SugarNSpikes
New Member
I've got a beautiful new trailer, and idiot horse who won't get on. Or maybe I'm the idiot. 
Anywho, what's a girl to do? =/
Anywho, what's a girl to do? =/
Soooo. :x
- Thread starter SugarNSpikes
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BlissfulJumper
Equestrian :)
I've got a beautiful new trailer, and idiot horse who won't get on. Or maybe I'm the idiot.
for mine I Put sawdust in there for a more homey feel and then also took a pile of my horses manure and put in there for a few days so that his smell would get inside of it instead of some wierd smell. also, lots of work everyday and treats as rewards. sometimes you might have to have some one behind the horse outside of the trailer cracking a whip or lightly taping him..he'll want to get away from the annoying sound or taping on his butt. practice makes perfect
SugarNSpikes
New Member
Okay, cool. =] I'll try the sawdust/manure tomorrow. My biggest problem is that he is absolutely adament about not getting near a trailer with a ramp, the prissy little man wants a step up, and this is all we have right now. Also, I've tried the whole whip thing - he just rears up, making everything incredibly dangerous.
BlissfulJumper
Equestrian :)
i would put a chain on him. Dont use it but when the person behind you cracks the whip and he rears or backs he will catch himself with it and learn. Like I said it takes alot of time. you might have to just lead him to the clostest spot he goes to adn then let him coem to the trailer.. he'll smell it eventually and slowly progress and make sure you say good boy or girl when he takes even the slightest step forward
Robin
New Member
I've got a beautiful new trailer, and idiot horse who won't get on. Or maybe I'm the idiot.
Since you have had this horse have you loaded him/her on a trailer?
C
campinmutt
Guest
I am not a follower of any of the natural horsemanship peeps, however Clint Anderson has a way to load trouble horses that worked for me and my mare. she was terrified of the trailer. she would get in and shake. Joe Crandle in churchton Md came down and used a clint anderson technique to get her in the trailer and stay in comfortably.he would lung her out sidethe trailer and then into the trailer....work outside the trailer ...rest inside the trailer. in no time she wanted to be in the trailer and would have to be asked to comeout.this works great for those horses that want to rush out of thetrailer too. mine is a step up......with a ramp he lunges them close to the trailer then lunges them over the ramp(sideways) before he asks them into the trailer. he does have a video on this. Good luck.
Are you "tapping" with the whip or are you "smacking?" You should start the teaching out of sight of the trailer. Put the chain on over the nose using a long lead and use a whip long enough to touch his croup while you are at his shoulder. Begin by asking him to "walk" and a light tap on the croup, then ask him to whoa. Repeat, repeat until he walks forward and halts with no hesitation.
Now begin the same routine facing the opening of the trailer far enough away that he is unconcerned. Lead over his withers, tap on the croup, ask him to walk, let him stop where ever he is comfortable so long as he is looking straight ahead into the trailers open end. Let him stand keeping his head straight. Try to wait for a licking/chewing motion. If you don't get that but he remains calm begin again with the tap and walk. As he gets closer to the back of the trailer I'm sure he'll begin to evade. It's important to keep tapping until you get (and only until you get) any forward movement. That may be as subtle as just leaning forward or putting his head down and if he goes backward you must go with him and continue tapping until he stops moving backward. If he rears, immediately begin lunging at the back of the trailer using the long lead you've attached until you see him lick and chew. After any of these evasions let him stop and stand facing the trailer. Give him a moment to "think" and then begin again as usuual with the tapping/walk forward. Do not use food in the trailer at this point. You need to teach him to load because that is what you're asking, not because there is a "bribe" in the trailer. As you work your way up to the trailer and as he puts his first foot in be sure to praise ALL forward movement (you can give a hand treat once in a while) and give him breaks by just letting him stand facing the trailer. Don't be too quick to load all of him at once. You may need to break it up into a few sessions. Also, be sure to teach him to unload just as calmly by loading "one-foot-at-a-time." Meaning, when he gets one foot him, ask him to whoa and then ask him to back out. Repeat this with the front two feet in, etc. Once he is loaded all the way do not be tempted to rush and get the butt bar up!! You must make sure he will stand in the trailer with not ties or bars until you ask him to back out. If he goes to back out before you've asked (and in the begining you shouldn't ask him to stand for more than a few seconds) you must tap on the croup until he takes a forward step or motion and be prepared he may come flying back out despite all the tapping in the world. You'll immediately put him right back on every time he flys out before you asked him to come out. Eventually, you should be able to stop him from backing out by one or too simple taps on the croup. Get ready, things usually go from bad to a better, to worse to REALLY bad before the lesson really starts to get learned. It may be months before you'll be able to load him simply by putting the lead over his back and asking him to "walk." Good luck! A self loading horse is really the safest way to go, don't lose your patience.
