Trailer Loading

When I initially met Journey she self-loaded right into the trailer.  Likewise when I got her to bring her home she walked right in with me, clipped up, and away we went.  I discovered a couple weeks ago that I had a trailer loading problem.  She puts her front feet in and backs out, or I get her in and she immediately backs out.  So as training goes this one is going to have to be pushed to the forefront, because we can't get to and from lessons unless she will load properly.  I worked with her a while last night and managed to get her to stand still and get the divider latched.   I didn't tie her because if she started going backwards I didn't want her to panic hitting the back of the rope.  We continue to work on bending, yielding, backing, and changes of direction from the ground.  Journey is progressing OH SO SLOWLY, but I can see a difference from last week to this week.  For one thing she keeps her eye on me much better rather than all "looky looky" at the other horses.  The next step I guess will be to take the lesson out of the paddock/or round pen, and encourage her attentiveness out there where work really happens.  Her softness is still hit or miss.  Where her mind goes, so does softness and compliance.  If she is thinking out there, she is bracey, if her mind is with me, softness. So we are searching for one mind, in the moment, all the time.

I'm not happy about the condition of Journey's hooves.  She continues to be sore on rock, bruising easily, and I believe I'm going to have to change her diet.  She has been accustomed to getting grains, but the tender hooves are talking to me, time to adjust the sails since the wind blows where it will.  We are booted well-enough currently that soon we can start back on some slow trail work.  The boots are working for the ground work lessons, and they stayed on for a four mile pleasure ride.  Not a perfect fit, but for our current work load...they will do.  I'm shipping back my 0 wides on Friday in exchange for some more 0 regulars. 

The weather shift has been so dramatic.  After about eight absolutely sweltering weeks suddenly it is fall.  Grey, overcast, temps in the 70's, drizzling rain.  Soon the trails here will not be conducive to training, and we will take to the road.  ~ E.G.