Positve trailer loading sesson

[SunnyKS]

When you haul horses you eventually have a bad won't load for nothing day. I had one of those followed by a good training session I wanted to share. Not saying what I did was anything special or that it will work for everyone. Just wanted to share a positive story.

I took Miss Gracie to horse show on Saturday. She's only been hauled a handful of times and loads real nice for me. We did tons of front feet in-back out and tons of 1/2 way in-back out. And 6 tons of all the way in-back out when I first trained her to load, but she hadn't been hauled in close to year. She loaded fine at home but when we went to leave the show the rain was pouring, there were all kinds of noises echoing in the trailer from the chaos around us. She got halfway in and panicked. While diving out the lead rope caught and grabbed her. It really scared her. while I was able to get her loaded and home I knew we had some work to do. (dontcha just hate how a horse refusing to load in public draws a bigger crowd than a heavy weight title fight? )

So last night I pulled the trailer up next to the shop. All kinds of air tools buzzing, neighbors dog barking relentlessly, cars starting, people talking so lots of noise. I've always practiced loading in the quiet. I also didn't open the front doors so it was a bit dark. I have a two horse with a floating divider so I did open that up for more space. I also took her grain she would have had for dinner and put the bucket waaaay back in the manger with a handful out where it could be eaten. Also put a brush next to bucket before I pulled her out of the pen.

So we walk up to the trailer and she is already shaking with fear. I just walked on in like no problem got to the end of the lead and.....waited. I had no pressure on the lead. If she looked away I just barely gave a tug to make her look forward and....waited.

Now this part is VERY hard for me. I am NOT a patient person. I want what I want NOW. But I waited and just watched Gracie train herself. She would put a foot in and back away. I didn't move. She would look right then left then wiggle then put a foot back in and back out. I didn't move.

She put two feet in and I scratched her forehead. She backed out. I waited. When she firmly committed two front feet I backed her out and took her away and did some petting. Then back to the trailer. Repeat of above. I was lucky. She never quit me and locked up. She kept thinking. Thinking of a way out then thinking of getting in. Back and forth and her body kept moving.

We got three feet and she would back out. I was soooo tempted to pull her forward, but that's what scared her before so I waited on a loose lead. When we got all four feet and she didn't rush out I petted and asked her to back out. Took a break away from the trailer and came back.

When she loaded enough to find the grain I let her eat the handful then added more and backed her out. Load eat a handful and back out again. Maybe ten times. While backing out I didn't push her back with the lead. I walked toward her shoulder and said back I just let her find her way nice and slow. Sometimes when her foot would drop she would rush up a few steps. I just petted her and waited.

Now you know this about killed me. I'm bored and impatient and just wanted to hook the butt bar and be done. But after a break I loaded her again and started brushing her. Now at first when I headed toward her rear end she got scared and started backing out so I asked her to back the rest of the way and started over. Finally after a few of those I could brush her. Both sides. Made her move over and let me around. I moved the floating divider back and forth and brushed some more. Backed her out and did that again five or so times then we ended for the night by me unhooking the lead rope and pointing her into the trailer. She loaded right up!

I still have the trailer sitting next to the shop. I plan to repeat tonight and tomorrow. Hopefully shorter sessions that went as well as last night that include hooking the butt bar and shutting the doors.

Just wanted to share a postive training story.

[GoinToTell]

Awww Poor Gracie..the things you make her suffer through!!! She was having too much fun and didnt want to leave the show Thats what you would like to believe isn't it?! Glad to hear it worked out well. Patience goes a REALLY long way when getting one used to loading. She is a smart cookie and she will have it all figured out in no time!

[version1955]

Sunny, but weren't you kind of concerned that if she went berserk you would be stuck in there?

[SunnyKS]

No I wasn't dealing with a horse stressed that bad. If if she was I would have worked on just standing near the trailer or walking past the trailer until she was calm. This was all very slow and controlled and relaxed.

If you do lots of one foot in then back out and do a progression of more body in then back out they also understand how to escape by backing out. That's been my experience anyway.

Plus going berserk would require waaaaay more energy than Miss Gracie is willing to put into any activity.

[version1955]

The middle partition on our trailer comes out, but not the post in the doorway. So at least I have an opportunity to get the rope wrapped around there

[Carri]

That sounds like a great way to spend an evening. Cricket and I, and then Opie and I, are going to go through this same process when (IF!) I ever get a trailer. Our trainer's trailer is a very open 2 horse stock trailer, and it can be difficult to get Cricket to load. She is getting better when Miley is loaded first, but if I ever need to take just Cricket somewhere, I am afraid she will panic. Opie is a whole 'nother story! He HATES trailers!! It will take a lot of time and patience to get him used to getting in one.

[SunnyKS]

I will admit that the hardest part of trailer loading for me is not controlling the horse but controlling myself.

[version1955]

Always the way Sunny, always the way

[Slim Pikkens]

My barn has a metal roof and when raining quite hard the horses run out. I think they are sensitive to a particular sound which would be a mystery to us. This may be why she wouldn't load during the rain.

[scrapchick]

maybe as part of your training you should have someone with a hose produce some rain on the roof of your trailer so she gets used to the sound. and while they are at it they can break out the soap and wash the trailer for you.

[version1955]

I think Sunny should consider administering rompum ~ for herself

[SunnyKS]

Originally Posted by Slim Pikkens

My barn has a metal roof and when raining quite hard the horses run out. I think they are sensitive to a particular sound which would be a mystery to us. This may be why she wouldn't load during the rain.

I'm quite sure it was the rain sound added in with the other sounds of a full fledged county fair echoing around in there. And when you really think about it who can blame her? Walking into the cave of death is bad enough but when the cave is filling with water and you can hear growling (truck motors running) and bizarre animals being tortured (ducks and geese from the poultry barn next door) in there well heck no I wouldn't want to go in either!

Those things are hard to duplicate at home. I think where I also run into trouble is that I don't haul enough to make it old hat for her. So I just have to remind myself of that and give her the space she needs to make-up her mind without losing my temper and rushing.

[version1955]

Yes, absolutely, agree with you entirely. You should load her up and head to Minnesota. We'll have a blast ~ speaking of noises

[SunnyKS]

Well I'm afraid we can't come your way. Gracie has an appt to load up and go to Goin's house this weekend. If she knew all the work that was in store for her she would never load again!

[gbarmranch]

Originally Posted by SunnyKS

Well I'm afraid we can't come your way. Gracie has an appt to load up and go to Goin's house this weekend. If she knew all the work that was in store for her she would never load again!

You may have her jumping in the trailer when you go to pick her up..