Alpine, who started his ridden life with a seriously abusive
trainer, and has issues as a result of that, does NOT like to back out of any
trailer. He will if I insist, but the trailer I have access to is a 3
horse slant stock trailer. He can turn around and safely and easily walk
out of it. He also won’t get into small trailers, and has
serious issues with step ups. It’s something that we work on
constantly.
My horse will load into anything, if I get out the lunge
whip and hold it. However, due to his extreme fear of whips, I’m
not willing to torture my horse by doing that. So I humor him. He
gets to travel in the stock trailer, with a ramp, and he can walk out frontways
if he wishes. And for those who tell me to go back to the beginning and
retrain, that he can get over his fear of the whip, it ain’t happening.
It’s been done. Again, and again, and again. 8 years later,
he still trembles and sweats if someone shakes a lunge whip at him. I can now
carry a riding crop while riding, and even swat spiderwebs. But it took
me 8 years to do it…..
Juli and the Herd
Alpine (I will NOT get in the horse eating box. I like the
bright, open trailer)
Merlin (I load in anything. To be honest, Mom has to
drag me out of the trailer is she brings one in the pasture)
