K:: When nothing goes right, go left.

Russia doesn’t like the trailer; he isn’t frightened and I have quickly learnt that he has the most amazing defense mechanism of any horse I have met. He shuts down, eye’s glaze over and plants his feet. Great a 500kg animal that refuses to move.

Leaving the yard Saturday he stopped at the bottom of the ramp. Hayley and I pushed him back 100ft, walked him forward and repeated. Each time he stopped at the ramp. We quickly learnt he didn’t like to go backwards and on the third attempt he ran up the ramp. Great, job done horse fixed we thought. How wrong we could be.

Coming home, Russia stopped at the bottom of the ramp. This time he wouldn’t go backwards, too clever to fall for that trick twice, he wouldn’t walk forwards and his shear strength snapped my very beautiful new leather head-collar!!  Not only this; both Hayley and I are wearing fantastic bruises from the antics.  Two hours after the first attempt and every clever idea we could think of, we finally walked him on foot by foot and were on our way home.

What did we learn? A LOT
Always ensure the long-reins you're about to use as a guide are solid - mine have a velcro connector. I didn't know whether to laugh or cry first as I saw Hayley lay on the ground after one gigantic pull!!
Never travel a youngster in your beautiful new leather head-collar – its bound to be broken.

Never assume because you have achieved something once that the problem is fixed – practice makes perfect and your horse could decide he wants to give you a false sense of security.

You won’t ruin your relationship from one bad day. Russia has forgiven me and I have forgiven him. We both needed a sleep after the day.  

A horse that is desensitized to most things isn’t frightened and therefore will think nothing of a broom up the bum!

From the weekend I plan to document how Russia is going to learn to love the trailer – starting this week with the trailer gaining a new home on the gravel track in the field.