on the road

After more and more thought, I have come to the conclusion that arena work is not for Shyloh and me. Yes, it is convenient, but it is boring. Even I am bored in the arena. I compare it to working out in a gym. Snooze. I would much rather bike or kayak. And since Shyloh came from the Amish and spent a short time as a trail horse, she is probably just as bored with the arena. 

So, my intent from now on is to utilize the arena for work as little as possible. I know I cannot avoid it, but I will try. And if we do use the arena for work, I will find something that is engaging and challenging for Shy. Any suggestions? I can't imagine that our little bareback walks around the arena were doing much for her, either. So, a saddle is order. Soon.

Let's get out of here!

Today was the best day for this realization. Jaime had asked me if I wanted to do a line drive down the road with her and Kyle and their horses. Of course I did!

Shy totally reiterated to me why we need to get out of the arena. After a rough start with getting out of her stall, she was amazing! Shy will not let me lead her with her harness on, so I had to drive her out of the stall, which is a small area and tricky. She kept going in circles and missing the way out, which was more than likely my fault for incorrect steering. But, we finally got out of the stall and out of the barn.

I'm all tacked up and ready to go!

Down the driveway and to the road we went! Shy started off in second place, but quickly took the lead from Notch and Clutch had the rear. She has a quick little walk. There were a few icy patches that Shy slipped on, but she didn't spook and kept on going. It was so nice to see Shy working and not fighting me! She displayed none of the behaviors (mainly stopping) that she displayed in the arena. We even got a nice little trot going.

Getting out of the arena was very educational for me, as well. I now know I need to spend more time working on whoa with Shy while we drive. She was very eager to keep moving forward. She would stop, but then she would be dancey or start moving before I asked her to move. I think she was so excited to be outside. She kept blowing out.

Leaving the driveway and going to the road!

The best part was that as we were walking down the road, a lady ran out of her house and wanted to take pictures! She thought all three horses were so cool! And when we got back to the barn, Jaime and Kyle hooked sleds up to Notch and Clutch and pulled people in the snow!

I walked Shy around the barn while they were sledding. I also learned that she doesn't have complete trust in me to direct her where to go. If she felt uneasy about going some place, she would stop and try to turn and go a different way. Mostly this happened around tight corners, uneven footing outside, or narrow paths. I had to go to her front and let her see me and reassure her so she would move on. It is good to know these things so we can work on them.

I was waiting for a phone call to come today, but it didn't. Hopefully tomorrow! And hopefully I'll have some  exciting news to share!

Big toothy smiles!

the day after

I'm still sore. And sore in places that I didn't think hit the ground that hard. I am starting to get a magnificent rainbow bruise on my butt. Shyloh was a little cautious around me today, as if she did not know how to react because she was not sure how I would react. 

I took her outside and she spend some time grazing with Ryleigh and some time grazing with Casi. She just loves to be outside! I caught her a few times using her hoof to clear any snow or ice that was covering the grass she wanted to eat.

grass finder!

After a few hours outside, I brought Shy in and groomed her. I took my time and spent extra time on all the spots she loves to be brushed. We need to spend some quality bonding time together. 

Next, I wanted to clean out Shy's cut on her head. I am not sure how she got this cut, but she keeps doing it, on the same spot. It is from some place in her stall. My best guess is that she is laying down at night and smacking it on the metal piece that holds one of her water buckets up. 

I have been putting Corona Ointment on it each day I go to the barn, but every time I come back, it has bedding in it and does not appear to be healing. Plus, Shy does not like me to touch it or put medicine on it.

Shy's boo boo

So, I warmed some water to clean it out and clean the old ointment from the surround hair. She surprised me by letting me do this without a problem! Next, I wanted to put something over the wound that would stay on, keep the sawdust out, and protect it. I had just the thing, some Alushield spray. I knew this would be a problem for two reasons; the cut is just above her eye, and she hates spray things.

Kathy helped me hold Shy's head and cover her eye. Once again, I was surprised with Shy! She didn't even flinch. Now she has a silver mark right above her eye. I hope it promotes the cut to heal.

Silver bling on the boo boo!

