Today's trailer session with Cibolo went fairly well. He's not an easy loader (he has a bit of an excuse, he's six and his former trailer was much larger), so I want to work on this every day. We don't finish our day unless he loads in the trailer.
Same with Lily.
I got a jump start on the process with our trainer. I was getting Cibolo in the trailer, but not keeping him there long enough to get the butt bar on. But with the trainer at his tail and me at his head, we got it done.
Then we tried to load Lily next to him.
Yeah. Well, let's just say it's a work in progress. We did get her in. I bet she was in for a full second. Maybe two. I think I'll be on horse time with that one.
The trainer will be gone for 10 days and I plan on doing a one at a time loading every day I'm out there this week. The plan is to go on a trail ride this weekend, but it depends on how I progress. I know I can, eventually, get one horse in. But two? I may have to make two trips! LOL
Frankly I'm wishing I had a big roomy stock trailer. Somehow those seem easier. But this is a very nice trailer and I just need to work through it.
I took Bo out for our first mini trail ride. He has no shoes yet - the farrier had an encounter with a cutting horse and had to take the day off - so I limited my ride to a very grassy area. He did great going out on our own. Curious, willing, owwing in a few rocky spots. I rode in Sierra's saddle.
We weren't out long - we had already worked in the arena first and I did a short canter. The round pen is moved now, so I plan on doing more work there for both me and Bo. I gain a lot of confidence in a round pen, I'm not sure why.
Speaking of the arena, I set up the camera for a few pictures. We were terribly back lit, I don't know what I was thinking. But a funny thing happened. As I was waiting for the camera to click, he turned his head into me.
I reached over and held him and we both enjoyed the moment. The photos aren't very good, but the experience was... something else.
8 comments:
Good for you! I think we were sharing the same sunset, and it was a good one, because I had a great ride on Woody this evening also.
Anytime you want to borrow my stock trailer, just let me know. They DO load easier in one of those than the slant loads. And I bought extra blocker tie rings this weekend JUST for the trailer.
And my stock trailer could just be a temporary fix, just to get you to the trail ride. You could use horse time to get around to slant loading perfection.
TR: I think I'll take you up on that. I'd like to get my horses over there for a visit, but don't think I can get them both in at once! Maybe Wed?
I love the hug pictures - how lovely!
Good luck with the trailer loading practice!
Sounds good! I had a horse who would not go in a trailer without a bit of ambience. Ambience, in his case, was a bunch of other horse's poop. If someone else's poop was already there, it must be OK for horses.
Ambience! LOL
Awwwww....your new Cibolo loves you already. Isn't true connection a nice thing??? :)
beautiful!
°lytha in germany
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