I'm preparing America for her first "big girl" trip off the farm on January 14, 2012. We are going to a private two hour lesson with Jerry Williams, 3* Parelli Professional and that requires hauling America to the lesson site about one hour away. I want to practice prior and proper preparation to set us both up for success since she's never been off the farm and the last trailer ride she went on was when I adopted her from the BLM Wild Horse and Burro Auction in Ocala, FL. She was uncerimoniously loaded in a trailer and hauled to my farm...no time for prior and proper preparation for that. I want this trip to be different for her!
America and I have practiced lots of trailer loading and she loads well and confidently but I've not yet closed the door and actually hauled her anywhere. Tonight was the first session in our preparation. I decided to make the trailer a really sweet spot for her so I fed her her evening meal in the trailer. While she was eating, I tapped on the outside of the trailer, opened and closed the tack room door and the access door on the side. America was fine with all that, barely batting an eye or lifting her head out of her food. She got mildly concerned when I started swinging the rear door to the trailer...it's a big, wide door and it squeeks a little. She started to back out a little, not quickly but one step at a time and put her hind feet on the ground. I let her settle a little right there then asked her back into the trailer to eat her hay. This time when I swung the door, I retreated a little bit, not closing it so far...not past her threshold. She didn't get concerned and even took a step forward...I STOPPED moving the door at that point to reward her response. We repeated this several times until I was able to swing the door 1/2 way closed without her being concerned and stopped the lesson at that point. I let her finish her hay in peace and when I went to ask her to come out she didn't want to come out!! She stood looking out the door at the horses in the pasture while I gave her some lovin'.
I also have to say, we did all of this at liberty...her choice to go in the trailer or not and she chose to go in. Of course it helped there was food available but if she wasn't confident about going in the trailer, the food wouldn't have made any difference.
So, day one of Trailer Loading 1.0 was a BIG success. We'll see how tomorrow goes. The goal is to be able to successfully take her on several short trips before the "big" one hour ride on January 14th.
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