She Just Will Not Get In

snoopsincharge · 03-08-2009, 01:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lindsayanne

Watch this video: ... I personally find this method to work best.

While this might work on some horses, and she might as well try, I want to throw out a word of caution that it doesn't always work on all horses. It can work on the slightly stubborn horse or the fidgety horse that just refused because he knows he can. But it can very much backfire on you if the horse truly doesn't want to go in because of plain fear. The idea behind this type of trailer training is to make the outside of the trailer more unpleasant then the inside of the trailer, through back, rubbing etc. Existing fear of the inside of a trailer however, will often be worse then anything you could do to the horse on the ground outside the trailer. The more you try to force the issue, the more the fear could deepen. The horse would then just associate the whole fuss and annoying with it's already deep rooted fear of trailers and confirm the point:
"Trailers are evil."
In that case it could teach your horse a bunch of new bad habits that you are not prepared for. If you force a horses into a corner, most will turn to attack if needed. And it doesn't matter if the corner is "a physical corner" or "being asked to back up and they can't because they are getting sore from having backed 50000 times already". This can easily teach a horse to just go up into a rear for avoidance, I have seen it happen more then once. Once they get tired of backing, they might go straight up at you or even strike out at you instead of going forward into the trailer! Something you DO NOT want to teach a horse to think that's ever an option!!!
IMO, backing a horse should never be used as a "punishment". Horses already do not like to back up naturally, because they can't see directly behind them. So asking a horse to back up should require even more trust from the horse in you as a handler, then going forward, wouldn't you think? So if a horse backs up willingly for you, it should have ALREADY mastered going willingly forward for you!
There is just no sound way around the point, that trailer training needs to be done WAY BEFORE you are trying to take your horse anywhere!

Horses work soley out of experiences and associations with experiences. If a horse won't follow you somewhere there are only two logic reasons why: It doesn't trust you as a leader to keep him safe from something that looks "fishy" to him or it had a (or multiple) previous bad experience with this "fishy thing" that outways your leadership role big time.
My tip would be this:
Ask the buyers to be patient for a week or two. See if you can borrow a trailer from somewhere for that time frame. Then, feed your horse her grain twice a day by the trailer, as close as she is willing to get near/in it without loosing it.
With each additional feeding you ask her to get a step or two closer to it/in it before giving her grain. Important is, that you stretch her comfort level just enough to make progress without overstressing it. Be patient. Better one small step the a too big step and you have to start all over.
Once she goes in all the way, feed her while tied. Next time, feed her while tied and doors shut etc., then feed her while driving around the property, then around a few blocks...
You have to do this until she lost her fear and gained trust in you to willingly will follow you in and out multiple times and can stand quietly for longer periods of time. Maybe the fear isn't that bad at all once she's been in and out a few times, maybe it is only about the physical loading and not about a moving trailer as well.
Either way, you have to replace all her bad memories of trailers and failed "trailer training" and replace these with good experiences and turn them into good memories associated with a trailer.
There really is no other way around it. She has now had a pretty bad experience that just deepened her distrust in trailers. You have to build this trust back up before even thinking about trailering her anywhere.
Good luck!

MysticRealm · 03-08-2009, 01:37 PM

When a horse isn't AFRAID of the trailer I do find the back up method works very well, but I don't do it so that the outside of the trailer is more unpleasant than the inside of the trailer. I use it so that what the horse wants to do (ie. back up away from trailer) is harder than going forward into the trailer.
Now I have only every used this on one horse (I have suggested it to other people but nobody ever listens to me even when they have tried everything else) but it worked.
I took a horse on trial one time and it took the owners 45 mins to load this thing in -30 degree weather before the horse finally got in. When I decided the horse wasn't for me I went to load it into the trailer. I walked up to the trailer and the horse stopped and stepped backwards, so I backed him up hard (no chains or control halters, just a regular nylon halter and lead). I then walked him forward again and up and into the trailer he went.

