weirdly meh

Shyloh has been weird lately. . . not sure what her problem is. She does not want to be caught and is really giving me the hardest time, again, with that. She is acting like a feral horse and it's actually pissing me off. 

Jaime and Kyle are completely unable to catch her to fly spray her or fix her fly mask if it gets off. When they go in the pasture she runs in the far corner, tossing her head. 

Shy is being standoffish to me, as well. More than usual. And jumpy. I thought about riding her the other day, but she was being so jumpy so I chickened out. So I did a running braid in her mane instead. She was super happy about that. . .

Those are happy eyes, no really. . .

We have continued our trail in hand work and Shy has been doing great. I wish I had more obstacles for us because we both are getting a little bored with the stuff we have been doing. 

Posing where we sidepass

I reintroduced the tarp, which she hasn't seen in a long time. It was no problem. In fact, even in her sassyness, she is still funny. 

Hurrr, I can tarp!

Shy is also under the impression that is is much taller than her 13.3hh. So tall, in fact, that she was convinced that she could not walk under the cross ties with a Shire in them. That explains why she longingly stands by the gate to be with her big drafts and ignores the minions she is stuck with, she is convinced she is at least 17 hands! Much too big to hang out with ponies or give them the time of day.

No room for a Haflinger under here. . .

When not being a sassy, standoffish, too big for her britches mare, Shy has been busy making trouble. She cannot stay out of her grooming bag, and I can't seem to remember to keep it out of her reach. Especially when I leave her to go talk or get something out of the barn. 

She has some serious issues. . .

She loves to dump everything out, then look down on me as I have to pick everything up,including all the rubberbands from the bag she ripped open.

Whatcha doin' down there?

We have been doing a little of this, a little of that, but it all seems like not much at all. And it is a little depressing. But we carry on.

**And, don't forget about the Guess the Breed Contest we have going on!**

spring is in the air!

I have a very sassy, springy pony! 

What other smells are in that fresh, spring air?

After being stuck in traffic for 2 hours trying to get down to the barn tonight, Shy was less than snuggly. In fact, she was down right trying to avoid me!

I took the shedding blade to her and gave her a good grooming. I expected her to be much muddier since Jaime sent me this video during the week. Quality isn't great, but you can kind of see Shy zooming about.

But, Shy was relatively mud free. This pony has the ability to stay so clean! I love it! And I may be bragging just a little. . . She has no qualms about walking through mud or puddles, but she won't lay or roll in them. Good pony.

After that, I took miss sassafrass for a walk in the back fields. We hadn't been back there in a while and I want to get Shy comfortable before we start riding back there. She was totally fine and was still trying to find soybeans. Her and those beans!

Digging for beans

It was nice to walk in fresh mud so I could see Shy's hoof prints. She was tracking up really nice, back prints right in the front prints. Now that bitter cold, snow, and wind are gone, we battle the mud. 

I took Shy to the round pen and made her move around. She was being so sassy! I didn't have my lunge whip, so I used a branch (well, more of a twig, it was shorter than my forearm) and Shy started moving out. . .and tossing that head.

I had no purpose to making her lunge for a few minutes, just to get her to move, but not too fast because the ground was wet. Then we just hung out and did nothing. I didn't want to ride because I tweaked my neck sleeping funny, but I am hoping to ride this weekend. 

just pony stuff

Brrrr. . .it has been too cold to want to do anything or even want to leave my house without 20 layers on and looking like the kid from A Christmas Story. But, the cold does not bother my hardy little pony. Even though today it is supposed to be over 50*F then drop back down to 25*F this weekend. . .

me

I got a text from Jaime saying Shyloh refused to come inside one night and she was running around the pasture doing her head toss. Leave her out then, I said. She knows what she is doing. . .Jaime threw her some extra hay and Shy survived the night.

She loves to plant herself when I try to bring her in.

The next night, I was there late and helped with the nighttime routine. It is my favorite thing I rarely get to do (because they usually come in after 10 pm). The big boys come in first and walk right to their stalls. Then Reba (because she is in slut pasture right now) gets to come in while the minions run to the round bale for the night. Shy is held back because if she gets to the round bale, there is no getting her back. If she is feeling cooperative, she waits her turn and gets walked into the barn. If she is not feeling cooperative, she runs around tossing her head and gets left out.

Nah, I'll stay out, thanks!

In the morning, Jaime gave her some warm water to drink. Shy chose, yet again, to just smash her nose through the ice layer of the trough to drink cold water. Although, I don't blame her. I don't drink hot drinks and I love ice in water. But, weird pony.

