it's a start!

We did it! It was not pretty, not pretty at all, but Shyloh is back to pulling! And was not able to buckle the girth! Diet pasture is working!

Is pony angry or pretending to be angry?

But first, Shy really had to mess with me and act like she was so afraid of the sled. I was lunging her in full harness and she was making a production of going between the sled and the round pen panel. Jaime came up to watch us and suggested hooking Shy to the sled. She would head.

Um. . .okay? Jaime led Shy around as I drug the sled behind them, just to get Shy comfortable with the noise of the sled over the grass and leaves. Then we hooked her up and I took all necessary precautions, such as tapping the plastic sled to see Shy's reaction. None. So pretty much the whole I'm so scared to go by the sled and I must snort and act a fool was just a joke. A big fat joke on me to get out of doing stuff because it has worked before.

Shy acted a hot mess and kept backing up out of the traces. Jaime got on me about correcting Shy (which I need) and we had Shy pull in the mess she created for herself. She could have cared less about the traces rubbing all over her legs. Or that Bindi, Jaime's mini Aussie was herding her and biting her back legs. 

Shy must like the traces always off to the sides, because this is how we always seem to end up!

Switching directions had the traces really rubbing her, but weird horse didn't care.

She really knows how to play that scared act with me and I fall into it every time. It's because I lack confidence in both of us, but I think we may be gaining some as we go along. 

Boo for work!

We did the sled pulling again today. The sled was a total non issue. . .I moved it, banged on it, jumped in it, and Shy just looked at me like I was the goofy one.  This time we did not use a lead rope, but Jaime walked next to Shy. 

Look, traces are actually where they belong!

Shy was actually able to keep the traces on the outside of her legs this time. She seemed to understand that backing up and trying to tangle herself was not successful for her. We were moving along just fine until Shy decided that the dogs were scary. Really? The same dogs that never bothered her just yesterday. . . 

She kind of jumped forward and quick stepped, ripping the lines out of my hands (side note: I have total butterfingers, something else to work on). I jumped up in the sled. At the same time, Jaime who was walking next to Shy go tripped up on the traces and began to do a slow motion twist and fall. But as she was falling, Jaime managed to grab a line. It was all in slow motion. Shy pretty much stopped on her own, and got maybe seven feet. 

Go pony!

It was a total fake out. Shy was completely fine. Jaime hurt her pinky finger. Then we kept on working. Well, for about a half a circle. I noticed Shy's tongue was looking strange. Turns out she managed to get it over her driving bit. What the hell?

I fixed it and we resumed working. Shy did fabulous after that. Lots of stopping and standing work and smooth take offs from the stop. Good pony. She has to run out of her tricks to get out of work soon, right?

Smoochies!