prep day

Aside from cleaning stalls and feeding horses, I spent most of the day prepping Shyloh for our first big debut into the world. . .aka the clinic. I am so excited to go! I must be if I am willing to be to the barn at 6:30 am to feed Shy and get her ready to board the trailer. That is earlier than I have to wake up for work!

I brushed Shy. She has managed to become dusty again, but it is too cold for a bath. I kept her tail braided all week, so I added some spray hair moisturizer. Then I moisturized her mane and braided that, just to try to keep it tame. 

Kathy came and gave Shy a massage! She loved it! She does not appear to be sore anywhere and was a good sport during the massage. Dropped head and droopy lipped the whole time.

Ahhh. . .That's the spot!

I got muscles!!

Work it Kathy!

After Shy's wonderful massage, I walked her around the arena, then took all of her braids out. Her hair is so nice. . .I hope it stays that way overnight. 

Wish us luck in hopes that I have a Halfinger that behaves herself tomorrow! Did I mention that I was excited? There are supposed to be lots of other Halfingers there, too! It is a Spring Draft/Driving Clinic. We are going to start with:

• Braiding and Decorating Drafts. I hope I finally learn how to do some decent braiding.
• Draft Showmanship. I know nothing about this, so it will be fun to learn!
• Safe Harnessing and Hooking. Very important. They will check harness fit, but I am doubtful that I will hook Shy up to a cart tomorrow.
• Harnessing. Just more on harnesses? I have no idea. . .
• Driving. Yay! Fun to watch the other horses drive and learn to better line drive Shy.
• Open Work Time. I guess this might be like a free session? Work on what you need to work on?

So that is the itinerary. But I have a feeling I will be learning a lot more that what is on the paper. Shy's first time (with me) being in a big group of other horses outside of her barn, new people, new place. . .but I am excited (have I already said that?)!

***We are doing a 50 Photo Challenge on Shy's Facebook page. Come check it out and join in if you want!***

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. . .