Re: trailer tying/trailer loading

[Knaptyme@aol.com]

In a message dated 4/3/1999 4:45:58 PM Central Standard Time, 
Teddy@runningbear.com writes:

<< Have a pitchfork handy and use it...(only partly kidding)
  >>

Teddy;

I use the pitchfork for loading (not kidding)  I was having trouble loading 
Phoenix in a 2 horse straight load...he would continually back up.  An old 
Nevada cowboy told me to get a pitchfork and hold it just below the dock of 
the tail.  When he backed up, he would run into the pitchfork, which gave him 
only one option...go forward.

Now mind you, this is a plastic pitchfork...we aren't breaking any skin or 
drawing blood.  But it does seem to make him more inclined to move forward 
and into the trailer.  Generally, we only have to do this the first 4 or 5 
times we load in the spring and then he gets the idea.  Today was the 2nd 
time I've used it this spring, and he only had to back into it once.

A friend has given me some other ideas on loading...keeping sweet feed in 
there for him.  As soon as I can convince someone to spend 5 or 6 hours with 
me loading and unloading a horse, we will work with him some more.  That 
friend will have to be bribed also...maybe a steak dinner will work on them, 
because I'm sure they won't want sweet feed :-)

Diane & Phoenix (I will do (almost) anything for sweet feed)



=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net.    
Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/RideCamp   
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=