Loading stress is one of the most common behaviour problems reported by horse owners and causes significant animal welfare problems. Systematic desensitisation and positive reinforcement training transform the loading experience.
Loading trauma is a welfare problem with a training solution. Horses that have experienced forced loading develop strong avoidance associations that worsen over time; each forced loading episode deepens the fear response. Early intervention with systematic counter-conditioning - building a positive loading history step by step using food rewards and patient approach - addresses the root cause rather than suppressing the symptom. Veterinary assessment should rule out pain (back, mouth, limb) that makes loading painful before assuming the problem is purely behavioural.