In my last post about Bob my new horse of 90 days, I was dismayed that although Bob self loaded perfectly the first 20 times I loaded him, the one time it was important that he immediately load (off to his second fox hunt), he wouldn’t. Although I eased him into the trailer eventually --I resolved to correct the situation (he was also reluctant to load coming home).
To that end I watched 3 hours of videos after the hunt on how to load a horse.
The next day, without any hesitation, Bob loaded perfectly. And he loaded perfectly (self load) every day after that for the next week as we practiced every day. Clearly I was a great trainer!!
Until he didn’t.
Of course I was pressed for time, going to my trainer/instructor and suddenly: Bob. Wouldn’t. Load.
Although I did eventually convince him to load, it took way too much time. And he was also sticky to load coming back from her farm. Grrrrr.
Although Bob would GET IN the trailer after many tries, he’d shoot back before I could fasten the butt bar. I rarely have help loading/unloading.
So another week of practice --but --I cheated.
My trainer/instructor said: Maybe if he had some food in the front of the trailer, he’d stand long enough for you to put up the butt bar.
Although I abhor bribing a horse to load, the next day after I went to the trainers, I thought, well, let’s try it.
I hung a small bucket in the front of the trailer and put a handful of grain in it.
I got Bob out of his field (he comes to a whistle --I love that). I took him to the trailer and he loaded. First try. Immediately. He found the grain and munched away standing quietly.
I did up the butt bar and slowly walked to the escape door, and gave him another handful.
Back in at the back of the trailer, I undid the butt bar and backed Bob out --he didn’t want to leave his three grains of feed but did back out for me.
And we did that again, and again. Each time I took more time to slowly walk around to the escape door and give Bob his handful.
Yesterday, I had him waiting beside me while I lowered the ramp. The SECOND the ramp was down, Bob was in the trailer --the treat bucket was empty, but he patiently waited while I did up the butt bar and walked around to give him his handful.
The last two days we’ve been working on “Leaving Bob in the Trailer” for longer periods of time while I go about my chores. He runs out of grain quickly but then stands quietly until I get him.
Once he is out of the trailer, we work on our riding practices for 15-20 min, then he goes back into the trailer for a chill.
So far, so good --except for one nagging thought . . .
From the very first time I loaded Bob, he has stood with his head out the escape door. I pushed his nose in and shut it. But now I have a suspicion that his second to the last owner (His las owner didn’t haul him any place), but his second to the last owner MIGHT have given Bob a treat or a handful of grain when she loaded him.
Poor Bob was trying to TELL me that 20 times before he finally gave up and said, “Hey, no reward, no loading, lady.”
We are on the same page now.
Bob is a great people trainer --without words, he taught me the correct way to load HIM!!
Bob and the trailer:
