Zone 5 Friendly Game & Trailer

Today I had an hour. I knew I wouldn't have time to warm up and ride as well (It usually takes us a bit to be on the same page before we ride) so I got my 22 ft line and headed to the practice arena. I also took with me a bucket of the grain I bought for using in the trailer as a "bonus." I opnened Liz's 2 horse trailer put the grain in, then walked away back to the arena with Duck. She definitely was NOT expecting that! She was expecting "oh we are trailer loading again...". So we get back to the arena and it is warm but SUPER windy. The wind is just howling and there is a ton of noise at the compost pile from the huge machinery there plus the regular tractors around the farm. 

Mind you it was so windy that Christian, who was with me ran straight to the lounge, he didn't want to be out in the wind.

So I've kind of been playing with leading by the tail but it hasn't been going super great. I decided that since with the trailer and our loading issues in zone 5 that I needed to be more friendly in zone 5. 

So that is what I did. The 12 ft rope (22ft was attached to her halter) rubbed all over her legs, the stick and string all over zones 4 and five. Then I worked my way to doing the helicopter over my head with the string and she seemed to be getting used to it pretty well.

Then we did a few steps of lead by the tail a couple times. The second time she really seemed to be getting the hang of it and was much more confident. See, I have a plan! I want to be able to get her out of the trailer when I am back at zone 5 so there is my purpose, teach her to lead by the tail so she'll come out of the trailer. 

Then I did some approach and retreat with the 12 ft rope around her hocks. She seemed fine with that so I decided to try to get her to yield to that. The first time she just shifted her weight so I released. The second time she didn't know exactly what to think when there was more pressure on the rope and she backed a couple steps but with her hocks pretty high each time. I couldn't tell if she just wasn't used to it or if she wanted to kick against the pressure. Guess I'll find out next time! I quit with that. I kept checking her tail to see how tight it was. Her tail seems to be quite tight each time I start playing with her, so I have been checking to see if it is loosened while/after we are done playing. 

We ended in the arena with "touch it" from zone 3. Carol has told me to  play with zone 5 driving so I am going to work my way back there!

We headed to the trailer next but I didn't ask her to go in right away. I was trying not to be so direct line about it although now she thinks I always want her to go in! So I had her put her nose on the trailer, go sideways around the trailer and truck, and then I decided to try something different (zone 5 stuff again.)

First I decided to have her go over the ramp (that isn't new) but then we yo-yo'ed across the ramp and then I back her off it. First just her back feet, then up to all four. And then the new zone 5 thing.

I asked her to put her hind feet on the trailer ramp first. At first she didn't want anything to do with it! I just tried to be persistent about it, approaching and retreating from the ramp and also reminding her when she didn't want to go backwards that she needs to yield to that pressure (while not near the trailer) (She has backed all the way up the ramp and into the big trailer one time) But this is a much smaller (2 horse straight load) trailer. But with the approach and retreat I got her back feet up there, first one foot, then 2. And I quit with that. And we got lots of licking and chewing!

Then I asked her into the trailer. Mind you by this time the wind is just blowing like crazy, and strong! I figured it would be great practice for her because it isn't always a perfect sunny day to get into a trailer right? She went all the way in first try which is definite improvement. Our issue is still the butt bar and zone 5. Last time I ended with rattling the butt bar and she still wasn't confident with it. 

This time though I think with the grain in there she could have really cared less about the butt bar almost the whole time. I rattled, and put it up and down and rattled it some more. Definitely much better! 

Only 1 time did she get unconfident enough that she had to come out (albeit it was quickly!). There was a HUGE gust of wind at the same time I was doing the rattling of the butt bar (plus there is a tarp and exercise ball at the front of the trailer) so that could have moved enough to spook her and she came out really fast! But she went back in just fine but not as far up as she had been so I just did the butt bar around her leg and rubbed there. Then it was time for me to go so we ended there!

Of course we had to have a couple minutes of grazing on the way back to her pen....