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Go Get Em!
Posts: 13503
   
Location: OH. IO | Have Krystal send you some calming cookies to see if that helps?And DEFINATLY check your electric connections.
Edited by jake16 2016-09-18 6:25 PM
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 Born not Made
Posts: 2937
 
Location: North Dakota | SmokinBandits - 2016-09-14 10:46 PM Fairly new horse. We've had her a year-and-a-half now. Very sensitive. She's submissive but will test you. Very smart. Started refusing to load. We worked on it and got it licked. Then she started pulling back in our slant load. Couldn't get the divider closed before she started backing out. No time to tie. So I waited outside and my daughter handed me the leadrope through the window. As soon as my daughter stepped back, the mare ripped it out of my hands. I got gloves and a thick leadrope and we did it again. This time she couldn't get away before my daughter got the divider closed so it worked.
In my opinion, the portion that I highlighted tells me you STILL have a trailer loading problem. I believe that I should have control of my horse's feet 100% of the time. That means, when they do get all 4 feet onto the trailer, they are still going to "wait for my command" for what to do next. If they are trying to fly out of the trailer the instant I get them on (or trying to fly out the instant the divider is opened when we arrive at our destination) then there is still a hole that needs to be addressed.
I do agree with the others to completely inspect your trailer (and take a ride in it) just to be totally sure there isn't something physical going on with your trailer that may spook her or cause her to be wary of it.
I'm a big fan of Clinton Anderson's trailer loading DVD. I really like the one-foot-on-one-foot-off method of approach and retreat. It keeps the horse focused on you and what you are asking them to do. In reality, trailer loading problems are simply ground work problems. You just so happen to have a trailer in the mix.
So I would go back to one-foot-on-one-foot-off, then two, then three, and finally four. And do it a million and one times. And then a million more. ;-) Repetiion is your best friend. With a problem horse, I like to work on it 10-15 minutes a day every day. If they have a bad day, no big deal. Find somewhere that you can end on a good note; even if you didn't progress as much as you hoped. Or if they meet your goal for the day on the first try, great! Be done. Quit. Remember that you don't have to load your horse all the way onto the trailer for it to be a "success". As long as the horse is doing what you ask when you ask, that it is success. So I my goal for the day was to load and unload their front 2 feet into the trailer, and do it 5 times with ease, that's what we do. As long as the horse is listening to me and doing as I ask, then I have control of their feet and it's good.
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 Expert
Posts: 1718
Location: Southeast Louisiana | I wouldn't get in there in front of the horse. I had my head split open in a trailer like that, so unless I feel like the horse is 100% bomb proof, I send them in and shut the divider behind them. Then I go to the window and tie. |
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 Expert
Posts: 3815
Location: The best kept secret in TX | livexlovexrodeo - 2016-09-16 1:19 PM SmokinBandits - 2016-09-15 8:22 PM IRunOnFaith - 2016-09-15 10:40 AM Had one set back and literally rip my hand in half. You can wear gloves when she sits back but be aware it can still hurt you.
I was 12 when I had that mare and my dad ended up looping a cotton rope around her girth area and on top of her withers. Much like a lariat surcingle. He then ran the cotton rope under her chin and through her halter ring on the bottom side and tied it in about 5 knots. The next time she sat back it cut off her air supply. She finally realized she wasn't getting away and relaxed. The rope loosened as soon as she stopped pulling back. Was it humane? Probably not. But it worked for that particular horse and kept me from being hurt ever again.
She was used to panic snaps at the track and was just being a toot. What are panic snaps? This mare is off the track. I'm assuming she means the snaps that unlock if a horse pulls hard enough. Some horses once they figure it out will just pull back when they decide they don't want to play anymore because they know they can get loose lol
You assumed correctly. By Panick snaps I mean the snaps that will break loose if they set back. Lots of people use them as trailer ties and cross ties.
It only took one time of us doing that to break her of pulling back. I saw one other comment where the rope cut into the horse while doing the same thing my dad did. This is why he used a cotton rope/lead. He was afraid she would set back and not give up. It was braided flat and very thick so it wouldn't cut her in half just cut off her oxygen when she pulled back. We also hard tied her to a "hitching post' my dad had put up. It was 4 foot in the ground and cemented so there was no chance she would rip anything off or out and hurt herself more.
