JSO
Aug. 8, 2009, 07:29 AM
I have a 13 year old Thoroughbred that I've owned for most of his life. We had always trailered him a couple times per year with a professional hauler in a big 4 horse head to head - usually with a buddy. He was always great. 2 years ago he had a colic surgery and my hauler wasn't available to pick him up. We borrowed a friends 3 horse slant, step up. He was all reved up from being at the hospital for almost 2 weeks and refused to get into the trailer. It took a couple of hours and we finally got him in, although they had to sedate him a little. The next time we trailered was with a borrowed 2 horse with a ramp. Much more intimidating to get into than the head to head and he did not want to get into that either! We eventually got him in and he did fine, it was just a short ride down the road.
A few weeks ago I bought a trailer, a large 2 horse bumper pull. Tons of windows, very inviting. At first he was hesitant but I started feeding him his dinner in the trailer and he was self loading, enjoying it. We've done a couple of trips and he was fine, got in the trailer - although not very happy when he was surprised with the but bar. Sort of freaks out for a minute until the trailer starts moving. Once we picked up another horse and he was quite happy to have a companion!
2 days ago I tried to load him and he was refusing to get on. We spent about an hour and a half working on backing up , walking forward, listening to ground commands and finally on and off the trailer. I never put the but bar up. Yesterday, he jumped right on for his dinner, and I backed him off and loaded him about 10 times. I never put the but bar up though.
This morning we were planning on going to a show. I got everything ready the night before so he would not expect anything. He was turned out (as usual) so nothing out of the ordinary other than seeing me at 5 AM ( I usually feed at 8.) I don't even wrap him in the trailer anymore because he would always get really anxious when I started wrapping him, knowing that he's going somewhere.
This morning I loaded him, backed him off, loaded him again and as soon as he felt the but bar he backed right off then refused to get back on. It was a half hour of on and off, try to get the but bar up. Finally we did and stupid me had turned the truck battery on to power the trailer lights and the battery was dead. He threw a fit in the trailer, now that he was stuck and we weren't going anywhere. So I unloaded him, cancelled the show and jump started my truck!
Any suggestions on getting him to load better and stop backing up when he feels the but bar? It's getting really frustrating!
Thank you!
A few weeks ago I bought a trailer, a large 2 horse bumper pull. Tons of windows, very inviting. At first he was hesitant but I started feeding him his dinner in the trailer and he was self loading, enjoying it. We've done a couple of trips and he was fine, got in the trailer - although not very happy when he was surprised with the but bar. Sort of freaks out for a minute until the trailer starts moving. Once we picked up another horse and he was quite happy to have a companion!
2 days ago I tried to load him and he was refusing to get on. We spent about an hour and a half working on backing up , walking forward, listening to ground commands and finally on and off the trailer. I never put the but bar up. Yesterday, he jumped right on for his dinner, and I backed him off and loaded him about 10 times. I never put the but bar up though.
This morning we were planning on going to a show. I got everything ready the night before so he would not expect anything. He was turned out (as usual) so nothing out of the ordinary other than seeing me at 5 AM ( I usually feed at 8.) I don't even wrap him in the trailer anymore because he would always get really anxious when I started wrapping him, knowing that he's going somewhere.
This morning I loaded him, backed him off, loaded him again and as soon as he felt the but bar he backed right off then refused to get back on. It was a half hour of on and off, try to get the but bar up. Finally we did and stupid me had turned the truck battery on to power the trailer lights and the battery was dead. He threw a fit in the trailer, now that he was stuck and we weren't going anywhere. So I unloaded him, cancelled the show and jump started my truck!
Any suggestions on getting him to load better and stop backing up when he feels the but bar? It's getting really frustrating!
Thank you!