Kittens 2nd lesson leading up the road and loading

windand rain

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She was as good as gold leading up the lane away from her field with horses galloping up to say hello (from a different yard) met her first moving car and some loose dogs didnt bat and eye was a little up and down about loading in the trailer but after about 20 minutes of me standing quietly on the ramp, the protests stopped and she put her feet on the ramp then on a loose lead wandered onto the trailer. stood a while had the partition closed next to her and the back bar up. then found it a bit hard to back off but managed pretty well. Backwards is definitely the hard bit
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She did so well for her first try at doing it herself she was lifted on to be delivered just needs more practise backwards
 

The Fuzzy Furry

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Try teaching the words 'back up' - just like you do for 'stand' etc.
Back up is easier for them to start with if there is a reason, such as gate being opened towards them, stable door etc. Its something I teach all mine and comes in jolly useful :)
She's a bonny soul 😎
 

Equi

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lol i saw the other thread and didnt click on it cause i thought kitten was a cat...and im not overly in love with cats! So when i saw this i was like what? Loading ? And had to click.

What a doll kitten is! Love her already!
 

windand rain

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Day two walked straight on a few times then decided it was enough so was encouraged another few times to load the other side of the partition. learned to back up a bit straighter and in general was a good girl. Met a tanker that made her look but was fine and a loose dog at her feet. So pleased with her
 

windand rain

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Day 3 loaded first time tied up and closed the trailer up. Moved a few yards back and forth with me there so all going well She has a wonderful temperament not spooky she jumped a bit when a zooming lab grated his claws along the road behind her but just looked
 

windand rain

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Had a weekend off while we concentrated on her field mate Rowan is now backed and walking a trotting on a lead rein wth her tiny rider she will be going away in summer to be ridden away but mean time she will just do a few minutes a couple of days a week to help build up muscle and strength for a bigger more able rider.
Monday we had a few set backs with Kitten pulled back when tied up so gave herself a fright so back to more pressure and release as obviously it hasnt quite stuck yet. Threw her toys out of the pram and decided she was in charge quickly disabused of that idea but went a bit flat so a couple of unwilling loads and stopped. Tuesday started a bit stroppy but finally got to light pressure and walked on and quietly off the box several times trotted around the school sized area where we keep the trailer as if at a show and was super good. We also went back from the field to the trailer as don't want her getting the idea that we only go once and she gets to go back. Met a speeding car runners and a man with a motor mower all without blinking she really is a calm girl
 

Tiddlypom

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Why do you back her off the trailer? That's a big ask for a baby. Why not drop the front ramp?

ETA I ask this because I know of a youngster which ended up with major trailering issues because it got 'stuck' in a trailer during practice loading, it froze when asked to back out, but the handler eventually forced it to back out rather than taking it out the front. What may not have been initially a big issue subsequently became one.
 
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windand rain

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There is a very good reason to back her off. It is because I was nearly killed by a horse crushing me against the doorway of a front ramp rushing out. I also think it discourages rushing. She was trained to back up outside the trailer for her initial leading training, the ramp backing up was what confused her she wanted to turn as soon as her head came free which could have resulted in her falling off it. She now backs straight at a fingers touch. Once she is polite going on and off I will teach her to go off frontwards in case she is ever sold. We try really hard to make all our youngsters easy to handle in any situation
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Why do you back her off the trailer? That's a big ask for a baby. Why not drop the front ramp?
.
 

Tiddlypom

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Ok, fair enough, W&R. The youngster I was referring to hadn't been taught to back up at all in hand before it was asked to reverse out of the trailer. The handler was a 'pro' :(. Think it took getting on for an hour to get it to back down the ramp. Understandably, it didn't want to go near the trailer after that.
 

pistolpete

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Kitten is miss April on the highland pony calendar I don’t have a copy but Heald stud make it every year 😍
 

windand rain

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Today we had a bit of no thanks but a hand on her butt and in she went easily. Had a walk up the lane and met a runner coming from behind and a cyclist from behind didn't even flinch it was me that jumped. Moving van and had a nibble on the long grass. We have now managed to integrate her into a small group with the oldies as they need the same diet as her. The young ones dont like her much either. I am pleased with progress so far. Yesterday we got enough matted fluff out of her to make another pony so hopefully we are getting somewhere in time for her County debut in May. Her foal coat and winter coat mat together when she gets wet its a bloomin nightmare any suggestions greatfully received for getting it out using rubber spiky gloves and a shedding blade just now
 

ycbm

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I'm not surprised she's got that coat, it's proper Highland weather up here today! Minus temperatures overnight. Very, very cold, wet and windy now. When I woke up her birthplace looked covered in snow this morning, the frost was so thick.

Can't help with how to remove it, sorry.
 

windand rain

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Today we gave loading a miss and learned to wear a rug well the first stages of it it was very windy and she wore it blowing about but not fastened up
 

windand rain

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Now happily loading and wearing a rug is great with the very light traffic on the lane the next move is a walk down the lane to an A road to see the lorries and motorbikes down there. Has been standing for hours while we attack her wooly coat which is slowly coming out the birds are delighted to have so much fluff for their nests.
 
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