I very seldom went in the stall with them. I would lead them to the door face them in take off their halters and in they would go. I had the water/feed buckets where I didn't have to go in to fill them. I'm with you, I don't like being in a closed in stall with the best of them.
Becky
I do that with Bay at the gate when I'm putting him back out... 95% of the time he goes where he's supposed to, but once in a blue moon, he decides to wheel around and trot around the yard like he's getting away with something. Fun and games.
Well I stay with the head but my biggest concern is tripping. I never lock the gate. I just pull it closed so I could get out in a hurry if I needed to. They don't know that though.