ok heres the deal, got a 8 year old mare she used to trailer just fine, last week she got spooked and reared back in the trailer , the leader broke and came back and popped her between the eyes, now she absolutly wont get in the trailer, ive even cut all food and water except in the trailer, she has hay, oats, sweet feed, and horse treats and water all in the trailer, 10 feet from her standing at the back, 4 days now and she will not go in, any other ideas to try?
- Thread starter ericlb
- Start date
ScottyHOMeY
Well-known Member
There's usually a reason for everything with critter behavior, but sometimes it won't look like a reason to the human brain. (We can talk about horse sense, but it ain't easy to think like a horse!) What was it that spooked her in the first place? If you can figure that out, there might be a workaround that would get her back in there. Where does she start to resist when you try to lead her in? Will she lead and tie up on a lead in any other tight space? Can you lead her over something else that sounds hollow and sags like a trailer ramp and how does she do on that? Can you make a narrow and low tie-up and get her to trust that and then work your way back to the trailer? Lots of ways to go at it, but if ya aren't able to figger it out from her perpective, it may take tranqin' her to get her aboard and then leave her in long enough for her to wake up and get used to the idea that it's okay. Wash, rinse, repeat.
Spotted Horse
Member
Try blindfolding her and leading her into the trailer.
Walk her around it for however long it takes for her to accept just looking at the trailer again without shying. Gradually get her closer and closer until she settles down about being so close to the trailer. Find her comfort zone and gradually narrow the gap to the trailer.
After she comes close to it and settles down at the sight of it, try to "non chalantly" walk her in, from a distance. If you get a hoof on the ramp and she refuses, let her back off, keep her calm, don't force anything, walk around it a little more, go away from it then back closer to it (repeat step 1) until she's calm again, let her smell the sides, "discover the trailer" etc., get her comfortable again.
Walk her towards it from a distance, try to load again, maybe she will take 2 steps up maybe not, repeat step one again. I've never met a horse I couldn't load after about 20 to 30 minuites of training them to acceot (or re-accept) the trailer, even the worst loaders get it eventually, close to an hour on one I did. After a while most love the refuse of the trailer and jog right in trying to get food and refuge away from their rider.
After you get them traind up, you can just walk them towards the trailer, throw the reins on em and they'll walk right up by themselves. You need to be casual, patient and repeat the patterns as many times as it takes until they become automatic. She needs to re-accept that strange, odd looking what ever it is, thing.
scott#2
After she comes close to it and settles down at the sight of it, try to "non chalantly" walk her in, from a distance. If you get a hoof on the ramp and she refuses, let her back off, keep her calm, don't force anything, walk around it a little more, go away from it then back closer to it (repeat step 1) until she's calm again, let her smell the sides, "discover the trailer" etc., get her comfortable again.
Walk her towards it from a distance, try to load again, maybe she will take 2 steps up maybe not, repeat step one again. I've never met a horse I couldn't load after about 20 to 30 minuites of training them to acceot (or re-accept) the trailer, even the worst loaders get it eventually, close to an hour on one I did. After a while most love the refuse of the trailer and jog right in trying to get food and refuge away from their rider.
After you get them traind up, you can just walk them towards the trailer, throw the reins on em and they'll walk right up by themselves. You need to be casual, patient and repeat the patterns as many times as it takes until they become automatic. She needs to re-accept that strange, odd looking what ever it is, thing.
scott#2
They described the training way to do it. Time and persistence. I had a trailer backed up to the round pen and spent over two hours trying to load one time. By then it was too late to go on the trail ride.
If you have to absolutely load her to go to the vet or something, I back up to a gate. Between using the door and a horse panel on the sides, then get her close with the gate open and use the swinging gate to slowly and gently herd her to the trailer. If no gate around, then use 3 or 4 panels hooked to the end of the trailer to hold her close. Then gradually begin squeezing them into a squeeze chute. She will decide it is better to be on the trailer than being squeezed in. I have brackets on the sides of the trailers for carrying panels on the sides if I need to.
