On Sunday, I loaded Rocky into the trailer to eat his morning supplements, the same routine we’ve had for weeks now. Then I swapped out the bucket for a hay net and hauled him up to Empire Mine — about 20 minutes’ drive, with a loaded trailer, given that we gain a thousand feet of elevation within about 5 miles. At the trailhead, we opened the escape hatch and hand-fed him some hay that had fallen to the floor, and checked to see if he was sweaty or nervous.
No on both counts. But he was enjoying the view.
We stayed there for about 15 minutes and then came home. That way he got to be in the trailer for about 2 hours total, while we reinforced the idea that stopping doesn’t always mean unloading, and loading doesn’t always mean going somewhere.
If you’re goin’ through hell keep on going
Don’t slow down if you’re scared don’t show it
You might get out before the devil even knows you’re there
When you’re goin’ through hell keep on movin’
Face that fire walk right through it
You might get out before the devil even knows you’re there~ written by David Berg, recorded by Rodney Atkins
I also had Scott ride in the trailer (alone, not with Rocky!) and let me know how the ventilation and vibration is. The verdict: ventilation is amazingly good, so we’ll use the fly mask to protect Rocky’s eyes during travel. And the ride is pretty smooth except on crummy pavement or dirt roads.
Then I drove down to Silicon Valley to spend a few days on-site with clients, with no horse distractions or duties, but looking forward to having time for my subconscious to lick and chew. Apparently that worked as I returned to the ranch this morning, saw the trailer, and thought only “I should buy a couple of bales of shavings just to be sure that we have enough” and didn’t have any kind of anxiety about it. From fear to fortitude to facility in just 6 weeks. What a ride!
Horsegirl on a Journey 