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. 

giveaway winner and sunshine award

. . . and the winner is. . .Emmi from My Life on Horses! Congrats! Enjoy your new hoodie! I used a fool proof method of putting everyone's name on a piece of paper, cutting it up, putting it in a cup, and having my co-worker pick the winner randomly out of the cup.

Thank you to Horze for sponsoring this giveaway. I had a ton of fun holding this contest. And the best part? I discovered a bunch of new blogs to read!

The Sunshine Award has been making its way around the blog-o-sphere. I have been nominated by L. Williams from Viva Carlos and Mallory from The Country Hitching Post. Thank you both for thinking of me!!

"Here is what the sunshine award means, "bloggers who positively and creatively inspire others in the blogosphere." Of course all awards have rules for awarding people. Rules below."

• First, the nominee must thank the blogger that nominated her and link to her blog. 
• Next she must nominate ten bloggers for the award and let them know. 
• Then, she must answer a list of ten questions and post to her blog.  
• Finally, the Sunshine Award button must be posted on the blog 

1. Do you prefer Mares or Geldings?

Mares. I find them so funny. 

2. English or Western?

Driving? Or Western. Maybe one day I'll ride my horse. . .in the Western saddle I have for her. 

3. Do you prefer "younger" or "older" horses?

Mia was old and basically bombproof. We had a ton of fun together. Not that I don't have fun with Shyloh, but she is a lot more work!

4. Have you ever trained a horse from ground zero? 

No

5. Do you prefer riding or ground work?

Riding? What's that? Just kidding, I love riding. But I also love doing stuff on the ground. 

6. Do you board your horse or keep it at home?

I board at a friend's house. 

7. Do you do all natural things or commercial stuff? (In the sense of products.)

I try to stay natural, however I have no problem going commercial if that is what works. 

8. All Tacked up or Bareback? 

I love love love bareback. 

9. Equestrian model?

I don't really have an answer for this. 

10. What's your, one, main goal while being in the horse world?

Ride my horse without the fear of death? Or just have a great bond with my horse and make her feel safe (preferably while riding or driving). 

Next up is my nominees. I am trying to pick bloggers who have not been nominated yet, so here goes:

The Three Muleteers

Drafy Hafy Gurl

Tails from Provence

Little Bay Horse

The Dancing Donkey

Cash's Steppin' Up

A Little Slice of My Life

Living a Dream

Life With My Herd

Memoirs of a Horse Girl

monday musings by shyloh #106

Before I can even talk about me, Allie asked me to do a PSA about her giveawy. Today is the last full day to enter to win this Horze women's college jacket. So you better enter for your chance to win!

Now back to the important stuff. . .me. There is so much more of me now! I find it to be quite wonderful, even though Allie complains that my tack doesn't fit. Oh well, work is over rated, right?

But Allie has been going on and on (as she often does) about my lack of self control with my precious round bale. All day access to hay is the best thing ever invented!

I heart eating! It's my most favorite thing.

Allie thinks it is not. . .and I have been deemed the Supreme Ruler of Minions (and Reba when she is in heat). I am permanently housed with the minions (and Reba when she is in heat, like now). The minions don't eat much, therefore I know do not eat much. 

I am sharing this super small pile with Meatball. When it gets low, I will run him off so I can have the rest.

But when I do eat, I make sure I eat my fill over the minions. I am the boss. And I get the most hay. Which really isn't much at all. 

Sharing with Reba. Gotta close my eyes to savor every bite.

I'm the only one left cleaning up all the scraps.

And to make matter worse, a "chastity" board was put at the bottom of my stall! Now I won't be able to share Isaac's hay or steal is grain. I guess two leggers were confused as to how both of Isaac's buckets and Notch's buckets were ending up in my stall. I have that much talent.

My stall is on the left end, then Isaac's, then Notch's. See how there is a bottom board now between me and Issac?

Allie says she is NOT buying new tack to fit my ever expanding girth, so my girth must accommodate my tack. I call bull. . .I need no tack at all. Why can't I just eat all day?

This is for FH at The Three Muleteers. Gunny's love of food dominates over his fear of people.

