Re: RC: loading

["Kristene Smuts" <Ksmuts@sarcc.co.za>]

>>Most important thing most people do wrong while
loading is they pull on the horse's head.  The horse moves away from
pressure.  Just keep the nose pointed straight ahead, and keep slightly
hitching up that rump rope. >>

I unwittingly then used this method on another horse some time ago.  He didn't have any fear issues or anything like that, but what did happen was that he was HUGE and wouldn't line up straight, with the consequence that he would hit his shoulder on the divider then back out again, thinking that he couldn't fit.  I used a variation on your method with a lunge reign tied to one side of the box - I was alone - and all I did was started with the reign sort of just under his hocks.  He took a few steps like that, then stopped, swung his backside out and I used the reign to straighten him again and then started with the reign at his hocks and I got him loaded eventually.  He never would straighten himself out properly but did get better after seeing that he did actually fit and the few subsequent times that I had to load him, I had to have the reign on standby, just in case.

I also agree with you that people inadvertently stop the horse from loading by pulling him back on the halter.  Same argument as the body language - expecting the horse NOT to load, so he won't.  But that's a whole different discussion.