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Carolyn A Burton
New Member
Username: Mcbizz
Post Number: 3
Registered: 9-2006
| | Posted on Thursday, Oct 12, 2006 - 8:20 pm: |   |
Has anyone had a negative outcome when letting a horse learn to load him/herself into a trailer with it parked in an enclosed area with hay available inside? I have a two horse slant, combo stock trailer}}} (Logan Wrangler) with the divider removed, which gives ample room for turning around. I would tie the door open and either leave the tow vehicle attached or block the wheels. I would love feedback on this! |
Cheryl Kallenbach
Member
Username: Cheryl
Post Number: 165
Registered: 2-2000
| | Posted on Friday, Oct 13, 2006 - 9:00 am: | |
Yeah - I've had experience with this -  Unfortunately - it was with a borrowed trailer. I had the trailer (a Logan BTW) in the pasture - all blocked and safe. I put feed in the trailer - went to work. When I got home Sham had ripped off the padding on all four sides - all the way to the front. The feed was still there. Cost a bunch to have it repaired. Why don't you just teach your horse to load? That's what worked for Sham.
Cheryl |
Carolyn A Burton
New Member
Username: Mcbizz
Post Number: 4
Registered: 9-2006
| | Posted on Friday, Oct 13, 2006 - 12:21 pm: | |
Thanks, Cheryl...Oh, boy! That must have been pretty shocking. My trailer is pretty basic, no padding and quite open. I have had a problem loading this horse for far too long, though he has been loaded and hauled. He has been in this trailer (with a very aggressive "trainer" who probably did more harm than good) though not hauled. I can get him almost in, but not for long. I've used Lyons and Parelli methods...both have helped, but haven't accomplished the deed totally. I'm a "senior" citizen (arms and shoulders get tired!)} and am wondering if the feeding/self loading method might be best for both of us! Thanks again. |
Sherri L. Hueser
Member
Username: Tangoh
Post Number: 804
Registered: 3-2000
| | Posted on Friday, Oct 13, 2006 - 6:31 pm: | |
Would the sides of the trailer be blocked too by a gate or something? The reason I ask is because a friend of ours tried this type of trailer loading training, leaving his trailer rigged to his truck. The truck was separated from the horses by a gate, but the trailer was not...got up in the morning...no paint left on the trailer, and the hay was still inside, untouched, along with some oats and carrots.
Carolyn, don't give up. We had a very very 'hard to load' mare. My husband decided enough was enough one day. He wanted her to load without any hesitation, and to make it her idea, not his. He spent 8 hours with her one day at the back of the trailer. EIGHT HOURS! He stood there, by the open trailer, with her 12' lead in his left hand, pointing and looking into the trailer and lightly tapping her on the hind end with his right hand holding the other end of the lead rope, trying to get her to follow his gaze into the trailer. If she backed up, or pulled on him, he would back her up like a freight train across the yard. Make the wrong answer difficult. Then back to the trailer with another 'ask', same looking and pointing into the trailer. Same tap, tap on her rump, just enough to irritate her. If she pulled and backed away again, he would back her up some more. She soon tired of backing up, knowing that was the wrong response. After a number of attempts...and hours, she was on, and it was her idea, one foot, then two feet, then he'd back her off gently, take her over to the grass and let her munch some grass, all the time praising her. Back to the trailer. Tap, tap on the hind, looking and pointing into the trailer...one foot, two feet...back off, and to the grass for reward. It didn't take long and she was all the way in, finally understanding the game, but no sooner would he get her in and he'd back her off gently, praise her and take her for a grassy treat. This horse now self loads from about 10' away from the trailer...most times. Sometimes we still have to take a minute or two, but she now loads, unafraid and confident. It was worth the 'baby steps' and the time invested to do it slowly, methodically, and especially to make it her idea to load, not ours. That built her confidence that the trailer was not a 'bad' place.
Good luck! |
Dennis Taylor
Member
Username: Dtranch
Post Number: 296
Registered: 3-2003
| | Posted on Friday, Oct 13, 2006 - 7:14 pm: | |
Sherri .. this is similar to the method I use with great success .. usually less that an hour of actual work. The only requirement is that you have to have the horse lunging, so if your horse doesn't lunge, I guess you have to train that first.
