Training Goals:
- Load Consistently
- Gain confidence in trailer
Flicka was here in 2020 for training to address several behavioral issues. We worked some on trailering then, but that wasn't the focus. Read about her previous training, here. Her owner was not able to get her into the trailer, so instead he rode her 25 miles (!) to get her to me. It was quite the surprise when he showed up on horseback. It took him about 8 hours, but he frequently stopped to let her rest. Talk about dedication!
Her owner has been very happy with the improvements that were made in her behavior last her and many of the issues we worked on previously are no longer a problem. One of her biggest issues was getting her feet trimmed, as she would rear, strike, and kick while the farrier was trying to trim her feet. Since coming for training last year, she now stands nicely for the farrier. Her owner told me that his farrier said, "she was like a new horse" and that sending her to training had been "money well spent". So great to hear!
She is very nervous about the trailer, which presents in aggressive behaviors. She may bite or strike. And rears frequently. Her owner has had her since she was a year old and since she never left the home property she never really learned how to trailer. Because of her trailer anxiety, it was important to build her confidence by making the trailer a positive experience and reward her for steps in the right direction.
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| 3 feet in...small steps forward |
Rearing: This was her automatic response to halter pressure. If she decided to rear instead of stepping forward, I would simply send her out in a small circle, continually moving her forward for a few minutes before applying halter pressure again. This reduced the rearing response considerably.
Biting: A natural consequence works best when it comes to biting, but it does require recognizing the behavior is coming before it happens. When she would go to bite, I would bump her nose with my elbow. This makes most horses think that they are somehow doing it to themselves and eliminates the behavior over time.
Backing up instead of going forward: This was another very common response for her. If she wanted to back up instead of moving forward with me, I had her back up until I ran out of room to back her up. Some days it felt like we did more steps backwards than forwards! This is another example of a natural consequence. Backing up is much harder work than walking forward and they soon decide it is less effort just to walk forward when asked.
Day 1: Led into trailer up to back legs. She had all four feet in briefly before backing out. More pressure on the lead only causes her to back away. Worked on asking her to step forward by tapping her hindquarters with the whip but that gets her riled up pretty quickly (i.e.: rearing).
Day 2: She had quite a bit of attitude (pinning ears and biting) when I when to catch her. Led into the trailer up to her back legs and was relaxed about that but got very worked up (backing out and rearing) when asked for more.
Day 3: She was more willing to get in the trailer halfway. She only reared a few times when I brought the whip out to ask her to step forward. She briefly had all four feet in one time while using the whip (as an extension of my arm only) to tap her forward.
Day 4: Today we were able to get all four feet in the trailer several times! Sometimes while using the whip and once or twice of her own decision. She backs out quickly and is very worked up once she is out, even after the times she went in on her own. Only reared a few times.
Day 5: A bit on the ornery side today. More resistant to leading into the trailer but got all four feet in a couple of times with the help of the whip behind. I backed her up when she backed without me asking and lunged her when she refused to go forward.
Day 6: Success pretty quickly today so the lesson was short! She led all the way into the trailer on the 3rd attempt and didn't immediately back out. Stood nibbling on the snacks for about a minute until I asked her to back out. Ended on a good note!
Day 7: She led all the way in 3-4 times. No rearing! She stood and nibbled on the snacks for a bit. I backed her up 50+ feet when she backed out without me asking her to first.
Day 8: No rearing! She led all the way in several times and ate inside until I backed her out. She even loaded all the way with me standing outside the trailer.
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| Positive Reinforcement- Food Rewards |
Day 9: She went in every time at first...until I started trying to walk behind her. She got nervous and started refusing to go in and rearing when asked to lead in.
Day 10: She led into trailer and stayed every time until I started walking behind her. Only refused to load once but backed out as soon as I walked behind her. She was in far enough that I could have closed the butt bar.
Day 11: She led into trailer almost every time. I walked behind her a dozen times and she backed out every time. Tried to cue her forward with a crop when she started backing out but that didn't deter her and then she was hesitant to get back in.
Day 12: I was finally able to walk behind her without her backing out! Repeated that exercise several times. To start to get her comfortable with the noise of the doors moving, I worked on closing the opposite rear door. She backed out the first few times but got comfortable with it. She kept her eye on me... she was definitely suspicious!
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| Stretching as far as possible to keep the hind feet out! |
Day 13: I was able to close the door behind her. When she backed up and felt the door, she panicked pretty hard and was pushing super hard against the door. She actually pushed the rubber mat up under herself. She wasn’t real interested in getting back in after that, although I was able to get all feet back in eventually.
Day 14: She would lead all the way in most of the time but was quick to back out. Sometimes progress is one step forward, two steps back.
Day 15: Owner here today. She was pretty suspicious and did not want to get in the trailer with him standing nearby. I showed him what to do and he worked with her while I rode another horse. After I was finished, we worked together. I used the whip to keep her from backing out and closed the door. She was nervous, but stayed relatively calm with her owner in the trailer with her. After about a minute, I opened the door and he backed her out.
