Thanks to all who responded to my posts a few weeks ago about trailer loading. (My new mare Lola had decided she wasn't going to load anymore & got quite dramatic, practically climbing a tree rather than get in the trailer!) Thanks to the many suggestions, I dusted off my John Lyons book & tried to follow the lesson to a "t". Within 2-1/2 hrs I had her walk in & out a couple times. We have been practicing almost daily but I'm concerned we've hit a bump in the training & wonder if anyone has any suggestions... btw, we have a ramp style strait load 2 horse BP.
The lesson suggests that you shouldn't close them in until they will stand in there calmly on their own for about a minute. Well, that wasn't happening, she only made it about 20 seconds (unless there was food in there). Because she DID load before(not perfectly but she eventually got in & seemed ok once in there) I went ahead & started closing the butt strap & back door. She REALLY wants to back out now, so this part is actually worse than it was before. I have been managing to get it all closed without too much panic, then I go in the front & pet her for a few minutes. When I leave to go around to let her out, she practically bends in 1/2 trying to turn around to come out - I have to keep telling her to turn around & I won't begin to open the gate until she is standing facing forward nicely. Funny thing is, she has no problem backing out once she knows that's what she has to do, but while standing in there this is definitely not a calm, relaxed horse. When we're done I make her stand there & relax (which has been taking a minute) before I 'let her off the hook'. Maybe we just need some more practice sessions but it's worrying me which does NOT help the situation.
Just wondered if anyone has any other ideas on getting her to relax while in there?
Bany in Fla (it's been way too hot here!)
Lola (The problem child)
Dinah (Good old been there done that... yawn)