Dancer is finally HERE!

July 27, 2013

Ryan and I have been working hard over the past few years to get ready for “my other man”, as Ryan calls him, to move out here with us! Today, it finally happened! We received help from our good friends at Green Country Gypsy Horses, who provided the trailer and lots of encouragement! Our mutual farrier, Jeremy, came to help train Dancer (and me)! Jeremy has had years of experience loading difficult horses, and used the natural horsemanship method to do so. Dancer refused to load and we weren’t able to get him on the trailer during out last attempt, so we called in the pro!

I don’t think I slept much last night and was ready to head over to my parent’s house early to make sure I had time to do a quick grooming session and put Dancer’s leg wraps on before everyone arrived. Before I knew it the time had come for me to hand over the lead rope and try to soak in as much as I could from Jeremy. After walking and trotting a bit, he started by asking Dancer for an extended canter in order to make sure that Dancer knew he would be working if he decided not to pay any attention to the trailer. Jeremy attempted to slow Dancer down and lead him toward the trailer. If Dancer took a step toward the trailer and showed interest, Jeremy backed off and let Dancer rest. If Dancer backed up and flew past the trailer, around the pen he went at a canter. After almost 45 minutes of this, Dancer started giving me pitiful looks each time he passed by me, saying “help! why are you letting him do this to me? make him stop!” It just about killed me! But I forced myself to suck it up and trust that Jeremy knew what he was doing. And I wasn’t disappointed.

A few minutes later, Dancer was stopping and sniffing the edge of the trailer. Then he took a step inside. Each time he made an effort to get inside, he was rewarded with rest and left alone. When he backed up or threw a fit, he was asked to canter around a few more times. Before too long, he had stepped up and was fully inside of the trailer licking and chewing (thinking). Jeremy made him back out slowly, one step at a time and loaded him again. Dancer was able to go in the trailer with minimal encouragement from Jeremy, just a point and clicking of the tongue – and the lead rope over his back! He even closed the divider and made Dancer stand quietly before it was released. This was all quite amazing, considering the hours we spent the last time that proved to be unsuccessful. We realized that our timing wasn’t quite right and I also learned a lot about when to push a little more and when to give in. I got a pep talk from Jeremy, encouraging me to get a little tougher with my “baby”. And then it was my turn!

But before we could load, the trailer was moved up and out of the doorway of the round pen. I was instructed to lead Dancer around the property and come back. He needed a bit of a mental break and it would also force him and I to spend a few moments together to see if he’d listen when I was in charge and not Jeremy. Well, that was the problem. I thought I was in charge. And Dancer thought HE was in charge. He went up to the trailer and stopped. And I wasn’t quick enough to correct him with a tap on his hindquarters. So we started over. Jeremy took a hold of the lead, swung him around and made him trot a few circles before loading him successfully onto the trailer. Now it was my job to back him off the trailer and try again. I realized that I might not have been as confident as I needed to be that first time. Worrying about doing something wrong this time had indicated to Dancer that I was not in charge. Now I felt more prepared and when we got up to the trailer, I gave him a little tap and he stepped up like a pro! I was so excited!!

So, we let him rest a bit and then we closed the divider. It was time to go! Dancer threw a little fit and stomped and tossed his head, but eventually settled down a bit before we took off. When we arrived at our place, he was still very anxious to get out. We made him settle down before unlatching the divider and when his feet hit the solid ground, he just stood there gazing at his new home. Cool as a cucumber, he took it all in, standing beside me as if nothing had happened. And then he spotted the bermuda! I turned him out to feast on the marvelous green grass and started organizing my new tack room! He still seems to be a bit confused about where his is, but I think he’ll settle in and I’m excited to have the opportunity to work with him every day! It is an amazing feeling to step out onto the porch and see Dancer grazing below! I’m so thankful to all of our family and friends who helped make this possible.