I don't remember where we got the rope/lead. It was extremely long, braided flat and had weighted ends and a bull snap so maybe it was a cotton lunge line? Not sure. My Dad always had very interesting tack choices when I was younger.  |
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Veteran
Posts: 102
| I have a 16 yr.old gelding that you can put anywhere and tie in the trailer and travel as many miles as you need to go without any problems at all just don't try to tie to the trailer or anywhere for that fact if you don't want him to set back and try to kill himself,so I just try and deal with it,usually I just use a small string tied to the lead rope that will break easily and check on him frequently. |
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Expert
Posts: 3815
Location: The best kept secret in TX | Running B - 2016-09-20 9:23 PM I have a 16 yr.old gelding that you can put anywhere and tie in the trailer and travel as many miles as you need to go without any problems at all just don't try to tie to the trailer or anywhere for that fact if you don't want him to set back and try to kill himself,so I just try and deal with it,usually I just use a small string tied to the lead rope that will break easily and check on him frequently.
I had a friend with a horse like this. She had to bring panels to every jackpot, rodeo, D-Series, you name it. He would stand perfectly still in a set of panels. THe second she tied him all heck would break loose.... |
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 Having Smokin Bandits
Posts: 4572
Location: Woodstown, NJ | You guys have given me a lot of good ideas and suggestions. Much appreciated!
We are having some progress. We are loading her daily. She wants to trot into the trailer now (this is the stock trailer) because we've been feeding her in there and generally making it a nice place. We're being real patient. If she wants to back up, we let her and then right away reload her. Nice and easy and quiet. At first we were going in and out five times. Today she stayed in there quietly the whole time she was eating. Each time my daughter loaded her, she brought her further and further up and she herself moved back a little until finally she was standing behind her and the mare was okay with that. She was even self-loading. My daughter threw the leadrope over her withers and in she went. Now to get to the point where we close the divider or tie her. Soon we will start working on the slant load.
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Having Smokin Bandits
Posts: 4572
Location: Woodstown, NJ | Nita - 2016-09-19 11:38 AM I wouldn't get in there in front of the horse. I had my head split open in a trailer like that, so unless I feel like the horse is 100% bomb proof, I send them in and shut the divider behind them. Then I go to the window and tie.
That sounds like what we should do. Can I do that with a stock trailer? Won't she turn around or away from the window? |
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Having Smokin Bandits
Posts: 4572
Location: Woodstown, NJ | I will get that video.
I'm not sure I'm having a groundwork problem though. We work her in the round pen and can easily control her speed, direction, clean all four feet without holding her, move her over with a finger. I feel she knows we're the herd leader. She's quite submissive to us. I will watch that video though. Thank you! |
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Having Smokin Bandits
Posts: 4572
Location: Woodstown, NJ | Jake, how do I find Krystal? I want those cookies. |
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 My Heart Be Happy
Posts: 9159
Location: Arkansas | Krystal Peterson. She's listed under "services" and then "supplement companies". I'm tech challenged or I'd post all her info!!! |
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 A Barrel Of Monkeys
Posts: 12972
Location: Texas | SmokinBandits - 2016-09-21 10:27 PM Nita - 2016-09-19 11:38 AM I wouldn't get in there in front of the horse. I had my head split open in a trailer like that, so unless I feel like the horse is 100% bomb proof, I send them in and shut the divider behind them. Then I go to the window and tie. That sounds like what we should do. Can I do that with a stock trailer? Won't she turn around or away from the window?
I've hauled horses loose in a stock trailer many times, especially broodmares that get hauled once a year or so. They almost always turn around to ride backwards. It's not a problem to me. |
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Expert
Posts: 3815
Location: The best kept secret in TX | Fun2Run - 2016-09-21 11:38 PM SmokinBandits - 2016-09-21 10:27 PM Nita - 2016-09-19 11:38 AM I wouldn't get in there in front of the horse. I had my head split open in a trailer like that, so unless I feel like the horse is 100% bomb proof, I send them in and shut the divider behind them. Then I go to the window and tie. That sounds like what we should do. Can I do that with a stock trailer? Won't she turn around or away from the window?
Same. My trailer is an aluminum stock. I unclip them while they load and then close the divider. My gelding rides backwards and my mare stands like she is tied facing him. They wait for the lead to be clipped before they step off. I've had my gelding hit his head so many times trying to back him off the trailer. So I just let him walk off. |
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 A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | SmokinBandits - 2016-09-21 10:33 PM Jake, how do I find Krystal? I want those cookies. Shes at the top of this page, shes got a banner and just click onto it, its THE Equine Edge...  Well heck she was at the top of the page now I cant find it, I guess they move it around..
Edited by Southtxponygirl 2016-09-22 9:43 AM
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A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | SmokinBandits - 2016-09-21 10:33 PM Jake, how do I find Krystal? I want those cookies.
I have Krystels phone # if you want it for T H E  |
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 Balance Beam and more...