Before I left, I spent some time with Shy in the arena, just hanging out. She is still not sure about us, but we will get there again. One step forward, two steps back, right?

Oh, and Shyloh has a few interesting, new, and cool things coming up! Can't wait!!

painfully numb. . .

. . .is my butt. And lower back. So I am sitting on a bag of frozen peas (don't worry, I won't serve them for dinner) as I type in severe rear end distress. 

Yes, I fell of of Shyloh today. Yes, it hurt, a lot. Yes, I may have thought I broke my pelvis at one point. Yes, I may or may not have shed a tear from the agony. But it was a strange hurt. It seems like my skin is numb, but under the skin was racked with pain. Weird. 

Here is what happened. We were working on whoa. Shy has a pretty good whoa, but I wanted to practice to make it solid. She was doing great and stopping when asked. But she was making it well known that she wanted to go back to her stall. She kept turning in the direction of the arena doors and fighting me. This is not new. . .I think she is stall sour! And all she wants is hay. It is the top priority in her mind and that needs to be changed when we are working.

Because she was so distracted, I was getting ready to get off of her. But I wanted to do it on my terms. All I wanted was for her to turn away from the doors, walk a few steps, and whoa. I wanted to dismount while she was facing away from the doors. As we were walking and getting ready to make the turn away from the arena doors, as Shy was fighting me to continue facing the arena doors, something happened and off she went. I am still not clear what that something was. . .

Now, I know where we were in the arena, and I know where I landed. It seriously was not that far. But while I was hanging on to Shy for dear life, then fell, and skidded, it seemed like a mile! I am pretty sure I let out some resemblance of a scream. I landed squarely on my left butt cheek. It was a good thing I didn't have far to fall!

Shy turned back around and stopped. She stood frozen. As I was writhing in pain, she stood still. A few boarders that were there came into the arena to see what was going on and saw me down. One of them got Shy, who stood for her to approach, and took her to her stall. I remained on the ground. This was probably the most pain I have ever felt. 

I was probably on the ground for 15 minutes before I was able to get up. When I did, I went to Shy's stall. She seemed afraid and worried. She knew she made a mistake, but the best thing I could do to correct it was physically impossible. I wanted to hop back on, just for a moment.  But I could barely even lift my leg so forget mounting a horse. And I just knew that sitting on my left side was not going to be pleasant at all.

That car ride home was THE most painful drive I have ever made. By the time I got to the end of the barn driveway, I wanted to turn around and ask someone to drive me home. When I got home, it took about 10 minutes to get out of the car!

For the remainder of the weekend, I am going to sit half crooked on my bag of frozen peas that are soothing my swollen butt. 

Enjoy some photos of my awesome dogs that I can't fall off of, since I did not get any photos today at the barn.

Sweet Maggie Pie and her pig

Playing their favorite game, Tug o War

Cooper on a rock

fail

Shyloh's first foray into driving with me was twofold. At our barn we have some "home made" driving equipment, since driving is not a major horse discipline there. Since Shy took so well to the harness and the blinders and being ground driven, I decided to try the next step.

There is a PVC pipe contraption, which acts as the shafts to the would-be cart. It is in the shape of a "U" and the end is meant to be drug on the ground to desensitize the horse to dragging something light behind it. I strated Shy out in her full harness, but after her reaction to the PVC piping, I took off her blinders so she was able to see everything that was happening.

I got her accustomed to the piping. At first she wanted nothing to do with it, but it did not take long before we were walking over it and standing in it. Then, Kathy and I put the pipes in the loops (tugs) on her harness. Okay. . .

Then we asked her to move forward. FAIL! Shy bolted forward from the sound of the PVC pipe dragging behind her. We started over again by walking around, over, and through the pipe on the ground. Then we "hitched" her up again. I just had her stand comfortably, then removed the pipes, and told her good girl. We will be working in small steps to get Shy adjusted to pulling things.

The great thing about Shy is that she overcomes her fears pretty quickly and on her own terms. As we held the pipe to her, she wanted no part of it. It warranted a few grunts and some backing up and leery eyes. I put the piping down and Shy approached on her own, grunted again, lipped it, and tried to bite it. After that, she was completely fine with the piping, until she had to drag it.

