# Making A Ramp More Inviting



## BornToRun (Sep 18, 2011)

My mare hasn't been loaded in a couple years, and seems to have forgotten what it's all about. When we first got her, she loaded without a problem, but now that we have our own trailer, she won't get on it. She's fine once she actually gets in it, she'll stand still and seems content, but it's getting onto the ramp that's the hard part. I've tried to bribe her in with treats and her grain, but it's a no go. We've had to blind fold her and back the trailer up to the door of the barn, so she has no choice but to in. But I'd like for her to be able to just get on, is there a way to make the ramp more inviting so that she'll step onto it?


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## usandpets (Jan 1, 2011)

Unless there was trauma or a bad experience last time she was loaded, she's not afraid or forgotten how to load. She has learned that you don't mean what you ask of her. You won't make her. 

Don't give up on her if she doesn't do what you ask of her. Unless she gets to the point she is frustrated or her safety is compromised. Make the outside of the trailer uncomfortable and the inside comfortable. That doesn't mean to bribe her in with food. Work her outside and let her rest inside. There are many threads that go into detail how to do this or check out Clinton Anderson.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## PaintHorseMares (Apr 19, 2008)

No bribes, confidently walk into the trailer just like you're leading on the ground, and a straw broom swat on the butt if she stops. In my experience, the longer you give a horse to think about it, the harder it is.
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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

Put a knotted halter on her and get a dressage whip or riding crop. Walk her to the trailer as tho you're going in too. Don't look at her and keep your shoulders square. When she stops, tap the shoulder of the leading hoof, then the other continuously as you back her up until she wants to stop, and go a few more steps. Don't punish with the halter. Now turn and walk to the trailer again. Continue going forward and backing but allowing her to rest when only the fronts are on the ramp. Rub her forehead, face into the trailer and ask for another step. If she pulls away, repeat the exercise. What you are doing is making outside the trailer unpleasant. Backing up is hard work because horses are designed to move foreward. That is why it is effective. Take the time it takes. If you run out of time be sure to quit only when her hooves are on the ramp and you back her off. It's not her choice.


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## BornToRun (Sep 18, 2011)

usandpets said:


> Unless there was trauma or a bad experience last time she was loaded, she's not afraid or forgotten how to load. She has learned that you don't mean what you ask of her. You won't make her. _Posted via Mobile Device_


There has been no trauma, and I do make her, because she gets in the trailer one way.


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## PaintHorseMares (Apr 19, 2008)

BornToRun said:


> There has been no trauma, and I do make her, because she gets in the trailer one way.


What does "...one way" mean?
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## BornToRun (Sep 18, 2011)

PaintHorseMares said:


> What does "...one way" mean?
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


She eventually gets in the trailer


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## Viranh (Apr 7, 2013)

My mare really hates the ramp on my new trailer too. She tries to go around it and step up on to the trailer, or refuses to load at all. I have taken to walking her on as far as she will go, then tying her lead rope to a plastic safety ring in the trailer. Then I put food and water on the trailer and sit down in a lawn chair and wait. It took a while the first time, but she finally loaded. It has taken less time each try, and now she is loading without a problem. You have to do this when you're not in a hurry to go anywhere. The first couple times I just let her eat and unloaded her. You could use a whip to load her, but I've found that with some horses, this makes them hate the trailer more. I guess it depends on why she doesn't want to load. If it's just a respect issue, using a whip would probably work. If it's fear, that could make the trailer more of a bad place to her.


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## PaintHorseMares (Apr 19, 2008)

BornToRun said:


> She eventually gets in the trailer


Ok. Do you load her by yourself or do you have help?
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## BornToRun (Sep 18, 2011)

PaintHorseMares said:


> Ok. Do you load her by yourself or do you have help?
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


My dad usually stays to help, because she tries to step around the ramp, so he stands off to the sides and blocks


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## usandpets (Jan 1, 2011)

So the trailer you used before didn't have a ramp? Is your trailer smaller or have a divider and the other didn't?
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## BornToRun (Sep 18, 2011)

The trailer we used before did have a ramp, but it was a bigger trailer and was wider inside


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## usandpets (Jan 1, 2011)

The size of the trailer shouldn't matter if the horse is trained well to load but for other horses it does matter. They are claustrophobic. They don't like small or dark places. The ramp is not the issue. It is the trailer that is keeping her from going on the ramp. 

