I have had to pick up horses for the SPCA without
any knowledge of the animal's loading experience, or lack of. I have a roomy 3
horse Featherlite and have always been a "safe horse hauler driver", even when I
don't have my trailer hooked up. Food has worked for many of these horses
as they are pretty darn hungry when I go to confiscate them. I have had a few
that really wanted to get in, but just were not sure. Those horses I just
"waited" out because they usually didn't have the strength to fight anyway, let
alone lounge or have any kind of a training session. I have yet to pick up
a horse that didn't get in the trailer eventually. It is just a matter of
waiting until THEY are ready.
However, my OWN horses are a different story.
Actually, they all load like pros now. I think a lot of that just comes with
experience. Lots of traveling.
There was a time when my mare didn't want to get
back in the trailer to go home after a ride. I don't know why. We were done and
it was getting very hot. I begged, I pleaded, I screamed and I pulled out the
whip. No way, Jose. So, I left her there. As I pulled out onto the road she
was screaming and running around the round pen. I waved good-bye. "Bye-bye you
stubborn &%$@!".
I drove around the block which took about 8 minutes
or so. When pulled back up to the trails she was dripping with sweat and
nickering so sweetly. Awww. I pulled the trailer around, opened the door
and then opened the gate to the round pen. I didn't even get a chance to put the
lead rope on. She ran past me and jumped in the trailer, looking at me like,
"Come on, what are you waiting for? Let's GO!". Go figure.
Never had a problem after that. This is a training
technique unique to the Odd fArm ;)
