farrier visit

Shyloh had her regularly scheduled trim the other day. She is so good for the farrier, always has been. Shy got a good bill of hoof health and the farrier went on to trim and shod Isaac.

Trim, trim, trim. . .

He brought his daughter along, who is like an Energizer Bunny. She is 7, 9, 11 ?? I have no idea, somewhere in that range (you'd think working with kids all day that I would be better at aging them, but no, I'm not). She loves loves loves horses. And dogs. And horses. And scooping poop. . .so I put her to work. I kept her busy because Isaac was having a bad day.

Since she already went on a 4 wheeler ride to dump poop with Jaime, I asked her dad if I could pony her on Shy to keep her busy. She was beyond ecstatic about this. . .Shy, not so much. 

I clipped reins onto Shy's halter and this girl literally stood on the mounting block and launched herself onto Shy bareback. Ah, the life of no fear. The girl has had riding lessons and her dad is talking about getting her a horse to board at Jaime's place, so she is familiar with horses and riding. 

Shaggy pony

I walked her around the property and this girl was a constant chatterbox and mover. Shy was looking at me like, what did you do to me? But she was a total gem the whole time. I decided to walk them around the pastures, totally forgetting that the snow was waist deep until we were in it. Trying to keep up with a speedy pony and walk through that snow was a challenge! I was out of breath by the time we got around the pastures.

Then we walked out back. The girl was trying to one rein Shy and was telling me she can train her over the summer since Shy wasn't listening to her. She also wants to help bathe horses for shows and clean stalls. Oh the energy! I had to explain to the girl that Shy doesn't know how to ride one handed and also, she is only in a halter so she isn't listening to her that well. I am really happy that I decided to go with the halter over a bridle and bit. The girl's hands where everywhere! But she is young.

Cute

It was a great experience for Shy to have such a loud, wiggly girl on her. There were no scoots, just a couple evil glances my way. Hee hee.

Also, Happy Valentine's Day! This is Jaime giving Shy a Valentine's Day treat.

new harness!

A friend who knew I was tentatively searching for a work harness sent me over a Craiglist ad last week. It showed a never used work harness that looked really cute. And had an unbelievable price. After emailing back and forth all week, I headed out to this place to pick up my new harness and collar. 

Hurrr. . . new stuff!!

Turns out that this was Pretty Pony Pastures, a therapeutic riding barn that uses all Haflingers! And a place that I had volunteered at once, way back when I first got Shyloh. 

But before I headed out there, I had to run to the barn for a farrier appointment for Shy. Of course, since I was rushing the clock, Shy was way out back and had no intention of taking one step in my direction to give me a break. I was so rushed, I forgot her halter and lead rope and I had to borrow one on the fly from someone who had their horse in a grass pasture on my way out there. Once I got Shy, I ran us both back just in time for the farrier to have just pulled up. 

Shy got her trim and I asked my million questions, as usual. Her feet look real good, as usual. He assures me of this every time, but I am still a worry wart about her feet. 

Jaime went with me to this far away location to pick up the harness, a collar for Shy, and a collar for my friend. Driving through rush hour traffic in a particular densely populated area does not make me a happy person. But when we got off the freeway, we went through some really cool small towns and country area. And finally, we made it.

I picked up my harness and the collars when Jaime asked about the stand the harness was on. After measuring the stand and my car, then totally emptying out my car and rearranging it to fit the stand, we got everything crammed in. Jaime kept hitting her head on the collar rack that was practically in the front seat. And I couldn't see out the back of my car. Leave it to Jaime to get an awesome deal on something. She is the best at that. When we repacked the car, I almost left out the harness I came all the way out to  get. . .oops! I was also offered a free practice cart, which I might actually go back and pick up. We did contemplate somehow attaching it to the roof of my car, but that never happened. 

