monday musings by shyloh #97

I'm such a good pony! I am really good at carrying the kids around and walking next to them. Although. . .I did have to test them out real quick to see if I could drag them to grass, but Allie and Terry put me back in line, so I behaved myself. 

Waiting for my wee ones!

I did some work with Tommy and Lily practicing Showmanship. I have to be real careful with the little ones and take small steps so I don't step on their feet.

Lily leading

Tommy's Showmanship pose

Then we did some riding. I have to be careful with riding, too, and not move very fast so they stay on my back. Except a few time when I did move a little fast. . . oops, but they stayed on, so it's all good! But I do really try to be extra careful with the kids on my back. 

Tommy is still working on his balance, so he practices while I stand still. He is such a brave cowboy! I have to close my eyes to concentrate and stand super still when he is not holding on.

Riding all by himself!

Working on that balance

Lily is much better, but she is older. I even got to trot with her! At first, I was unsure of how I was supposed to trot, so I went a little bit fast. But then I kept feeling Lily lose balance, so I would have to stop and start all over. So after a few times, I did a nice steady and slow jog. That was much better and Lily was able to sit that without losing her balance. 

Little equestrian

We make a great team!

I think Tommy and Lily really have a good chance of doing well in the lead line classes with me! And even if we don't win, we will still have a lot of fun! I think I am almost as excited for show time as they are!

Even if I had fun, I still gotta roll the work off!

Lily, Tommy, and Terry got to check out my new crib after I got done working. Tommy is country to the core! 

Eating a corn from the field

Lily put a flower on Shady's head

These are Terry's favorite

Isaac thinks he is little like the kids and donkey. We will never tell him he is not little, he would be too upset!

Shady is always a favorite!

Look at that!!

~Shyloh

practice and getting comfortable

The Good Old Days show is just over a week away and we have a lot to get ready for in order to show! I have the bearings for the cart, but having some trouble putting them in so Shyloh has not been hooked to a cart since the last show . . .eek!

On top of that, my tail bun and mane roll skills are less than stellar. Since Jaime's sister is showing the new Shire mare, Reba, and she doesn't know how to do any of that, it gave me a chance to show her and practice myself. And since Reba has a long tail and the rest of Jaime's horses have short tails, I was the only one who knew how to do it. I think Shy's tail came out pretty good. . .my best try yet!

Tomorrow, we work on the mane roll and lead line kids are coming out to practice.

Jill (Jaime's sister) took Reba line driving around the property. Reba is a good horse, especially for being a pasture puff for the past six years and not being worked at all. 

I worked Shy in the round pen for a little bit, with her harness on. I was Richard Simmons-ing her. . .doing leg lifts myself while Shy trotted around. We are going to get Shy in a shape that is not round!

Then I took Shy for a short line drive. Ooh, she started out so bad. She wanted to go go go and was jumpy and was trying to really pull through the bit. Not really like Shy at all, so I re-assessed what was going on. Ahha! I had my lines run different. I fixed them, then Shy was perfect. Lesson learned: when a horse is acting different than normal during work, they are not always being bad, they are trying to tell you something is wrong. 

I went to put Shy back in the pasture and she gave her cute little nicker again. Isaac nickered back and they met up. . .then the X rated stuff happened. Shy threw her rear end at Isaac and he wanted it. . .bad. He thought she was a sexy beast even in her fly mask. I just hope he had a thorough gelding or we might end up with Haferons or Perchlingers and we don't want that. 

After I separated the love struck horses, I saw a sure sign that Shy is comfortable at the new barn. The first time I saw her roll there, she made she was off away from all the other horses. Well, this time, she practically rolled on Shady! Then her and Isaac had a quick nuzzle before Shy got up and they went to graze. 

And Jaime has a name for the barn! It is Hidden Creek Draft Horses and it's on Facebook. Give it a like, along with Adventures With Shyloh's page!

hay baby

Holy fatness, batman. . .Shyloh is growing a hay baby! Her belly is rapidly expanding between the grass and the round bale. Shy even gets night night hay, which she has not been eating so we are going to cut out completely. I hope her harness girth fits because as it was, it was on the last hole and a tight fit. . .

Her sides stick out so far!

Other than her growing hay baby belly, Shy is adjusting very well. She knows which stall is hers, she comes in with no problem at night, and she has not destroyed anything. She is a good pony. 

Belly almost touches the ground. . .

And Shy is making friends. Between hanging with Isaac and Shady, and Notch, Shy now has been hanging with Reba. I am not sure if grumpy Clutch will ever let Shy hang with him, but as long as he isn't biting her or running her off (running her off too much, some running would probably help the giant belly situation), I am sure Shy is fitting in just fine. 

