birth-iversary 3/8

Today is Shyloh's birth-iversary! I have had her for three years and she is possibly eight years old. Pony is growing up!

She can be cute

Of course, I had to celebrate with the obligatory headware and smiles. Shy is a cheesy girl.

Smiles!

This past year has brought us lots of fun, lots of ups, and some downs. But we continue to learn and improve and I have a great bunch of friends that are along for this adventure.

Birth-iversary bath

I went to a lot of county fairs and watched the open draft shows. We moved to Jaime and Kyle's barn where they started Hidden Creek Draft Horses. We have had some trials and errors as we all adjust to being a part of this barn and helping Jaime and Kyle build it to what they dream. It is fun to help along as I can.

Snacking on a banana Laffy Taffy

I put a stop to the driving Shy from some continued unpleasant experiences and put our focus on riding. Shy has really matured mentally and is handling the riding great. I, on the other hand, am find it difficult to let go of past experiences with her, but am working on it. I am impressed with the maturing and learning to trust Shy has done in the past few years. Even though she does prefer to be a feral pony and is choosy in who she will let approach her (unless they have food for her), she rarely gives me hassle about it.

Birth-iversary rainbow!

Shy went on her first trail ride with another rider and was great, not a single issue. Shy has also become a fantastic lead line pony for Lily and has even won her ribbons in our shows! Shyloh even took a first place in Halter for me! And we got a second in Trail-in-Hand, which shows all our ground work is really paying off. I also rode Shy in a walk trot and trail class. We didn't place, but Shy also proved to be steady and remained calm when another horse got stung, flipped out and bucked her rider off.

Painted her toes, too

Shy has been turning steadily into an Appaloosa, and she continues to get new white spots. It's weird and I don't know what it is or what it is from, but recently I have noticed some new spots.

Shy is so so tolerant of all my shenanigans

Shy has had a great year and is continuing to improve. I am excited to see what this whole next year brings for us. I am hoping we have some great adventures and I can get Shy out and about. I think that will make her a very happy pony.

monday musings by shyloh #94

Today is my birth-iversary!! Rumor has it I am seven now and for the past two years I have been with Allie, being tortured in such a fashion as this. . .

But at least I got some delicious birth-iversary grass, even if I had to wear my tiara. Okay. . .I'll admit, I did kinda like the tiara. It was better than the party hat. 

Allie celebrated by giving me presents. . .

And carrots. . .

And blowing this thing in my face.

It was all in good fun. 

I think we have done a lot this past year. I moved to the outdoors and I love it. I got to show with a cart attached to me. I won a ribbon! I've done extensive travelling. I have gone on many adventures around the barn and a few away from the barn. I had a couple freak-outs. I am boss mare of my herd. I don't run away from Allie when she comes to get me anymore. I am more trusting. I am all smiles!

All in all, it has been good a good year. I really have no complaints. Happy birth-iversary to me!!

Please share your favorite memory of me in honor of my birth-iversary?

~Shyloh

in with the herd!

Today was the big day. . .the introduction to the herd!

It did not go quite as I thought it would. . . better actually, but with some mishaps. All the horses were way back in the pasture, past the trees, and around a bend. I started following Shyloh back through the trees, but I eventually ended up leading Shy. She stopped short of the edge of the trees, then galloped back to the front of the pasture. I got her, put her halter on and led her back. When I got within a reasonable distance, I took her halter off and she galloped back again! Whew. . .I was sure getting my exercise today! I tried a third time, but this time I unhaltered her closer to the herd, when they began to take interest in her. 

One horse went up to Shy, there was no drama, so I walked away. Mike had come up to see the new barn and had no idea where I was. I got him and we walked back to see how Shy was doing. She was off by herself grazing, but at least she hadn't run to the front. Tony, the donkey seemed to take a liking to Mike and followed him all around the pasture. It was cute!

As we were leaving the pasture, Shy and Tony followed us back to the front. Shy hung out near the front for a while. In an adjoining paddock was Buddy the Belgian. Shy and Buddy hung out for a while. 

