If your horse won’t load, chances are you’ve tried everything from lunge lines to buckets of feed. Horse whisperer Kelly Marks, has some great advice on how to understand what the problem is and how to fix it. You can watch Kelly’s advice in Top Marks, available now on demand on H&C.
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Tackling nerves
- Know thyself – before you can understand your horse, you have to understand how you’re feeling. So be honest: are you anxious? By becoming more self-aware you can ensure you have a plan in place to get yourself in the right state of mind. If you feel yourself getting anxious, take slow, deep breaths to bring your pulse rate down. This will give positive vibes to your horse, which will help him gain confidence.
- Know your horse – You need to know if your horse is feeling frightened, worried or distracted. If he’s not relaxed, he is more likely to lean into any pressure you apply when trying to load him, rather than away from it. If this happens, do some groundwork exercises to get him relaxed. You can then gradually move closer to the lorry before attempting to load him again.
Listen to your horse
- Mixed messages – some horses respond better to requests to move forward with the handler in front of them, while others work better with someone behind them. If you feel your horse is relaxed, but oblivious to what’s being asked, be flexible in your approach.
- Patience is a virtue – if you have given a request, but your horse seems to stubbornly ignore you, it is likely he hasn’t been given time to process the information. Think how you feel if you’re just about to do something and someone tells you to do it again – resistant! So ask once clearly and wait for a response.
- Confidence booster – which part of the loading does your horse find most difficult? Going on the ramp? Dropping his head to avoid the low ceiling? Turning once he is inside? There are many things you can do with your horse to improve his confidence and gain his trust, without going near a horsebox or trailer. Groundwork with poles can help you gain more control, ensuring you can ask your horse to calmly step forwards, backwards and sideways.
Consider his comfort
- Love his lorry – when your horse is in his horsebox or trailer is it a pleasant place to be? Is it light and airy? Is the trailer breast bar padded, so it won’t dig into his chest when you brake? Carry out regular checks to make sure the environment is comfortable and safe for your horse.
- Dodgy driving – this is probably the most common cause of loading problems. If a horse has a bad experience when travelling you can’t blame him for not wanting to get back in. Drive with extreme care and take lessons if you’re not confident. It’s also a good idea to get a camera to see how your horse is travelling.
You can get more great advice from Kelly Marks on Horse & Country. Top Marks sees Kelly tackle a variety of topics, from napping and loading, to hunting and showing.
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