I have one horse that loads easy and one that can break any lead rope snap if he wants to. That broken leader could have just as easily put your own eye out. A lot depends upon the horse but I don't use a lead rope in the trailer anymore. For the one horse, I tie the rope to the halter and don't use a snap when leading in an area where he may get claustrophobic. I have plenty of ropes with broken snaps.
If you have to absolutely load her to go to the vet or something, I back up to a gate. Between using the door and a horse panel on the sides, then get her close with the gate open and use the swinging gate to slowly and gently herd her to the trailer. If no gate around, then use 3 or 4 panels hooked to the end of the trailer to hold her close. Then gradually begin squeezing them into a squeeze chute. She will decide it is better to be on the trailer than being squeezed in. I have brackets on the sides of the trailers for carrying panels on the sides if I need to.
I have one horse that loads easy and one that can break any lead rope snap if he wants to. That broken leader could have just as easily put your own eye out. A lot depends upon the horse but I don't use a lead rope in the trailer anymore. For the one horse, I tie the rope to the halter and don't use a snap when leading in an area where he may get claustrophobic. I have plenty of ropes with broken snaps.
Anonymous-0
Well-known Member
The rope popping her in the head only put the icing on what originally spooked her. Main thing is that she trusts you. It helps if she's level headed, and YOU MUST BE cool headed. Forget about the fact that she was ever in a trailer and start over. If you want to get her loaded once, crowd and force her in, if you want to keep loading her, spend the time and let her go in.
I'm lazy, so I try the easy way first
. May be as simple as borrowing another trailer that looks different.
If you can park the trailer away from any distractions (middle of a pasture or whatever), do it. If you are able (not handicapped), get rid of any helpers also (they usually just make things worse). It's not a challenge and you won't be fighting, so you'll do OK alone (may not hurt to have someone peek from a distance just in case).
If you've got another (steady) horse that she's used to that loads, tie her close to the ramp and load the other horse. Maybe she'll load then, if not, she'll see that nothing is bothering the other horse and it'll soak in.
All of our horses load without a problem except my mare who won't set foot on the ramp without a butt rope. Usually don't have to use it, just has to be in place. Whatever works.
I get a bucket with feed in it, a brush, plenty of goodies in my pockets, and set the whole day aside to load. Then just lead her as far as she wants to go, fuss over her a little and let her see where the goodies are, then work your way in the trailer at her pace (may want to use the bathroom first ). I lucked out this year, I had all 4 babies (weanlings) walk right in the trailer. Last year, I was half a day on one and an hour on the next two. With her 1000 +/- pounds and your 200 +/-, fighting isn't an option, so don't bother.
Good Luck,
Dave
I'm lazy, so I try the easy way first
. May be as simple as borrowing another trailer that looks different.If you can park the trailer away from any distractions (middle of a pasture or whatever), do it. If you are able (not handicapped), get rid of any helpers also (they usually just make things worse). It's not a challenge and you won't be fighting, so you'll do OK alone (may not hurt to have someone peek from a distance just in case).
If you've got another (steady) horse that she's used to that loads, tie her close to the ramp and load the other horse. Maybe she'll load then, if not, she'll see that nothing is bothering the other horse and it'll soak in.
All of our horses load without a problem except my mare who won't set foot on the ramp without a butt rope. Usually don't have to use it, just has to be in place. Whatever works.