Last night, Shy was feeling cooperative and came inside with me. Good pony.

She wanted to play chase

Although, Jaime did say that even though they added an extra board to the bottom between her stall and Isaac's stall, she still manages to get his grain bucket. Sneaky pony.

While I was looking around for my orange bucket so I could sit on Shy, I took her halter off. I figured she wouldn't move, she had hay in front of her. I was wrong. . .she went right for a bag of Reba's treats! I got her away and told her she was a treat stealing jerk and she smiled at me! Bad pony!

Then she came in another night with no halter on. It was found in the bigger pasture that Shy does not go in. . .How does that happen? I told Jaime I had extra halters, but Jaime has been convinced that Shy could fit into one of the bigger mini halters. . .and she did. Sad face from me!

Nasty

Shy's head is directly in between that of a cob and a horse. She fits on the smallest setting for horse or the biggest setting for cob. 

Not a happy pony, this halter is clearly much to small for Shy's horse sized head

And lastly, I think Shy's driving days (or attempts at driving days) may be over. At least with me on the lines without any help. She was drinking some water one day and Jaime's sister got out Meatball's cart to take him for a drive. Shy took one look at that cart and galloped to the back of the pasture. Guess she is trying to tell me something. . .

Shaggy head, but I love me a fuzzy pony!

trick or treat

Happy Halloween!!

Yesterday would have been a perfect day for trick or treating. . .today, it is all rain. So far, only three kids have come knocking at my door. 

I was deciding whether or not to go to the barn all day. . .if I went, there would not be much I could do, so I decided to save the gas. Then I got a message from Jaime. . .she was going to put the horses in the barn to let them dry out for a while. 

She said Shyloh and Reba looked like they wanted in anyway since they were up at the gate.

Wet ponies in a muddy pasture

Of course all the other horses with sane minds came in right away. Not mine. She ran right to the round bale (to get in the barn from diet pasture, Shy must go through round bale pasture). Shy wouldn't let Jaime catch her, she was being such a brat! Jaime tried to coax Shy in with a flake of nice dry hay but Shy was having none of it. Sole horse with unlimited round bale!! How could she pass that up?

So Jaime, trying to be nice, left the barn door open so Shy could go in of she decided to be normal or got lonely. It didn't long before Shy wandered in. . .but Jaime had left the barn area. By the time she made it back, Shy caught on quick to the plan and scooted right back out to her precious round bale. 

She doesn't care, eating hay blocks out everything else: rain, loneliness, just everything.

So Shy made a conscious choice to stay in the rain all by herself. Just for some hay. My horse will never fit back into her harness, will she? She is determined to be large and in charge.

I also didn't get to put Shyloh's Halloween costume on, so I will do that tomorrow. I hope it turns out cute. 

last show of the year

Guess what today was? If you read the title of the post, you guessed it. . .the last show of the year. Shyloh was not about to let this show go through without a hitch. 

I got to the barn nice and early to pack up and load up. When I went to get Shy from her stall, she had pooped in her food bowl and knocked her water bucket off the wall and dumped it. Sweet. Let's start the day off feisty!

Angry eating. Shy even managed to fling the whole haynet off the trailer. 

We got to the show, got Shy all prepped, and waited for the first class. Halter mares. As we were waiting, we were standing under a tree. . .the same tree we always stand under while waiting. I reached up and picked a leaf off. Shy's eyes got all wide, like she has never seen a leaf being picked off a tree (which I know is untrue, she picks them off herself). So me, being me and thinking it is ridiculous for Shy to be acting like a moron with the tree, picked another leaf. This was just too much for Shy to handle and she backed/reared her way out of there. So unacceptable. Apparently, someone was watching me torture poor pony and taking photos. I'll add them when I see them.

Into halter class we went. We did our patterned through the wet sandy arena and parked ourselves behind the horse that went before us. After everyone did the pattern, the judge came to inspect each horse. Shy wanted no part of the judge walking behind her. We stood as they called out placings starting with fifth place. As they got to first, only Shy and Millie the mule (the awesome mule who has taken high point every show) were left. Since I have only placed once ever in halter, I knew it wasn't going to be us and was taken by shock as they announced our number for first place. Woot woot! Our first first!

Judges like big pony butts

Shy hates first place. She shook the ribbon off of her halter and stepped on it. Brat. 

