First trailer ride for the entire herd

Saturday we took all four horses in for the health certificates and Coggins tests.   This is the first time we have attempted to load all four horses at once.  It went a little like this....

Danny, "Um no thanks I do not care to get into the trailer."

Me, "Well then you can stay out side of the trailer and do some work."

Danny, "Well ok then, I guess I will get inside."

Danny get the first stall so he had plenty of room to turn around to come back out. Plus that gets him far away from Killian.  Then goes Trax.

Trax, "Hm, I wonder where we are going this time?  I didn't have to have a bath or anything."

Danny, "I don't like this, I don't like this at all."

Before I got the panel shut, Trax reached over and laid his nose on Danny's back as if to say, "It's ok, old man, I'm here."  Then Danny calmed right down.

Next came Sassy, "I do not know this trailer, I will not go inside."

Me, "Sassy you will go inside because there are mare eating  monsters out there."

Sassy,  "Monsters!!!!  Ok, where do I go?"

I was having trouble getting the final panel shut before she tried to back out again, but I just kept clucking her forward and kept one hand on her butt while I fought with the pin that keeps it from extending. Once I got it in place, she was fine.

Killian, "Um, you expect me to ride in the back?"

Me, "Yes Killian, it is the biggest stall and you are the fattest biggest horse."

Killian, "Oh my, it is quite roomy, isn't it."

We shut the doors and headed on our way.  It was about 90 degrees out. But we did not have too far to go. 
When we got the vets I left them all inside for a bit but opened the jail bars so they could get their heads out.

Danny tried to stick his head out but bumped it on the top of the window. From then on he only stuck his nose out.  Sassy, having the smallest head, had her whole head out and was looking around. Of course if I tried to get a picture of it, she would pull it back in. 

Then came time to unload everyone.  Killian backed out like a champ, but then he is a "been there, done that" sort of guy.  Sassy started to back out until he back foot hit air, then she kind of freaked out. With the rear tack it was a tight squeeze to turn around but being the smallest horse she could have done it easily if she had just taken her time. Instead it was more of a cutting horse spin and bolt, with me just barely getting out of the way in time.  (silly mare) Trax, of course had no issue.  Then came Danny.  He has the most room for turning around and has developed a method of pivoting on one hind leg while his string halt leg goes up.  So I thought it would be no problem. But he bumped one of the panels which sort of scared him and he kind of bolted out as well. 

There was a hitching rail right next to us, so we tied them all to that, where they waited quietly. 

The vet came out, took some pictures, drew some blood and did the health checks.  I was holding Danny when she took Trax's temp.  His little tail was just swishing back and forth I could tell he was trying to warn her to get that thing out of his butt or someone was going to get hurt.  She got her reading just in time. Obviously I need to work on that with him.  Killian didn't care for having his blood drawn, but I covered his eye with my hand and then he was fine.

Then the tech went and tried to take Trax's temp a second time, not realizing that it had already been done. She wasn't very smart either because she was not standing in a safe place and Trax was just about to kick her, when I told her to move.  He needs a sign on his butt that says 'exit only or else"!

I want to insert here that this is not my regular vet. I went here because they were running a special on what I needed, and they were closer.  This particular vet has seen Danny in the past, to give him acupuncture treatments (which did nothing for him).  At one point when I was walking Danny to the spot where we did the photo's I saw her watch him and frown and shake her head.  I can't help but wonder why she shook her head?  I mean does she think that I should be doing something different for him?  I mean after all, this horse has the best life imaginable.  He is healthy and loved, has everything a horse his age needs and then some.  it kind of bothered me, but then this particular vet bothers me almost every time I go there. So I guess I will consider the source.

Anyway, when it was all said and done, everyone loaded up pretty easy and it was time to go home.  I am really proud of my ponies. There was very little fussing, and no bad pony antics.  Sassy pawed the mats a little when they were waiting to be unloaded, but not terribly so.  There were no ugly faces from Killian when they were tied at the rail, no pulling back, no nothing.  they were perfect angels.

When we got home, Killian backed right out, but even though we were backed up to a hill I could not get Sassy to back out of the trailer. The minute her foot touched air she jumped forward and froze.  Nor would she turn around. She kept looking at me like she wanted me to "fix it" for her.  We tried everything, but she would not go. Finally I got smart and unpegged the wall to the tack room. by squishing it over I was able to give her just enough room to turn around without hitting anything and out she came. Danny decided that he was not going to risk bumping the panel again so he chose to back out as well. Have you ever seen a horse withe double stringhalt back out of a trailer.  It isn't pretty, but he is actually quite good at it. 

So all in all my trial run was good. The pick up handled the weight ok, and the trailer pulled just fine. We have new axles coming for the trailer, which should make it pull even better (one of our tires is wearing funny).  I do need to invest in some super duper fly spray, something that actually works, because even though I just sprayed them that morning, they were still driving them nuts. Does anyone have any recommendations?

We have started getting furniture loaded into the semi, and have set our next date for leaving on the 15th.  Now I must go, because to meet that deadline, I have a lot to do.

Hope everyone is having a great Sunday!

Danny says, "hey let me outta here!"

"I think she tricked me with the monster story"

"A trailer ride that doesn't involve me having to work or get a bath! perfect!"

"I'm sweating, can we have some air please"