muddin' and lungin'

It has been rainy here. Rainy and muddy and just gross. One day, there was a break in the drizzle, so I went to visit with Shyloh.  I got to the barn and bonus!, they had already fed and the horses were finishing the last of the hay. I thought, maybe we would do some fun clicker stuff that we haven't done in a long time or maybe we would line drive. 

Shy had other plans. I guess she felt like running because she played a mean game of "catch me if you can". We ran through the mud, we ran through the trees. She would let me get so close, then off she would go. My Air Ariats (named so for the "air vents" in both sides of both boots where the plastic toe piece meets the leather) collected mud as it seeped through the holes. Yuck.

She makes up her own paths

Shy has not played this game in forever, so I was not prepared with a peppermint. The mere crinkle of the wrapper will stop her in her tracks. I tried many methods, even scooping up hay remains and trying to feed them to her. It was a no-go. 

The more she evaded, the madder I got. She wanted to run? Run we would. . .as soon as I caught her. Eventually, after chasing her out back and through the woods, she stopped and I caught her. Shy then did her walk of shame back up front where I promptly de-burred her and put on her lunging tack.

Thirsty? From 40 minutes of evasion? No. . .Too thirsty to continue any further? No. . .

Oh yes. . .we were going to run. I was even more pissed because I hate lunging. It is boring. And there is no round pen at the barn, so I couldn't even free lunge.

We trotted and trotted some more. I did spiral circles, big to little to big again. I had her do walk/trot transitions. A little cantering (so hard for her, even harder for me to get her into it!).  Then we reversed and repeated. 

A few reverses later and I had a slightly sweaty, very huffy puffy, fat pony. Guess who wasn't trying to play that game with me anymore and did perfect ground ties?

I decided that since Shy was warm, I would stretch her out. She loves her stretches! But even those weren't enough to keep her not pissy. I hope she decides it is not worth playing that game next time I go out. Plus, I don't want to lunge again.

Haha. Gotta laugh at pony, still mad after the lunge.

weirdly meh

Shyloh has been weird lately. . . not sure what her problem is. She does not want to be caught and is really giving me the hardest time, again, with that. She is acting like a feral horse and it's actually pissing me off. 

Jaime and Kyle are completely unable to catch her to fly spray her or fix her fly mask if it gets off. When they go in the pasture she runs in the far corner, tossing her head. 

Shy is being standoffish to me, as well. More than usual. And jumpy. I thought about riding her the other day, but she was being so jumpy so I chickened out. So I did a running braid in her mane instead. She was super happy about that. . .

Those are happy eyes, no really. . .

We have continued our trail in hand work and Shy has been doing great. I wish I had more obstacles for us because we both are getting a little bored with the stuff we have been doing. 

Posing where we sidepass

I reintroduced the tarp, which she hasn't seen in a long time. It was no problem. In fact, even in her sassyness, she is still funny. 

Hurrr, I can tarp!

Shy is also under the impression that is is much taller than her 13.3hh. So tall, in fact, that she was convinced that she could not walk under the cross ties with a Shire in them. That explains why she longingly stands by the gate to be with her big drafts and ignores the minions she is stuck with, she is convinced she is at least 17 hands! Much too big to hang out with ponies or give them the time of day.

No room for a Haflinger under here. . .

When not being a sassy, standoffish, too big for her britches mare, Shy has been busy making trouble. She cannot stay out of her grooming bag, and I can't seem to remember to keep it out of her reach. Especially when I leave her to go talk or get something out of the barn. 

She has some serious issues. . .

She loves to dump everything out, then look down on me as I have to pick everything up,including all the rubberbands from the bag she ripped open.

Whatcha doin' down there?

We have been doing a little of this, a little of that, but it all seems like not much at all. And it is a little depressing. But we carry on.

**And, don't forget about the Guess the Breed Contest we have going on!**

back to clicking

My first time out to see Shyloh since the show and all the work she put in there. She was totally fine and did not appear to be sore. . .in fact, she was rather spunky. 

She is also very clean from the rain we have had!

I decided to try something we have not done in six months or so. . .clicker training! I wanted to do something with Shy and it was too hot and humid to do anything else. So, I grabbed the clicker and some hay pellets and got to work.

Um. . .I had not planned this in advance and just thought about doing it on the way to the barn and I had a hard time recalling what we have went over. Bad clicker trainer. I ran through our tricks. Click and treat. I practiced having her pick each foot up. Click and treat. We worked on yielding her hind quarters. Click and treat. We worked on side passing. Click and treat. We worked on backing. Click and treat. I was amazed by how Shy retained all of the stuff we had been doing! Click and treat!

Then I decided to get our mat out. I put it down and told Shy to go to her mat. And she did!

Hurrrrr, I'm on the mat!