Then, the rest of the herd got thirsty and headed to the front to get some water. This is where the trouble started. Two other mares, Rainy Day, a Tennessee Walker and Shay, a bald face mare  tried to show Shy who was boss (at this point, the other Haflinger, Lucas, was being ridden by his owner). Shy ran away from them, but always came back, and even threw a buck/fart out. 

A few times, Shy even hid out in the woods to get away from the mean mares. . .

After their thirst was satisfied, the whole herd headed back out. Shy followed them. By now, the other Haflinger was back. Him and the two mares seem to be the meanie clique. And Shy had hooked up with a gelding Paint, Dancer and another mare, Analeese. These two were calm and at the bottom of the herd. 

Shy and her new friends went off in one direction and the rest of the herd headed elsewhere. I think Shy will be fine. I will see tomorrow how many marks she has on her. . . 

I also got all my stuff, except for my saddle, in my new tack locker!

Oh yeah. . .and today is my birthday!!

shyloh's birth-iversary

Today marks the one year anniversary that Shyloh has been home with me! I am also using this day to celebrate her unbirthday, since I don't know when her real birthday is. So today, Shy turns 6! All this weeks posts have lead up to today, where we can just have fun!

Wow. To see how far we have come since the day Shy stepped off the trailer is amazing! 

To start, I gave Shy a bath so she would be all pretty and clean. Quite possibly this was not her favorite part of the day. . .but we made it through. Grazing in the sun until dry is a big incentive to being good for bath time. After she was all dry, I put her in her stall for a party favor photo shoot.

Then I gave Shy her  birth-iversary pie! Looks delicious, right. . .

It is all her favorites, soaked Timothy pellets, banana, blueberry, dried peas, and a half carrot and five mini candy canes (total of six "candles"). Shy gobbled it right up!

After our little celebration, I sent Shy back off with her herd. That is where she likes to be best. I think she had a good day and a good year! Of course, she starts with a head toss, gets in a little roll, then wanders around the pasture making sure everything is just as she left it.

Thanks to everyone who reads for sticking through our first year together!!

birfday birfday!

Today is my birthday!! It's a big one. . .dirty thirty! And let me say, today has been an odd day. . .but a good day.

to me!

But it ended with some Shyloh time. I am still not convinced about her being inside. She gets the bedding jammed in her hooves, but maybe I am just looking for excuses. . .

Kathy was awesome enough, once again, to let Shyloh and Ryleigh outside for a few hours. It was raining (will it ever stop?), but not hard and they did not mind. After, Sandy put a cooler on Shy to help dry her off. They said Shy was looking at them like what are you doing to me? I am pretty sure she never had anything like that on her before. Kathy and Sandy said she tolerated it, though.

For my birthday, Robin cooked chicken and dumplings (yum!) and made Funfetti cupcakes (yum!). They were both so good and the chicken and dumplings were perfect, since it was freezing at the barn. Shyloh enjoyed a piece, or two, or three, of cupcake. Really, enjoyed. I didn't get any pictures today because my phone battery died and my car charger broke today. 

I spent some time with Shyloh, grooming her in the stall. I brushed her mane and tail. I usually do not brush her tail. Her hair is very coarse and thick. The tail tends to kind of "dreadlock" up. Her mane looks like she stepped out of the 80's; it looks like it is crimped. I put conditioner on both and let it set in.

When I left the barn, I went up to my mother-in-law's restaurant. I had not seen Mike all day since he worked his day job, then worked at the restaurant. He gave me my birthday present! It was this thing that gets installed in my car so I can use my phone or iPod to play music. I had wanted a new radio so I could hook up my iPod to it for a while now (I actually forgot that I wanted it) because I really do not like the radio. My musical tastes are not growing with this new music coming out. Mike is taking my car to get it installed tomorrow! Yay!

Then I came home to clean the house a little bit. I also cleaned out my car. While I was busy doing cleaning things Maggie went into a bag that I brought in from the car and extracted a pumpkin. So, I guess the pumpkins I bought for Shyloh did not go to waste, because Maggie loves them! She walked down the hall and began eating that pumpkin, starting on the outside and working her way in. She was making a royal mess, but it was too cute! She carried it all over the house in her mouth, until I had to take it away to vacuum. Then she sat under the kitchen table (where I put the pumpkin), and stared at me.

But now, it's off to sleep for me, I have a big weekend!!