shyloh's birth-iversary

Today marks the one year anniversary that Shyloh has been home with me! I am also using this day to celebrate her unbirthday, since I don't know when her real birthday is. So today, Shy turns 6! All this weeks posts have lead up to today, where we can just have fun!

Wow. To see how far we have come since the day Shy stepped off the trailer is amazing! 

To start, I gave Shy a bath so she would be all pretty and clean. Quite possibly this was not her favorite part of the day. . .but we made it through. Grazing in the sun until dry is a big incentive to being good for bath time. After she was all dry, I put her in her stall for a party favor photo shoot.

Then I gave Shy her  birth-iversary pie! Looks delicious, right. . .

It is all her favorites, soaked Timothy pellets, banana, blueberry, dried peas, and a half carrot and five mini candy canes (total of six "candles"). Shy gobbled it right up!

After our little celebration, I sent Shy back off with her herd. That is where she likes to be best. I think she had a good day and a good year! Of course, she starts with a head toss, gets in a little roll, then wanders around the pasture making sure everything is just as she left it.

Thanks to everyone who reads for sticking through our first year together!!

more changes

Not only has Shyloh changed physically in the past year, she has also changed emotionally. When she first came to me, she was all wide eyed and flared nostrils. Now she is much more relaxed and droopy lipped.

From this. . 

...to this!

And even though Shy no longer runs to the corner of her stall when I approach, I have learned that she still does not trust new people. She was afraid of the vet. My only guess is that he wants to put her hands all over her and she is thinking, geez, this guy didn't even buy me dinner first! She had no problem trotting away from him, but refused to trot back to him or get near him when he was evaluating her. It was kinda funny. . . But she did like the chiropractor who was cracking her. Weird pony.

But then I thought back. Shy was afraid of me at one point. I could not touch her head or brush her forelock. In fact, that is how I got bit by her! And just recently Shy is letting me touch her ears without swinging her head away. Shy did not like Beth either, but now she trusts Beth enough to let her ride her.

I actually think moving her inside helped a lot with her emotional growth. While she loves being outside, people would not make the extra trip to visit her. Inside, she has a prime location. Her stall is right across from the grooming and wash rack and right next to the arena and a small common area. Shy gets to witness a ton of action each day and people can go up to her stall, pet her, or give her a sugar free treat that I provide at her door. Shy no longer cowers and faces the corner when people approach. And that makes me happy.

For riding, Shy has become a much more relaxed horse. She still has her moments and will get uptight when she is not sure what is being asked of her, but overall the scooting has been kept to a minimum. Shy aims to please and was getting so worked up when we first started riding you could just feel the nervousness and tension in her. But now, she is very open to learning and retains what she has learned very well. With the exception of the latest tire incident, Shy was doing really well with pulling stuff. I have no doubt we will get to where we need to be.

It has been fun to watch Shy grow and change throughout the year. I have made some mistakes along the way but I have also accomplished quite a bit with this horse. We are still working on trust, but with whatever happened to her in her previous life is hard to erase. I am looking forward to many more years with Shy!

what i've learned so far

What I have learned in a year of Haflinger horse ownership is really that I have learned nothing at all and a ton at the same time! Crazy, right? Anything I think will happen, won't; any way that I think Shy will act, she won't, and visa versa.

Today, Shy's offness was really concerning me, so I skipped my swimnastics class and made it to the barn for margaritas, the vet, and the chiropractor. More on that later.
Treatment plan: give Shy a few days off, then very light riding for a few days. Chiropractor will come back Monday for a recheck.  

Prognosis: Good. 

So to start with what I learned today: Shy loves tequila and she really is a good horse. Even though she was in pain when Beth was riding her, she worked through it and did not act out. That makes me happy!

Other things I have learned:

• I have learned that all my strengths will be tested: physical, mental, emotional.
• I have learned that a Haflinger is always hungry. No matter what.
• I have learned that the ground really hurts.
• I have learned that hard work really pays off.
• I have learned how good it feels to see your horse "get" something.
• I have learned how disappointing it is when your horse refuses to do something you know she knows.
• I have learned that draft horse people are awesome!
• I have learned that bloggers are amazing and supportive people.
• I have learned horse shows are fun!
• I have learned so much about Shy: her likes, dislikes, her personality. . .
• I have learned that dressage can be useful (sorry dressage people, I was not a fan!)
• I have learned where my weaknesses lie.

There is a whole lot more, I'm sure! But most of all I have learned that I love this horse like crazy! Even if her ways of showing that she even tolerates me are less than noticeable. . . but she is getting better at showing it!

evaluation. . .rate me

As we continue to approach Shyloh's one year anniversary and her unbirthday, I found this evaluation from Paradigm Farms and I thought I would share.

So, giving an honest opinion, how would Shy rate me in horsey core competencies?

Grooming: 

A: Needs improvement

B: Meets expectations
C: Exceeds expectations

Shy pretty much gets at least a brush down every time I am out at the barn. It gives us a chance to bond and it gives me a chance to check her over for bumps, cuts, ticks, and whatever else a horse does when people aren't watching.

Dirty and pink!

All cleaned up for a show!

Riding abilities:

A: Needs improvement

B: Meets expectations

C: Exceeds expectations

Too bad there is not a "Needs tons of improvement" option! I keep saying this, but as soon as the weather is not 100 degrees F anymore, I need to get back on her! Although, to rate Shy, she also needs improvement. Thank goodness I have Beth to help me out with this!

But we did make it to this level!

On time completion of scheduled activities, farrier, vet, vaccinations, de-worming: 

A: Needs improvement

B: Meets expectations

C: Exceeds expectations

Shy gets trimmed on a consistent 6 week schedule. She is seen by the vet for vaccinations twice a year and as needed otherwise. She is wormed every other month, which is not her favorite, but must be done. She also gets massages, spoiled pony that she is.

Farrier

Vet

Personal masseuse 

Level of endearing comments regarding said equines, both online and in person: 

A: Needs improvement

B: Meets expectations

C: Exceeds expectations

I think I exceed in the amount of endearing comments, however I rate myself a B because she Shy is bad, I say very bad things! Good thing that is not too often!

Stylishness and comfort of transportation rig (trailer / truck):

A: Needs improvement

B: Meets expectations

C: Exceeds expectations

I have no trailer to call my own. So far we have traveled in Jaime's trailer. Shy gets on every time without a problem, so it must be fine for her.

On the trailer next to her big buddy Notch

Number of treats per interaction: 

A: Needs improvement

B: Meets expectations

C: Exceeds expectations

Even if I became a walking Pez dispenser (wait. . .I might be!) and gave Shy treats every minute on the minute, I feel it would not be enough for her!

Never enough!

Cleanliness of stables and pastures:

A: Needs improvement

B: Meets expectations

C: Exceeds expectations

The stall are cleaned daily, water is filled twice a day, the pastures have grass. What more could a horse want? Oh yeah. . .treats!

Shy could do without the mask and muzzle, she thinks. And recently she discovered how to get the off. Grr!

The total is:

2 Needs Improvements

1 Exceeds expectations

4 Meets expectations

Not too shabby for the first year! I know where I need to improve and I know how far we have come.