More Fun at the Trough and Trailer

Mon Mar 27, 2006

Happy to report yesterday's TERRIFYING EPISODE at the water trough (where I moved the pipe that feeds water to the trough and scared Quzqo out of his shoes, if he was wearing shoes, that is) did not leave any permanent scars. Today he drank almost readily from the trough, which had the scary PVC pipe in place (but not moving). It was filled to the brim, so he got to enjoy cool, clean, fresh water! I noticed he didn't drink as long or as deeply, so maybe, just maybe, he'd already come up for a drink earlier in the day! Hope Hope Hope!

Bob, the barn owner, looked at me like I was crazy, even after I explained the problem...not my fault the horse wants me to bend over with him to get a drink, LOL (it's true...if I straighten up, he backs off and looks worried...if I bend over the trough, he lowers his head with me, LOL).

AND...today we began our working on backing out of horse trailers! I borrowed Bob's big gooseneck stock trailer which was conveniently parked right outside the barn (and safely hooked up to his truck), and using the clicker and a pocket full of carrot chunks, got Quzqo to walk up to the trailer and relax...which was an achievement, because when I tried to walk him near the thing, he got...er...um...very upset (he acted like it was a water trough, EE!). But lots of pats and quiet words and an occasional click & carrot, pretty soon he was standing calmly with his knees inches from the trailer, and was curiously nosing around, sniffing the poop inside. From there we worked on backing away and getting a carrot/click, then walking back forward, resting, sniffing poop, backing away. He relaxed because I was relaxed and in no hurry (unlike when I normally have to load him in a trailer, LOL...HURRY WE'VE GOT TO GET TO THE HORSE SHOW AAAUUUGH!!!)

Eventually he WANTED to put a hoof in the trailer (it's a step-up, no ramp), and I got one hoof in, then backed him out...we did that a couple of times and then he got TWO hooves in the trailer, and we paused and he got a carrot and a click, learning he doesn't have to literally LEAP into the trailer (which is what he was doing last year). Backed him off, gave him a treat/click, then brought him back up in, but only the front feet. We did that four times and he started to get distracted, so that was enough for today! Might repeat it tomorrow, and maybe Wednesday go for all four feet and hopefully backing out. Hopefully. But considering last year I couldn't get him to back up out of the barn (that scary 2" drop to the dirt!)...I'm hopeful.