India is probably one of the most reactive horses I have ever worked with on loading. Normally a very good girl, she was desperately worried about going on a trailer and when I first met her didn't want to go anywhere near one. Her owner and I had a beautiful experience with her today where she worked with us every step of the way. Of course reactive also means responsive and so when we asked her to take half a step back in the trailer, she did exactly that. In the top picture I am encouraging her to relax with a person at her back end by scratching her dock. Next, I used pipe insulation as a mock back bar to see how she was likely to react to the real thing. If she had backed off, at least she wouldn't have got banged with the bar or caught it between her legs. Next we used the real thing and she was fine. Finally we started to unload her out of the front ramp and she was so calm. I think her owner's delighted smile says it all.
"Thank you again for all your hard work and getting us to this point! It went like a dream today :-)" MW
E-mail 24.9.10: "Fantastic news! India loaded / unloaded like a dream! :-) :-) She was perfect, absoutely no question. I want to tell the world!" MW
E-mail 24.9.10: "Fantastic news! India loaded / unloaded like a dream! :-) :-) She was perfect, absoutely no question. I want to tell the world!" MW
