Loading a hard to load horse

I show you how I load a hard to load horse. I keep it quiet and simple and as low stress on the horse as I can. You should practice loading your horse before you need to go someplace.
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[@charmaineact]

I also really liked that you showed the whole process without cutting bits out.

[@kidstuff44555]

Love that you kept the whole experience low stress and used positive reinforcement. It worked, and next time she'll remember it as a good experience

[@donnahentschel5726]

I learned so much from this video. My 17 year old mare that I have owned since a yearling is hard to load. We haven't trailered much over the years but now I'm retired and plan on going on more rides. My last trip out she loaded without incident, we had a great ride. On the return trip she flat out refused and I had to get a trainer (who was on the ride) help me. Two points you made was (not being in a hurry) and (not esculating the energy) hit home. The loading issue pretty much sucks the fun out of going off site so I am making it my mission to get this resolved. I will mention I am a cautious driver and am always aware of the horse in the back. My longest haul so far was about 4 hours. I checked on her a few times and she was calm and cool. My husband says she just has too many opinions. This is true but not an excuse.

[@lydiagould3090]

So nice to see you keeping everything quiet and calm , but assertive . It's a hard balance , and so easy to put too much pressure on .With this type of horse it can be easy to lose patience ,when they appear to not be trying at all. Interesting how she responded better to the light pressure you put behind her. Thankyou for your great advice, for me who has not been the best at trailer loading!

[@SAR-f4o]

Like your back and forth movements to get her to step toward the trailer.

[@lauralauren6432]

Good job. I always introduce The trailer as a restaurant. First i walk in with them. Then i send them in. Later they run in.

[@timandersonhorsetraining]

That is the best way to do it. This horse was traveling through

[@lauralauren6432]

@@timandersonhorsetraining I just want them to go with me. If they stop at the ramp i turn and get them GOING With me again. I see NO point in standing next to or on the ramp except for unexperienced Horses Who get to smell or investigate The ramp. Ive seen people standing there all day. Several days. I always open up in The front so it is not a claustrophobic box. AS You did. Thank You

[@pjk1714]

Good morning and good exercise. When working with a horse that doesn't lead, ramps seem to be even harder to become accustomed too. When I saw her step up on the side I knew it clicked in. I've had some that had no problem stepping up but was completely mental over a ramp. Tap and release without escalation is the way to go multiple times each week until the fear doesn't exist and it's common place to do. Shame she didn't start with the solid foundation younger, but that's part of your training now. Have a good weekend and thanks for sharing.

[@timandersonhorsetraining]

Thank you.

[@homeedconnect]

Another strategy I've used with this and other "scary" asks is to squat down with my grain. When I'm low, my horse's head goes low, and when their head goes low, they calm. This has also worked for me with tarp training. This was nicely done. I love the patient approach. Nice job!

[@charmaineact]

My horse is also hard to load, in fact almost impossible if I am on my own. I have made all the mistakes you mentioned!! Thanks for this video which I am sure will help me.

[@forrestallen1690]

I always liked teaching mine from an early age to load. Used to feed them as babies in the trailer and never was hard to load when they got riding age

[@katarinaosterlund1686]

Jag gillar verkligen den positiva energin här, tack för att Du låter oss se :)

[@szamanwlkp]

Excellent quality of work! Thank you 😊

[@joeward117]

Loaded lots of standard breads for county fairs and I had maybe one or two horses who were tough to load.

[@PaulAndrewKennedy]

great load...super helpful.

[@sherylbartlett3871]

WOW! Excellent video. Thank you...

[@Bullwolf1965]

Newby here thank you for the information

[@honesttraitorbear3527]

