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HorseAdvice.com » Training, Behavior, & Conditioning Horses » Behavior and Training » Trailer Loading a Horse » Loading Questions » |
Discussion on A veteran hauler now sulky about loading | |
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Posted on Tuesday, Feb 13, 2001 - 10:30 pm: I'd greatly appreciate any advice from those patient enough to read through this. About 5 months ago I purchased a 10 year old Fjord mare. She's super-steady and gentle (but like any self-respecting pony, is not beyond testing a new handler). Up until the last week she has been a perfectly willing loader, and I trailer her in a new, two-horse, stock trailer maybe 10-15 miles a week. However, last week we were late for a farrier appointment and I must have driven too quickly. Two days later when I went to load her back up, she stopped with her fore feet in and hind out. Now I am not new to horses, but I am new to trailering, and honestly I wasn't sure how to react. She has always been so good I was not prepared for this. She did not seem fearful at all, so I decided it was a "test." I threaded the lead through the tie in the manger, pulled it tight, swatted her rump with the rope end and told her to get her butt into the trailer. After about two minutes she brought the hind feet up. The next week we had a slightly longer repeat, so I did a little reading up on the topic. With a day to blow and a little grain in a can, I parked the trailer in a different place, showed her the grain being placed in the manger. She still stopped outside, but within a minute, loaded up to eat. After five minutes I unloaded her and put her away. Two hours later we repeated the process, trailer in a different spot, except she didn't see me put the grain in the manger. She was a little slower and still stopped, but she didn't move away from the trailer and I didn't punish. She loaded up after about 5 minutes, ate, unloaded and went back to pasture. Two hours later, I went to repeat the process and haul her back to the stable where she boards during the week. I re-parked the trailer (to the spot where she balked the very first time), caught her and lead her towards it. She planted her feet about 16 feet away and wouldn't budge. I asked her to move forward. No way. I asked harder. She backed a step or two. I backed her non-stop for about 40 feet and she was then willing to go forward again. We got a little closer then. To keep a long story from getting longer, it took about 20 minutes total and I had a very hard time controlling my temper. But I know that I have created this problem with her, and it seems I am just making it worse. Hopefully it's not too late to have a trouble-free loader again. Any advice? |
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Posted on Wednesday, Feb 14, 2001 - 7:00 am: Hello Lori,The article associated with this forum is a step by step set of instructions on teaching or retraining a horse to trailer load. Just click on trailer loadiing on the navigation bar at the top of this frame then click on the articles title. There also many discussions on this problem in this forum. DrO |
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