Load up, please

Panache puts his two front feet on the tailgate of the horse float and stops. He turns his head away from me. His message to me is clear – ‘I’ll go this far but no further. I’m not playing this game. I’m not going in there.’

‘Come on Panache,’ I say, ‘Load up.’

He won’t budge. I put a bit of pressure on him, swinging the end of my lead rope at his girth, not actually hitting him, just creating a bit of forward energy. My other hand pulls gently on the halter, shifting his head around to look into the float.