Mustang Saga

What a long day! Melissa and I went up to Newport Washington today to look at a horse. And even though she's superstitious about taking her trailer to look for a horse, we took the trailer. Because Newport is too far away to make the trip twice. We were looking at a pretty black quarter horse who was said to be very well broke and spookless.

Long story short, Melissa fell in love (I liked her a lot too) and she decided to buy her. Assuming she'd get in the trailer.

As we already knew, the horse had a trailering accident in a two horse trailer, jumped into the manger, tried to go out the window and cut herself up. (Sounds just like what one of my sister's colts did years ago). So we weren't sure what she'd do today. Melissa's trailer also has a manger, but it's a stock type, so she was fairly comfortable getting in. Not a great big deal. But once she was in she was very worried and fidgety. We waited until she calmed down to get going. Took it very slow for her on the road. She was really rocking the boat, but once when she was even more bouncy I saw something hit the feed door into the manger really hard from the inside. She had been in the manger and got herself out again. When we stopped we saw scrapes all over in the manger from her hooves scrabbling in there. SCARY. We figured she maybe learned her lesson from that. She tried it, it didn't help, hopefully she'd calm down.

We stopped for lunch and remarked how much calmer she seemed. Not a mile down the road she jumped into the manger again and must have fallen out because her head jerked violently and she broke the snap on the lead rope. We of course pulled over immediately. She was on her feet but had skinned her shoulder a bit. No blood anywhere. She was clearly thinking about trying to jump out in the space above the door now that she was loose. So we tied her back up and stopped at a feed store to get a backup halter and lead just in case (hint - good idea to keep a back up halter and lead in your trailer).

That was the last of the major mishaps while I was along for the ride. Melissa only lives about 15 miles from me so hopefully the rest of the ride and the unloading went fine.

She really is a sweet horse, don't let me prejudice you against her. I think she just has some fears to overcome. She seemed really worried about people coming up from behind in the loading process and while she was in the trailer. I got the impression she'd been beaten or somehow forced into a trailer before. Beating and forcing a horse into a trailer is not training! Makes me mad. Not that the lady who Melissa bought her from would do that. She was a very nice lady and never had a need to haul her anywhere since they had the national forest right outside their back door.

Today really brought back why I used to hate trailering horses. I hate worrying about them killing themselves back there where I can't see them. (Actually Melissa's trailer is better for that than mine, you can see them sometimes in hers, in mine you can't.) I am so glad that my horses don't have major trailer hang-ups. Soxy has some... But just in the unloading and it's getting better. As it will get better with this horse with time and patience and love.

So anyway, wish them luck. Sorry I didn't take any pictures! I don't know what's wrong with me lately.