We had not done anything with the mat in an even longer time. But Shy remembered like a pro! I worked on having her stand on the mat while I walked around her. I worked on having her walk to the mat from a distance. She was even able to fix her feet when I asked by making sure both hooves were completely on the mat. 

I think Shy likes doing this stuff because we were doing it completely off the lead. Shy could have walked away or ignored me at any time, but she chose to stay. Happy me!

By now, I was dripping in sweat from the heat. I decided to have a little  fun with Shy and I put her in the pasture with the pond. I wanted to see what she would do. 

Splash face in pond

Wade in pond

Watch duck in pond

Eat grass near pond

Run from me

And when I was ready to bring her back, Shy wanted to play catch me if you can. I finally caught her when she stopped to pee. Otherwise, I think I would still be chasing after her.  I am thinking I want to get back into clicker training with Shy and teach her a few more tricks and useful things. 

bag of scare

I do not know what has gotten into Shyloh lately, but she is being hard to catch again. And to top it off, Shy is being super sassy about it with that head toss!

Once I finally caught her (peppermints are less and less effective), I put her to work. I had a plan.  I had a bag. 

bag of scares

In my bag, I had items that make lots of noises. 

Items of doom : 1. tub of candy from the movies 2. horn 3. paper bag of taffy 4. jingle bell 5. plastic bag 6. chain

I want Shy to be comfortable with noises coming out of nowhere that she cannot see. So I hooked her up in the indoor arena (did I ever mention is she amazingly still when being hooked?) and I took her around the arena. Her commands where spot on. 

Then I started with my noise makers. First I crinkled the paper bag with the salt water taffy in it. Shy acted like she didn't even hear it. So I shook the bag. Still nothing.

Next I took out the horn. I gave it a gentle honk, I really didn't want to flat out scare her. But the biggest reaction I got was a flick of the ears back on the noise. 

I took out the tub of candy and shook it. It was loud. Shy kept moving so I kept shaking. She finally stopped. She was probably wondering what the crazy person behind her was doing. With a "walk on", she continued on. 

I got the jingle bells out. I knew Shy wasn't afraid of these, she had worn them before. And I was right, jingle bells jingling behind her were not a problem. But then I got an idea. . .I remembered what had happened with a barn cat ran out in front of Shy one day when we were line driving. Shy got startled. So I tossed the jingle bell in front of Shy.

I knew she was going to be startled, but I was not expecting her reaction. . .let's just say that she stopped so hard that if I would have been riding in the cart I would have been launched forward, probably onto Shy's back and landed on one of those silver things (technical term) on her harness saddle. I don't want that. Sounds painful.

Instead, I was walking behind the cart and I ran into it. I wish I would have got that on video.

That was a big reaction, but not the worst reaction that I can think of. So what was the most logical thing to do next? Yup, get Shy moving and do it all over again. Hey, I had four jingle bells! Each time I tossed one (I threw them on both sides of her, too), her reaction was better and better. Plus, she was not scared of the actual bells and had no problem walking up to them as I steered her to pick them up and do it all over again. Just the sudden appearance of the bells in her line of vision was startling. I wouldn't even call it scary. 

To continue my session with Shy, I got out the chain and tapped it on the wood and metal parts of the cart. She didn't care. Plastic bag flapping? No worries. Jingle bells tossed ahead of her again? Super stop! I tossed all the jingle bells again and when Shy showed the slightest reaction, I ended the lesson. Each time she did stop, but the stop was less and less abrupt. So, now I know what we need to work on, mainly objects coming into her range of vision when she is not expecting it. I am thankful that she never tried to bolt!

trophies, books, escapes, and broken things

What have me and Shyloh (awesome proper grammar, but I feel too formal writing Shyloh and I) been up to lately?

Hi there!

Besides the Barn Fun Day (here and here), we have been doing pretty much the same old stuff.  I did forget to mention the trophies!!

Trophies with style . . . courtesy of my dad

Baby Bob and Beth got a trophy because Bob was the only horse to actually lose his handler and take off, Jillian and Dulce got a trophy because they did really great and Dulce was the only horse who chose to jump the pool noodle obstacle, and Terry and Dulce got a trophy because Terry did not think Resy would do any of the obstacles and he did all of them!

I have read four horse related books. The first, 101 Ground Training Exercises for Every Horse and Handler by Cherry Hill was a bit of a disappointment. Not to say it was not informative. . .it just was not anything new for us. The best thing that I got out of that book was that we have done almost every exercise in there. That was kind of a booster for me since I have been feeling a bit down about our lack of progress lately. 

The second book, 101 Longeing and Long Lining Exercises English and Western: A Ringside Guide by Cherry Hill was much more useful. There was a handful of lunging exercises that I think may be helpful for both myself and Shy. Some Beth already discussed with me. . . now we just need to do them.

