playing around

Even though I really really need to get back into working Shyloh in some sort of way, it was way too hot today to even think about work. It was 96 degrees and that does not even include the humidity. Just standing outside feels like I'm suffocating and sweat just pours off my head. Yuck.

So, I had a fun day with Shy, which was actually pretty productive. After I picked the burrs from her forelock. . .

Itty bitty burrs

I worked on my braiding skills, which still are terrible. But it got some of Shy's mane off her neck for a while. 

Such a patient pony. 

Then I filled a spray bottle with water and decided to tackle Shy's aversion to being sprayed in the face with water. She has no problem with her mouth being sprayed, but up by her forelock she gets all giraffe neck. . .well, as giraffe necked as a Haflinger can get. Eventually, I figured out the secret. The spray bottle must be on top of my head to spray her head. Crazy, right? But that was the only way she would let me spray her. Eventually, I was able to spray her like a normal person and she was fine with it. Probably because it was hot and it felt kinda good. 

Hee hee

I took Shy to graze for a bit in the shade, but noticed that the flies were still all over her, even after I sprayed her. I had an idea. . .fly bonnet! I don't even know why I have it, I never use it, but I decided to get some use out of it today. 

nom noms

Who wears it better? 

My next great idea was to put see how Shy was with lines. A friend has a Haflinger who does not like lines under his butt, so I figured why not test Shy out. I took a lunge line and worked it all around her legs, belly, and under her tail. The biggest reaction I got out of her was a super tail clamp. Otherwise, Shy was practically oblivious to the lines, except to try and lazily step out of them, even when I put some pressure on her. I would like to retry this with the blinders on and hooked to a cart. I will probably get a different reaction. 

We played around a bit more and I was reminded of Shy's teeth. I noticed a while ago that the bottom teeth got real brown. And this was pretty recent over the spring/summer. I googled it and apparently the teeth can get stained from different forage that they eat. Makes sense since this happened pretty quickly and just when new plants started growing in the pasture. No more pearly whites for Shy. Sad face.

She loves to smile right in my face!

Finally, I couldn't take the heat. I turned Shy back out with the herd and she did the same routine she does every time I let her loose. She gets a long drink of water then settles in for a nap in the shade. Gotta love my goofy pony!

Yawn. . . 

Bigger yawn!

How are you beating the hear with your equines?