Friday Bonnie, Melanie and I attempted to load him ourselves. It was a gray, cloudy day but the morning was pretty dry. He came in from the herd without a problem, but as soon as he saw the trailer he got a little nervous. There was lots of circling and pulling and despite trying to tempt him into the trailer with grain he just wouldn't go in. There was too much room for him squirrel around in, and though he would bring his knees right up to the trailer he wouldn't jump in. He was obviously afraid not not just being a jerk, so when it started to drizzle we called it a day.
Saturday the whole crew came to help! Michelle had a plan and it worked rather well. Of course I knew it would, for "In Michelle We Trust!" Patty, Jason, Melanie, Bonnie and Berry had panels to help box Gobie in close to the trailer. Sam held the trailer door. I was inside the trailer with Gobie at the end of the lead rope, and Michelle was by Gobie, helping to guide him in. She and Berry talked me through getting him so close to the trailer, his front knees up against it and his back legs right under his belly. Still, he didn't go in until Michelle and Berry held hands, and pushed against Gobie's rear. He tumbled right into the trailer with me and settled down pretty quickly.
Success!
Since it was a stock trailer we didn't have to tie him or anything. Sam and I followed behind the trailer the whole way to his new digs. He was so quiet! No rocking or headbobbing or anything like that.
When we arrived, getting him off the trailer was no big deal. Bonnie had moved the resident horses into one paddock together so Gobie could be in his own with a shared fence line.
First he made friends with Bonnie's corgis.
And then checked out the tree in his paddock.
His first meeting with the gang went great.
We could even detect a friendship between him and Bonnie's horse Honey.
Bonnie gave him some hay, though he wasn't too interested in eating it.
He came to visit us over the fence, and looked for treats.
No big deal!
I was so grateful for everyone's help and felt really good about leaving Gobie in Bonnie's capable hands. We hung out for a little while until it started raining. As soon as I left I couldn't wait to go back!
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