The Trailer Was Shaking

Oh, to know how a horse's little mind works. I feel bad about this story.

We had Buddy all loaded in the trailer and were driving down our street on the way to Lily's weekly riding lesson at a farm 15 minutes away (in the South distance is measured in time, not miles) when I saw our silly dog, Parker, in my rear view window. His Invisible Fence collar must need a new battery because he had left the yard and was following us down the road. He's so sweet and so dumb.

So I stopped (no need to pull over on our street) and Lily got out to take Parker back home. I stayed in the Yukon. Suddenly, the Yukon started shaking. There was no banging or weight-shifting from the trailer, so I didn't see how the shaking was Buddy. He wasn't moving around or making noise. But there was something going on back there. I would almost swear the trailer was trembling. I got out to check.

Poor Buddy! He WAS trembling -- shaking all over. He glanced back at me and the whites of his eyes were showing. I petted his rump and spoke reassuringly. What was the deal? We had just stopped in the road. Then he started whinnying for Lucy. A panicked whinny. And he was still trembling.

The whole trailer was shaking. No banging. Just shaking. Lily got back and I said, "Look at your horse. He's trembling all over." It was a terrible sight.

"Is he colicking?" she asked.

"He just pooped before getting in the trailer, so I don't think so," I said. "Let's get moving and see if he'll stop," I said, figuring that if he wasn't okay (and what could suddenly be so wrong? He was fine when being groomed and loaded. He was better than fine) we could come right back.

We got back in the truck and started again. I went back over in my mind what had happened. Then it dawned on me. You probably could have seen the light bulb appear above my head. Lily had yelled at Parker, the dog, for following us. When the dog knew he was in trouble (he's very submissive), he started running back home. Lily yelled at him to stay home and not to get in the road again. She followed him all the way to his dog bed on the porch and told him to stay there.

Lily must have started yelling at the dog as soon as she got out of the truck. Buddy thought he was the one in trouble!

We do not beat our horses, though we do not always speak in a polite, quiet tone. Especially when Lucy tries to push her way into Buddy's stall because he gets more food than she does.

Poor Buddy. He didn't know what he had done. He didn't know Lily wasn't yelling at him. He had no where to go to get away, standing in the trailer like the good boy he is. So he just started trembling.

I've never seen him tremble before.

When we got where we were going Buddy was eating hay and all fine. Still, before we unloaded Lily got in the trailer with Buddy for some sweet talk, treats and much scratching of his favorite places so that he would forgive her (he already had) and wouldn't think the trailer was a place where you had a reason to tremble.

Poor, sweet Buddy.

When the lesson was over he hopped right back in. Whew!

Buddy's great. He doesn't walk into the trailer and he doesn't charge in. He hops with a controlled enthusiasm. I'd hate for that to ever change.

Comments

[greyhorsematters]

What a good boy. I'm sure he knows now he wasn't being yelled at but it was all that dogs fault. Glad he got over it quickly.

[Victoria Cummings]

Poor Buddy- but clever of you to figure out what happened and reassure him that he was a good boy. Trailer drama is never fun.

[photogchic]

Poor Buddy...such a fragile lad. What a good boy to load right back up even though he was traumatized. Drill Sergeant in Lucy career plans:-)?

[Molly]

I love that you figured it out. God, poor boy! Lily has him pretty well under her mind control.

[Jackie]

Where have you been lately, Anne? I've missed you! In an effort to get you blogging again, I tagged you with a "six things" post. Please come back! :) Details here http://ace.regardinghorses.com/time-get-back-in-the-groove/.