Back to Work

Well, the weather outside is frightful, but I want to start  Abbey trailer loading , so I've just had to cowgirl up and git 'er done.  I believe trailer loading is one of the most dangerous things we do with these enormous, claustrophobic animals.  I want to have it be as safe for me and the horse as I can possibly make it.  Even if I get a weanling that already has followed mom into a trailer (the best and easiest way to start), I spend a LOT of time schooling loading, standing calmly until asked to unload and then unloading slowly.
I don't want to lead the foal or any horse into the trailer--I want to "send" them in.  So first I have to teach the "send."  With the horse haltered and on a lead rope, I face the horse at the shoulder, extend the hand closer to the nose, and "cluck".  Of course nothing happens, so then I ad some driving pressure by twirling the end of the lead rope.  If that results in some forward movement, I stop twirling and praise.  If not, I'll let the tail of the lead rope hit the butt.  That usually gets a jump, but the release is instant when I stop twirling.  I do this from both sides until the horse reliably moves forward when I point and cluck.  Next, I send the horse between me and an obstacle, like a corral panel.  Then through gates, between barrels, etc., and try to make the space narrower as the horse gets confident. 
The great advantage of starting these youngsters as I do is that they've never had a bad experience, so when I ask them to do something they are unsure of, they trust it will not hurt or scare them.  That trust will remain only as long as they don't get hurt or scared by a bad situation I put them in.  And it will transfer to any one who handles them in a confident and fair manner respecting their inborn "horseness".
Since Abbey has learned to trust me,  she's willing to try things that are frightening to her.  My fences and gates have an electric wire attached, so the horses are all respectful of them.  Abbey is fearful of going through the gates even when they're open as a result of having been shocked.  So that's the next obstacle to overcome.  I just ask her to give me small steps at a time, rewarding her for any forward movement with release of lead pressure and letting her take her time.  I don't have to keep tugging on her, just keep her facing where I want her to go.  She knows what she's supposed to do, she's just afraid, but I like that she doesn't fight or get worked up.  She's just unsure and afraid to go through that space.  With enough time she builds up her courage and goes through the gate and gets lots of praise.  After walking around outside a while, we go back through the gate and it's only slightly less scary, so we have to do it several more times. 
Tomorrow, she'll be ready to go outside to my training bridge to learn to step up and down on it in preparation for loading in the trailer--a step in.  I'll want to be able to send her onto the bridge, stop her there and then either send her off the other end or back her off.  She'll need to learn both.