I get a bucket with feed in it, a brush, plenty of goodies in my pockets, and set the whole day aside to load. Then just lead her as far as she wants to go, fuss over her a little and let her see where the goodies are, then work your way in the trailer at her pace (may want to use the bathroom first
). I lucked out this year, I had all 4 babies (weanlings) walk right in the trailer. Last year, I was half a day on one and an hour on the next two. With her 1000 +/- pounds and your 200 +/-, fighting isn't an option, so don't bother.Good Luck,
Dave
thanks guys, i'll keep trying, she will come right up to the rear of the trailer and stick her head in so far for food that her hind feet nearly come up off the ground, but as soon as she taps her hoof on the rubber floor mat its no go again, the trailer she is most often hauled in is parked in her pen gate until she decides to go in, not sure what the original cause of her spooking was, at the time there was nothing in the trailer but her, so far,ive tried first loading another horse that she is comfortable traveling with, also dog, goats and humans, she's got a bug about something, i hope i can get her over it a horse that wont trailer is usless, heck i cant even sell her if she wont load in a trailer, lol
We had one that would never load up a ramp. A step up was OK. Anyway, if you need to be able to load them for vetting, showing, or whatever, one of the well known horsey gurus (Lyons maybe, I forget) has a method that took us about 20 minutes to make ours into a perfect loader. Set trailer up some place you have a little room. Start lunging the horse away from the trailer and keep moving your lunge circle towards the trailer and tighten up your circle. As soon as the horse hesitates a little as it gets toward the ramp start lunging again. Eventually the horse will take a step onto the ramp and probably hesitate so go back to lunging. Don't have to return to large circles just get it moving again. It won't take long and the horse will take 2 steps on to the ramp and eventually decide he would rather be on the trailer than going around in circles. Does not hurt to have some treats in the trailer, but not necessary. Next time they do not want to load, just start as if going to lunge with the lead line and after about 1 circle ours will load. Don't rush it and try to make it the horse's idea to get into the trailer.
Good Luck,
Kirk
Good Luck,
Kirk
Anonymous-0
Well-known Member
I'll try that myself. I read it and didn't believe it'd work.
Thanks, Dave
Anonymous-0
Well-known Member
I've often wondered what really goes on when they do this, is a it a challenge and if you give in, they win or for the most part it's more being spooked. I know many times they'll challenge you a bit, and you do have to let em know who is boss, but it's how you do excactly that without getting some negative effect that seems to be the most important thing.
We have a well mannered stud, he's pleasant to deal with, oddly enough, but true. He's been ridden and shown, one rider in his 80's says he rides a like cadillac, he likes to work and really shows he's feeling good sometimes, really not much of a problem having mares around, though you still have to be safe and use care, he sure is well liked and gets lots of attention, one of his offspring, now 2 years old, and gelded, is just a real gem to deal with, beautiful horse too, forget how tall, very confident and socialable etc. Something in this guy, personality is just great. That in mind, you wonder what it is when good natured ones, that have been around calm owners/trainers/riders etc., occasionally do turn their nose up at loading or something similar.
3 years ago this stud would not load for me, at all. About the only thing he would do aside from loading, on occasion, which was undesirable, would be to stand up, when leading him outside. He seemed to like to do that 1x and get that out of his system. Ok, I showed my prowess, I'm done now! I'd use a longer lead shank, let him do this thing 1x and move on. He knows who the boss is, but always finds a way to do his one thing, well he's a stud, so ok, he'll get some verbal flak and maybe a light whack with the leadshank on the butt, he knows, and no need to go any further, seems the more you react to them, the worse they get, who knows, no expert on hayburner training, that is for sure. Things seem to work better if you stay calm and work with them, they still have to know who the boss is without the boss being real harsh about it. Some don't believe that, always chain over the nose, twisting ears, or what have you, not sure I even know half of the mean things people do to them, and I think most of that works against you, I strongly believe you "get more bees with honey than vinegar".
Well he would not load, they wanted him brought to a show and I had not loaded any in close to 20 years at that time, well he was just being stubborn. So I tried some of the things mentioned here already, no go, he was calm, just not going to load, so I walked him a bit, persistence is important, kept trying, ok, not going anywhere, so I handed him off to a woman who was boarding 8-9 at the place and she worked with him a bit, we got a rope behind his butt and finally nudged him in, without getting him all fired up, also had someone in the front of the trailer with some grain etc. I think we went through this a few more times, rewarding him when he did good, and he was better each time and shortly after he was good about it, and a great shipper, I had to stop back at my house once and had someone watch him in the trailer while I got cleaned up, his personality is just good natured, sure helps. He was still young then, 3 or 4 I think so there might have been a few kinks to work out. Today he's still a pleasure to deal with, he's worked out well for the place, and his one offspring has some unreal potential.
