STOCKYARD
HORSE  DISCUSSION FORUMS

astraia

Is the horse sensitive when you apply pressure around his rump away from the float? Is he comfortable having a rope rest around his hindquartes? If not then I would also work on that so that he is comfortable with pressure around his backend away from the float.

I have also had a horse who would rush out backwards (luckily only when asked to go back) and hit his head on the roof. The only solution was to extend the roof. We have made the roof so tall that even when he throws his head up (he is 16hh) he still misses it and has now almost stopped doing it as he is comfortable and knows he won't get hurt.
If you don't have access to a tall float, at least put a head protector on him. But I would not do the float training on a float where he will hit his head as it will only confirm his fears.

Rikki+Sasha

I have a similar problem.
My mare will go in the float and then run back out and then to get her back on it means lots of pulling and food encouragements going on, what my instructor always says is make the wrong thing hard work and the right thing easy so like merrylegs was saying wth the one step at a time when you do it as soon as the horse does just that one little step reward and release.

I know it's a long process ad annoying but it's usually worth it.

good luck

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xxxJahar Nateehxxx

blitzen

awesome advice from ppl, especially merrylegs & sparkie. my horse is very similar on the float, it seems, as your pony. in the 21months i have owned him, he has never floated... not even when bought.

i've looked into it a bit & asked some questions and i'm pretty confident he was never abused or had an accident or anything. like someone said before, i think it represents moving home & lots of change & he's quite a sensitive horse about it. he used to truck perfectly tho.

i once got him onto an old taylor & he kicked & freaked out so much he popped the chain off & managed to exit himself! very freaky.

so over that time i've just practiced. i've also done a LOT of groundwork & he's happy to back anywhere i ask, at my pace. we also practiced the "point and shoot" - i have NO idea who's school of Nhorsemanship that came from, but it is EXTREMELY effective. my horse will move in any direction i point to, so pretty soon, rather than pulling, i was able to "point" him into the float from whereever i was. i can start 'pointing' him into it from as soon as we see it from his paddock & he'll load straight on. then lots of backing if he chooses to back rather than stay. practiced just hanging out and chilling. when he'd done it without stressing i'd get him to process it with a bit of grazing.

then slowly playing with first the bum bar and then loading up the ramp. at easter i loaded & locked him in. then let down the back & let him out. rinse/repeat. eventually locked him in and drove AROUND THE DRIVE. then let the back down. he panicked a bit & was singing out for his buddies & rushed off, but we went STRAIGHT

(edit: internet died)
back on & waited then off at my pace.

it's helped him gain confidence a lot. we haven't gone out tho. i want to do some longer trips around the block first.

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There is something about riding down the street on a prancing horse that makes you feel like something, even when you ain't a thing." Will Rogers.

Juanita, Blitzen & Beejay

mochaminx

I had a big TB that did EXACTLY same thing. He was a Perfect floater, then after one silly mistake (my oh undid the bum bar before I had him untied...he pulled back, felt tension, panicked, pulled back and hit his head) then after that he would walk straight on, but race off before we could get the bum bar done up. I agree with everyone else, get professional help, its well worth the money. I was going to call Geoff myself, but thought Id give it one try myself first, so attached a strong metal chain with a quick snap fastener to the bum bar... so that the second he was on I could QUICKLY AND INSTANTLY snap the chain onto the loop of the centre dividing bar. (my float has those annoying bum bars that are very fiddly to do up). LUCKILY for me that did the trick......as soon as he lunged back once, and realised he was indeed locked in.... he rarely tried running off again. (i kept using the chain for a few months, just in case) I only gave it a go myself because I knew him well, and had a feeling that once he realised he couldnt run off anymore he wouldnt do it. Like I said though, I do agree with everyone else in seeking professional help1 GOOD LUCK!!

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