We have not actually gone anywhere yet. There has been lots of progress: now standing in the trailer--yes, all four feet in!--while eating hay.
This is what Odie was doing last Saturday when I decided to ask him to turn around and walk out. He's done that before. This time he bumped into the divider and spooked.
I think that would have been the end of it, had I stood there and asked him to whoa. I've just read a lot about trailer safety during the process of buying this trailer.
So I have also read a lot about trailer accidents. I don't want to be in one. So when he spooked, I hopped out of the way--out of the trailer.
Odie saw me jump out, and realized maybe there really WAS something to worry about, and free-hay-be-damned, he was not waiting around to find out what.
So Odie jumped out of the trailer too, and banged his right hind on the way out. He stood there with the leg up, and I stood there beating my head on a post.
I just read this over on A Year With Horses; she sums it up perfectly:
"...one of my favorite Mark Rashid sayings is 'your horse spooked, you spooked, and you ran off together.'"
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
All will be well - just start over again and progress one step at a time until you're back where you were. Slow and steady wins the race. Once he's in, making some noises, shifting around in the trailer, etc. can be helpful in making him more comfortable - many horses find that part the most worrisome.
ReplyDeleteGood luck - you'll get there - everyone has these set backs. Hope the leg is OK - he probably just stung it.
When you get a moment please go to www.dangeroustrailers.org
ReplyDeletePlease note that a 2008 Champion Horse lost his life last week.
Also go to the updates page 2009 and see last week two horse trailers just flew off its hitch.
The life we might save is someone you know.
Thank You....