From what I've seen, you have to be persistent, level headed, and good to them, while still letting em know you are the boss. Sometimes changing things like the person leading them, little time out, do something else etc. helps. I've seen people get frustrated with them, things get heated up and unsafe, never does a situation like this any good. Not sure what else to suggest, in addition to what's been said already, sounds like she's fixed on not loading, she got away with it, so somehow you'll have to keep at it, try someone else at the lead, work with her as best you can, eventually something has to give, she'll figure it out.
We have a well mannered stud, he's pleasant to deal with, oddly enough, but true. He's been ridden and shown, one rider in his 80's says he rides a like cadillac, he likes to work and really shows he's feeling good sometimes, really not much of a problem having mares around, though you still have to be safe and use care, he sure is well liked and gets lots of attention, one of his offspring, now 2 years old, and gelded, is just a real gem to deal with, beautiful horse too, forget how tall, very confident and socialable etc. Something in this guy, personality is just great. That in mind, you wonder what it is when good natured ones, that have been around calm owners/trainers/riders etc., occasionally do turn their nose up at loading or something similar.
3 years ago this stud would not load for me, at all. About the only thing he would do aside from loading, on occasion, which was undesirable, would be to stand up, when leading him outside. He seemed to like to do that 1x and get that out of his system. Ok, I showed my prowess, I'm done now! I'd use a longer lead shank, let him do this thing 1x and move on. He knows who the boss is, but always finds a way to do his one thing, well he's a stud, so ok, he'll get some verbal flak and maybe a light whack with the leadshank on the butt, he knows, and no need to go any further, seems the more you react to them, the worse they get, who knows, no expert on hayburner training, that is for sure. Things seem to work better if you stay calm and work with them, they still have to know who the boss is without the boss being real harsh about it. Some don't believe that, always chain over the nose, twisting ears, or what have you, not sure I even know half of the mean things people do to them, and I think most of that works against you, I strongly believe you "get more bees with honey than vinegar".
Well he would not load, they wanted him brought to a show and I had not loaded any in close to 20 years at that time, well he was just being stubborn. So I tried some of the things mentioned here already, no go, he was calm, just not going to load, so I walked him a bit, persistence is important, kept trying, ok, not going anywhere, so I handed him off to a woman who was boarding 8-9 at the place and she worked with him a bit, we got a rope behind his butt and finally nudged him in, without getting him all fired up, also had someone in the front of the trailer with some grain etc. I think we went through this a few more times, rewarding him when he did good, and he was better each time and shortly after he was good about it, and a great shipper, I had to stop back at my house once and had someone watch him in the trailer while I got cleaned up, his personality is just good natured, sure helps. He was still young then, 3 or 4 I think so there might have been a few kinks to work out. Today he's still a pleasure to deal with, he's worked out well for the place, and his one offspring has some unreal potential.
From what I've seen, you have to be persistent, level headed, and good to them, while still letting em know you are the boss. Sometimes changing things like the person leading them, little time out, do something else etc. helps. I've seen people get frustrated with them, things get heated up and unsafe, never does a situation like this any good. Not sure what else to suggest, in addition to what's been said already, sounds like she's fixed on not loading, she got away with it, so somehow you'll have to keep at it, try someone else at the lead, work with her as best you can, eventually something has to give, she'll figure it out.
Allan in NE
Well-known Member
Eric,
Your horse has gone sour.
Only way to cure that is to go back to square one.
Allan
Your horse has gone sour.
Only way to cure that is to go back to square one.
Allan
Nancy Howell
Well-known Member
You don't use stock prods on horses!
Nancy Howell
Well-known Member
My veteran mare that was a great loader, one day decided she wasn't going to load. I don't have a clue why, but what I did was lead her as close to the trailer as she would willingly go then ask her to move forward. If she did she got a goodie (I use alfalfa cubes) and walked her away. If not, I firmly, but gently, continued to ask until she moved forward. It didn't matter how much she moved, she just had to move. After walking a bit, I brought her back to the trailer and repeated the process. I gradually got closer and closer to the trailer and long story short, eventually she loaded. I immediately unloaded her, walked her and loaded her again. Loaded and unloaded her four or five times. I've never had another problem with her and never figured out what made her balk.