~Shyloh

sweety pie shy gets to work

Shyloh was incredibly affectionate today. Being all snuggly is not her M.O., but I'll take it when she gives it out. I was grooming her and she  put her head on my shoulder and just held it there for a while. It was definitely an "awwww" moment. Especially since after I pet her head or rub her neck, she always shakes it off afterwards. 

I went out to the barn with a plan. I had been re-reading a book sent to me by Dreaming on training a horse to drive. I know Shy can drive, she (we) just need to get some confidence in ourselves. So, I thought to take a few steps back and really drill in her commands, mostly whoa and stand. We always have trouble with stand.

I tacked her up in the barn, it is getting cold outside! And Shy promptly tried to get into Clutch's food. 

Her head almost fits through. .  .

Which brings us to another problem. . .Shy's ever expanding girth. Seriously, I could not buckle her harness girth! I think Shy may have to live permanently with the minions because she clearly has not demonstrated that she can handle herself with the round bale. And, as if she does not have access to the round bale all day, when she comes inside, she tries to steal Isaac's food! Jaime even had to change out her buckets so she stops getting to Isaac's and dumping his. How she does this, we have no idea. 

No self control

Anyway, Shy got her harness on and we stopped for a quick photo shoot. . .

Go Blue!!

Then I took her to the round pen. I lunged her and worked on her commands. I was pleasantly surprised that Shy was spot on. My only issue was that her trot to whoa was more of a slow down shift to a stop than a quick stop. However, I think that may be okay because I don't want a sudden and jolty stop. And then we she did stop she turned into me and started to walk towards me. 

Ready to work!

While we were lunging, I was dragging the whip behind her, through the leaves on the ground. Shy was fine with that until she heard it coming up next to and in front of her. That made her stop. I clicked her on and she would walk until the sound came up next to her again. But hey, a stop is better than a bolt forward. Shy eventually got over this. 

See the hay baby?

Then I line drove her around the round pen. This is were we worked on stay. Shy was a rockstar with stay! We made this short and sweet since she was doing so well. Why is it that going back into work after time off, Shy is always so good? It is after she has been in work that she starts being a butthead. I think a couple more sessions of this then we can work on hooking the plastic sled again. Then maybe Shy can shed these extra pounds. . .

And another shout out to the Horze college jacket contest! Click here to enter now!

llamas!

There is a llama farm down the street from Jaime and Kyle's farm. The llamas are so funny, mostly funny looking but funny in other ways too. Most of the time I just see them on my way to and from the farm, grazing, eating, laying. The other day we went for a ride/drive down the road. I took Dexter, Jaime was driving Notch, and Kyle and Terry were riding Clutch and Reba and we went by the farm.

The llamas were quite intrigued by us as we went by. I think they mostly see cars. And they started running. . .in a giant llama group to us. . .

They were judging us

Dexter was not impressed and wanted to get away from the llamas as quickly as possible. He was really good about but he wanted to trot on by. Notch spooked at a plastic bag that was caught up on the llama fencing. Pretty much nothing bothers Clutch. And Reba, well Reba wanted to meet the llamas.

Hello llamas!

It was pretty cute. Tacking her up is a chore for Terry because Reba wants to go go go. But as soon as Terry gets on, Reba is all business. She loves being out and about. Terry even got Reba to canter (which is a hard task) and had a race with Kyle and Clutch. Poor Dexter wanted to join in and tried his hardest  to keep up but just couldn't, little pony legs just can't compete with Clydesdale and Shire legs. 

It was a nice ride and drive through the countryside.

Such a good good pony!

Once we got back to the farm, we went out back in the freshly plowed fields. We had ten acres to roam about. Jaime put Notch to work while Terry and Kyle messed around with their horses. Dexter's four wheel cart is not cut out for all terrain, but we did a few laps back and forth. Dexter is such a fun pony to drive and I love his trot. 

As we were going out back, we passed Shyloh and Issac in the pasture. They ran up to the fence nickering, looking like they were upset they got left behind. I had to tell Shy that if she knew how to behave in a cart, I would take her. On our way back, she did her manliest of deep sounding nickers. 

After we put horses up, we went out for ice cream and had birthday cake for my birthday. Fun times!

And if you have't already, enter the giveaway for a Horze Women's College Jacket! Click here for the post!

horze college jacket giveaway!