FleetFeet · 03-09-2009, 12:11 AM

My old TB mare hated the trailer with a passion...we were at a show one day getting ready to load up and having a hard time when a friend of a friend saw us and gave us this suggestion and it worked everytime since then.

We would take a lead rope and put it around her bum. While I would lead her in, two people would hold the rope around her butt, and just hold it steady so she could feel it if she tried to back up. She caught on quick that it was easiest to just hop into the trailer. However, I wouldn't suggest it if you don't have a quick-escape door to get out of the horses way once they are loaded up.

MissHopesMom · 03-09-2009, 06:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FleetFeet

We would take a lead rope and put it around her bum. While I would lead her in, two people would hold the rope around her butt, and just hold it steady so she could feel it if she tried to back up.

This is what was used on Hope, and almost made her flip herself over. She felt the pressure on her butt, which scared her - while there was another fear in front of her (the trailer) and ended up trying to push herself backwards "through" the rope....

Not that I don't think this method is wrong - just not the right way to go for some horses

Morganhorse321 · 03-09-2009, 06:39 AM

With my horse that hates loading, I lunged her behind the trailer so that with each circle she would go right past it...then I tried to load her, if she still wouldn't go I lunged her again. Eventually she figured out that it was easier to just go into the trailer than to actually have to work...she was terrified of trailers before that but now goes in.

Another of my horses, we tapped gently with a crop on his butt...when he took a step forward the tapping stopped. When he wouldn't move or backed up, the tapping slowly got harder until he moved forward again. Any step in the right direction meant the tapping would stop. Worked for him, but don't know if it would help your mare

Chester · 03-09-2009, 07:00 AM

I had a horse once that had never been on a float. Unfortunately for him came the day once he had to be on a float and gone fast. He was not going to load. Bout 4 big blokes basically picked him up and carried him in. He floated that day.

MyBelgianAzzy · 03-09-2009, 07:07 AM

Walk her up to the ramp or step. Have two hefty guys link arms and put them under her butt/back legs while standing close but off to her sides. Be ready. Count to three. Throw her silly butt it. Kiss her goodbye. Let them train her to load.

Luna9 · 03-09-2009, 07:13 AM

We had to load a horse not to long ago that didnt want to get in the trailer. All we did was loop the lead line through the window of the trailer and kept constant pressure on it. With each movement she made whether she be inching into the trailer or just shifting her weight or even trying to avoid getting in we would take up the slack. We just kinda sat there with the preassure tight till she gave into it some. It was like an inch by inch thing but it worked and she finally got tired of having the preassure on her and she gave in completley. Now Im not sure if this would work or if you have tried it but I thoguht Id share is anyway

Bella · 03-09-2009, 11:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by snoopsincharge

The idea behind this type of trailer training is to make the outside of the trailer more unpleasant then the inside of the trailer, through back, rubbing etc.

I'm going to have to disagree with this statement. It has nothing to do with the surroundings.. its about respect and obedience. He had to work while in the trailer as much as outside. So rather, its not about making a place unpleasant, but rather, disobedience.

-Bella

stephanie · 03-09-2009, 02:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Luna9

We had to load a horse not to long ago that didnt want to get in the trailer. All we did was loop the lead line through the window of the trailer and kept constant pressure on it. With each movement she made whether she be inching into the trailer or just shifting her weight or even trying to avoid getting in we would take up the slack. We just kinda sat there with the preassure tight till she gave into it some. It was like an inch by inch thing but it worked and she finally got tired of having the preassure on her and she gave in completley. Now Im not sure if this would work or if you have tried it but I thoguht Id share is anyway

This is how I taught Zephyr. It is the only thing that worked, we tried all of the other suggestions on this thread and none made a difference, but with this he just hopped right on. He is now given one chance to get on by himself and if he does awesome, otherwise out comes the lunge line and he as soon as he is hooked onto it, he just hops right in. Now I rarely need to use it though