Equine Fitness: A Program of Exercises and Routines for Your Horse by Jec Aristotle Ballou was a very interesting read! There was a ton of explanation on how the muscles of the horse work and provided details on in hand and ridden exercises and stretches. The back of the book has cards with each exercise that can be tore out so I don't have to carry the book around. There were even exercises and stretches that focused specifically in the rear end, Shy's weak area. After some warm up, we have begun doing a couple of the stretches. The book also shares signs that your horse is relaxing into the stretch. It is a nice touch. The author also stresses the danger of over-stretching.

We also tried backing up our little asphalt hills. That was hard work! Shy was not too thrilled about that exercise. . .

The last book was for me, The Rider's Fitness Program by Dianna Robin Dennis, et al. I have read it and made copies of the workout routines so I can do them. Then I got the flu, but I am better now. . .so I just need a huge push to get started!

In other news, Shy escaped out of a pasture yesterday. She went right under the fence and ran to the big, much grassier pasture with the pond. Then Shy proceeded to give Kathy a hard time being caught to get her out of that pasture. I guess she ducked right under the fence to get out. Good thing that is not her regular pasture! Later that day, she busted a ring right off of her surcingle right before we got to the arena, effectively putting an end to the lunging lesson I had planned. Luckily I know someone that has the capability to sew through leather to fix it.  

Escapee. . . see those little hairs at the top of her tail? That's not rubbing, it is new tail growing in! Her mane is doing the same thing.

Aside from that, chiropractor and farrier next week. Shy seems to be doing good, but she is still a little jerky with her left rear leg. We actually had a true affectionate moment the other day, initiated by Shy! I was picking her rear feet (and I was not farted on for once) and Shy rested her head on my back. It was cute.

Anything exciting happening in your equine news? Ready for winter? Shy's hair sure is filling in! She is getting fuzzy!!

Patriotic Shy!

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. . .

sabotaging the clueless

Oh Shyloh. . . what am I to do with her? Today, she was the first horse brought outside. After she was let loose in her pasture, Kathy realized it was a grass pasture day (not a barely grass pasture day) and went to get Shy's muzzle and put her in the pond pasture. Well, this mare was having none of it. Shy would not let Kathy catch her to put her with the rest of her herd, so she ended up spending the day in a large pasture by herself. She could have cared less. However, she did manage to somehow do this:

What the heck?

. . .all by herself in a pasture with barely anything in it! How? The answer is clear. She somehow knows that we are going to a show on Sunday and she is sabotaging me. Maybe it is my constant clipping of her excess whiskers and one long chest hair. Maybe it is my awful attempts at putting a mane roll in her hair.

By the way, can anyone do a mane roll? I have watched YouTube videos all day trying to get the concept. I even played/paused a video while trying to get this think in Shy's mane! Unsuccessful does not even begin to describe the disaster that came out of Shy's mane.Somewhere between my brain and my fingers a connection has gone awry. Try as I might, I just cannot get it! Luckily she is a mare and does not NEED a mane roll for the show, but I kinda want her to have one. I am sure if she did, it would look very pretty. 

Got the mane to go on one side!

With the show coming up, so is the anxiety. I have zero idea what I am doing. Basically, we will be winging it and hope we wing it well. We are going to attempt four events and none of them involve me riding Shy. Ha! Maybe one day, but we need a lot more practice for that! I just hope we don't make a total fool of ourselves. . . You know, because when I try to use a stick to move Shy's legs to square her up, she waves. . .

The good thing is that we are doing the draft class and it seems to be more laid back than other shows. Win or lose, as long as we both are having fun, I plan to keep doing the shows. It is a great experience for us. 

We did practice our line driving a bit today. Of course, Shy, true to her inner-Halfinger, gave me a hard time to start. Why is it when I ask her to whoa, she does, then moves to the left, the whoas, then moves to the left, and by the time she is done, she is 90 degrees from the spot where she was supposed to stop? Then, she refuses to move forward. 

But after a obligatory hard time, Shy did great. We did cones, figure eights, circles, back ups, and more whoas. Robin even took a turn line driving her! Then we went outside to practice. Awesome again! Even with Beth's dad moving the lawn!

Tomorrow is going to be clean Shy up as best as we can day! I hope the weather is nice enough for a bath. . .

the bath

Today started out gloomy and rainy, but ended up pretty sunny and 70 degrees! I made the executive decision to give Shyloh a bath. She needed it. Bad.

No Allie, no bath! Puh-puh-puh-please no!

I got my shampoo, conditioner, whitening shampoo, and new Healthy Hair Care Hair Moisturizer (from Equine Affaire). I washed Shy down and soaped her up. Lucky for me, Shy is really good with getting a bath.

Even if she does not look too happy about it. . .

After her bath, I took her in the sun to dry, put some coconut oil of her hooves (they are dry and have been chipping), and picked out her feet. Shy was gobbling grass like she hasn't eaten in three weeks, so I went to grab her muzzle.

