Homecoming

Every horse should know how to load on a trailer. It's an essential life skill that can mean the difference between life and death in an emergency. Not teaching it is doing your horse a grave disservice.

Since I don't own a trailer, my opportunities to work on loading are limited.

Still, I've schooled it every time I've had a chance.

It's not perfect, but I can usually get her on.

Usually.

Olive did not load very well for her trip to Littleton. In fact, it took eight people more than half an hour to get her on board. That was okay given the circumstances (extreme pain and sedation), but I have been worried about the return trip ever since.

Today was going home day. Seth and I arrived early and used the time to say goodbye to some of our favorite members of the Littleton team and Olive's surgery buddy, Mango.

Best wishes, sweet girl. I hope you go home next!

Then we led Olive out to the parking lot where Reece and the trailer were waiting.

She didn't exactly jump in, but I did manage to load her successfully in a reasonable amount of time.

Unfortunately, it didn't stick. The guys were slow with the door, and I wasn't able to keep Olive inside. After that, she decided she was done.

We worked with her unsuccessfully for a while. Then a vet came out and gave her a little chemical help. If anything that just made Olive double down. She was calm, but steadfast. She was not getting on that trailer.

It was very hot, and as time went on, I began to feel very overwhelmed. I wasn't sure we were ever going to get this pony home. Then - thankfully - someone slipped me the number for the local trailer loading guru. I called and she arrived twenty minutes later. She worked with Olive for maybe ten minutes...

and Olive got on that trailer.

Sorry, girlfriend. You have officially met your match.

The rest of the trip was uneventful. Traffic was light, Olive rode well and unloaded quietly.

I tucked her into her new, temporary home in the show barn.

She entered her stall with a minimal amount of fuss and started eating. Good girl.

I have the trailer loading guru's business card, and I definitely plan to invest in some lessons with her in the future. But not yet. Right now we're all tired, and Olive needs to heal.