My journey with horses started in 2015 when I had to load my horse for kissing spine treatment. A kissing spine is when a horse feels consistent, low-grade pain because the spinous processes, or sections of bone attached to the vertebrae, are too close together and impinge on each other.  It was on that pivotal day where my journey with horses begun.

As you read what is about to follow in my story, I believe that many of you will be able to identify with the following scenario.

When it came time for us to load Flicka (my horse) for the trip to the VET, she simply refused to be loaded into the Horse Trailer (or Bumper Pull Trailer). What followed was a battle between one nervous 16.2h thoroughbred mare, one freaked-out and desperate owner (me), and 5 grooms with some of them pulling with lunge lines behind her, whilst others were pushing with all their might and strength.  Unfortunately and predictably, none of our attempts had worked and failed dismally. The next attempt to get Flicka into the horse trailer was to sedate her. And that is how she finally got in.

Little did I realise getting my horse into the horse trailer and off to the VET to get treatment was only half of my problems, as she now had a vivid memory of the trauma that she had just experienced.

Armageddon was brought down on all of us that day as she fought every step of the way into getting her reloaded onto the horse trailer and back home safely. Again, all the grooms available on the yard were summoned, long lines behind her, pushing, pulling, sedation, etc., etc….Finally the inevitable after all the struggle happened . . INJURY!!! Flicka stepped off the ramp with her left hind foot. It got stuck and she went ballistic. Needless to say, she was injured and occurred a cut on her hind leg which needed to be stitched up. Flicka remained at the VET as I did not want to cause her any more trauma for the day.

I spent endless hours that night in thoughts overwhelming me as how I was not able to help my horse whom I love dearly. I knew there had to be a better way inescapably, therefore I would not rest until I sourced it.  An acquaintance of mine mentioned the name of a gentleman who has been working with remedial horses for more than 15 years. Since that encounter, he has become a great friend of mine ever since.  At arrival he found my horse in distress and traumatised, with a big old bandage on her foot, and me concerned and desperate like any horse owner would be after such an ordeal.  At first when he started to work with Flicka, I was unwittingly doubtful. I was thinking to myself “How would one man be able to load a mare after it took 5 grooms, a lead line, and sedation could not even barely move her?”

Here’s the bottom-line of my story. After he had worked with Flicka, simply because of her traumatic ordeal, she eventually trotted into the horse trailer without any lead line attached to the halter (see the clip here). Seeing was certainly believing at this point for me.

A DIFFERENT STORY . . TODAY . .

Since that day, my horse Flicka has not been the same horse and I have not been the same horse owner either.  And on that day, simply because of my own emotional roller coaster, I decided right there and then that I will make it my passion to help horses and their owners with loading issues.

Today my horse does not just simply walk into a horse trailer without any drama, but by using the same methods which I learnt, I trained her to be comfortable inside crushes and also to walk calmly through narrow spaces and/or openings.  In the past when it came time for clipping she also had to be sedated. After some desensitizing sessions that  I did with her, she now gets clipped without any form of sedation.  Up to date I have assisted several horses and owners in boxing their horses successfully through my own learnt experiences.  I encourage you to navigate to the Testimonial Page where you can witness before and after footage.

If you and your horse are commonly in distress when it comes time for loading, I sincerely hope that after reading my story and other testimonials, that you will have the change-of-mind that trailer loading can actually be a very calm, and enjoyable experience for both horse and owner.

Fanie