Attention Horsey Flisties

[pdragon76]

My mate Wellsy has been trying to load her stooopid thoroughbred since 8am. It's now after 10am. She's having some sort of mental breakdown at me via text. She's tried the ass-tapping Parelli thing, the small circle thing, the backing thing. The lunge rope around the ass thing is a really bad idea, imho, at the best of times, but a flat out no-

Comments

[st_aurafina]

lilacsigil sent me over - I'm guessing food won't work, if the horse is too worked up. And the linking hands around the rump technique might be a bit dangerous, if the horse is bucketing out backwards.

Does the horse have a paddock mate your friend can put in the float first? (We travelled with a 10hh shaggy pony to a lot of events, because our boy wouldn't go anywhere without this pony.)

We've loaded a horse one step at a time, like literally lifting up each front foot and moving it forward, then leaning on his butt until he moved his hindquarters up. It took a while, but we got there in the end.

[pdragon76]

Oh, wow. Thank you for coming over, and thanks to lilacsigil for sending you. :D And yeah, I think we're beyond foody treats at this point.

I just texted her that idea about the paddock mate, and she's trying that right now with one of her agisted horses.

*winces* Honestly? I think she's got herself so frustrated at this point it's more to do with her vibe than his stubborn. But she's gonna try and stay calm and keep at it. If it takes all day, she's gotta get him on now, or he's won. DAMN THESE STOOOPID THOROUGHBREDS.

Thanks again for the idea. *knuckles your knuckles*

[saberivojo]

Oh shit. I had a mare who would flat out refuse to load. It looks like you guys have tried all the tried and true stuff. Have you tried just grain? You know the carrot before the mule trick? Probably won't work, but it could

[pdragon76]

Yup, he's all wrapped up. She spent from 8am to 4pm last weekend getting the sonuvabitch on the float, so she's kind of at her wits end. He's never been a cooperative floater, but the last couple of weeks he's been super stubborn about it, and she can't work out exactly why. She can't put her finger on what's changed

[saberivojo]

You know, someone I knew had a horse that would not load at all and she parked the van in the field and just started feeding him in there all the time. Pretty soon, he just started walking up into the trailer.

That may not be the safest thing either though.

I would worry about the Ace too. It can work but it can also backfire.

Sorry about the lack of real help.

[pdragon76]

I definitely think some sort of daily work is in order. The feeding in the float might be the ticket. I'ma send her that idea, too.

And no no no. You guys are totally helpful. I've got at least one tricksy to send her from everyone who replied. *\o/* You guys are made of win.

[twasadark]

The only advice I have is for her to take a little while out to calm herself down, deep breathing or whatnot, as horsey can undoubtedly sense her frustrated energy. Then reward him for the most minor step he takes in going where she wants him to go. He looks in the right direction, reward (patting or cooing), he takes a step forward, reward, he takes another forward, reward. It will take forever, but at least there will be communication between the two of them.

[pdragon76]

That pressure/release method you describe up there is a highly respected method in the horse world. You apply aid, then release the aid when you get the desired response. It's about movement towards reward, away from discomfort, and it really does work. I honestly think you're right, and she's got herself all in a tizz about it now and he's just planting feet because of it. I just sent her the calm-down-take-a-breath-let-it-flow-over-you-like-a-mountain-stream-you-have-all-day pep talk.

Slow and steady wins the race. *fingers crossed*

Thanks for weighing in. :)

[deangirl1]

I had a mare that it regularly took 4 hours to load. Yeah. Lots of planning ahead. The darker and smaller the trailer the less she liked it. If you can open up the front at all they are a lot less claustrophobic. DON'T do sedatives -- little known fact -- it makes them more likely to be claustraphobic -- bad, bad trip...

My favorite trick is to poke them with the bristle end of a broom -- no hitting or swatting -- just annoyance factor -- works like you wouldn't believe. Poke them in the rump -- that should be obvious?

Also - I can't lead my own horses on. The respect me too much to be that up close in my space in an enclosed area -- I get someone else to load them and I bring up the rear.

Also -- don't do the hand linking or lunge line thing -- I've seen too many really bad accidents...

[pdragon76]

One of my favorite Lord Vetinari quotes is from Jingo:

"The trick of getting donkeys down from minarets is always to find that part of the donkey which seriously wishes to get down."

Yeeees. It's all about making it their idea. :)

I like that your horses respect your personal space. I have to smack Sam's chops far too often for sticking his nose where it's not welcome. But he is good about keeping his feetsies to himself, which is something I guess.

I haaaaaaaaaaates seeing the lunge rope behind the ass thing. It makes me hold my throat. That there is like an invitation for injury extended to everyone in a half mile radius. *shudders*

Many years ago, I resorted to Ace-ing a horse to get him on a float. NEVER. AGAIN. That was possibly one of the most ill-advised, stupid things I have ever done with horses. And I'm kinda dumb and lazy so there's a lot to pick from.

I'll pass on the tip about getting as much light in as possible. That might help. :) Thanks.

[deangirl1]

The two things that worked for my mare were using a walk through trailer -- the thing there was that she had this weird back up hitch in her hocks - they'd lock up almost like a reverse stringhalt. She had bone chips removed from her hocks -surgically - you don't even want to know what that cost -- and the surgeon is a big deal -- they fly him in to Kentucky to do a lot of the thoroughbreds - and to the Bahamas - anyway, she was such an odd speciman, he had a visiting surgeon from a major clinic in Pennsylvannia -- and I had to show off her little quirk - yes. I only have "special" horses... Anyway -- the walkthrough - wonderful

[pdragon76]

Huh, re the Parelli thing. I have this broad belief in the horsey world that any principles in the wrong hands are dangerous. I guess it's largely dependent on the individual applying the principles and the skills/attitude with which they approach it, but I've seen some great, safe work done using Parelli methods. I certainly wouldn't automatically think someone stupid for giving them a go. I might think the person applying the discipline was maybe not as solid as they claimed, though, if the horse ended up injured with his/her legs in the air. That doesn't sound very good.

As always in the horsey world, each to their own valid opinions. Every horse and rider combo is unique. *\o/*

[a_phoenixdragon]

OY...

*Laughs*

*hugs you*

[pdragon76]

Freakin'. Thoroughbreds.

I swear.