trailer loading and unloading

["jsalas" <jsalas@tampabay.rr.com>]

I was at a clinic for two weeks with Chris Cox and we practiced loading and unloading. I always let my horses turn around and back out until he asked me what if I have to put my horse in a strait load? They have to back out of that. So we first made sure our horses understood backing on the ground. Then we entered and exited the stalls like we would a trailer, making them back out the door or out the round pen gait. Quietly. Then we would back them one foot at a time. So when the time came to back out of the trailer, when that first foot hit the ground, we could say "whoa" let the horse stand with 3 feet in the trailer and then they would quietly put down another back foot and then the front end. The first time around would be rushed, the second time, less panicked and less rushed and by the third time, it was a piece of cake. Chris says to make the right thing easy and the wrong thing hard and reward the slightest try. Whips and ropes don't cut it for loading or unloading and neither does an angry, in a hurry handler. While we accomplished this in one day, we did have a professional with us. At home, it may take a whole lot longer. That's ok. P.S. Odd Todd never had any problem backing out of a trailer, even if he was up front. He just wouldn't get in. Hmm, that's odd! Lisa Salas. The Odd FArm