We got to go into Championship Halter class against the second place mare, a Gypsy, Notch, and a haflinger gelding. The judge placed Notch and the Haflinger gelding first and second. Shy was not impressed by having to "show" again.

Go Hidden Creek Draft Horses!

Next up, showmanship. I only decided to enter that class because we were not driving so I thought it best to do it. Plus, it was not blistering hot out so we would not be baking in the sun. We did our pattern and Shy ended up with third place! We have never placed in showmanship before.

Ribbons are of no matter to this pony with a 'tude. 

In hand trail followed showmanship. I like the trail classes. This pattern was mailbox, bridge, walk over poles, trot over poles, back through a cones pattern, 360 in a box. Pretty simple. Shy had no problem at the mailbox, you know. . .the obstacle she would not go near last show. . .bridge fine, poles fine. But backing though those cones was another story. She flat out did not want to back. On one attempt, she knocked a cone down. A few attempts later, Shy was able to right the cone back up. Should have got bonus points for that. We ended up with a fifth place in trail.

Then came line driven reinsmanship. Basically, it is line driving the horse though a pattern. This was was walk to the cone, back four steps, trot to the second cone, fan left, trot in an arc back to the first cone, stop. I had plenty of time between classes to practice We did line driving all around the grounds. Shy was doing really good. The time came for the class and Shy refused to walk toward the class. She wanted to face the trailer. I would get her turned in the right direction and she would spin back to face the trailer. This went on for a good 15 minutes. We fought and fought and I was not going to let her win. Finally, as the last person in the class, we made it. And Shy spent the whole class trying to get back to the trailer. Our back up was a spin around to face the trailer. Our fans only purpose was so Shy could be facing in the direction of the trailer. So frustrating, because I know we can do this stuff and do it well, but I now have a horse that is trailer sour. 

After that class, there was no way I was letting Shy go to the trailer. She got to go stand, in her harness still, at the punishment post. Basically, a hitching post that is not near the trailer. She fought it at first, but once she was calm, I took her to the trailer and untacked her.  Oh and I forgot to mention her assault on me as we were waiting for that class to get set up. She kept hitting me in the arm with her bit. I swear it was on purpose. 

Not happy to be on the punishment hitching post. 

Like I said, Shy was not going to make this last show easy for me. But we had fun and got to see our friends and their ponies. Our show season is over and the Northwest Ohio Driving Circuit had a successful first year. Can't wait til next year, after our much deserved winter break.

Shy's I'm sorry, untie me and send me back to the trailer, my boys, and my hay face. 

horse talking and sass

Shyloh's level of sass has been out of this world lately! But before I get into that, I want to share a cute story from the show this weekend.

I did ask Shy if she had fun at the show and this was her response

It's about Art and Curly. Who just can't love those two? This was Curly's first show driving all by himself, what a big boy! Beth was driving him and Sierra was driving Art with me riding along. As we were warming up around the show grounds Art and Curly were going along, just having themselves a good ol' horsey conversation. Curly would neigh and Art would answer. Back and forth they went. . .it was quite cute. And they were not calling out loud, it was not obnoxious at all. I can only imagine what they were saying:

Curly: Look at me, Art! I'm doing so good all by myself!

Art: Great job, Curly, keep up the good work!

Curly: I will, this is fun! 

Art: Yup, just make sure that you are paying attention.

Curly: Look at meeee!

Curly and Art. I didn't have any photos of them driving single

And then Sierra stopped Art short because some people walked right in front of us. Curly came right up to our back and had his head over the back of our cart. That horse is something else!

While those two were having their driving conversation, Shy was back at the trailer nickering away at almost every horse that walked by her. Extra special nickers for Notch, Clutch, and Reba. It was different, yet nice, to hear her "talking" to all the horses. Overall, she is a pretty silent horse. But lately she has been feeling very vocal.

Speak to me!

And sassy. So so sassy. I got a text from Jaime the other day that Shy would not come near her grazing muzzle. I told her not to worry about it. When I went out later Kyle said he was chasing Shy around her pasture trying to get it on her. And whoa can Shy move. . .she was doing sliding stops and turns on her back legs like he had never seen. She was determined to not have that muzzle on.

Keep that muzzle far from me!

Then I got another text from Jaime saying she couldn't get Shy in the barn last night. Shy was playing ring around the round bale, making Jaime chase her as she was tossing her head in defiance. I told Jaime to just leave Shy outside next time she pulls that. There is water and she is used to staying out anyway. 

I mean, really?

