I've noticed that unless I have an outside related reason, such as work, I am unable to visit certain places, alone.
My aunt once during a horse training excersise explained the exact same theroy by explaining the horse.
The horse some years earlier, while walking through a 'lock' (a gate formulated for horse passage but only while under supervision) at an arena park, had come into contact with a rattle snake.
That day, taking the horse to the same lock, he freaked and would not pass. She explained the above story as being why. He didn't have problems with other locks as I remember. Just that lock. He will never ever forget it, she said. Though still she tried comforting him in the vicinity.
The experience with 'the lock" left him unable to easily trailerload, cross bridges, things that 'resembled' to the horse, similar circumstances. But he could get through them.
He could not however pass the lock. (maybe he did, I dont remember remember but I remember-as this)
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"I'm sorry Katya, my dear, but where we come from, your what's known as a pet; a not quite human novelty. It's why we brought you.... It's nothing to be ashamed of, my dear, but here you are and here you'll sit."