Fully packed Mariner

The reason I needed (wanted) a new harness was that the different harness show in different classes. Shy's first harness was a breastcollar harness, which means that she would have to show in the pleasure classes. I don't know much about pleasure driving, but I do know it involved a variety of gaits that I have no idea how to get Shy to do. I am sure that there are other rules that I have no idea about, too. With the work or farm harness, which is the collar type, Shy can show in the draft class. There is only walk and trot in that class. No passing is allowed. It is so much simpler. 

Bridle and hames (not my pic)

Harness and harness rack that Jaime bought (not my pic)

Collars (not my pic)

I am going to take it down on Sunday to our clinic because I really do not know how to put on or fit this type of harness. That's why all I have are these Craigslist photos of the new harness. Have I mentioned that I am super excited for the clinic? On the way home, we stopped at Bass Pro Shops to look around. Can't pass that place without stopping!

shyloh's busy day

Shyloh had a very busy day today! I had been looking for a vet that I like for her. The first vet I used that did her fall shots was okay, but I was still looking for something else. The vet I had come out for fall shots was awful! He did not have a good "stall-side" manner and when I asked for a well-check his reply was that he does not do those. What? 

I have been observing this other vet come out to the barn in the past few weeks. He is a quiet man, but patient and very thorough. He had to come out again today, so I asked him to do a well check on Shy. Part of the reason for this is that he did exams and spring shots for a bunch of other horses at the barn and we found that the equine dentist we had out did all the teeth wrong! What? That guy was pretty highly recommended and travels all over the country to do teeth. We were pretty upset and Beth had called him and did not get a positive response from him. 

Unfortunately, the only time this vet could come out was in the morning and I was unable to take the day off of work to be there. Beth and Robin helped with Shy for me. She had some hooks on her way back teeth (ugh) and sore withers and a sore back. The soreness was probably from playing outside in the mud and ice over the winter. And it also explains the reason the the more Beth rides her during a session, the harder she becomes on the left side. So, now we need a chiropractor. 

Luckily, we have one coming out Wednesday and he has done wonders for some of the horses on the barn. Shy will be added to his roster. But the report was that she was a perfect patient for the new doc!

By the time I got to the barn, it was time for the farrier. I asked all my questions, which he patiently answered. He said Shy's feet look good. The stress marks are probably from a change in diet about four to five months ago (coincidentally, I took her off her small ration of grain around that time). But, she does not have white line issues (there is no separation or crumbly-ness) and he trimmed her up. She was great for the farrier.

Shy was probably thinking if she was done for the day. Nope! In preparation for the show me most likely will be going to, I decided to try and trim up her whiskers. This kinda made me sad, because I like her whiskers! But I did it. I was shocked with how good she was! She let me trim her whiskers off and even let me trim her ears. She hates her ears being touched! I think it was a little ticklish on her chin because that was the only part she tried to move her head from. 

Clip clip, no more whiskers :(

Last, I wanted to try and do a mane roll in her mane. We missed the braiding class at the clinic, but I Googled it and thought I had a good grasp on the concept. Mares do not need a mane roll for draft class, but I want one for her. The grasp I had did not translate to my hands and it was a mess. Robin's friend Dawn helped me braid Shy's hair, without the ribbon, and it turned out really pretty! I have a lot of work ahead of me if I want to get this braiding thing down. . .

Hopefully it will stay!

Whew! What a day: vet, feet, clip, and braid!

monday musings by shyloh #30

Whoo hoo! While the people are away, the Haflingers will play! Pippin, Doc, Camryn, come on over to my place! It's party time!

Allie went to some fancy schmancy place called Florida. I did a bunch of fun things while she was gone and some not so good things. I do not want to talk about the not so good things I did. . .

But for now, I am crushing on Chick again. He is so tall, he makes me look tiny!

Rekindling my love affair with Chick

I got super muddy running around the pasture with my friends!  Allie left me as a clean, pretty pony and I sure did not stay that way! Haha!  And the weather is so nice, I did not want to come ion from the pasture. Only when I was left all by myself did I decide that I should go in. 

Aren't mud baths supposed to be good for the skin?

Check out how long my mane is getting! Yeah, I'll probably be one of  those Haflingers. You know, the ones with the manes all the way down to the ground. On both sides. My forelock, too. Yeah, super sexy. Don't hate.