I loaded a filly who'd had a bad experience on her first load. It involved prep work. Didn't feed grain, gave her a light dinner of hay, nothing real good. In the morning I brought her out and tied her up where she could see the trailer (still no breakfast) and I climbed in and out spreading the bedding. Then climbed in and out with alfafla and grain. Walked her up and let her see. Didn't ask her nothing but stand there. Then walked her back and tied her up. I went back into the trailer and moved feed around. Repeated twice more (letting her sniff and look and lean into the trailer without asking her to go in. Finally, fourth time of her being tied up, hungry and getting bored, I walked her up, and I stepped into the trailer first. Loose line. She pawed the trailer floor. Snorted at the floor a bit, then stepped in. Just the front. I gave her a bite of grain. Then put the bucket further in. She climbed right in. I kept the lunge line loose the whole time. Second time I loaded her I had a trailer with a ramp. She liked that better. Same thing. Light dinner. Tied her up where she could see everything (breakfast being loaded) and when I finally asked her to come up, she did. I wouldn't call it training, I just knew she needed high value incentives. Also it was she gets in on her own or we drag her in (bc we needed to leave asap) so really there was no pressure, she was getting in one way or another. I think that attitude of 'done deal' either way kept me from stressing and might have helped the situation. And she's smart as a whip too.

[@daddyrabbit835]

Mine will load without even stopping if her grain is in there. Bad thing is, she won't load at all without it. I'm afraid she has trained me.

[@healinghorses8withrahansia942]

Thank you this was helpful. I have a horse that loads fine but starts to get worked up and paws then gets more and more worked up the longer he is in there. Wonder if he was in an accident with the last owner?

[@lauralauren6432]

You have to drive carefully. They have to Learn how to balance themselves in curves. Try to STAND on all 4 and take a test drive. Its hard.

[@fallbrkgrl]

My take from this, is keeping everyone's energy down. I've seen someone review videos of folks trying to load in an evacuation (fire) situation. I know in these situations, where time could mean life or death, and that it is hard for the humans to regulate their energy In these situations. Then you have 5 humans, "trying" to help, and are freaking out, and trying to load these horses, who already know that something bad is happening, it's not pretty, and really sad. The lesson from that video review, was not just that the human needs to keep their energy down, but limiting the number of people trying to "help". I'd be very interested in your advice to folks for this kind of situation, keeping in theme with trailer loading. Thanks again for the great info, Tim. ❤️🌵☀️⛈️🌈☮️🐎

[@timandersonhorsetraining]

Yes you are right keeping your energy down in every situation is key. We always hear in an emergency situation to stay calm. A big part of why we should stay calm even in emergencies is to think clearly. Some people are naturally better at that than others. There is also ways that people can teach themselves to stay calm. One way is to train and practice and in a dangerous situation you have your training to fall back on. I saw those evacuation videos also. If they had trained loading everything would have gone much smoother.

[@fallbrkgrl]

@@timandersonhorsetraining "Train and practice..." Yes! I follow a channel (not a horse channel) that has been touching on this subject in a couple of videos, as a lot of teachers have been reaching out to him for advice, as a result of what happened in TX. Whether it's horses, or people, we need to train, and practice for emergency situations.

[@joannam9232]

What does it look like if the trailer has no ramp. Less room to walk back and forth

[@tinasaxon1232]

Ok, what do you do when the horse was beaten by a Veterinarian because she wouldn't go in his trailer. Anytime she sees a whip or stick she freaks and bolts. Best ride ever and ground work is amazing. Have literally everything, except use a whip or stick. Please any suggestions. Can't find a video that has this issue.

[@timandersonhorsetraining]

I did a video where I showed feeding one I'm a trailer, that's what I would do.

[@juliehmidmo]

Once I got married and had kids my horses never left the property as we just rode on the farm or down the road, so the only time we needed to trailer is when we moved. That does not make for very good loaders so I have had a bunch of them over the years. I've never had a ramp trailer but I did make use of John Lyons trailer loading lessons with great success in the past. Like you he stressed low key, low energy and rewards and it does work. This was the first video of yours I saw a few months ago and watching it again now since you linked it with your newest video of this mare I enjoyed seeing her load calmly the second time just as much as I did the first time. Can I use your technique of moving them back and forth if I have a step up trailer?

[@timandersonhorsetraining]

Yes it actually works better with a step up.

[@juliehmidmo]

@@timandersonhorsetraining I will have to give it a try. I am not planning on moving anymore but my 3 should learn to load well anyways. I've gotten lazy on that.

[@timandersonhorsetraining]

Yes you never know when you'll have to haul one to the vet.

[@juliehmidmo]

@@timandersonhorsetraining I have been spoiled there too. Knowing my vet for 30 years . He knows I am always a farm call. Thankfully he is close but you are 100% correct .