Two days later. . .

I wanted to practice out ground driving with Shy in harness. First, I let her eat some hay, then put on her harness. We went in the arena to practice our ground driving. FAIL. It was awful and I was getting so frustrated. I know Shy knows how to ground drive, we have done lots of long lining, but today she was giving me nothing but trouble. Stopping, refusing to move, backing up, swinging her butt around. I wanted to pull my hair out!

My only revised goal was to get her past the arena door. I swore I would keep her going if I had to stay until midnight. I her trot (and I had to run) around the arena a few times, but she kept stopping at the door. Finally, I got her past the doors, but she stopped right by the mounting block. Shy was so focused on getting back to her hay and I was not about to let her win! But then I began doubting myself. What if her harness was rubbing? What if I put it on wrong? What if I was doing it all wrong? I was driving myself nuts! 

I was done and much to frustrated with myself and Shy to continue. But, in order for her not to think that she can act like a fool and be done working and go right back to her hay, I put her in the cross ties instead of taking her to her stall. I took off the harness and walked her down the aisle. Then we worked on some ground manners, like stopping when I stop. When she successfully did that, I let her go back to her stall to eat. The hardest part for me is no loving on Shy and no carrots.

Eating so fast she is blurry!

Hopefully next time will be better with that sassy pony and I won't want to scream endlessly. . .or collapse in a heap and cry! 

monday musings by shyloh #19

Well, Allie embarrassed me big time yesterday! A girl just wants to have some fun and spend her time outside grazing, but I guess that is cause to make my Haffie cheeks get as pink as my mane. 

Here is what happened. . .

I was so good when we went on our trip. Allie brought me outside and I saw the trailer and a bunch of people standing around watching me. I could feel a nervous tension in the air, will I get on or won't I? I had to guess that the two leggers thought I would not get on, so to keep up my M.O. of confounding Allie at every possible opportunity, I just stepped right up and got to eating hay. It took a lot of my energy to behave as well as I did that day, so I am not exactly sure how Allie could expect good behavior two days in a row!

This was my second time in one day with this harness! I am sooo good!

I can't see you. . .and you can't see me!

I am now in the big herd of horses in the pond pasture! How cool is that? And it is no secret that I love to be outside and I am always the last horse to come inside. Well, Allie brought all the other horses in, so I ran to the fence, waiting my turn. But she didn't come back! She went to get another horse in another pasture! That really upset me, so I began running real fast up and down the fence to show my frustration. Then Allie came to get me. Well, things are just not that easy now. I gave her a hard time and she was getting mad and threatening to leave me out. . . but that is what I wanted! Finally, I busted the gate open and began to make MY OWN way back to the barn, stopping to eat grass along the way. Allie finally got me. Ugh.

Hanging with my homie, Casie in the pond pasture!

Do you see this delicious grass? Would you want to go inside?

As we walked down the aisle all the way to my stall at the opposite end of the barn, Allie began announcing, "Shyloh is the reason your dinner is late. You can all blame Shy if you are starving." It felt like I was walking the green mile! All the horses were complaining because they wanted to eat dinner. They were grunting and groaning and kicking the stalls. Well, if they had stayed out, they could have been eating grass. . .just saying. . .

So everyone is mad at me that their dinner got held up. And to top it off, Allie fed everyone but me! 

I see you giving everyone else hay. . .

I was pulling every trick out of my book! Cute eyes, hanging lip, I even threw out a wave! Nothing. Well, this put me into an even sassier mood and I tried to eat the hay pieces off of Allie's hoodie as she picked my feet. She was not pleased. And when she tried to put medicine on my head where I cut it, I ran away in my stall and swung my butt at her. I don't know what that smelly stuff is supposed to do! Well, I got told. . .I guess I should work on my attitude.

Where is my hay? I'm cute! I need hay!

Puh-puh-puh-lease can I have my hay now?

Allie made me eat very last, even after she swept the floors! Not fair! My cuteness seems to be wearing off, I am going to be thinking of new ways to charm Allie. I am up for some ideas!!

~Shyloh