Wind, and noise control

Last fall Sunny started showing signs of not wanting to load. Since he's always been completely easy, either he was starting to connect the trailer with having to work - a possibility, since he's pretty lazy - or something else was bothering him.

Saturday we put Sunny in the back half of the trailer, and when we were about a mile away from J's place on the gravel, I hopped in the front section and kept him company the rest of the way. I wanted to see just how loud it actually is back there.

REALLY LOUD

The bits and buckles on all of the tack hanging from the hooks in the living quarters smacking against the wall sounds like small arms fire, and the plexi-glass panels rattle like tank treads. Add that to the gravel whanging off the wheel wells, and no wonder my poor pony isn't wanting to get in!

Before we loaded him back up to go home, I pulled everything down off the tack hooks. I couldn't do anything about the plexi noise right then, but at least I could take care of some of the problem.

When we got home last night I rounded up a roll of electrical tape and started folding shims to slid in against the plexi. Wedges every 9" or so top and bottom really cut down on the amount of play. If it can't move, it can't rattle, right? I managed to get that about halfway done before company arrived for supper.

We woke up this morning to dust-devils whirling down the road. The Weather Channel reported sustained winds to nearly 40 mph. Crossing the yard I felt like I was being sand-blasted - so I started inside.

I hung rag rugs on the tack hooks. Behind the bridles, they'll help to muffle the metal on metal banging.

Rugs are cheap - a horse that loads?

Priceless!

Then I finished shimming in the plexi-glass panels in back. I'll have to do another test run, but I'm hoping it will be lots better!

Unfortunately, the wind never died down appreciably. We headed out to J's and helped vaccinate calves and do a bit of ranch-type spring clean-up stuff, hoping it would improve enough that we could ride. No such luck - not only did it stay blustery, it started spitting rain.

But I'm not complaining. All things considered, it was a very good weekend.