Loading a Foal for the First Time - UPDATE

Bondama · Postby **Bondama** » Mon Nov 05, 2007 8:35 am

I'm soliciting input from all the knowledgeable folks here on tips for loading foals into a trailer when they've never loaded before. My first crop is leaving next Saturday and I don't even own a trailer, so they've never been exposed to one. They are well-handled and lead, etc. just not been around a trailer before, nor on one.

I am thinking "butt rope", but want to have tips and advice as well. Thanks! As always, I appreciate the valuable input.

Oh, and the two that are leaving are half brothers, one is 10 months old, the other is 7 months. Both are big robust (and uncut) colts.

B

madelyn · Postby **madelyn** » Mon Nov 05, 2007 8:43 am

I have loaded plenty that have never been on a trailer. Insist on a ramp. A step-up is just too big a leap mentally. If you can have three or four really calm people, it goes like a hot knife through butter. I am usually at the head, keeping the baby DEAD calm and inching the forelegs up the ramp. Two calm people at the butt, to inch up the hind legs.. MAYBE a soft rope around the butt, to pull at the end. One person in the trailer on the lead rope. My first timers ALWAYS ship in a box stall. The first experience needs to be the most positive experience possible. It sets them up for life.

Crystal · Postby **Crystal** » Mon Nov 05, 2007 8:47 am

Madelyn said it best. But 2 people ajoining arms just behind the tush works well too. A little bribary will a hand ful of grain, sometimes even a trotting start has worked for us.

cewright · Postby **cewright** » Mon Nov 05, 2007 9:17 am

I use the butt rope method. Get a long (20') cotton lunge line. Snap it on the halter then carefully loop the other end around the butt. Lots of petting and good horse, etc. Walk the foal up and down the aisle applying only light pressure to the halter followed by more firm persuasion with the butt rope. Take your time! Remember to release the pressure on both the front and the rear as long as the foal is moving forward. It usually only takes a couple trips up and down the aisle before the foal learns to follow the light pressure of the halter lead. Helps to teach them before loading day. Once they learn to lead like this they generally load without problem.

Chuck

Blue feather · Postby **Blue feather** » Mon Nov 05, 2007 12:08 pm

I agree with Madelyn. The key is CALM. In my limited experience, once they reach a high stress level, their sole intention is to get the hell away. It takes a while for them to calm down again. I've had good results with grain enticement.

Jenny · Postby **Jenny** » Mon Nov 05, 2007 2:11 pm

A Bit of Ace under the tongue won't go a miss either!

LKMote · Postby **LKMote** » Mon Nov 05, 2007 8:47 pm

we have practiced with ours by setting up a fake trailer to have them go in and out of before loading them in a real trailer. Not sure if you have time to do this. It did help with ours and they were great when they had to get in a real trailer.

Jenny · Postby **Jenny** » Mon Nov 05, 2007 9:36 pm

My old coach, used to have a trailer out in the field with them. She would put their grain in it and they could come and go as they pleased. They never had a problem getting into a trailer. I am not suggesting this at all, I really don't think it is very safe. I am just relaying the information, just food for thought. and I have nothing better to do on a Monday night after Journeyman is over. :lol:

Bondama · Postby **Bondama** » Tue Nov 13, 2007 1:09 pm

Just a quick update.....one shipper came Sunday night and it was a fiasco. I sent them packing without the animals they came for. The client found someone else who "just happened" to be in a nearby town and was able to come the next night (last night). He is a Lyons-method trainer who does hauling especially for babies, and he doesn't just do what he has to do to get them on the trailer. He actually has a training session for as long as it takes for the foal to voluntarily get into the trailer. With my 2 colts, we were outside about 3 hours.....the first 2 of those were on the yearling colt! <lol> The next hour was with the 7-month old who could see his brother in there, so it was a little easier with him. But I was so very impressed - he was not pressured by time or schedules or anything. It was all about the colts and getting into their heads, which he was quite adept at. So, now they are en route - they pulled out of my driveway at midnight, and he called me around noon from South Carolina with an update. They're fine, being perfect gentlemen, and there's no problems whatsoever - he anticipates being at the client's in WV late tonight. She will call me when they get there, no matter what time it is. We are both so excited we can't stand it!!! While I'm somewhat melancholy to see my boys go, I have found a new friend, and I will be kept updated as to their progress. I know they'll have the best of everything and do us all proud. Highly recommend this shipper, especially for your babies. It's Pride of the Fleet, talk to Phil. Also see their site at www.prideofthefleet.com.

nferro9925 · Postby **nferro9925** » Tue Nov 13, 2007 2:52 pm

I looked at their web page and its very factual and to the point.
Very nice, low key - not a lot of flash. But TONS of inforamtion.

I am glad your client found them! A stroke of luck on their part.

Good luck to the babies!

Toccet02 · Postby **Toccet02** » Tue Nov 13, 2007 4:20 pm

That's a great experience to have...and it proves a business adage I heard one:
"Do more than people expect and do it cheerfully".
Here you are, promoting them to many folks at once after they did that for you.

Bondama · Postby **Bondama** » Wed Nov 14, 2007 8:45 am

Okay, the shipper called and the boys are off the trailer and into their new barn. Yaay!!! He said they laid down in the trailer and slept for a good 4 hours in the wee hours, and were bright eyed and bushy tailed getting off the trailer about an hour ago. Very excited to see their new surroundings and meet their new owners. No "trailer lag" or blahs or other sickness at all. Whew....I can exhale.....now just waiting for the call from the client.... :roll:

robbinsapple · Postby **robbinsapple** » Thu Dec 27, 2007 5:34 am

I'm glad it went so well Bondama! When we brought our two girls home, after about 20 mins of checking out the trailer and deciding it wouldn't eat them they walked right on. lol, talk about letting out a big sigh! It's nice when you can get a good shipper, not like we ship a long way (we usually just drive ourselves) but if we do it's nice to have a shipper that's informative and keeps you updated, we've been pretty fortunate with the horses, now my husbands hunting dogs, we had a nightmare of a shipper one time. He said it would take a couple days max, (missouri to pa) and it ended up taking him 2WEEKS and he wouldn't return any calls!!!!!!!!! ANYWAY, sorry to get off point! I'm glad your boys are safe! :lol:

Des · Postby **Des** » Thu Dec 27, 2007 9:41 am

Good to hear they got home saftely. I had a very bad shipping experience a few weeks ago with my 2yr. Shipping from MD to South Carolina. The shipper had him for 22 hours standing. I was soooooooo pissed off when the farm called and told me what happened. When he got there he was wobbly legged from the dreadful trip that he had. He had to rest him for a few dats before he recovered. I called the shipping Co. and really screamed at them for allowing my horse to stand for that long. The fellow at the Farm said that he arrived in a small trailer that had no sleeping room. I was so mad and still am. Thois was supposed to be a 11 hour trip turned into 22 without releiveing the horse. And would you beleive the company had the nerve to tell me that some horses can take it. BUT thats not what I had paid for. I am keeping my eyes closely on him to see how this turns out. He was a very sound horse bore he left.