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Post by fimacg on May 7, 2008 8:06:13 GMT
Last night was supposed to be Chompy's 1st outing to riding club and we were on to do our 1st ever dressage test at 6.35.
At 5pm he was clean and shining with his mane plaited up (quite an effort considering he is 90% white and loves to be brown). The car was loaded and the trailer hitched up. I was dressed in my finest with my boots all polished and we were raring to go.
I put all the ramps down own the trailer opened the jockey door, I have taken the partitions out and the breast bar was out of the way. Chompy put his front feet on the ramp and stopped... went backwards... front feet on the ramp... off again... it usually takes about 30 mins to load him so initially wasn't too worried as I had allowed for this, but...
This went on for 1 hour and 49 minutes by which time I had had to phone to withdraw.
No amount of feed, treats, apples, licks could pursaude him into the trailer. I settled doen to read a magazine in the trailer until he made up his mind that he was going in, once in he had a few bites of his favourite mix and the we proceeded to go on and off the trailer, stopping for a treat when in the trailer he did this 20 times in 10 minutes...
Cheeky Monster (although that isn't what I was saying about him last night).
So we are going to practice going into the trailer every day for a month, until he goes in 1st time every time.
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Post by maximum on May 7, 2008 8:11:16 GMT
oh thats the kind that get me really annoyed! they are not scared they just will only go in when it suits them!
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midori
Newbie
Hell's Granny!
Posts: 94
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Post by midori on May 7, 2008 8:13:47 GMT
Little B****R! (but you gotta love 'em!)
Cheers, Midori
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Post by racaille on May 7, 2008 9:06:46 GMT
The so and so! I expect you've thought about putting the other lad in first to give Chompy confidence after all his trauma? Or can't you load a wobbler (sorry no experience of it)?
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fallible
Apprentice Poo Picker
Chase the clouds across the sky and terrorise the sun
Posts: 269
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Post by fallible on May 7, 2008 11:16:00 GMT
I've got that problem at the mo. Got a nice Wb/tb mare known her since a foal and I know her history. Now she is mine. I know I can get her in a trailer even if it takes a bit of time. So i'm just going to go to places where it does not matter about time. I'm also working on getting her in a lorry. Have a friend with one she does not mind me practicing with. 1st week could not get her near. 2nd week two feet on ramp. 3rd week front feet further up ramp. 4th week all four feet on ramp. she has had a week off now I'm ready to try again.
don't dispair you will get there. good luck
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Post by kateflashy on May 7, 2008 11:19:44 GMT
my harvey got like that the more tyou tried the worse he was
so now what i do is lead him to the bottem of the ramp then i walk up the top and stop and just stand there i also put a bucket at the end with food in but dont give him any he's got to go and get it normally takes about 15 mins then he' just strolls up
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Post by Maes Seren on May 7, 2008 12:04:36 GMT
Gem was like that. Now, we just drag her up the ramp and get the lunge whip behind her! Works everytime! ;D
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Post by fimacg on May 7, 2008 12:59:47 GMT
We have tried everything with Chompy, the more pressure you put on him the worse his behaviour gets, too much pressure from in front or behind he rears right up, has been known to strike out and tanks off.
The bucket 6 inches in front of his nose usually works, but last night he was having none of it and the stood stretching for the bucket for 40 minutes (of the 1hour 49 minutes) while I was reading the magazine before he decided to move his feet - he has a mental block about putting his back feet on the ramp, once thats done, we are in.
I would use Dexter as a lead to get him to go in but he has only fallen for that trick once, after we traied that once he cottoned on to the fact that Dexter then left the trailer and he still refuses to go in.
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Post by Maes Seren on May 7, 2008 13:24:00 GMT
Could you not take both there as a companion for him?
Gem used to be like that, but we found out that if we go in for the kill straight away when were all calm, she goes in fine, but she backs down quite easily until she gets wound up
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Post by duckles on May 7, 2008 17:39:31 GMT
You poor thing that must be so disheartening. One of my horses is a bit of a problem loader- he's not in the least afraid but he gets seperation anxiety about leaving. He'll load no problem with another horse or coming home or even if its done every week and he's know he'll be returning. However if I haven't had him in the box for ages, he can give trouble, rearing, kicking out and running off to the side or refusing to move. what works best is to put the box in as narrow an area as possible (to cut down on the running out option), put on a cavasson head collar and a long line (so he can't get away from the leader) wear gloves and have an assistant. The assistant stands behind (some distance) for back up if necessary and everyone stays really quiet and calm - so shouting or giving out. He will do all his tricks but when he sees they aren't getting anywhere, he will load calmly. THen loads of prise and treats. THe longest it took was an hour. On the second occasion (as long as within a few weeks) its much easier and then he will go up with a bowl of nuts and eventually with nothing at all. WIth him, the problem really is fear that he's not coming back. Plus he's bolshy by nature! Your horse may be completely different so this mightn;t work. My other horse is a dream, just loads up and waits for you to put up the ramp. Good luck anyway, hope you don't miss any more competitions, its a really fraustrating problem.
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Post by Blonde Donkey on May 7, 2008 18:11:19 GMT
fortunatley savvy loves going on adventures so just walks on but dainty can be funny but taking time and practising always help and hopefully she'll do what savvy does and load herself
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