Shy and Reba

I finally got bearings for my cart and I had fully intended on putting them in and putting the wheels back on today. But I forgot my tool that puts the thing on the thing that holds the wheel on. . .so technical. By Friday, I hope to have my cart up and running soon so I can start working Shy and work that belly off (hopefully off of both of us). I think Shady was trying to tell me something about that when she snuggled up to me and them bit my chunky side. 

Shady's favorite spot

As for Shy, we really need to get that hay baby down, so until the cart is in driving shape, we may have to utilize the round pen. I am sure Shy will be thrilled about that. . .

I can see the round pen being a problem for me though. . .

Shy, totally okay with her hay baby

monday musings by shyloh #96

Well I am a little bit confused as to whether or not I am having a long sleepover or if I have moved to a new home. I am not sure why I would move, I liked where I was! I had lots of room to walk about (cause I don't really run), lots of fruits to eat at my leisure, and I was top of the herd. 

Now, I am just trying to fit in with some giant horses and a mini donkey. Clutch does not like me at all, but then, he never did. I spend my time between Notch and Isaac and where ever Isaac is, Shady is. And I am okay with that. Eventually, my charm will work it's way until I am fully accepted by the herd. Now with Reba, the other mare, I can kinda boss her around a bit. . .but she mostly sticks with Clutch, so bossing her is harder to do. 

I have my own special stall where I get fed. At least this way, none of the big horses can steal my delicious food or night night hay. And I am next to Isaac and he shares his oats with me. Yum. 

So far, if I have to stay here, I think I will be okay. There is lots of grass and hay is always available! How can you beat that? And even if I have to work some, I think it will be fun. Plus, these horses do the same kind of work as me. . .driving! And there is an apple tree to snack on. . . even if I can't reach the apples, they are shockingly delicious. I am not sure if anyone has had a formal introduction my my new herd, so here goes. . .

Notch

Reba. . .love those blue eyes. Her and Clutch look a lot alike, but she has a long tail

Clutch in his fly mask

Isaac

Shady!

I think I will get along best with Isaac and Shady, they are friendly and goofy like me!

My butt smells so good, just ask Isaac!

~Shyloh

road work

I love hearing Shyloh nicker. It is the sweetest sound never, and it is so rare that she ever does it that it makes it that much sweeter. Well, in the past two days, I think I have heard Shy nicker more than I ever have. 

My pretty girl!

The first time, she nickered twice and I had no idea why. I thought for a half of a second that she was nickering at me, but no, I was not that lucky. I got up to see Isaac coming towards her. Those two have really hit it off! Isaac has the sweetest personality and is so friendly. He is the true meaning of gentle giant. Another time I heard Shy nicker was today after we worked. She looked over at all the horses hanging out as I put her back in the pasture and gave a little nicker. So cute. I think Shy really wants them to accept her in the herd. Right now it is her, Isaac, and Shady or her and Notch, but not everyone together. I saw her today to try and integrate herself while they were all at the round bale. She got angry ears from Clutch and went to graze near them. Shy will get there though. I have faith.

I did work Shy today. I put her on the hitching post and harnessed her up. I wanted to line drive her all around so she can see the rest of the property. While I was putting her harness on, Kyle was behind us cutting drywall with a saw. That did not bother Shy at all. . .yay!

I took Shy to the back of the property, which goes over a small road bridge and little creek. Again, no issue with any of that. Then we went back as far as we could before the soybeans stopped us. . .which wasn't very far.

Beans, as far as the eye can see!

Since a creek crossing was no big deal (in fact, Shy seemed to want to go off the bridge and into the creek), we left that alone because the path was a bit rocky and Shy seemed ouchy on the rocks. I took her out front. The house is on a pretty busy country road which is used by cars, semi trucks, farm equipment, and motorcycles. What better time that to work on desensitizing to the road!

The creek flow pretty loud under the bridge.

I walked Shy up and down the front while cars went by us. Usually, Shy wants to stop when a car goes by, so we worked on keeping her feet moving and under control. Then we worked on being in the road when no traffic was coming. Shy was quite spectacular!

On the road! Even went next to the mailboxes without a problem!

We walked a little bit around the property and through the trees. It was a good line drive, although not without a little argument here and there. But then, it would not be a work session with Shy without an argument. 

Pretty property!

Back in her new herd she went. She seems happy and Kyle had said she was good in the morning. And either Isaac was sharing his oats with her (they are next to each other) or she was stealing his oats. Silly Haflinger, I think she will fit in just fine. 

These three are too cute together!