jingle bell rock

I finally arrived to the barn to a dry horse! It has been rainy and muddy and just plain drab for what seems like eternity. Shyloh had been wet so I just didn't work her. And with the whole working late thing last week, I also didn't have the chance. So I was rather happy that when I got to the barn and Shy was dry. Time to work!

I want to get her used to noises behind her, so I bought some jingle bells. Cute ones.

Rockin' around the barn!

The first day I had them, I just attached them to Shy's cooler (I was trying to dry her to work her, but that didn't really work out). She was fine with them. 

Jingle bells swing and jingle bells ring

The first day I had them, I just attached them to Shy's cooler (I was trying to dry her to work her, but that didn't really work out). She was fine with them. Today, I attached the jingle bells to her harness. Again, Shy could have cared less about the bells. Well, that idea was shot down. I still worked on our line driving with the jingle bells until it started to rain. 

Giddy up jingle horse, pick up your feet

Then it started to rain and we were forced in the indoor arena to continue our work. I don't care to work in there if it can be avoided. It is small and dark and I do not care for the footing. Another horse was in the arena today, so I took the jingle bells off. I didn't want to scare a horse with a rider on! We stuck to half of the arena and worked on turns, figure eights, stopping, and backing. Shy was a rock star! My only issue with her was walking up to the wall. She knows it is there so she won't let me run her into it. Not that I would, but I was trying to get as close as we could so we could practice sharp turns. Sometimes, my horse thinks to much for herself. 

But, Shy was amazing and we had more foamy mouth!

Dancing and prancing in jingle bell square

After the other horse finished her lesson, I got out the shafts. Again, no point in scaring another horse with weird contraptions. As I walked Shy back in the arena door, the side of her harness hit the door and Shy spooked. So, I walked her back out the door and the fight began. She refused to walk through the door again. Once I got her through, out we went again. And again. And again. Until she walked through the door without a problem. 

I got Shy reacquainted with the shafts by having her touch them and rubbing them on each of her sides. No problem. I had someone hold Shy and I put the shafts in her tugs. No problem. I rigged the back end up. No problem. I jiggled the shafts and had them move on her while I had someone holding her. No problem. Then off we went. Shy was doing well, then problem. A scoot. But a weird scoot. She tucked her butt and scooted it in, but her front end did not seem to shoot forward. There was no tightening of the lines. 

Now the jingle hop has begun!

After a couple of the same scoots, Shy was great. I am pretty sure the scoots were like the riding scoots. . . she was just trying to get out of work. I worked on trying to get her to cross over her legs for turns. I am not sure of that command, but I used over. I would call ourselves moderately successful on that. 

Overall I was really pleased with how we did today, especially since it had been a week since we did  any work.