My mistake. . .she saw that muzzle and took off running! Oops. . .and she had the lead road still attached to her. Thankfully, she ended up in a pasture. Sadly, it was a large pasture. Unfortunately (for me), she rolled in grass, then in dirt as soon as she could. I can't keep a clean pony for ten minutes! Dangerously, she galloped and bucked her way to the very end of the pasture, lead rope trailing along. Gratefully, she did not step on it and hurt herself. Normally, I would have just left her in there, but that dangling lead rope forced me to get her.

Shy did not want to be caught. She was having way too much fun eat dandelions (her new favorite snack!) and running from me. I picked a dandelion to try to catch her and she looked at me like, b!tch please, I can get my own dandelions, then bent down, ate one, and took off again.

Good thing sugar free peppermints trump dandelions! I finally caught her and got her cleaned up again.Whew. I guess that is my welcome back from Shyloh!

Pretty and shiny!

monday musings by shyloh #18

Do I like the snow? Do I like being outside? Do I like running around? The answer is no. . .I LOVE it!!

But because of my great love of the outdoors, I was a bad pony! I was not listening to Allie and she was getting frustrated and mad at me. It went something like this. . .

Allie: Hey Shyloh, want to go play in the big pasture for a little bit?

Sure! There is grass there! And it is hidden under the snow. Like hide and seek. What fun!

So I ate and I ran and I played. But I guess Allie was getting cold and wanted to go in. . .

Allie: Let's go Shy!

No!! I must run from you! 

Allie: I'm serious. We need to go in! It's cold out here!

I guess you should have a winter coat like mine. I'm not cold at all! Moo hahaha!

Allie: SHYLOH! I will leave you out here all by yourself!

And? 

Allie: Here is something that might be edible for you, just let me come closer to you. . .

I'm not falling for your tricks! Talk to my rear!

Allie: That's it! Sassy pony, I'm sending you to the glue factory!

Only if you catch me. . .

Allie: Shyloh (sweet voice) Here are some yummy clovers. . .

I can get my own clovers. . .way over here.

Allie: Stop running! I'm cold and out of breath!

I'm just trying to help you with your exercise. Funny how you can run me all around the arena, but when I try to run you around you get all huffy.

Allie: Don't make me run around this pond one more time. . .

I won't. . . I'll make you run around it five more times! Your two legs will never catch my four! Or I will just stand on the other side from you. You will NEVER catch me!

Allie: Fine. I quit. You are spending the night out here, freezing and by yourself. With no dinner.

I don't care. . .

Allie left for a while. I didn't care. I got to play "Catch Me If You Can" and I won! I was also playing hide and seek for grass. 

But, she came back for me. And she had the enticing crinkling of a peppermint or butterscotch. I didn't know which one it was and I wanted to find out. . .bad. So I let Allie come up to me and she caught me. I had to go back inside. I did get my dinner and I was not turned into glue. But I was not allowed to have a pear from the new paint pony that just arrived at my barn.

 If I had to do it all over again, I would, even if I don't get a pear.

Whew. . . I was a dirty girl from all my running!

What a fun day!!

~Shyloh

peppermint success!

Yes! I cut the time it took to catch Shyloh today in half with a peppermint!  It was beautiful! Once she realized that I had something and that something was edible, she had no problem standing for me to approach her. A butterscotch would halt her, but not stay her. It was the peppermint that was the key. Then we went inside and did our grooming/lunging routine. It went very well! Yesterday, I lunged her over a pole and today we continued with our transitions.

While we were lunging, Beth was bringing the other horses in for the night. I kept hearing this one horse calling and calling and calling. It was non stop. Finally, I asked Kathy which horse was making all that racket? She said it was Ryleigh! It appeared that he was upset because he came inside and Shyloh was no where to be found! After we finished lunging, I walked Shy around the arena a few times to cool her down, then put her in the stall. Ryleigh nickered and immediately stopped calling out. They stood next to each other again the wall of each stall. They are cute.

I sat in Shy's stall and watched her do her favorite pastime. . . eat hay. I just hung out with her for a little bit. Then I walked to the other side of the barn to give CT some attention and talk to Kathy. CT is the softest horse ever! When I walked back down to Shy, I caught her playing with the Jolly ball I hung up for her! She spotted me and stopped. . . she stared at me like I caught her doing something she was not supposed to do! I was happy to see her play with it because I have never seen it unless I put sugar on it.

Robin keeps asking me to ride Ryleigh. I really do want to ride him, but it has been so long since I have been on a horse, I am just a wee bit apprehensive. And it doesn't help that by the time I am leaving the barn, Robin is just arriving! But I will get on Ryleigh. . .hopefully this weekend!

Now I have a date with Harry. . .Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part Two!