More stand lessons [Here We Stand 2013, Rodney Lately 2017]. This time, we are standing near/in the trailer.
Since the incident [Dubious Future], Rodney gets goofy when he leaves the pasture. When I went to get him for the farrier, he refused to leave the field. He broke his ground tie while I unchained the gate – he never does this – and ran to the far end of the pasture. When I hauled him back up, he would stop every 50 feet, ‘Don’t wanna.’ Walk. Pause. ‘Ain’t gonna.’ Walk. Pause. He thought he was headed for the trailer. Once out, he kept staring over his shoulder. Trying to keep his eye on the hideous white box?
First remedial session: No. Not hysteria, just no. Got on with inducement in the form of showing him the buggy whip. Second remedial session: no inducement, front feet on. Third (or maybe the fourth? I’ve lost count.) remedial session: stood on trailer eating hay. Backed off. Got on. Stood on trailer eating hay. Backed off. And so on.
In the Department of Silver Linings, it’s nice to be doing something I’m good at. Riding? Show nerves? No idea what happens inside my own head. Teaching a horse to be a happy-loading pony? I got this.
Update, another post about this session [In Chains].
Thank you for reading,
Katherine Walcott
Virtual Brush Box 