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She's not so sure about ramps

1K views 7 replies 4 participants last post by  drafts4ever 
#1 ·
My mare has been hauled everywhere before I got her. She's been to shows, parades, trail rides, everything. However, she's only been hauled in trailers she only needed to step up into and out of. Just this past Thursday I hauled her to a park for a nice long trail ride. The trailer had a ramp and she was nervous and very unsure of this ramp. It took us a good 15 minutes of coaxing to get her in and once she was in everything was fine. Unloading her was just fine too. Loading her back in after the trail ride was another 15 minutes of coaxing.
So back at the barn after the nice lady who hauled her for me helped me get all my tack out and put away, we talked with the barn owner who has a lot of big trailers. We're going to measure her biggest one and if it's the right size we're going to practice loading and unloading with a ramp.

Do you guys have any suggestions to make this less stressful for my big girl and to show her ramps are not a scary thing. I noticed when she stepped onto the ramp she pinned her ears back when it made the regular loading noises.
 
#3 ·
Do you guys have any suggestions to make this less stressful for my big girl and to show her ramps are not a scary thing. I noticed when she stepped onto the ramp she pinned her ears back when it made the regular loading noises.
Just keep practicing..the more you do, the more comfortable she'll get. They know from the sound (just like walking over bridges), that there is nothing under there, and they are just instinctly nervous about it.
 
#5 ·
Yep just keep practicing. Most horse going from a step to a ramp have an adjustment period. We just bought a 2 horse straight haul with a ramp. It took us an hour and a half and 3 people to get Hunter in the first time. Practiced again and was a little better. Tried this weekend only one little balk and he walked right in 2 times (Gold star for Hunter). I am going to practice some more this coming weekend as Hunter is going for Hernia surgery on the 28th and we can't have him resisting loading and unloading afterwards. Keep it up!
 
#7 ·
If it only took fifteen minutes and some ear pinning for her to go I'd say you're definitely on the right track. It will take her time to learn that it's ok but she's definitely trusting you if she went on and off of it. If you do get one to try, don't push it. Ask her to put a foot on, then praise her. Then two, then praise. etc,etc. Then put her on for a few minutes feed her some treats and back her off, then put her on and repeat. Just make it a pleasant experience not associated with scary trailer rides and she will soon not even notice the ramp.
 
#8 ·
sounds good to me. It took 15 minutes to load her and the lady who hauled her for me said it wasn't bad at all but I kind of felt bad since she had to wait while Caleigh decided to come into the trailer or not. I'll bring some treats with me next time
 
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