aes
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Posts: 188 
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Post by aes on Jun 1, 2015 16:31:31 GMT
My horse hates my 2 horse straight haul. She always gets on it eventually, but I do the method where she refuses and I lunge her, then ask again, she refuses and I lunge her, ask again. This goes on for 10-15 minutes every single time and then she gets on. It's a pain. How do I get her so that she just accepts she might as well get on when I first ask, because I always win? She has no trouble on a slant load. TIA.
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mistersmom
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Abita Springs, LA
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Post by mistersmom on Jun 1, 2015 16:37:08 GMT
Can you move or take out the middle panel? Seems like she should have figured out by now just to get on!
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aes
New Member
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Post by aes on Jun 1, 2015 16:38:04 GMT
No the divider isn't removable unfortunately.
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hugs
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Post by hugs on Jun 1, 2015 16:51:43 GMT
Since it doesn't take long for her to get in she is telling you she isn't comfortable with it. I'd be curious to find out if this trailer has a scratchy/pokey place she doesn't like? Or maybe this trailer doesn't haul as smoothly. Since she gets in a slant in less than 10 minutes I'm guessing that it isn't trailer loading itself which is an issue but something about this one she doesn't like.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jun 1, 2015 16:53:09 GMT
Is it all straight loads or just this trailer? The fact she is willing to get into a slant makes me think that she might feel a little cramped inside regardless of actual space available. Some horses just don't like to travel in a straight load, and that could be the reluctance you are seeing.
Is your trailer bright and inviting inside? Does she load faster with a buddy?
I would just keep at the lunging method, do it fairly often so that it becomes routine, but make sure you give her the chance to choose the 'right answer' (aka going into the trailer without a fuss) before you start lunging her. Eventually with consistency, she should hopefully come around.
Best of luck!
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aes
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Post by aes on Jun 1, 2015 17:32:11 GMT
No it's all straight loads. She doesn't like my friend's straight load either (but it has a ramp). Again she will get on it but doesn't like it. And every other horse I trailer has no issue in my trailer, nor does my friend. We always load her before her buddy as her buddy has no issue, and I need to get in the other side to do her butt bar up or she will back off fast. Then we load the buddy because I can do his butt bar up from behind since he won't back over me. It has manger doors and groom doors and I always put some grain in the manger, so I do make it seem open and inviting and she gets a reward as soon as she loads.
I've had this trailer for four years and she always hates it. She rides on the inside stall because she's smaller than everybody else I trailer her with. She always has runny poop in the trailer so I know she doesn't like it in there. Again no issue in a slant load.
My niece uses her for team penning and then she goes in another friend's three horse slant load. She's never had an issue in that trailer at all. I've thought about just selling my trailer and getting her a slant but I really like my little trailer.
I do give her a chance to get the right answer. It's at the point where she backs off and starts lunging herself without me even asking. Sigh.
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nhg
Junior Member
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Post by nhg on Jun 1, 2015 17:37:19 GMT
The fact that she'll lunge herself made me snicker. They're so smart. Lots of horses just hate the straight haul trailers. They're uncomfortable through the whole ride and they hate it. I have no advice for you, sorry. I was going to say to make sure she gets a reward but you're already doing that. We always make sure that we have a slant load. As I've said on HA before, I won't buy a straight load. You have such a cute trailer it would be a shame to have to sell it, though.
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aes
New Member
Posts: 188
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Post by aes on Jun 1, 2015 17:41:36 GMT
The fact that she'll lunge herself made me snicker. They're so smart. Lots of horses just hate the straight haul trailers. They're uncomfortable through the whole ride and they hate it. I have no advice for you, sorry. I was going to say to make sure she gets a reward but you're already doing that. We always make sure that we have a slant load. As I've said on HA before, I won't buy a straight load. You have such a cute trailer it would be a shame to have to sell it, though. I know, she's such a rotten little bugger lol. She reminds me of my kid. And yeah I really don't want to sell it right now. :-( |
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Post by horselover4life on Jun 1, 2015 18:18:06 GMT
You mention manger and groom doors...do you open them when it is load time?
Does your mare fit comfortably in the stall area? She isn't squished between manger wall and butt bar is she?
Your divider is not removable...so does it have a center beam at the trailer rear she needs squeezing between or can the divider swing to the side yet remain attached at the head area in the trailer? If you can swing it and she see more room, like open space of a slant....  ....will she move in easier?
Now my trailer is a semi-stock so I can do straight stalls or slant....my horses walk into the stall area as they know that is where the yummy hay awaits... you stand tied slanted...you get nothing!
The paint self-loads, such a pleasure! Point the direction to go and he is on.... 