Day 16: Owner worked with her again today. She would lead all the way in but would back out if he tried to walk behind her to close the door. She got much more agitated when using the whip to cue her forward but we did close the door twice and she stood quietly for a few minutes.
Day 17: Owner here again. She got in for him most of the time and we were able to close the door 3 times. She seemed more relaxed and I did not have to use the whip to cue her forward once I started closing the door. The last time she did back into the door as I was opening it and forced it open. She was a little on edge after that so I stood out of sight alongside the trailer until she was in and then walked behind to close the door. Also worked on her stepping forward from the whip away from the trailer.
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| Building her confidence |
Day 18: Now that she is loading all the way in consistently when I lead her, it is time to start working on her loading on her own. To ask her to load, I lead her towards the trailer with the rope over her neck. When we reach the back of the trailer, I remain outside and ask her to continue forward and step in. She was very uncomfortable with this at first and would crowd into my space instead of going forward into the trailer. Eventually I was able to get her to load by herself and she did so several times.
Day 19: Loaded from back much better today. Swung door closed (not latched) a few times, walked away from trailer with the door open and she did not back out!
Day 20: She loaded from behind for the most part but got a bit stuck at one point and didn’t want to go in unless I led her in. Swung the door closed a few times but she was a little eager to back out with that.
Day 21: Her owner brought his other horse over today to practice loading with both of them. We had thought that she would be eager to see her buddy and be more relaxed in the trailer, but it really had the opposite effect. She was more nervous from the beginning and much more aggressive towards whoever was asking her to load. Lots of refusals and rearing.
Day 22: Much more relaxed today and loaded for her owner most of the time. He was able to load her from the back and swing the door closed many times. Was able to latch the door and took her for a 15 min ride. She was sweaty upon return but rode quietly. Excellent day!
Day 22: Much more relaxed today and loaded for her owner most of the time. He was able to load her from the back and swing the door closed many times. Was able to latch the door and took her for a 15 min ride. She was sweaty upon return but rode quietly. Excellent day!
Day 23: She loaded into trailer every time. I was able to swing the door closed several times but sometimes backed out.
Day 24: Loaded well and was better with the door.
Day 25: She started out a little nervous but settled into loading well and was pretty good with door. Held it closed for a couple of minutes.
Day 26: She loaded well, I closed the door, she sat quietly for a few minutes, did not back into the door, AND stayed in once I opened door!
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| Success! |
Day 27: Owner here today. He loaded her up and took her for a ride. She sat quietly for awhile once they returned. After unloading, he asked her to reload. She got back in but was a little quick to back out. After a few minutes of working with her, she did not back out until she was asked to.
Day 28: Moved the trailer to a new location to help Flicka learn to be comfortable in different loading locations. She was more nervous and distracted but she did load on the 3rd attempt, although she quickly backed out. After a few times, she relaxed and stayed in the trailer.
Day 29: She loaded after a few tries and I closed door. She did not try to back up until I walked towards the back of the trailer to open the door. She was a little quick to back out afterwards so reloaded her several times until she stayed put.
Day 30: She loaded after a few tries and was quick to back out first couple times. Once she was staying put, I closed the door. She sat nicely until I opened the door, then backed out before asking. She was quick to back out the next few times, so I reloaded her until she stayed.
Day 31: Loaded right away and closed door. Rewarded her by ending the session.
Day 32: She loaded on the 3rd ask and I shut the door. Stayed in once I opened door. Owner had planned to pick her up today but he was unexpectedly hospitalized.
Day 33: She wouldn’t load in until I led her in. I shut the door and she backed into it a couple times until she settled down. She stayed in when I opened door.
Day 34: I led her in once, backed her out, and then asked her to load. I closed the door and she stayed in when I opened door after a few minutes.
Day 35: Moved the trailer onto the driveway. She was more nervous and only would lead halfway in for the first few attempts. Then, she would lead all the way in but would back out quickly. Finally, she led all the way in and stayed. I backed her out, asked her to reload and closed the door. She backed out fairly quickly when I opened door so I reloaded her until she stayed put.
Day 36: Flicka loaded great today! Until...she had a moment of panic and managed to fall down in the trailer. Picture a good-sized horse in a small two-horse trailer. She is sort of laying on her side so her legs are out underneath the divider instead of underneath her body. She, of course, is frantically trying to stand back up and with the speed of her motions she is not able to get traction. For a moment, I wasn't sure what I was going to do...when she was finally (it felt like a long time but it was probably less than a minute 😆) able to get back up. Needless to say, she was not too keen on getting back in the trailer after that! It took me quite awhile to get her to lead back into the trailer with all four feet. She was scheduled to go home tomorrow, so this was very unfortunate!
Day 37: I came down with something last night that has me pretty laid up in bed. Fortunately, I have been working with her owner on loading Flicka, so he was able to get her loaded by himself. I was a little worried that he wouldn't be able to do it since she had the bad experience yesterday, but he got the job done!
Flicka made a lot of progress in the time that she was here. She still has some hesitancy with the trailer, especially when it is not in a familiar place, but her anxiety about it has improved immensely. With continued patience and consistency, I have no doubt that Flicka will soon be loading as well as she stands for the farrier!
In training July 6- August 27, 2021
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