IMO, you are going to have to retrain her to load and practice loading until she accepts the trailer. There are several ways, as mentioned before, how to do it. Tapping her on the butt and reward for forward movement. Or working her outside and letting her rest inside.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

Most horses don't like the hollow sound when stepping onto a ramp, same with a small bridge. In part, this is what you are getting the horse used to. If you decide to try self loading with feed, be sure the trailer is either on the tow vehicle or well blocked. I set blocking behind the rear wheels and under the front corners. It is rock solid then. The last thing needed is to have the trailer tip forward.


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## PDGx (Mar 24, 2013)

Had that problem with our gelding last year and had to call our trainer over to assist.
His theory is you need to make it easier to go into the trailer than to resist. What he did was tighten the halter as tight as possible so it is snug behind the ears. Then use a log enough lead rope that you can have secure footing at the top of the ramp, and loop the rope around your butt so you are facing the horse, one hand on the rope each side of you. Then lean backwards to apply a steady and firm pull on the lead rope. Continue with it until at least one step is taken onto the ramp. Then let pressure off, letting the horse relax but not back up. After a few seconds, again apply steady and firm pressure until the next step is taken. Repeat until you have entered the trailer. It takes a bit of time, but after successfully loading a couple times, just tightening the halter and walking in with a firm lead rope usually works. If it happens again, just step back, tighten the halter and apply pressure as before. By relaxing pressure after a step is taken, you reward the horse for progress made, then continue again. After successfully loading, don't forget to loosen the halter for the trip. 
You just need to find a process that works for your horse, so of one suggestion doesn't work, try another. 
Our gelding is a Big boy, and it convinced him that entering is easier than putting up with the steady pressure behind the ears. Good luck !
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## churumbeque (Dec 20, 2009)

If you want to make your ramp more inviting you could put out a welcome mat. LOL


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## NorthernMama (Mar 12, 2008)

If you can get her in the trailer already, then make the trailer a happy place. Feed her in the trailer every day for a couple of weeks (longer if necessary). Periodically put her in the trailer, spend a bit of time in there with her, praise/treats/whatever. 

My horse had two trailer traumas and I got her past both of them this way. The worst was last summer (I think). We were 25 km from home and there was NO WAY she was getting in that trailer. After 2 hours of trying, she won and I rode her home instead.

Now, she is fine again. So good that last time I unloaded her at home, put her in the field and was washing out the trailer in the field as well. She was lonely so she came in the trailer with me while I was washing it out! LOL


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## ~*~anebel~*~ (Aug 21, 2008)

I think a lot of people teach their horses to have loading issues by not having enough patience.
Under saddle, when teaching a horse to do a sidepass, or something, in the beginning we are really happy with a few kind of half sideways steps. Why is it then we get the horse to the trailer and are very happy to vigorously lunge them, beat them with whips, brooms and sticks, and put a rope behind their butts basically immediately to make them get on... Makes no sense to me.

It may be a respect thing, but I doubt it. Trailers are legitimately scary to horses. Just come up to the trailer and expect only that she will stand still facing the trailer. Don't let her go sideways at all, just be happy that she will stand there. Encourage her to go forward and praise forward steps. Eventually, with patience, she will understand what you want and the trailer and loading will become a happy thing.
For reference, my horses self load, including my horse who was in a trailering accident. This is how I taught them to load (or, re taught). Legitimately scared horses do sometimes need some drastic measures to get them loaded again, but this is the most basic thing to do. Just be patient, but firm and consistent, like anything else with horses.


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## BornToRun (Sep 18, 2011)

How can I keep her from going sideways, and how should I correct her when she does?


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## ~*~anebel~*~ (Aug 21, 2008)

Just reposition her where you want her. Same way you would do it anywhere else. Just ask her to stand.
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