Now Allie needs to figure out a way to keep the ends from frizzing.

 I had a visit from my favorite farrier and his butt. I am always on my best behavior for him and his butt. I do love my mani/pedis!

Starving Haflinger that I am, I gobbled up all my food at each meal time. I swear that I am being neglected int he food department. I don't get nearly enough hay or other foods to sustain a Halfinger of my caliber of awesomeness. Can't you just tell that I am whittling away to nothing? No? Oh. . . Look harder. . .

Gobbling so fast, I'm blurry!

Here is an example of what Allie thinks I should look like:

All slim and sleek and hungry looking

Here is what I think I should look like:

Hay belly, full, and happy looking.

Do you think that there is a girth that would fit around that nice looking belly? Me either. Mission accomplished.

~Shyloh

every animal but me. . .

. . .got a pedicure today. The farrier came out to the barn to trim hooves. I riddled him with questions about Shy's feet, since I have been noticing differences because she has been mostly stall bound due to the weather. Where these her bars growing out? Why does the front of each hoof look like it's flaking by the coronet band? Her frog and heels are peeling, is that okay? Is she thrushy? Did she founder? Is this white line disease? Is that a bruise? Why has she been giving me trouble lifting her back right leg? Are her other feet sore?

Farrier butt. . .Shy was licking it.

The farrier politely stopped me and asked me if I subscribe to Equus. Of course I do! Doesn't every one? He laughed and said that Equus feeds into their reader's hoof paranoia. Every time a new article on hoof care/problems come out, he gets a ton of questions from his clients, but he said he does not mind answering. 

She also licked his neck. She does not leave the gentlemen alone!

He then patiently answered all my questions and reassured me that Shy has some of the best hooves he has seen. Yes, her bars are growing out, it happens.No, she is not thrushy, she actually has very nice frogs. The flaking at each hoof is comparable to our cuticle, it is just retaining moisture. Her peeling frogs and heels are just from standing on the wet ground. No, she is not thrushy, her frogs are quite healthy. No, she did not founder. No, that is not white line disease. No, that is not a bruise. She might be giving trouble with her back leg because it is her kicking leg and sense she is in a new herd, she might be in a protective mode, so no her other feet are not sore. Whew. Peace of mind.

When I got home, it was time to trim the dogs' nails. So they each got a little trim, too. And then there are my feet. . .sans pedicure.  But, I guess since they are stuffed in boots 90% of the time, it doesn't really matter. 

Maggie toes!

sass-a-frass, farrier, and free-jumping!

I was a little (okay, a lot!) frustrated the other day with the pony! I must have spent 30 minutes trying to mount Shyloh. It got to a point that I would have spent all night lining her up at the mounting block, just to get prove a point that I WILL get on her!

Every time Shy moved away, I would trot her in a circle back to the mounting block, which was actually more work for me than her! Sassy pony knows how to make me work harder than her. . .

But I did it! Shy's mind was completely on getting back to her stall, but I made her weave through the cones a few times. And she did great! I worked on getting her to turn using my seat and Shy was very responsive, even though she was being a sass-a-frass!

I also took her outside to get some fresh air and graze for a few minutes. This was on Wednesday. One day, the water and mud will be gone and the horses can go back out to the pastures. . .one day . . .

Oh grass. . .how Shy has missed you!

Today, the farrier came for Shyloh and Ryleigh. He trimmed Shy up and put my mind to ease. He said her hooves and frogs look real good, no signs of thrush and no signs of founder. Whew. I asked how they seemed since I moved her inside and he said they are still good. Whew. He also said all the Haflingers he sees have nice hooves and he has never seen a Haflinger with founder (not to say it can't happen).

Kathy and I took Shy and Casi outside. They grazed for a bit and enjoyed being outside. Shyloh and Casi have been hanging out a little but more because Ryleigh is being mean to her. He keeps biting her and she just ignores it. So Ryleigh got to hang out with Lexi so she could put him in his place.

