The dentist and a lesson

Thursday Kai had his teeth done. He still has some baby teeth, (he is 4 years old) and basically he was in pretty good shape, some sharp points filed and a standard float and he is good to go.

Of course, while he was sedated we branded him with our diamond over lazy H brand. Here is what it looked like the next morning.

See that patch of hair missing on his shoulder? Well..... here's why!

They bite each other in the throatlatch area too- they look like a bunch of range mustangs! I'm glad mares don't play like this, I'm sure it's a boy thing.
Kai is smaller than Rio- but he certainly doesn't back down!

I hauled a couple of mares for someone I know who just bought 2 mares, -first time horse owner- and they needed a ride to the dentist. One of the mares intimidates the owner, so I offered to do a loading lesson. As I was leaving I thought- I should take my helmet and a long lead line. Of course by then I was already on the road with my trailer... so I didn't. Always listen to those little voices, it's usually your guardian angel talking!

I decided to load the more difficult mare first: a 9 year old Appaloosa that they bought sight unseen off the internet. The horse transporter they hired to deliver the mare had a tough time loading her, it took him 2 hours and he was P O'd and ready to give up but managed to get her loaded. So I knew there would be issues. The one time I had seen her before this I could see that she had absolutely no respect for a human's personal space.
I set out first by asking her to work a small circle around me, and point her at the trailer to get to stop working; with the idea that the trailer is a good place to be, the place where I leave her alone. This worked for about 30 seconds.... and then she started shouldering into me and trying to walk over me. So I did what I had to with my stock whip to get her off me, and kept trying. She soon figured out that she couldn't intimidate me by crowding me, so she tried her next trick- bowing her neck away from me, stepping towards me to slam me with her shoulder, then whipping her butt around. (Strong mare, by the way! I couldn't hold her.) Remember that long lead rope I should have brought with me? She nailed me and slam dunked me to the ground. Remember that helmet I should have been wearing? My head bounced off the ground as I landed on my right side, looking up at that big butt right above me and hoping to God that she didn't kick my lights out.
Fortunately, I bounced right up again, caught the mare and got another lead rope to tie onto the one I was using to give me a more workable length. Because I was darn sure that she would do it again... and again... and oh yes she tried- but this time I was ready, and flipped the rope around her off side and hauled her head back around so she had to face me. With 2 eyes. Took about 6 more tries on her part before she figured it out that I had her number, instead of the other way around. Then we could make headway with the loading. Lots of patience, rewarding the slightest effort on her part to move towards the trailer, load the head, back off, load the head and neck, back off, load one foot, back off, etc. I did put a treat on the floor of the trailer to encourage her to lower her head and sniff and explore the entrance to the trailer, and once she had inspected it, it only took about 5 more minutes to load her. Total time- half an hour, and she walked in like it was her idea.
After the dentist appointment, when I went to load her, it took less than 10 minutes. I kept her from turning her head away to do the slam dunk trick, and she did try backing and turning away, but got over it pretty quickly. I have recommended to the owners that they send this mare to a local trainer who uses Clinton Anderson's method, and that they take lessons on how to do that with her.

I am a little sore.....  and I'll listen to my guardian angel next time.