Thursday, November 29, 2012

through the woods. . .

. . . a-line driving we will go! But first. . .

Shyloh had a visit from the farrier. Same farrier, but the first visit at the new barn. Funny how the new barn doesn't seem new anymore. Anyway, Shy's hooves are doing great. Being outside all the time has been good for her. I asked about the changes in her hooves and he patiently answered me. He said it would not be a normal visit if I didn't have questions, ha! Basically, when she was at the other barn, her heels contracted a bit, but now that have gone back to normal. And that is from being out 24/7. It makes me happy and lets me know that I am doing the right thing by her.

Before the farrier came, I had not been out to see Shy in a few days. Wild pony! Not only is she super shaggy, but her mane was a mess, her tail braid was coming all out, and she just looked wild. With her being out, I can't seem to contain her mane. It flips over on both sides, then all flips on one side, then flips back over to the other side. Crazy.
Fuzz
After a few freezing cold, windy days we are having a sunshine-y break. It is wonderful. I can handle the cold if its sunny and not windy. Or at least not windy.

I've said before, I feel like sometimes I am the MacGyver of the barn. I do not have a ton of resources available to me, so I have top make do with what is around me. I have been working on homework assignment #1, #2, and #3. 
Front view
Rear view
We practiced our line driving and when I felt I had nice contact and we were doing good, I took us to "nature's cones."

I used the tress and weaved in, out, and around them. We could switch up the pattern as often as I wanted. We did tight turns and wide turns. Shy would duck under low hanging branches and was not bothered when the branches brushed up on her back or sides. 



Shy did great, even though we did have a short argument about whoa/stand. We even got more foamy mouth, but green this time because she had eaten green stuff before we started. 
She was chewing a lot, too
After our line driving session, I put Shy in a paddock to hang out with her. Shy's first order of business. . .roll off all signs of having been worked.

Then we messed around with this old truck tire. I got Shy to trust me and she put her front feet in the tire. Yay! I feel like I am making some really big strides with Shy. The weekend is supposed to be nice, so I will be spending it at the barn! I hope I can get a header so we can do some tire dragging.

15 comments:

  1. I love hearing about what you and Shy are doing. And ecspecially the pix :)

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  2. I really think this move has been good. I know you were lukewarm about it to begin with, but Shy's looking good (and so are her feetsies!) and your posts sound happier. Not that they weren't happy before, I don't mean that at all. I mean, you're making such great strides with her and I think part of it is the change in setting.

    I love using "nature's cones" - it's a lot more fun than the orange cones and they seem to be more meaningful for the horses. We use them to teach/reinforce reining. And the horses aren't doing the same pattern over and over again, so it keeps their brains engaged. I love that you're doing that with Shy.

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  3. I'm kinda curious why your noseband doesn't seem to have a buckle in the back.

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    1. Not sure, I think it is just for show? I can take it off, if I wanted.

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    2. That's just ... odd. I know plenty of people who ride without a noseband (my western snaffle is nosebandless), but I've never seen a lot of driving bridles, so I don't know if it's the norm or not.

      In Googling it, I find something called a "draft bridle" or something like that has a half noseband. I don't think it actually does anything other than being there to hold the cheeks up. I know my driving bridle has a chin strap and buckle.

      I find it quite curious.

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    3. My western bridles do not have nosebands. I took a look back through some photos I had from the driving shows this summer, it look slike those bridles have the half noseband, too. Not sure if it is too hold the overcheck straps down (I took Shy's overcheck off) or what.

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    4. I've googled around and have seen bridles with and without a chin strap on the noseband, and I haven't got the overcheck on my bridle with a chin strap and buckle, so you might be on to something there.

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  4. How come Shy is never covered in mud? Both of my guys are currently coated in "armour", but they're happy - a mucky horse is a happy horse, so they say!
    I'm glad to hear the outdoor life is suiting her, and although it sounds like this barn has less facilities than the old one, you are making the most of what you've got.

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    1. It has not been very rainy here. And she was never a mud roller, even last year when it was rainy.
      This barn has an indoor and outdoor arena, but I don't really like them. I feel the sand is too deep. The indoor is smaller and not that well lit. I am trying to stay out of it as much as possible. And no round pen. I have not seen any cones or poles, but I rather enjoy using nature. I think Shy does too :)

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  5. Hey, nice rolling! She's worth $4,000 - $1,000 for each time she gets over!
    Yup, driving through nature's cones is so much fun. We used to do that all of the time! And I would always make them go under branches that touched them, or around pines that tickled their sides!

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  6. Great post and such brilliant progress. Loved your reference to MacGyver - one of my favourite tv shows when I was a kid :-) even reached us here in the UK! And yes I can totally sympathise with the MacGyver spirit!

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    1. I used to watch it too. Funny how watching MacGyver now, it seems so cheesy!

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  7. Congrats on your progress with Shy. There's nothing like a good roll after working. You can never ask a farrier too many questions.

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    1. Thanks! Maybe the roll is like taking a shower after a workout?

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