03-08-2009, 01:37 PM	#22
MysticRealm Senior Member+ Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 2,240 Images: 54	When a horse isn't AFRAID of the trailer I do find the back up method works very well, but I don't do it so that the outside of the trailer is more unpleasant than the inside of the trailer. I use it so that what the horse wants to do (ie. back up away from trailer) is harder than going forward into the trailer. Now I have only every used this on one horse (I have suggested it to other people but nobody ever listens to me even when they have tried everything else) but it worked. I took a horse on trial one time and it took the owners 45 mins to load this thing in -30 degree weather before the horse finally got in. When I decided the horse wasn't for me I went to load it into the trailer. I walked up to the trailer and the horse stopped and stepped backwards, so I backed him up hard (no chains or control halters, just a regular nylon halter and lead). I then walked him forward again and up and into the trailer he went. __________________ Proud Owner of Elis (Canadian Sport Horse), Markie (thoroughbred), Bear (pomeranian/shih tzu/ terrier), and Styder (Toy Poodle) and Vega (thoroughbred)

03-09-2009, 06:39 AM	#25
Morganhorse321 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Clemson, South Carolina Posts: 1,211 Images: 84	With my horse that hates loading, I lunged her behind the trailer so that with each circle she would go right past it...then I tried to load her, if she still wouldn't go I lunged her again. Eventually she figured out that it was easier to just go into the trailer than to actually have to work...she was terrified of trailers before that but now goes in. Another of my horses, we tapped gently with a crop on his butt...when he took a step forward the tapping stopped. When he wouldn't move or backed up, the tapping slowly got harder until he moved forward again. Any step in the right direction meant the tapping would stop. Worked for him, but don't know if it would help your mare __________________ ~Morganhorse321~ ~Black Amigo~ ~Jazzman~ ~ Smoothie~ ~The wind of heaven is that which blows between a horse's ears~

03-09-2009, 07:00 AM	#26
Chester Senior Member+ Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: inland of the coral sea Posts: 13,479 Images: 869	I had a horse once that had never been on a float. Unfortunately for him came the day once he had to be on a float and gone fast. He was not going to load. Bout 4 big blokes basically picked him up and carried him in. He floated that day. __________________ Aussie Aussie Aussie OI OI OI Senior Australian Correspondent Is it full moon time again? Did the cereal truck overturn and fruitloops got spilt? Thanks for your time,then you can thank me for mine, after that's said, forget it. Rodriguouz

03-09-2009, 07:13 AM	#28
Luna9 Senior Member+ Join Date: May 2008 Location: South Carolina Posts: 5,073	We had to load a horse not to long ago that didnt want to get in the trailer. All we did was loop the lead line through the window of the trailer and kept constant pressure on it. With each movement she made whether she be inching into the trailer or just shifting her weight or even trying to avoid getting in we would take up the slack. We just kinda sat there with the preassure tight till she gave into it some. It was like an inch by inch thing but it worked and she finally got tired of having the preassure on her and she gave in completley. Now Im not sure if this would work or if you have tried it but I thoguht Id share is anyway __________________ Roscoe ~ 4yr Paint - 15.3HH Luna ~ 1yr Quarter Horse - 14.2HH Sunny 1yr Paint - 14.1HH Sydney 7m - Yellow Lab Jasper ~ 6m - Cat & Im a Mommy & a Wife! I Have Been Gobbled by Thom Turkey!!!

03-09-2009, 12:11 AM	#23
FleetFeet Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Denver, Colorado Posts: 379 Images: 32	My old TB mare hated the trailer with a passion...we were at a show one day getting ready to load up and having a hard time when a friend of a friend saw us and gave us this suggestion and it worked everytime since then. We would take a lead rope and put it around her bum. While I would lead her in, two people would hold the rope around her butt, and just hold it steady so she could feel it if she tried to back up. She caught on quick that it was easiest to just hop into the trailer. However, I wouldn't suggest it if you don't have a quick-escape door to get out of the horses way once they are loaded up.