My sons needs a little coaxing...if he sees a lunge whip or you join arms around the butt..he jumps in. No crack of the whip either, it just stands at the trailer back door...he just got away with his tricks for so long and after a trail ride I'm in no mood for his antics...We are going home when I say so, period! 
Mine sounds much like yours....go when he is ready to go and not before...
Now though it is by my timepiece when he goes...ENOUGH !!
I've had this trailer for four years and she always hates it. She rides on the inside stall because she's smaller than everybody else I trailer her with. She always has runny poop in the trailer so I know she doesn't like it in there. Again no issue in a slant load.
OK...stalls on any straight load are the same size either side...so why is she being put in a stall that is smaller than the other one...
If your horse really feels that way, she is claustrophobic and feels that smaller stall.
Have you tried loading her to the other stall? Is she better? Some horses dislike riding on a particular side of the trailer....
For you, is it the left side she rides and gives grief on getting in? Have you ever thought it could be because she sees and hears the louder noises of traffic going past....windows opened it might hurt her ears, or she might get wind currents blowing stuff in her face she not enjoy....just a thought.
If you are referring this to a 3-horse slant-load...smallest stall is normally the middle one. Both the front one and the last one are the larger sized and most generous usually..
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aes
New Member
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Post by aes on Jun 1, 2015 19:09:10 GMT
No both stalls are the exact same size. I just have always been taught the lighter weight horse should go to the inside for safety reasons. In case the vehicle drifts, you get my drift. She doesn't like loading in either stall. If she's hauled alone she goes in the other side. The divider does not swing it is straight down the center and not removable.
Seems like as soon as I decide, 'well you're getting on this trailer one way or another I don't care if it takes all day' she gets on. She knows if it's just a 'practice day' - gets on no problem. Once there's an agenda or a place/time to be there she starts balking. She's just really smart and can read me like a book. So I make sure I have plenty of time because I know she will always get on eventually.
As a side note, my friend also did a practice night when she was going to haul her in her straight-haul trailer with the ramp. No issue. Then the next morning for the actual show - same song and dance. So it's not just me. She KNOWS.
Oh and yes I open the manger doors for loading but not the groom doors. I would worry she'd try to escape out the groom doors and get stuck.
I also only load her from behind and 'send' her in. If I try to lead her on she just pulls back, never works. We practice 'sending' all the time in other scenarios and she's great at it. Honestly I did an in-hand/at liberty trail clinic with her last year and she loaded beautifully after that for a while! Then she changed her mind again.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jun 1, 2015 19:43:47 GMT
That makes me think that she is sensing the tension / excitement in the air and responding to that. Maybe try going through an entire 'show day' (or what have you) routine, and then practice with her. IDK if that will work. I am just sort of throwing stuff out there.
When you say you load her to the inside do you mean the driver's side or the passenger side? I've always been taught that the heavier horse goes on the driver's side, or if you are only hauling one it goes on the driver's side as well. For the same reason you mentioned, if the trailer drifts more weight on the passenger side than the driver side might just be enough to 'help it' into the ditch. I could be wrong.
I will admit, I am not personally a fan of straight loads, the worst accidents I have seen / heard about have all been straight loads. I know a lot of horses just don't travel as comfortably in them, and this might just be the case with your mare.
I used to have a mare who was horrendous to load (took us 9 hours once coming home from a show). She had a previous bad experience and a lot of bad, abusive handling prior to me owning her. She did eventually come around using the method you are currently using. This mare also was incredibly smart. My farrier (who was a tremendous horseman, and has probably forgotten more than I will ever know)suggested that it probably had to do a lot with the body language of everyone around when we went to load her. People look tense (even when making an effort to look relaxed) she sensed the tension, started reacting to it (head up, wide eyed that sort of thing), that sets off more tension from the people around and now you have a vicious little circle of people and horse winding each other up and the final result is a horse who isn't especially keen on loading and who is starting to identify trailering with tension. I know your horse doesn't likely take it to the extreme that my mare did, but I think the same sort of principle applies.
Just sort of thinking (typing) out loud here... not sure if any of that is actually useful or not. Best of luck!
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aes
New Member
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Post by aes on Jun 1, 2015 20:37:09 GMT
Yes sorry, I mean that she goes behind the passenger so I guess that's technically the 'outside' when driving. And then behind the driver when she's alone. Sorry for the confusion.
I kind of agree with what you are saying, because my old coach who has 35 years of horse experience could load her on my trailer in two seconds. I don't know any horses that even try anything with her EVER. I just for whatever reason can not achieve the same result. She is a smart horse and she picks up on everything.
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....will she move in easier?