Now begin the same routine facing the opening of the trailer far enough away that he is unconcerned. Lead over his withers, tap on the croup, ask him to walk, let him stop where ever he is comfortable so long as he is looking straight ahead into the trailers open end. Let him stand keeping his head straight. Try to wait for a licking/chewing motion. If you don't get that but he remains calm begin again with the tap and walk. As he gets closer to the back of the trailer I'm sure he'll begin to evade. It's important to keep tapping until you get (and only until you get) any forward movement. That may be as subtle as just leaning forward or putting his head down and if he goes backward you must go with him and continue tapping until he stops moving backward. If he rears, immediately begin lunging at the back of the trailer using the long lead you've attached until you see him lick and chew. After any of these evasions let him stop and stand facing the trailer. Give him a moment to "think" and then begin again as usuual with the tapping/walk forward. Do not use food in the trailer at this point. You need to teach him to load because that is what you're asking, not because there is a "bribe" in the trailer. As you work your way up to the trailer and as he puts his first foot in be sure to praise ALL forward movement (you can give a hand treat once in a while) and give him breaks by just letting him stand facing the trailer. Don't be too quick to load all of him at once. You may need to break it up into a few sessions. Also, be sure to teach him to unload just as calmly by loading "one-foot-at-a-time." Meaning, when he gets one foot him, ask him to whoa and then ask him to back out. Repeat this with the front two feet in, etc. Once he is loaded all the way do not be tempted to rush and get the butt bar up!! You must make sure he will stand in the trailer with not ties or bars until you ask him to back out. If he goes to back out before you've asked (and in the begining you shouldn't ask him to stand for more than a few seconds) you must tap on the croup until he takes a forward step or motion and be prepared he may come flying back out despite all the tapping in the world. You'll immediately put him right back on every time he flys out before you asked him to come out. Eventually, you should be able to stop him from backing out by one or too simple taps on the croup. Get ready, things usually go from bad to a better, to worse to REALLY bad before the lesson really starts to get learned. It may be months before you'll be able to load him simply by putting the lead over his back and asking him to "walk." Good luck! A self loading horse is really the safest way to go, don't lose your patience.
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SugarNSpikes
New Member
Would you really? :x I would adore that. Seriously. Because I need someone that knows what they're doing. We're in Port Tobacco..
Sadielady
Ahhhh Florida!
I understand your theory and it works on certain horses, but I had a horse that was obviously in a trailer accident. His personality changed from "normal" horse to "I will kill you before I get in that trailer horse". It took a lot of patience, time, bribery, and trust before he learned that I wasn't going to give up and I wasn't going to hurt him. I think you need to be very experienced and confident before you start to bring in whips and chains. Usually horses can be taught to load with less "you conform or else" measures. JMO
This has nothing to do with "a conform or else" technique and while it's not always without some strong evasions from the horse at first, the whole process is about teaching the horse to simply follow a cue(s). One of my own horses had his nose broken by someone forcing him onto a trailer. I retaught him with this method (and he did rear and strike at first) and another I had used to shake and drip with sweat at first but with lots of time, patience and yes, TRUST, they both learned to self load just fine. Maybe there is a horse out there that it won't work on but so far I haven't found it to be true.
