Last week our friend, Harlow, from the Post Farm brought a horse trailer down to us so that we could start the tricky business of helping Babycakes learn how to get on that tiny, dark, closed-in, very claustrophobic trailer...all the things that horses don't like at all....to take her to her new horse friends...and lots of nice grass...all things that horses DO like....over on our land.
The last time she was on a trailer was when she was originally delivered to us...in the rain and hail storm...but only 1 mile down the road...that began a rearing problem. She hasn't reared with us in over a year or more. However, she hasn't been forced into a tiny, dark, claustrophobic trailer either. So, yeah, I was very nervous...to say the least. My friend Heather's great advice was to just park the trailer in her pasture and put some grain or clover in there that she loves to munch on...and just see if she'd load into it to get to that yummy food! So that's we did....
After the trailer had been in her pasture for a day, we decided to give her a go. For the initial round, we put the clover up in the front...she has her halter on with a long lead line so that if she wants to back up she can easily. Right now I'm just talking to her and sort of coaxing her inside to have a look around...
Good girl!! She's really far in with her front legs...but still doesn't want to climb all the way in...but this is great! She just stepped right in...
Now she's just backing up. This is really great, too! She didn't freak out or panic inside once she wanted to get out. She just slowly eased her way back out again....
Of course we're talking to her the whole time...telling her how wonderful she is and giving her lots of pats and love....
We let her sniff the trailer for a few more minutes then brought her around for the other side....
We put some grain up at the front now to see if she'll go ahead and put her back feet in as well...
And she did it!! Thank you, Lord! No bucking, balking, or rearing up...she's just standing there munching away....and getting LOTS of praise!! She's such a brave little girl!
She stayed in the trailer for several minutes...and I let her just sniff or move around where she wanted to move...
She decided to exit head first this time...the trailer rocked some...and she suddenly went flying out of there...
I quickly dropped the rope and just let her run. She collected herself...and then came back over to check things out again...
We gave her a break for 20 minutes or so...and I took her halter and lead rope off. When I noticed her curiosity up again, I went back out to try another round...
She still had some grain up in the front of the trailer...that I knew she would want to get to eventually...and sure enough...she did! Here comes one foot...
And here comes the second foot...
And yes! She's all in again! What a great girl you are, Babycakes!! I told you she'll do anything for food! This time around we also stabilized the back of the trailer better so that it didn't rock back so much and felt much firmer to her as she stepped in and around. We put a couple of tires with a wide flat board across the top of the tires underneath the back end of the trailer...this did the trick...and she was much more confident. She put her front hoof on the tire first to feel it...then she stepped on up into the trailer...
On Sat. we loaded her up for good...to make her 20 mile trek in the trailer. Heather came over to help me get through the final stages of actually closing her into the trailer, tying her up, and locking the doors behind her. She was totally unphased about being shut in there. We didn't tie her at first and she turned all the way around and stuck her head out over the doors. My heart was in my throat...but she was like..."What's the big deal?? Where's that nice yummy grain again??"
She thumped around a bit as the trailer was leaving. They stopped at the Posts to pick up the van and she nickered a couple of times. But she was still fairly calm...and settled right down when they petted her. Harlow also had to stop in Newport to get gas, but she was fine there, too. Heather gave her a little more grain and although she was nervous, she was still standing calmly. Harlow climbed in with her to adjust her rope and was amazed at how well she was doing for having essentially never been hauled. When we finally got over to our land, she didn't bolt out of the trailer. She turned around and came out nice and slow...and was ALL excited to see those two new horses, Babe and Reno!
We went for a trail ride again earlier this week and plan to start bringing Babycakes along very soon. She's doing really well! We're very proud of our little pony!! : D