monday musings by shyloh #135

I got all geared up in my fly mask, muzzle, and halter. I know what that means. . .

alien pony

Grass! Me and the big horses went to the back pasture to enjoy the cool breeze, the sun, and  grass. On the way out, I did get to enjoy some mulberries from the many mulberry trees that line the driveway back to the pasture. 

First things first when getting released. . .try to get the muzzle off so I can inhale grass at Haflinger speed. But Allie has gotten hip and puts the halter over all the fly mask and muzzle to keep it on. Boo. 

Be off, you food restricting demon!

Once I resigned to eating grass at a super slow pace and bobbing my head up and down to get the blades in the little hole, I was fine. At least I wasn't the only horse that was silly looking. . .

Hee hee

I also got to finally hang out with my big horse friends. I like them most and usually stand at the gate between the pastures longing to be with them (or their round bale). So I was a happy happy horse!

~Shyloh

on or off?

The great fly mask question. . .

Did it stay on? Or did Shyloh manage to get it off? Or something in between, like an ear poking out with the mask all crooked?

I thought for sure that either the fly mask was long gone or at the very least lightly askew. . .

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And the winner is. . .fly mask on!

So, much to my surprise, when I pulled up to the barn Shy was up front with the herd and the fly mask was perfectly in place. I really need to learn by now that everything I think Shy will do, she does the exact opposite. I am now calling it Shyloh's Law. 

But it was not for lack of trying. . .the mask had a ton of dirt and grass stains on it.

Like. . .Shy has no problem walking over bridges, we will just go right over this bridge for trail. . .wrong! Or. . .Shy refuses to do (insert something). . .wrong, she does it perfectly! 

I am pretty sure she does these things to spite me. I am glad I decided to try the fly mask because I think it is really helping keep the gnats from her ears. She is letting me touch them again without violently shaking her head away from me, so I will assume her ears were a bit sore from being gnat dinner. 

Why is my pony so dirty the day before a show?

Is her head oddly large? I think so. . .

Unshaven dirt face

Because I am not taking Shy. Which kind of works out on the bathing front since it is cloudy and chilly and Shy is a dirty mess. And there is a transportation issue that I would rather not get into. . .but I am going! I plan on helping out, hanging out, and taking one million photos! Shy is totally okay with being wild and free pony. 

It's cool, shows bore Shy. . .

circle-ish

Circles. . .so simple, yet so complicated. 

We have a show this weekend that we are in no way prepared for. No driving has been done (I finally got new bearings for my cart wheels but they need to be put on), minimal line driving was completed, we did one session of side passing, and that's about it. . .Ugh.

So today we decided to work on our circles while line driving. Of course, the line driven reinsmanship course probably won't even have circles in the pattern this time, but oh well. Last time we did circles they looked like this:

Ameoba

Today, we moved from this:

Hot mess

To this:

Sideways Conehead

We kind of fall apart at the last half of the circle. But we made some progress so we stopped working on the circles and went on a line drive. I took Shyloh past some pretty scary things and was very happy when she decided to trust me and go through (after stopping and trying to turn around a few times). And some guy was on a riding lawn mower cutting the grass and Shy could have cared less about that. She is really coming along. 

And since I came to the barn and found Shy had tried to gouge her eye out. . . 

She must sense we have a show this weekend

I decided to put her fly mask on her. This will keep the gnats out of her ears and the flies away from this cut. And hopefully prevent anymore eye gouging attempts. 

They're all gonna laugh at me!

I just hope she keeps it on. . .but I am pretty sure I will be combing 15 acres looking for it when I go out there next. My first clue to that was watching Shy try to shake the fly mask off. . .

Get off!!

The next clue was watching her try and roll the fly mask off. . .

Be gone, mask!

Oh pony. . .never a dull moment!

monday musings by shyloh #44

The "Catch Me If You Can" game is so much fun! Especially since I know Allie can't catch me by speed. We played the game the other day when she wanted to put my fly mask on me. 

Allie: Shyloh, come here!

I'm rollin' over here. Leave me alone!

Allie: You need this mask so the flies stay out of your eyes. And spray, too!

Nooooooo! I don't want it!

Allie: Get over here now!

Never! I must run! You will never catch me!

Allie: Look, I have the mask on, it's not bad at all. . .

Crazy lady! You look like an alien. I hope I don't look like that in my mask!

Allie: Dammit Shy, it is too hot to be chasing you!

If you run, there is a nice cool breeze. Keep running Allie, moo hahaha!

Allie: Want a clover?

Nope. Got all the clover I want right here. Try something I can't get in this field.

Allie: Stop running from me! Why won't you behave? 

The mask is just a guise! You probably really want to give me another bath or make me work or something equally as evil!

Allie (panting heavily): Pleeeease!

Wheeeeee! Running is fun! Watching you try to catch me is more fun!

Allie (dripping sweat and waving hands wildly): Why? It has been almost a year and you still won't let me catch you without food! You are one frustrating pony!

So, did I let her catch me? I'll never tell. . .

i'm evil. . .

I am pretty sure that is what Shyloh is thinking about me at this point. Why am I so evil? Well. . .

not the picture of a happy Haffie

Shy is not pleased with the grazing muzzle. At first, she did not know what it was, but let me put it on her. She tolerated it, but had no clue what the purpose of the muzzle was.

After I finished mucking stalls, I worked Shy in the harness. After a bumpy start,  Shy did real good! We worked on circles in the corners, and when she started circling on her own, I moved the circles to the  middle of the straights. We ended with practicing whoa, but Shy has taken to turning about 90 degrees before stopping. Something else to work on. . .

Then, I took her outside to test out the grazing muzzle. Shy was not a fan. All she knew was that it prevented her from getting her beloved grass. And she was angry!

Of course, it was quite humorous to me. But I did feel a smidge bad, so I took it off and let her graze freely for a few minutes. I tried to explain to Shy that it was either this muzzle so she could be with her herd and get some grass, or she would be stuck inside or on the dry lot by herself. I tried to explain how the grass could cause laminitis and founder and make her real sick and it could be real painful. I don't think she was listening to me as she was stuff as much grass in her mouth that would fit and at lightening speed!

After that we had a photo shoot with the new fly mask. What a styling pony!

Poor Shy. Such a mistreated pony. .  .