Then, I put Shy in the arena and set up a jump. Ryleigh had done some free jumping to get the sassy-ness out of him the other day, which reminded me of Goal #2 for Shy. Wednesday she spooked at the jump (she was pre-occupied with it before I attempted to mount her 600 times, so we walked over to check it out and I picked up a pole and accidentally dropped it), so I thought she might be hesitant to jump today. Not so! She watched with great interest as I set the jump up, making her "thinking" noise.

When it was time to jump, I swear I got more of a workout than Shy! I was running and she was out-running me! That pony can be quick! The trick was that I had to stay at her rear with the lunge whip to push her forward, but then keep her along the wall near the jump and not let her go around it, so I had to get to her side. Eventually, I was able to do it and soon enough Shy did not need much to get her over the jump! She is pretty good at free-jumping! I look forward to working on this some more!

Shy says "Okay, I jumped, now give me a treat!"

I decided to get on her to walk her around so she could cool down, although she was much less out of breath than I was at this point. Getting on her was not nearly as much as a process as it was last time. When I mounted, I tried to give her a treat to let her know good job, but she wouldn't take it! Unheard of!! I guess when she has a rider she is all business. The evening feeders even took hay out the door for Notch and Clutch and she watched them, but did not spook. 

I am noticing differences in Shy these past few months. Kathy stated today that she has come a long, long way. Kathy said that Shy is fantastic for her when she lets her out in the arena and will let her come up to her to take her back to her stall. She is not head shy anymore. In her stall, she used to turn away and position herself in the corner if I went in. Now, she might take a step like she is going to turn away, but then she changes her mind and will come to me. Little improvements, but they mean big things!

More food!!!

social butterfly?

Maybe, but not quite yet. Shyloh had a very social day with horses, dogs, cats, and people. And she was amazing, yet again! 

First, she had a  new farrier come out to assess her hooves. He said that she had great feet and she was quite pleasant in the cross ties. I was quite impressed with her not being spooky while he moved the foot stand thing all around her. I was very happy with him, so Shyloh has a new farrier! He does barefoot, so it is perfect.

I put Shyloh in the arena for a few hours to dry off, it was raining again. . . I told Robin that she should bring Ryleigh in the arena, too, and him and Shy can meet each other (not over a fence) and play. She was a little apprehensive, but Kathy helped.

We HAVE to do this again!

Follow the leader!

Holy cow! Shyloh and Ryleigh were awesome together! They followed each other around, sniffed each other, groomed each other, and were just so great together. Ryleigh took in a big sniff of her "scent", and Shy kept sniffing his male parts. It was love!

Awwww! She is quite the mare of the barn!

They like long walks on the beach. . .in the sand. . .

At one point, Ryleigh grabbed a cone (he loves cones), which had a lunge whip sticking out of it. Shy was interested in what he was doing, so she went to check it out. Inadvertently, Ryleigh kept hitting Shy with the whip, under the belly, on the legs, in the face. . .and she did not care one bit! She was not afraid of the whip at all! She even tried to grab it from Ryleigh a few times. 

What kind of trouble and we get into together?

Playing together

Then Terry came to the barn and brought her dog, Addie. Ryleigh, Addie, and Shyloh played in the arena for a bit, then Robin took Ryleigh out to be groomed. So Terry brought in Resy. 

Pow wow in the middle of the arena

Resy and Shyloh

Including me, there were five people in the arena. Shy would go up to people, let them touch her, and not run away! It was quite a difference from a month ago! She is learning to trust others, too! 

Going right up to Rob while he is playing Angry Birds

I am teaching Shy a trick, how to wave her foot. I have been taking a dressage crop and tapping her leg so that she lifts it, then giving her a treat. She caught on really quick! After a few times, I did not even have to tap her leg more, I waved my hand, said wave, and she would lift her foot. This is only step one. Step two involved stretching her leg forward, which I will work on tomorrow. Shyloh is so food motivated, that she began lifting her foot for me, when she wanted a treat, even when I did not ask her! Smart girl!! But what have I gotten myself into?

day five and a spa day for Shyloh

No barn for me today. Shyloh had her hooves trimmed. Luckily, Kathy had no problem catching her to bring her in for the farrier and she did well. She has strong hooves and her feet are nice, which is good because I was a little worried about her hooves since she has been in mud for the past week. Shyloh also got an equine massage from Kathy! What a lucky pony! 