******This contest is over******
Emmi, congrats on winning the giveaway!

It's fall time and the weather is getting chilly. Horses are growing their fuzzy winter coats to prepare for the cold. Shouldn't everyone be donning an extra layer to keep warm?

Horze is sponsoring a giveaway for a College Women's Jacket. This cute equestrian hoodie is great for riding or driving, barn chores, or just hanging with your favorite horse. 

One lucky winner will get this lovely piece of equestrian outerwear. It comes in the color Dark Shadow and is available in sizes XS-XL (size chart is on website). 

To enter the giveaway for this horse jacket, 

• Comment on this post about your favorite fall ride/drive.
• Extra entries will be given for sharing this contest on your blog, Facebook, or Twitter. (leave the link so I can see!)

This giveaway ends at 8:00 am on Tuesday, October 29th.  Open to shipping in the US only. Good Luck everyone!

monday musings by shyloh #105

I love lazy Sundays. 

Laying on a bed of hay, don't want to get dirty!

I nap with the minions in the sun. They like to get super muddy, but I prefer to stay clean. 

Nap Party

Sometimes Allie wakes me up from my lovely naps and I have to give her the stink eye.

Don't even try to make me work!

Do work? Me? Never! I am a wild and free pony!

And I finally got to go back in with the big guys! I love my minions, but I love my round bale more!

~Shyloh

michigan great lakes international draft show and pull 2013

One word:

Babies!!

Colts and fillies, weanlings, yearlings, and two year olds!

Napping in a standing stall

Percheron baby!

Crazy hair!

So much cuteness under one roof. Some babies were sleepy and some babies were feisty. I loved them all!

This one made a pillow out of all the bedding.

Lots of jumping and kicking from the babies.

The show was fun to watch. I recognized a few people that I have seen over the summer. One was a judge from a show and a couple where at the Great Lakes Haflinger Show. I went with Jaime and Kyle and we met Haley up there the second day. There were a few vendors selling mostly draft stuff. The man from Shipshawana Harness was very nice and answered all my questions for Terry about showing Reba. He also said he would make me girth extenders for Shyloh's harness! I told him I would let him know, as I hope to have her weight down so we can buckle it without excessive force. 

And very very expensive wagons.

$10150 expensive!

We watched a bunch of halter classes. The breeds there were Belgians, Percherons, Clydesdales, and two Shires. My favorites by far were the Clydesdales. . .they are just so pretty! They had a judge from Scotland to judge the Clyde/Shire classes, so many of the farms had soaped their horses. It was pretty cool to see.

Mare and Foal halter class

Related to Clutch!

Handsome

Smiley dude!

How they wrap the legs and leave the feather out.

Dapply butt!

Sleepy guy.

More sleepy pony.

Halter baby!

Clydesdale bath time to wash out the soap.

Cool markings.

We also saw the six horse hitches. I am just so in awe by them. . .I can barely drive one. I can't even imagine how to drive six!

Percheron hitch

Such beautiful horses.

Getting ready to back up

Mules fanning. 

Gorgeous!

Four 6 horse hitches of Clydes, in one arena!

The end of the first night had the light horse pulling. And by light horse the combined weight of the horses had to be 3350 lbs or less! They started out by pulling 2800 lbs for 27 and a half feet.We didn't stay until the end. 

So crazy to watch them pull so much weight!

We even got to meet some horses from the farm where Clutch's sire came from. It was pretty cool, they have the black Clydesdales as most are bay. One of Clutch's relatives was so sweet. She had just come back from a mare and foal class and was standing in the aisle. She lowered her head for me to scratch it and after about five minutes of scratching, I went in for a hug. And she bit me on the leg! At least her filly was quite the cuddlebug. 

The guilty biting party.

Belly feathers!

Momma

Baby

I love going to these shows and seeing these horses. They are so well trained, so beautiful, and fun to watch. The people are incredibly nice. We stopped and talked to a few guys as we were touring the horses that were in the stalls. Everyone is willing to take a minute to chat and answer questions. It is just a really great bunch of people.

This guy made Isaac look tiny!

Getting ready for the hitch!

Draft in a sleazy!

Silly horse!

Mules

Plowing was done outside