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Re: RC: Trailer Loading



Bany...

There was a trailer loading thread on Ridecamp back this past year that
had a lot of good info.  I have used the John Lyons (and others)
technique of teaching a "go-forward" cue away from the trailer by
tapping on the hip with a dressage whip, then translating that to the
trailer.  For more details, check through the archives or pick up the
John Lyons book "John Lyons on Horses".  It works for me...I have never
had a failure with this method. (Not to say it won't happen...but hasn't
yet) <grin>

By the way, Sunny tolerates my cat on his back and a chicken "sitting"
up there with only a backward look, but haven't tried tossing a chicken
in the trailer and not planning to. He's had a lot of Grouse and Wild
Turkey explode from under his feet, and doesn't even startle anymore
over that, so he MIGHT handle it...but can't think of a useful reason
for teaching this for Endurance....unless they decide to use real
chickens at the Chicken Chase Ride! Heh, Heh!  I doubt that the horses
being used back then were Arabs! <grin>

Jim, Sun of Dimanche, and Mahada Magic

Bany Cranmer wrote:
> 
> >>The individual who taught me Endurance used to talk about
> some of the things they used to do in the "old days".  Like having your
> horse load quietly on a trailer, toss a live chicken in the trailer,<<
> 
> OMG! I wonder if even my best loader could do that! While on the subject, &
> since loading is an necessary part of this sport... any suggestions out
> there on a gentle method to retrain a horse to load? My new mare, who most
> certainly did load as she was a show horse & had been off to trainers, etc,
> has taken a HUGE dislike to loading. We went through a couple long (but
> ultimately successful) sessions loading, then had a few shorter ones so it
> seemed to be getting better. Then over the holidays, she walked right in my
> friends trailer & realized what she had done, backed out & whacked her head
> on the sharp door overhang. (Why don't they just pad those things?) Well, we
> (yeah it was too late) put her hat on & tried for 1-1/2 hrs to get her back
> in, no luck getting more than one foot in. A few days later we tried again
> for 3 hrs, a session that progressed from knocking her nose (ugly bump!) on
> the overhang to rearing straight up (almost flipping over!) a few times. I
> had a friend helping who was a bit pushier than I usually am... we only got
> her foot in (twice) & gave up while it was our idea to quit.
> 
> Not wanting a repeat performance of the rearing ever again, this week I
> started feeding her in the trailer - she only had to stick her head in to
> reach the bucket for a few days, then moved to step 2, she had to put her
> front feet in with rear feet on the ramp. She's ok with that now so will
> move to the next level tomorrow & will put the bucket at the chest guard.
> Just wondered if anyone has any new ideas... we tried the lunge lines from
> behind & have been doing lots of 'head down', she does that great but no
> forward motion. This horse is very sensitive & responds to gentle & feather
> light touches much better than being bullied - One thing I noticed this week
> is that she puts her head WAY down when backing out now! (And she's smart
> too?)
> 
> Frustrated in Fla,
> Bany
> 
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-- 
Richard T. "Jim" Holland
Three Creeks Farm
175 Hells Hollow Drive
Blue Ridge, GA 30513
(706) 258-2830
FAX (706) 632-1271



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