food and naps

I got to spend a whooping twenty minutes with Shyloh the other day before it was time for the feeding frenzy. But, it was the best twenty minutes of my day! I gave Shy her supplements, groomed her, and picked her feet. While Shy was eating, she knocked her bowl over. Again. This is a new behavior that she has been doing for the past week or so. At first, I thought it was an accident, like she was pawing, but now I am pretty sure it is intentional. Weird, because she never did this before, but if she wants to eat from the ground instead of her bowl, I don't care. 

After, climbed on a bucket and leaned over her. At first, Shy was like, nah. . .I'll pass and stepped away. But then she just let me hang all over her. My thinking is she needs to get used to someone being on her back because eventually I will get a saddle and start riding. Eventually. . . But I do have to say, Shy was just fine with me draped over her back, swinging my arms all over her. 

When I heard the Gator drive up, I knew our time was over. I put Shy back in with her herd to eat. She is so good and I am very grateful for that. She wasn't pushy to get in the gate and get to the hay, she stood nicely while I took her halter off, it's nice to see my horse can have manners. 

Here she is eating with the top dogs of the herd. Shortly after this, she did walk off and find her own hay pile, but it is nice to see that she was not run off. I love watching the herd interact, especially at feeding time. I don't know if this is a hard herd to get into, but I do know they had to move two horses that where at the bottom of the herd to a paddock with a shelter because they weren't getting enough to eat. Shy seems to have worked her way towards the middle of the herd. I think she is pretty comfortable in her spot.

Over the weekend, I walked into the barn and I saw the herd up in the sandy tree area. But I did not see Shy. Strange, I thought, until I saw this lump on the ground start moving. Shy was flat out sunning in the snow. I wish I would have been close enough to get a photo, but she got up when she saw me. Later, after we did some work, she took a standing nap. I was hoping she would lay down, but she didn't. Shy did work her butt right up until she was touching Tony's butt then dropped her head for a nap. It was funny watching her. Shy's head would start to drop, drop , drop. . .then she would snap it up again. It reminded me of falling asleep in school where your head keeps dropping then you jerk awake. 

Notice in this photo how there is snow. . .it was gone the next day. Other horses have begun the shedding process. Not Shy. She is holding onto that fuzz! I do think my fluffy pony is super cute, but I am ready for my sleek and shiny mare. Hopefully with some muscles. 

She looks like a Shetland pony with all that hair!

I am hoping the ground dries up and flattens out from the tire tracks. My plan is to ask someone to head Shy so I can get in the cart soon!