Then today. . .I came to the barn. Shy had removed her halter and muzzle somehow. It appears that she rolled them off. I found the halter and went up to Shy to put it on, trying to make it easier when she comes in at night. Shy was having no part of that and ran and ran and ran. So, I told her if you want to run, we will run. I kept her in a canter around the pasture as she tossed her head and bucked in joy. Shy had no problem running around. She even switched directions. Once she stopped, but as soon as I walked near her, off she went! More canter, toss, and buck. She looked so pretty running about and I was actually surprised that she was willing to keep the canter up for as long as she did. Finally, Shy stopped and let me put the halter on her. Whew. Later, I found the muzzle on the far side of the pasture. I was not even going to attempt that. . .

Even that tail is sassy!

I wanted a week of rest (mostly for me) but I think Sassy Shy will be put back into work sooner than planned. I am thinking a tire drag to build muscle. . .

like a charm

I had sent Shyloh back to basics last week to get this whoa and stand down. For me, it needs to be perfect (or as close to perfect as can be) before I brave the cart. We spent the week line driving and just working on cues. 

Someone put these tires up and we used them as cones, weaving back and forth. Shy can turn a sharp corner. Her steering is not the issue, but it is fun to give her other stuff to do than walk aimlessly through the property. 

We had snow earlier in the week

The whoas are good. That is not the issue. It is the stand. The stand. . . After one particularly frustrating session of Shy absolutely refusing to stand still past one second, I was ready to give up, throw a fit, cry, or do something drastic. It was blow through the bit, side step left, side step right, pull forward, anything but stand still. All this from the horse whose favorite thing is to stand still!

Sometimes it is the simplest thing, the most obvious thing, that when you feel overwhelmed and in over your head that you just need someone to tell you to do. And Becky from the Ohio driving shows, owner of three Haflingers, two who are mares, was just the person to give it to me straight. 

First, I got the reminder that Shy is a mare. Yes. . .the "m" word. Which pretty much means that at every step of the way, every opportunity afforded, Shy is going to test me. I just have to come to terms with that and be prepared for it. Even though I know all about the sassyness of mares, I wouldn't trade it for the world!

Sass. . .never. . .

Second, use the whip! Always use the whip! The driving whip is used to act as legs. Well. . .since my whip got torn up by some unknown rowdy horses, I had no whip. The plan was to use my lunge whip and tie up the excess until I get a new driving whip. But, another boarder had found a driving whip that had been abandoned all winter in our tack room. I'll borrow that for now. 

whip it. . .whip it good

Whip in hand, I headed out with Shy. . . and ooh did we fight! Shy started her pulling forward then side to side movement. I tapped her on the side to straighten her out and Shy wanted to go forward. We dealt with a little bit of whip miscommunication before Shy realized that touch of the whip did not mean shoot forward. After we got that down, my pony was perfect! 

I could tell her whoa, then stop and talk to people without constantly pulling on my horse. It was wonderful! It was everything I hoped it would be. A whip will be my constant companion when we work. Shy got a ton of hugs, a carrot or two, then a quick shave of a heart on her butt. 

Shy loves this heart

loving lazy sunny sundays

Such a sunny, beautiful day out. . .I could barely tell it was under 30 degrees! When I got to the barn, Shyloh was taking her usual between noon and one nap. She was standing, so I went to the heated barn to chat and have a sloppy joe lunch with my barn buddies. When I got done, Shy was just beginning to move, but it was not because she was awake. . .she moved to another sunny spot to lay.

I love love love that she lays outside. Have I mentioned that before? She never did that at the old barn, but here, I catch her napping and laying quite often. 

I was hoping for some snuggle time, but Shy got up. Oh well. We did our lunging and stretches, then went back in the sun to hang out. And Shy got her wormer.

Kisses anyone?

Shy was very mischievous today. She stuck her foot then her head in a bucket. . .she dumped her food. . .she kept grabbing a towel out of her grooming bag. . .she kept kicking and picking up another bucket. . .ate a carrot off of a snowman's face. . .then she would smile in my face about all of it.  Silly pony!

There was no reason for the foot in the bucket. . .

She was convinced something tasty was in there

Shy would much rather eat from the snow

My friend Terry came to visit and Shy was extra cute for her. . .it helped that Terry had brought some carrots! Then Terry headed Shy and I climbed up on her. Ugh. . .my balance is atrocious! I need to work on that!

And. . .has the shedding begun?

It's there, I promise!

See that? It is a lone hair from her blaze, fallen out all on her own. 