Posts: 11511
Location: 31 lengths farms | The biggest problem I have with teaching a horse to load by leaving the trailer in there and feeding them in it is that you also teach them they can get out when they choose to. I too have a mare that will load not problem but the minute you close the divider she panics. She never had the issue before when we had the big 2 horse trailer and the divider had bars near the head where they could see thru to the other compartment. As soon as we got the Sooner with the solid dividers she started having anxiety in the trailer, I've ridden back there in every stall hoping it was an electrical issue, nothing, we've had other horses in every stall, still no issue. She will walk in and stand all day until you close the divider. Next thing I've asked is for the back divider to be taken out to give her more room and to have my brother in law to cut some slats into the divider, try to open it up visually for her. |
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Born not Made
Posts: 2937
Location: North Dakota | SmokinBandits - 2016-09-21 10:24 PM
We are having some progress. We are loading her daily. She wants to trot into the trailer now (this is the stock trailer) because we've been feeding her in there and generally making it a nice place. We're being real patient. If she wants to back up, we let her and then right away reload her. Nice and easy and quiet. At first we were going in and out five times. Today she stayed in there quietly the whole time she was eating. Each time my daughter loaded her, she brought her further and further up and she herself moved back a little until finally she was standing behind her and the mare was okay with that. She was even self-loading. My daughter threw the leadrope over her withers and in she went. Now to get to the point where we close the divider or tie her. Soon we will start working on the slant load.
Quote: run n rate - 2016-09-22 11:48 AM The biggest problem I have with teaching a horse to load by leaving the trailer in there and feeding them in it is that you also teach them they can get out when they choose to. I too have a mare that will load not problem but the minute you close the divider she panics.
I agree 100% with runnrate.
I have no problem with giving horse's treats and encouragement inside the trailer and making it a happy place, but don't let yourself rely on it.
Also, I highlighted (in red/pink) one issue you need to nip in the bud now. The horse should not be the one making a decision in any of this. You do not "LET" her choose when she wants to back out. You are teaching her she can fly out that back door whenever she chooses (which she does). Backing up needs to be YOUR IDEA. So you need to watch her closerly and beat her to the punch and ask her to back out of the trailer before she actually does it herself. Ever step she makes on or off that trailer should be by your command and not what "she wants to do".
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Having Smokin Bandits
Posts: 4572
Location: Woodstown, NJ | Sorry I haven't been back in a while to update. I appreciate all your suggestions and am using them!
We've made great progress! She's been running onto the trailer. We closed the divider and she stayed calm. At first she was on the alert, turned around, then turned around again and went back to eating out of the little bucket we had tied in the corner. She was suspicious though. She waited calmly and walked out calmly when my daughter opened up the divider. We're going to keep reinforcing it.
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Having Smokin Bandits
Posts: 4572
Location: Woodstown, NJ | Question. We've now been loading her in the big trailer. The slant load. We had previously been working on the stock. So we progressed to the slant and she's been jumping on willingly. But same thing--gets nervous and wants to back out if my daughter tries to exit. Sometimes we let her self load. But haven't been able to close the divider. Trying to keep it calm and nice. Taking our time. Anyway, my question is about the stud stall with the exit door. I've never had a trailer like this before. We've been making her go all the way up in front to the stud stall. We have the exit door up there opened with the chest bar across the door. My daughter led her up, exited out the door, held a bucket of grain for her to munch, and I was behind and closed the divider. She was VERY nervous. Lost interest in the grain. I was nervous that she would try to exit out the door in front even though the chest bar was up. Could that happen? Should we have closed the exit door in the stud stall immediately? We ended it on a good note as soon as we could. Tomorrow we have to go somewhere. Should we do it like this again? |
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My Heart Be Happy
Posts: 9159
Location: Arkansas | SmokinBandits - 2016-10-14 8:22 PM
Question. We've now been loading her in the big trailer. The slant load. We had previously been working on the stock. So we progressed to the slant and she's been jumping on willingly. But same thing--gets nervous and wants to back out if my daughter tries to exit. Sometimes we let her self load. But haven't been able to close the divider. Trying to keep it calm and nice. Taking our time. Anyway, my question is about the stud stall with the exit door. I've never had a trailer like this before. We've been making her go all the way up in front to the stud stall. We have the exit door up there opened with the chest bar across the door. My daughter led her up, exited out the door, held a bucket of grain for her to munch, and I was behind and closed the divider. She was VERY nervous. Lost interest in the grain. I was nervous that she would try to exit out the door in front even though the chest bar was up. Could that happen? Should we have closed the exit door in the stud stall immediately? We ended it on a good note as soon as we could. Tomorrow we have to go somewhere. Should we do it like this again?
If she's that nervous I'd definitely be afraid she might try to go thru/over/around the chest bar. . . . I believe it was on this site that I read a horse tried to go out the open window of the trailer?? |
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