I am sure I have mentioned my lunging exercises before, but it is basically lots of direction changes, etc. I will start lunging near the trailer so that the horse simply passes the trailer as we do some circles. I will then move into a position where the circle winds up at the back of the trailer.I then let the horse stop and rest, smell the trailer or whatever it wants to do, then ask the horse to step up to the trailer. If they refuse, I don't try to force, I simply move away and go back to lunging for a short time then back to the same spot. If the horse makes the slightest attempt at stepping into the trailer, we go and graze for a while, then repeat the whole process. Once the horse will step into trailer with front feet, I will stop and hold for a while then back off and go graze some more. Finally, I will let them go all the way in, rest and back to graze. I know it sounds confusing and time consuming, but it is really not. Most horses respond on the second or third attempt. Most of my horses now go into the trailer on their own as soon as I point them in that direction.
Prior to developing this method, I used to spend hours just waiting the horse out proving that I could be just as stubborn as they can until they finally give in after much coaxing, and yes, begging.
Give it a try, I promise you will be pleased with the results.
DT |
Robert N. Oglesby DVM
Moderator
Username: Dro
Post Number: 16852
Registered: 1-1997
| | Posted on Saturday, Oct 14, 2006 - 9:59 am: | |
Hello Carolyn,
While your idea is a good one for acquainting a horse with a trailer, if you are willing to accept the possible damage, it will not teach the horse to load. Besides Dennis' advice above we have an article on this subject at Training Horses » Training Your Horse's Mind » Trailer Loading a Horse.
DrO |
Carolyn A Burton
Member
Username: Mcbizz
Post Number: 6
Registered: 9-2006
| | Posted on Saturday, Oct 14, 2006 - 5:34 pm: | |
Thank you Sherri, Dennis and Dr. Oglesby for the great insight. Damage to the trailer wasn't so much my concern (it would have been blocked off with pipe corral) as my worry about the horse spooking and banging his head, falling, or some other possible injury. And I had questioned myself if the horse would really learn anything by getting in just to eat.
I have been working with him using a combination of Dennis' and Sherri's methods and we are making progress. Yesterday he put three feet in with the fourth poised, but was not ready to commit.
He lunges very well, so circling him by the trailer door works. He is a somewhat spooky horse, had some bad handling before I bought him as a cryptorchid at 4 1/2 years. (He is 13 now.) He has had SO many issues, too many to list here! We have overcome all but the trailer loading. Your help is so appreciated! |
Wiley Gillmor
Member
Username: Wgillmor
Post Number: 39
Registered: 4-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, Oct 18, 2006 - 4:16 pm: | |
I just came across this:
http://www.thehorse.com/viewarticle.aspx?ID=7908
You may need to register to get to the page, but it is free.
Provided without recommendation from me -- I like Dennis's method.
Good luck,
Wiley |
Carolyn A Burton
Member
Username: Mcbizz
Post Number: 8
Registered: 9-2006
| | Posted on Wednesday, Oct 18, 2006 - 8:00 pm: | |
I did read thehorse.com article on trailer loading and it was very good. Thank you, Wiley for passing that on. I think for the young horse mentioned, that method was perfect. My horse (Bizmarkk, the Arabian) is now responding more positively than he ever has. I am using the long lead rope,(14'with a popper)a lot of circling and tons of patience. The whip on the hip (John Lyons) only results in a "make me" attitude. He is approaching the trailer with forward ears and soft eyes...something I have not seen! He is an outstanding horse...as I have mentioned, he has had a rough beginning. We will get it done! |
Robert N. Oglesby DVM
Moderator
Username: Dro
Post Number: 16897
Registered: 1-1997
| | Posted on Thursday, Oct 19, 2006 - 11:05 am: | |
Carolyn, I use the John Lyons method and have taught literally hundred of horses over the last 15 years to load this way without a single failure. Even though I charge quite a bit for the lesson, often I am brought from many miles away the incorrigible non-loader on a stock trailer that it took 3 men and an hour to push the horse into.
What is renowned about it is that once the horse is taught, the horse never seems to forget the lesson and loads trouble free for the rest of their life. Even in some fairly scary circumstances. It is not the only way but when applied correctly I think one of the better ways and a modified method appears in the reference I provide above.
DrO |