Why is Shy the only horse that has not begun her shedding? All the other horses are shedding like crazy. I tried pulling hairs out, but they are rooted in deep. Perhaps Shy wants to be a shaggy beast for forever? Perhaps Shy's body knows something about the weather that we don't? I hope not! While I am not looking forward to all the shedding, I am looking forward to sleek and shiny pony. 

More naps. Pony life is hard work!

What a pleasantly perfect Sunday at the barn.

herd changes

Sassy pony got that buck out that she was holding in during yesterday's lunging session. It was only cute because I was not on her back. And Shyloh was going going going again today. I have to believe that it is because she is not moving as much as she normally does. Yesterday the pasture was a flood, today it is ice. And for some reason all the horses choose to stay in the flooded/icy part instead of the higher ground that is not flooded or icy. I will never understand that. . .

Look at that eye. . .she was interested in something outside

I am predicting a change in herd dynamics. . . Jesse moved to a new barn and Zanna is off for training for an unknown length of time. Jesse was Shy's best pony bud, but she doesn't seem to be missing him. He could be a bit of a bully to other horses, but was always nice to Shy. Zanna is a sweet, pretty mare. I will miss her. She was near the bottom of the herd hierarchy and Shy could move her off of food by pinning her ears.

Tony grabbed the lead rope

I am curious to see what happens with the dynamics. Just today, I saw Shy stepping up her game. Shy  was pinning her ears at Lukas (who is the boss, as in he runs all the others off the food) and even nipped at him. Although he didn't run away, he did back down a little and did not retaliate. Then Shy went after Tony the donkey when he got in her space. Movin' on up? Other boarders say Lukas was at the bottom when he first came and he made his way to the top. So, maybe Shy does have ambitions to be boss mare.

"Get away Lukas, those that's my treat lady!"

I am going to watching this situation unfold. . . and I have no idea if or when any new horses will arrive. Interesting!

Maybe they will be buddies now

piss and vinegar

Shyloh was quite the spunky pony today! But I can't blame her. . .most of her pasture is flooded (at least the part all the horses prefer to hang out on, strange) so I am pretty sure she has been mostly stationary for the past few days.

Minimal mud

Surprisingly, Shy was so clean! The rain/snow mix made her mane so white! Only the very bottom of her legs where a little muddy. Yay! I had decided to lunge Shy since I had not done that in a loooong time and I had not really worked her in a couple weeks. The reason behind that is I think Shy needs her teeth floated. She is dropping food and had been holding her head funny with a bit in. The equine dentist comes next week.

Flaxen mane

Anyway to the arena we went. . .the following is my internal (and possibly external) thoughts:

-Wow, Shy is looking good, she is walking very forward.

-Oh, she wants to trot. Well, I need to ask for it so I will bring to to a walk. . .Walk. . .WALK!

-Now she can trot. I can't believe she wants to trot so bad.

-Shy is tracking up really well. She is holding her head in position for short amounts of time. Pretty good for not working in a while.

- Hmmm. . .keeping up the trot. Going faster. I will try asking for a canter. Shy hates canter.

-What horse is this? A canter that I don't have to keep her in? Correct front and rear leads the first time?

- I think she wants to buck, yeah, she wants to buck. . .but she is keeping herself together, just going faster. 

- Shy is looking good. I think this living outside is really benefiting her.

- Time to stop and switch directions. Whoa. . .whoa. . .whoa. . .Whoa. . Whoa. . .WHOA!!

- Let's try that again. . .and again. . and again. . .no not faster, STOP! Dang this horse is feisty today!

The opposite direction was pretty much the same, but when we switched directions again Shy was listening better. But she was a trotting machine! A fast trotting machine!

After our lunge session, I did some stretches on Shy. What is the best way to tell if your horse likes being stretched? When she is already holding her legs up when you get around to that side! She looves her some stretching!

Then Buddy the Belgian came into the arena for his riding lesson. As big as Buddy is, he can be a scaredy-horse. He was afraid of the back corner of the arena and making the "thinking noise," which can also be referred to as the scared noise. Shy, who never had a problem with the arena, was feeding off of Buddy's vibes and perked her ear and was jumpy. Weirdo. 

Buddy is a giant Shy!

We finished our day with the Tour-de-Hay, which includes the Tunnel of Hay and all the other hay spots around the barn. Shy knows them all and I let her lead the way. 

nom nom

When I put her back in with her herd (minus her buddy, Jesse, he moved, so sad) Shy even gave a little attitude to Lukas! That was a shock! Sassy pony is feeling that tomorrow is March!