Six places that I want to visit. Fun!!

Place 1 - Hawaii! I have always wanted to go to this tropical paradise.

Place 2 - Australia. Obviously for the kangaroos, koalas, and duck-billed platypuses. And the Outback.

Place 3 - Germany. I went here for three weeks in high school. I loved it! It had so much history.

Place 4 - Italy. My husband is fake-Italian. Basically, this means that a) his grandpa (step-grandpa, actually, but it is the only grandpa he knows on that side) is Italian, so his family grew up with a lot of Italian customs and foods; and b) he loves the Godfather movies.

Place 5 - St. Thomas Virgin Islands. I did a report on this place in fifth grade and I have wanted to go ever since.

Place 6 - All the national parks in the US, for obvious reasons!

gonna spray

Shyloh is being a cranky pony this week! Yesterday, Beth was riding Bob (Shy's first boyfriend) in the arena for the first time, so we steered clear of it. Shy met some new people and a Chinese Crested dog. One lady that she met said that Shy was beautiful and she was just what a Haflinger is supposed to look like (yes, I was beaming with pride)! I got the new supplements in today, so I am going to start those tomorrow and hope they work. . .

I took Shy outside to graze and the bugs were attacking in full force. So I decided to spray her, but I wanted to spray her outside. She tends to be a little jumpy at the first spray, every time. So I started saying Gonna spray right before I sprayed. My logic was to give her a verbal warning that the spray was coming. Well, the first couple times I sprayed her, she began to lunge herself, trotting around in a circle on her lead rope. Then she caught on real quick that gonna spray meant that a spray was coming, so as soon as I said it, she trotted in her circles. Then she came to realize that I would only spray her once she put her head down and began to eat grass, so she would grab a mouthful real quick, then lift her head to chew it up, and repeat. I guess there is no fooling her. . .

After Beth as done riding Bob, we went into the arena to attempt to practice come showmanship exercises with Robin and Ryleigh. Shy can step up and back up, but she cannot pivot. And for some reason, she will not trot when I try to get her to do it when I am on the ground. I know she is not lazy and I know that she knows what clucking and trot means, so I will have to get to the bottom of that. . .

I heard the cutest story about Shy and Chick yesterday from one of the boarders who comes to feed. She said she was filling their water and they both walked over to her. Then they looked at each other and drank at the same time. Chick finished drinking first, waited for Shy to finish, then they trotted off together!  I just wish Chick would explain the new "love bites" that are along Shy's one side. . .

Today, Shy got the royal spa package! She got a pedicure (the all natural farrier came out and trimmed her hooves) and she got a massage! Kathy took good care of Shy with the farrier and said she was wonderful for her! The farrier said her hooves look real good! Then Kathy gave Shy her first massage! Lucky girl! I think the massages will be good for her; they will let her know that people won't hurt her and they will reinforce that touch is good. Kathy said that Shy was a little leery at first, especially around the face, but then she excepted it well and she was an angel! I am so happy, even though I cannot imagine Shy being an angel this week. . .

farrier visit

From what I heard, the visit with the farrier went well! Kathy was able to catch Shyloh and she stood perfectly for the farrier. She is great. . .once she is caught! 

When I went out to catch her later on, she was having none of it! Shy caught on real quick, she is a smart one! Instead of messing around for an hour or so, we got the lunge line and brought her in right away. And then I did the same routine.

I am not sure how Shy feels about me. Sometimes I think she doesn't care for me, or is just apathetic towards me. But then I think about her point of view and the trust issues that she must have, so I can't blame her. I just have to keep coming back and proving her her that I am not going to hurt her.