Author: Clara Mikovec

Clara Mikovec joined Via Nova in Fall 2024 as an Assistant Trainer. She brings curiosity, creativity, and a thoughtful approach to working with horses. Originally from Ames, Iowa, Clara came to horses through childhood lessons before pursuing more hands-on experience caring for horses during and after college.
  • chestnut horse self loads at liberty into left side stall of a trailer while handler stands outside watching but not interfering. bay dressage competition horse trained with Positive Reinforcement

    A Tale of Poe – Part 4

    Spoiler Alert! In our next session, Poe got on the trailer all by himself,

  • a bay horse partially loaded into a white trailer with his nose near a white cone target

    A Tale of Poe – Part 3

    If Poe had the skills to load, but still wasn’t confident inside the trailer itself, what could we do to help him gain that confidence?

  • chestnut horse leads at liberty on reverse round pen with tall young woman in yellow shirt and riding helmet holding blue and white stick target

    A Tale of Poe – Part 2

    When I had asked Poe to get on the trailer and he refused, it was kind of like expecting someone who’d never diced an onion to throw a big dinner party.

  • Via Nova Assistant Trainer, Clara Mikovec and Dutch Warmblood, Poe.

    A Tale of Poe – Part 1

    I was incredibly frustrated that Poe wouldn’t get on this trailer because I “knew” that he “knew” how to get on a trailer.