First lesson

[Akkalia1]

Just a little update for those interested in Luna's progress. We've done our first show and now we've had our first lesson!

Went last night to a local indoor, loaded well and behaved brilliantly in the lesson. Took a little time to settle and then she worked beautifully. My instructor who saw her a year ago when she was at her worst and who (among others) advised going back to basics, seemed pleased at the difference in her. She offered a lot of nice relaxed work, dropping her head and stretching down. The difference in her trot when not sticking her head in the air and hollowing is amazing. You can really feel the power coming from behind. We did a bit of canter work at the end, something we're only really just starting to do and she was great. Transitions are awful but once she gets into a rhythm she canters rather nicely. Still unbalanced, we were working with me in a half standing position to let her sort herself out.

Overall absolutely thrilled with her and feeling so positive about our future. I couldn't imagine getting to this stage a year ago. She also loaded not too badly to go home which can be an issue. Maybe 5-10 mins and she was in.

Any tips for a horse that gets a bit stressed when the trailer stops at a venue and she's not let out immediately. We got a bit lost and had to stop a couple of times for directions and she got quite restless, battering about a bit. I wondered if I should practice on the return journey, i.e. when we get home, just practice making her stand on the trailer a bit? That way at least we're at home if she totally loses it?

 

[McFluff]

Well done, it's rewarding when all your work starts to pay off. Can't really help re trailer, but I've found that my mare is getting better with repetition.

 

[Tnavas]

Great that your lesson went well.

Go for a ride in your trailer, minus the horse. Have someone drive you around the block so that you can feel and hear what it's like for your horse. Is it noisy, road noise or rattles. Is the trailer swaying (fish tailing). It sounds like the journey itself upsets her as she is taking time to get back in for the return journey.

To deal with road noise put a good depth of clean used straw on the floor, also makes it far easier to clean out later. Check rivets to see if any have come away, or loose, use silicon to force between panel and frame. Check air in tyres are all the same. Uneven pressure can cause the float to drift around.

Finally go on trips that go nowhere, a half our trip around and back home, excitement at something new at the end of the journey can have the horse wound up and then when you stop they are expecting to immediately get out.

A hay net with small holes can keep your horse occupied on the journey.

 

[Akkalia1]

Thank you

I've done lots of short trips in the trailer after we built up getting her used to just going in and out and standing while the bars and ramps were put up and down etc. She's better than she was as she used to sweat and shake which she doesn't do now, but still seems a bit stressed by it. Regularly check the air pressures etc. Not done a trip in the box myself so will definitely do that to see if there's anything obvious that might be upsetting her. Also don't travel with anything on the floor so will try that too, thank you for the ideas Tnavas!