Re: RC: trailer loading--the John Lyons method-- LONG!

[Horsestwo@aol.com]

In a message dated 9/17/99 6:12:57 PM US Mountain Standard Time, 
lsn@bellsouth.net writes:

<< One question, does JL cover horses that "piaffe" in the trailer. My horse 
goes in
 easily enough, but once inside, he "piaffes" until the trailer starts moving.
 Then he stalls OK. He does not tend to do this if trailered with another 
horse.
 However, 99% of the time, he trailers alone. Also, does JL address how to 
teach a
 horse to unload from a slant load. My arab is large (15.3) and long and 
hasn't
 quite figures out how to step over before he steps out and down. >>
 
Laura;
If a horse is scrambling or piaffing in the trailer he has NOT been taught to 
calmly load and unload.  That was why I answered as I did.  I had a horse 
that would paw incessantly while in the trailer but would load fine.  He had 
been pushed into loading but once in would show just how far beyond his 
comfort level he was by pawing.  He had learned he would be whipped if he 
didn't jump right in but he was terrified.  So many people are fooled by the 
fact their horse will load so they think he doesn't have a problem...until 
the horse rears in the trailer or tries to come out of the trailer under the 
butt bar or scrambles or ................   Find out where your horse is 
comfortable in the loading sequence.  If it is just before he goes in then 
start there.  Ask the horse to load ONE foot.  If the horse tries to lunge 
into the trailer be ready to ask him to stop before that happens and back 
that foot out.  Praise and start again.  Focus on asking for one foot (that 
is the mini lesson) then both feet and so on.  Really notice when he is OK 
with something and when he is nervous.  Don't let him fly into the trailer 
because he thinks that is where he is going to get the least grief.  Once 
there he is getting nervous or he wouldn't be piaffing.  If he does jump all 
the way in while you are working on one foot, calmly put pressure on the lead 
and ask him to step out.  If he is the kind who rushes out, be safe and stay 
out of the way until he is out.  (I am assuming you can lay the lead on his 
back so he doesn't get it tangled on you or himself.  You can always grab the 
lead as he comes out that way.) Break it down until you KNOW he is 
comfortable with all the mini steps.  Even then he might be slightly nervous 
the first few times you load him all the way.  Let him stay only a short time 
before asking him to back out.  Work up to asking him to stay while you go 
through the motions of closing up without actually doing it.  You are 
teaching him to focus on whatever cue you are asking for instead of his 
nervousness.  You don't punish him for being nervous but you don't try to 
soothe him either.  You can't baby talk or pet a horse who is nervous into 
calmness.  You can teach a *conditioned response* that the horse does 100% of 
the time no matter the distraction.  THAT is soothing to the horse.  It's 
sort of a "been there, done that" reaction to the situation.  The horse is 
being asked to do something he absolutely knows how to do (step forward ONE 
step) and when he gets the right answer the pressure is off (the reward) and 
he gets praise.  That is why it is SO important to teach the *go forward* cue 
away from the trailer and then just add moving up to the trailer then one 
step in and so on.  

Good luck with your teaching and let me know how it turns out.

Melanie in AZ


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