the stage where I could get him in the lorry (the fact he was only weight bearing on 3 legs helped for a change). The day we were due to take him for x-rays he walked out of his stable sound!! Decided to take him anyway and have it investigated. He loaded fine as he thought he was just going in for breakfast like the previous 3 days. He travelled awfully (as always). Got him to Newmarket, did x-rays which found nothing and went to load him back up to go home. 2 hours later I was still trying to get him in the lorry. All the time there were lorries arriving to drop off and collect the racehorses. It ended up with 3 well weathered stable "lads" standing around me, tutting, saying they'd not let him away with it and they'd get him in. Eventually, I snapped and handed him over. They put a chiffney on him and spent another hour trying to get him loaded. The more they tried the more explosive Lads got. Then all 3 gave up, walked him back to me and handed over the rope saying they'd never failed to get a horse in a lorry in their lives up til now. I've said it before and I'll say it again - Lads was the best teacher ever!

[ronansmum]

Well the very first time I did back the trailer into our wee alley - it isn't an alley, it is a walkway between two walls and into which a trailer neatly sits. Nowhere to run as they say!!

He walked straight on and didn't falter for a second, so I walked him out, round the back of the stables and back down to the ramp and he did it again. "Good boy, cracked it" I thought...

That is when my pal said "Oh ha - what a bad loader he is!!"

Maxi, I suspect you are dead right, he has worked out that I am a complete eejit where loading is concerned, but I thought he was a really kind, generous soul and that's what I can't get over.

Mind you I'd rather he messed me about loading than riding, at 17 hands and built like a tank, I can't afford for him to take the mickey when I ride him. That could be nasty........

[ronansmum]

Sorry somehow I missed ceej, and joandlad's latest posts. Thank you, I have just read them over and I am very grateful but I am in a bigger quandry than ever. I am in a real mix up now, is it pee taking, is it fear, os it stress, is he hurting? The trailer is as big as they come,

Yes ceej I was worried about reversing the trailer, I have got over that hnow but you might be right - maybe I am giving off vibes.


I wonder too if it is something to do with OH, I am not blaming him but we do tend to fall out a lot over the handling and stuff.

[ceej]

my motto is always look to yourself first when it comes to horses so when in a quandry about whether its the oss or you, assume its you! You may have felt more confident when your friend was there? Maybe do it without OH there and a calm friend who will help you without insisting you get shirty with the horse. It may not be that he is frightened, but if he is a big gentle old soul (sounds very much like Ben who I mentioned earlier) he may just be sensitive to your moods and stress. Ben was a proper worryer - the sort you dont try and ride if you have had a bad day at work or he will think it was him!

do you find it stressful loading him? If the answer is yes, start there....once you feel less stressful look to other things if he doesnt improve.

[ronansmum]

Thanks ceej, yes I suppose I am stressed.

I don't want to hurt Ronan and I don't want him to fall out with me either, so I suppose I do react negatively and a bit worriedly when he won't immediately do as I want and of course I immediately see myself as a failure.

Funnily enough ( well not actually funny) but OH has already said "You are on your own now woman, I am never getting involved again!!"

Done me a favour I bet....

[ceej]

you are so like me!...why doesnt he want to do it for me? We are so 'close' so why wont he follow me there etc etc!! the other half of me is much more practical but the two sides of my personality have it out once in a while!!!

[silverstirrups]

arumanii - we've failed to find the master plan because there isn't one! As people have said, every horse has its own character and a secret to how its best to handle it. Thats what we have to try and find. And thats not always easy

So we can all tell of our experiences but its not so much advice as things to try til eventually you find what works for you both.

When I bought my second horse I couldn't believe how well he loaded. He'd only travelled on a lorry (and from France ) so I put my trailer in the middle of the field and made it as welcoming as possible, just in case. Well he just walked straight on! So I did it again, and again. Then I closed it all up and did it again. By now I was so excited I called everyone to watch ;D ;D I'd got a horse that would LOAD! What a joy!
He still loads brilliantly and it makes such a difference so to anyone who's still struggling - don't give up!

[only1wu]

OK. You have lots of brilliant advice here, but whenever I have a new horse to load I open both front and back and just lead him through. That is first thing in the morning and when he comes in at night.

When he can do that I shut the front ramp, but leave the top open so that he can see out. He has a handful of cubes in the manger and comes out when he has finished.

Next step is to close the rear ramp while he eats his cubes. Then give him his whole teatime feed.

This is done over as many days as it takes until he stands quietly. By then the trailer is as familiar to him as his box.

Next thing is to introduce his travelling companion, if he is to have one, until they will stand and eat their tea together.

Then, a short ride round the block.

After that, they should go anywhere. This is very time - consuming at the start, but in the end it saves so much time and stress when you have a horse that stomps straight in and stands quietly.

I have never needed to hit a horse during this training. That is not to say that I do not give my own horse one down the ribs when he is fooling about, but I don't think it helps here.

Good Luck

Wu

[ronansmum]

Thanks again to you all...I am really touched and amazed that so many of you have offered your remedies and advice. When you look at them all again there is one common thread, it takes TIME and can't be rushed.

The next time I visit this subject, guys it will be to crow and yell with pleasure that HE DID IT - na botha.................. !!!!!!

Thanks again to everyone...

[fallible]

Jul 21, 2008 21:04:36 GMT maximum said:

go with ficmag.

I have found that the thrawn ones do NOT react to a good smack, it makes them worse in some cases. I would also try a pressure halter, you will need to teach him about moving away from the pressure before you load with it but it is worth it.

do it when you have no other pressures and plenty time. theres no rush and take your time.

Fallible has the same proble and is taking her time and is getting there- same stubborn type- horse that is not Fallible although...... she is not on much at the mo but she would worth a PM.

Thank You!! Yes I am just as thrawn as my horse.
Trailers can take up to an hour to load in But i know she will do it in the end so I give myself enough time to wait her out. Free Days with no time limits a good book and plenty to eat and drink and I swear Fal said b....r your never going to give up. It helps that she has really enjoyed her outings when she gets there.
As to the lorry I'm still working on that. I now am allowed to drive it myself so will park with the steep ramp on a hill so she can just walk on not have to climb on.
For that I need the kids to go back to school, only about another 4 weeks to go!
Will put Heather on lorry first eating a net of haylage which will drive Fal nuts! hehe
Good luck

[suzii]

I have almost the exact same problem! And - like you say in the end he just walked up as though there was no problem whatsoever!

Brigs way does work - it takes aaaages but if you pull it gives them something to pull back against! If a horse is pushing you around, you can't push it back - it will always win. You have to make him think what he is doing is what he wants to do.

I think that loading really does test your partnership with your horse. It will really show up any problems you have!

Thanks for posting this ronansmum! I needed it at least as much as you (took me an hour to get my boy up last time!)

[ronansmum]

Good news is we did achieve it with the help of my very good friend Pam, who just adopted a no nonsense quiet but firm approach. He did try to mess about a bit but she showed me what to do with the lunge line round his bottom and that was magic. He quickly realised he had no where to go but forwards and on...4 times he did it and then got taken back to his stable for endless rewards..

And he was most definitely at it, sorry I know lots of yousaid horses don't "think like that" but believe me if you had seen the look in his eye when I led him down to the ramp, (not scared, just downright thrawn) , you'd know what I mean!!!

Thank you again to everyone who put forward their advice and recommendations. There is no doubt that patience, determination and quietness pay off, it really means that OH and I can't do this loading thing together cos we just lose it with each other and Ronan sblack persons in the background!! ;D ;D