Since late September I had the one thing that was missing in the puzzle of getting the High Queen to load. The new, bigger trailer. But ever since we got the fancy Exiss the High Queen has deigned to be loade, but not locked in between the dividers. Then it was figuring out how to keep her loaded, and how to do it by myself. My husband works most weekends(the evils of being a senior manager of a retail chain). So I needed to be able to load and unload Seneca myself.
After a couple of weeks I figured it out, everything, the loading, locking and unloading, all by myself. There was only one element left that I needed to test. Loading, trailering out some place, unloading, and reloading. This would be the ultimate test. Because if I got to a show and couldn't get my mare back on the trailer to go home what the hell would I do then?
So with Seneca being all legal with her shiny new coggins, and the trailer being legal with the title finally arriving in the mail(don't ask, wayyy too long a story) I decided a little trip was in order. But where to go to make this a happy relaxed trip? Ah my dear friend E. I boarded the High Queen with her a couple of years ago so the Queen should not have too much of an issue going back there and riding in E's fabulous arena(She has show jumps).
With much evil wringing of hands I planned and plotted. I let the two horses out to graze most of the day in the front yard where the grass was better. This would relax the Queen and make her unsuspecting. Then I just went through the regular routine of catching, grooming, then loading. Except this time I didn't unload her. I started the truck and off we went. Seneca was good the whole way. When I went to unload the Queen she almost didn't come out. Then she was all high headed giraffeness, and snorting.
After a while she calmed down and we rode in the arena. E. and her family weren't home so I didn't really want to jump too many things. I had major jump lust for the coop but I didn't feel comfortable with E. not being home. I did trot all her ground poles, and hopped over the little X a couple of times. We even cantered a bit, and the Queen's circles and serpentines were decent.
There's hope for us yet. Look out spring horse trials!
Keep it between the flags everybody.
After a couple of weeks I figured it out, everything, the loading, locking and unloading, all by myself. There was only one element left that I needed to test. Loading, trailering out some place, unloading, and reloading. This would be the ultimate test. Because if I got to a show and couldn't get my mare back on the trailer to go home what the hell would I do then?
So with Seneca being all legal with her shiny new coggins, and the trailer being legal with the title finally arriving in the mail(don't ask, wayyy too long a story) I decided a little trip was in order. But where to go to make this a happy relaxed trip? Ah my dear friend E. I boarded the High Queen with her a couple of years ago so the Queen should not have too much of an issue going back there and riding in E's fabulous arena(She has show jumps).
With much evil wringing of hands I planned and plotted. I let the two horses out to graze most of the day in the front yard where the grass was better. This would relax the Queen and make her unsuspecting. Then I just went through the regular routine of catching, grooming, then loading. Except this time I didn't unload her. I started the truck and off we went. Seneca was good the whole way. When I went to unload the Queen she almost didn't come out. Then she was all high headed giraffeness, and snorting.
After a while she calmed down and we rode in the arena. E. and her family weren't home so I didn't really want to jump too many things. I had major jump lust for the coop but I didn't feel comfortable with E. not being home. I did trot all her ground poles, and hopped over the little X a couple of times. We even cantered a bit, and the Queen's circles and serpentines were decent.
There's hope for us yet. Look out spring horse trials!
Keep it between the flags everybody.
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