[@tiffanysandoval353]

I was just with someone to help load their horse today. We drove 3 hours to pick her up and couldn't get her in. She insisted that we needed to load her backwards, because of the difficulties loading in the past. Did not try anything like this. I would like to know, what is your opinion on backing them in to load (and them remaining backwards for the drive)? I don't have much experience with horses but something I always wanted. So, wanted to look up to find out what went wrong. Unfortunately, person I was helping is stuck in her ways and would never listen even if I partially knew what I was doing. Not interested in learning new things. I probably won't return to help her again and I'll tell her to find another "horse person" to help her, since she kept reminding me that I was not a horse person and hardly giving me any specific verbal directions, as well as telling me it's not funny any time I sounded like I was laughing or trying to lighten the mood. Which it was more like a nervous laugh, but it was very disheartening having her talk to me like that and I immediately felt like crying. Thanks you for your videos, I almost got discouraged by this experience enough to rethink ever wanting to get into horses.

[@Beckybirt]

Got stuck at a pony club show trying to get mare on.

[@arribaficationwineho32]

Put a light on inside the trailer

[@harryposner7584]

Question: If you have two horses to load, horses that are really attached to each other, should the second horse be positioned so that he/she can see the first horse loading, or not?

[@timandersonhorsetraining]

You should fix the attached to each other so that it doesn't matter how you load then.

[@robertbutler8004]

Crikey at 8:06 I'm ready to go into the float and have sleep

[@Joybellmorgans]

All good until you need an extra person on the lead rope. That was my issue. I load on my own and have to find something to put my long lead rope through inside the trailer and hang on to the other end, then step outside for the driving whip I use to tickle her heels....and then get her to stay inside long enough to put up the butt bars. Not easy on your own!

[@jbohio7821]

How do you do this if you are solo? It seems they know!!!

[@KarlKalin]

Great video! Worked perfectly one of our horses but I have a question. What do you do if the horse doesn't care about taps on their back? Our horse just stands and wants to go forward less than before the tap. She walks up on the ramp with her front feet directly but do I still make her move sideways on the ramp our on the ground?

[@timandersonhorsetraining]

I'd try tapping somewhere else to try to get a reaction

[@KarlKalin]

​@@timandersonhorsetraining And if no reaction?

[@debtompkins5363]

the first thing I always wonder with a horse that won't load who has trailered before is, WHAT kind of poor driving made her believe it wasn't a good idea.

[@timandersonhorsetraining]

There are many influences other than driving, bumpy roads, noisy traffic, rattling, horns, and many more.

[@kirstieappleby5556]

My horse flips out after she is on and the float is moving Do you have any ideas

[@timandersonhorsetraining]

Haul her more.

[@MaxNafeHorsemanship]

When to use feed or treats? Never. Bribery never works. When to use a whip? Never. Fear is not a motivator.

[@timandersonhorsetraining]

I watch your channel also. You are right, bribery does not work and fear is not a motivator. The flaw in your conclusion is treats do not equal bribery and a whip does not equal fear. Both are tools, for instance a whip is an extension of your arm. You should know that.

[@MaxNafeHorsemanship]

@@timandersonhorsetraining I treat often and also use a whip...usually a flag. I totally get what you are saying. I just prefer neither for trailer training. Done wrong, things can go bad. Those whips, training sticks and flags don't come with instructions and I try to lead by example and not use them. So much easier than trying to explain how to use them right. Someone might see you use feed or treats and think it's OK all the time. That can lead to disaster. There are both extremes. Some good horsemen think you should NEVER hand feed. My philosophy is it isn't what you do, but how you do it. I also work alone, so that changes things too.

[@williamchandler2558]

She will get tired and walk in

[@jimh4167]

Why not train your animals from the begining... Have a like trailer that movement can be adjusted with open on both sides.. Feeding area. Water on one side. Feed on the other. Large enough so all animals can go back and forth... Watching others and desire for food and water. Should work

[@timandersonhorsetraining]

That would be ideal but sometimes stuff happens with owners or horses and it doesn't get done.

[@sallypenno164]

Putting their head down is a seeking behaviour also so they can see whats there. Being a trainer why would you attempt to load a horse that doesnt lead well.

[@bearsmartdurango]

Dont have a ramp so this isnt super helpful.