Sadielady
Ahhhh Florida!
Don't you think someone who isn't confident could get hurt using your method? You sound experienced. I am just saying that someone could get hurt if they do the method you use the wrong way. I am all for the parelli "release from pressure" tap tap tap, but I am not sure if that is what you are advising.... Still you have to know what you are doing and when to get the heck out of the way if you don't.
Don't you think someone who isn't confident could get hurt using your method? You sound experienced. I am just saying that someone could get hurt if they do the method you use the wrong way. I am all for the parelli "release from pressure" tap tap tap, but I am not sure if that is what you are advising.... Still you have to know what you are doing and when to get the heck out of the way if you don't.
Someone who isn't confident could get hurt using any method or even someone who is confident but uses a method incorrectly. If a handler isn't confident then the lessons are best left to someone who is. A 1200 lb animal is no contest for someone who will not have the presence of mind to understand the animals' way of thinking and deal with it as such.
Sadielady
Ahhhh Florida!
I certainly don't subscribe to the "one method fits all theory". I have worked with lots of horses and people to know that different things work. I am not bashing on your method. It does work, but not for all horses or all people. How ever she chooses to load her horse I hope no one gets hurt. I have to run! You guys have a great day. It is okay to disagree. It leads to great conversations and every now and again we learn something from each other!
I've got a beautiful new trailer, and idiot horse who won't get on. Or maybe I'm the idiot.
When I first go my filly she was used to a step up and I had the ramp with help and suggestions from a horse smart friend I learned to teach the filly to self load in about an hour! Now she was a good loader/rider prior on a slant load just not use to a straight load w/ramp so our progress was very quick. Now as you know we are back to a step and my guys had to relearn the procedure for loading, because when mom says were going somewhere all my children need to get in the car!
I want them to self load and wait for me to secure or release everything.IMO you need to make him realize the trailer is not a bad place to be. For training rest in the trailer or work outside, approach and retreat w/great suggestion by DQ(and others)! I suspect he is nervous about the ramp if he loaded fine before. And Be Patient, plus I want this to go well for you if you need help call me. LOL
HeavyChevy75
Podunk FL
What I would do is start feeding him on the trailer. Put the trailer in his pasture and let him eat on the ramp. Than move it up a bit.
I certainly don't subscribe to the "one method fits all theory". I have worked with lots of horses and people to know that different things work. I am not bashing on your method. It does work, but not for all horses or all people. How ever she chooses to load her horse I hope no one gets hurt. I have to run! You guys have a great day. It is okay to disagree. It leads to great conversations and every now and again we learn something from each other!
Yes, there are many roads to Rome. I'm all for options as well when it comes to training our horses. From disagreements have come many great conversations as you say and hence ideas! If I made it seem like I am closed-minded, let me say that that's not the case at all. I am always open for new thoughts but I may also stick to what works for me.
Have a good one!
SugarNSpikes
New Member
I wish I could do that. But the owner of the barn keeps her horse in with mine, and by doing that, it's dangerous to her horse. -_-
Also, it is imperative that he self loads because there is no way for me to escape really, so if I go in, I'm pretty much trapped. >.<
I've tried putting a foot or so on the ramp - he just takes it off and stands there like, "I don't know what you just tried to pull there, but it's not working." I have also used a chain - without a chain, he doesn't want to pay attention, period. He will purposely look away from me and the trailer with this whole, "If I can't see you, I don't have to do what you say." Even when I pull at the lead line to get his attention, he uses all of his neck muscles to ignore me and look another way. =[
SugarNSpikes
New Member
Thank you all for the wonderful advice/thoughts by the way. I'm going over to the barn later to work with the boy. The reason that I'm trying to get him on btw is cause we have a show tomorrow, and you know how obnoxious those early mornings are when the horse won't get on the trailer. :x