Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

Parelli has helped me immensely with my hard headed quirky horse.

 

I had a problem with my mare (different horse) with trailer loading, yes, a combination of hard-headedness and fear.  I hired a professional trainer.   She was Level 3 Parelli, but not using the Parelli organization as an endorsement, but that made her free to use other techniques.  She used techniques that I have yet to see in any Parelli material, and she successfully was able to get my mare to load into the trailer within an hour, and I have been able to load her into the trailer ever since.

 

However, all my horses load into my slant load by being lead in, including the mare that I had the trainer fix trailer loading for me.  It took more than one Parelli clinic before my quirky gelding would be "sent into" the trailer Parelli fashion.  One  Parelli instructor said it was just plain too much pressure for him to go in by being sent in and to build him up to it slower, and the other trainer tried applying pressure to send him in as if he's a quarter horse and he blew up.    She couldn't believe that I was able to load the horse at all, and I said I just walk him in.

 

To be able to load a horse Parelli style would be ideal, but be prepared to do a lot of ground work first and don't rush it.  Sounds like you already have some stuff to "undo."  I rushed my quirky gelding, and it probably took longer for him to trust the "sending in" process than if I didn't rush it.  Or hire a good professional.

 

K.

 

 

On Sat, Oct 18, 2008 at 4:21 PM, Gerald Williams <ctghw@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Research Pat Parelli.

 

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From: ridecamp-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:ridecamp-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Michelle Aquilino
Sent: Saturday, October 18, 2008 4:14 PM
To: ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [RC] Hard Headed Horses

 

I did a search on ridecamp to try to find anyone who has experience with hard headed horses, but then decided to just send an email to the whole group, and see what sort of responses I get.  I have a mare who I have gradually fallen completely in love with, despite multiple attempts at selling her.  She is great to ride (not perfect, as she is young and can SOMEtimes be spooky, but she is pretty solid and trustworthy, and I always feel safe riding her alone).  But she is strong, smart, and hard headed, and I am relatively timid.  I have built up some confidence through some training with the two of us, but when it comes to trailer loading even the trainer couldn't get her to load when she didn't want to.  I know that it's not a fear of the trailer, as she'll walk right on if she wants to, no questions asked.  But if she doesn't want to, there's no getting her in, and she only gets worse with more pressure and any of those techniques that most people recommend (butt rope, for example).  I can't figure out anything that works for her, and feel like with the way she is, even if we get to the point where she'll load, I know she'll test that requirement at several points along the road together, as I know she knows full well that she'll win a tug-of-war contest hands down.  It's not a fear thing, so it doesn't seem like the "desensitizing" needs to be done.  It's more of an "I don't want to, and even if I get on, I'm not going to stay on if you get near that door".  She's a great hauler though, is really quiet on the road, and unloads beautifully, which makes it all even more confusing to me.  I don't know, but I am hoping to get some ideas, so that maybe I can keep her =)  Thanks!  -Michelle

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"Don't breed or buy while shelter animals die"