Pat Parelli said in his book Natural Horsemanship, "if you take the time it takes, it takes less time."
Worst case I ever heard, was a woman (foolish) ran her rig through a automatic car wash with her horse in the trailer. Not even a pro trainer could get that horse in a trailer again.
Left my email, it you want to send a message.
Pat Parelli said in his book Natural Horsemanship, "if you take the time it takes, it takes less time."
Worst case I ever heard, was a woman (foolish) ran her rig through a automatic car wash with her horse in the trailer. Not even a pro trainer could get that horse in a trailer again.
Left my email, it you want to send a message.
Walt Davies
Well-known Member
One of my friends put boards on all the openings on his cattle trailer you can't get cattle to load without kicking and screaming.
His brother has a much lighter and open trailer and the cattle run right in.
If your horse trailer is closed in suggest putting light in it or opening it up. Remember horses don't see color so any shadow or dark spot is a hole to them. make sure that floor is clean and there are no dark to shiny spots that will scare him. Also look for any loose flapping thing up front that could have scared him. Horses are really dump animals and will jump at anything if they are not trained to not be scared. You have bang on noisy things shoot guns around them make a lot of noise until they get used to it.
My little guy is a pain in the Butt at times but you just have to work with him.
My Farrier taught me a trick when they are acting up, tie a rope to one of the hind legs and pull it up to the front while holding his head. He kick for awhile until he get tired and figures out that he can't go anywhere and then settle right down. Amazing how fast it takes.
Walt
Sorry to you horse lovers but they are really dumb animals.
His brother has a much lighter and open trailer and the cattle run right in.
If your horse trailer is closed in suggest putting light in it or opening it up. Remember horses don't see color so any shadow or dark spot is a hole to them. make sure that floor is clean and there are no dark to shiny spots that will scare him. Also look for any loose flapping thing up front that could have scared him. Horses are really dump animals and will jump at anything if they are not trained to not be scared. You have bang on noisy things shoot guns around them make a lot of noise until they get used to it.
My little guy is a pain in the Butt at times but you just have to work with him.
My Farrier taught me a trick when they are acting up, tie a rope to one of the hind legs and pull it up to the front while holding his head. He kick for awhile until he get tired and figures out that he can't go anywhere and then settle right down. Amazing how fast it takes.
Walt
Sorry to you horse lovers but they are really dumb animals.
Anonymous-0
Well-known Member
Ours did the same thing this summer, learn something new all the time.
Dave
unioncreek
Member
I had one of those once. I would put a long lead rope on her and run it through the tie up in the front of the trailer. If there are two of you put a rope between you and just above the knees on the horse. Pull on the lead rope lightly and pull on the rope across the knees at the same time this always worked on my horse. If there"s only you use a loop and put it around the rump and then attach it to the back of the trailer so you can pull on it.
Bob
Bob
jose bagge
Well-known Member
That's the point that you definitely do NOT want to apply pressure with a lead rope- pull and they will only pull back and up, putting her head into the top of the trailer.
If this is a two horse side by side, pull the divider- more room for you and the horse to work comfortably in...if it's a slant, pull the rear tack and give her a wide opening. I sometimes pull a lunge line from one door opening around her hocks and then apply pressure from the other side- with much gentle talk, it usually works.
If this is a two horse side by side, pull the divider- more room for you and the horse to work comfortably in...if it's a slant, pull the rear tack and give her a wide opening. I sometimes pull a lunge line from one door opening around her hocks and then apply pressure from the other side- with much gentle talk, it usually works.
jose bagge
Well-known Member
combine with Kirk's idea....used by nefarious trainers everywhere to cure almost everything:
LTD: "Lunge til dead (tired)" . Work the anxiety out of her...maybe combine with Kirk's method.
Always amazing how easy it is to load the horses after the show than in the morning before.
LTD: "Lunge til dead (tired)" . Work the anxiety out of her...maybe combine with Kirk's method.
Always amazing how easy it is to load the horses after the show than in the morning before.
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