fun show

Today we had the draft club's fun show. It is different from the circuit shows; it required no washing of ponies, no mane rolls or tail bows, and no show clothes. It was just a day to hang with friends, show ponies and mules low key, and have fun.

One of my new friend that helps out with all the shows, Lisa, and Becky came up to take Shyloh down to Ohio. Shy was going to have a sleepover at Beth's house!

Yeah. . .Shy is the only horse in that bad boy

In the morning, me and Beth loaded up the ponies and headed to the show, a mere 10 minutes away! We got there early and got a coveted under the tree parking spot. Ahhh. . .shade. It was much needed for the 90 degrees and humid day that was ahead of us.

Can you see Shy and Art?

First up, halter class. We never place in halter or showmanship. So when it was out turn and Shy drug ass up to the judge, then decided to speed trot away from the judge, then half trot back to the judge, I figured we were just doing halter just because. . .  imagine my surprise when the judge called us out for second! Second place!! I was shocked!

Happy pony with her ribbon

Showmanship was our usual blah. I get so bored standing in line and so does Shy. But next up was line driving obstacle course. . .which we rocked! We took third place and I think that was because She refused to trot around the cones. But she did go over the bridge without a problem!

Next was the scary part. Hooking Shy to the cart. She had not been hooked since the last show she was at, which was in May. But Shy was a superstar! Beth rode with me, just to be safe and we ended up taking fourth in the class. 

Go Shy!

Nevermind the hair-fro. . .it was so hot and humid!

Then Shy was used for youth cart class. The little girl who drove Shy did an excellent job and Shy was great for her. I think they took second place. 

Becky took a spin on Shy and I convinced her to do the obstacle class with Shy. I rode with her. Shy was doing good until we had to back in a U shape, then pull out. She did a major scoot coming out of the U. A major scoot. Becky got after her and made her do it again so she could do it right. After Shy got herself together, Becky had me drive her back to the trailer. 

Now it was time to hook Shy and Art together. They did an obstacle course and I think they took either first or second with Beth driving. Then they did a farm team open class. Beth said that the way they drove together was amazing, they were so good! And they took first place!

Teamsters

The last team class was on a wooden sled, where the driver stands. A water bucket was filled to the top and placed on the back of the sled. The driver had to take the team around three cones and back around the cones. The winner was the person who spilled the least amount of water. Beth went first with Art and Shy. Then it was my turn. Let me tell you, driving two horses is hard! I don't know how people drive those hitches with six and eight! And since Shy and Art aren't technically a team, they both have different words to go. So I had a bit of a difficult time getting started. . .but Beth helped. Then I took over. It was fun, but I have a difficult enough time with just one horse, I am not sure I am ready for two! And turning them is much easier than making them go straight. But when we crossed the finish line, I had more water in the bucket! Me and the team took first place!!

After that, Shy and Art got hooked back up to the cart and gave pony rides to Lisa and her husband Ed.  And by the time Shy was unhooked, she was exhausted and sweaty! Pony doesn't know what it is like to work! She took a little snooze at the trailer, then resumed her eating. We loaded up and Lisa and Ed took us home. How awesome are they for coming to get us and bring us home for the show? Super awesome!!

That's the sign of some hard work!

The rains when we got home probably felt so good!

I am so proud of how Shy did today!! I wish I would have gotten way more photos, but I was so busy all day! If anyone at the show took some, I will share them on Shy's Facebook page.

more on barn fun day

I finally got around to putting together some video of the other horses and riders/handlers. It was a ton of fun. Good food, good friends, good horses. I feel so lucky to be at such a great barn. Enjoy the videos!

First, we all walked the horses in hand through the course. Naturally, some of the horses refused some obstacles, but there were no major (or minor even) issues. Here is the in hand video.

Then, the brave ones mounted their trusty steeds and took the obstacle course by storm. Once again, amazing! I hope to conquer that course one day, sooner rather than later. 

And. . .since Shyloh missed her say yesterday, she wanted to add in her own two cents about the whole day. . .

Terror! Why would the two leggers do this to us? While they thought it was all good ponies doing things we would never expect to meet in actual nature. . .it was more like stop scaring the living crap out of me! 

Here is my take on "Barn Fun Day." See the petrified horses trying to steer clear of the obstacles? See the fright? Why, oh why??

~Shyloh

Okay. . .it really wasn't that bad. . .I did get to hang outside and eat lots of grass. . . when I wasn't forced to go through that very unnatural course a bajillion times.

barn fun day

Today, my barn held a Barn Fun Day! It consisted of a pot luck and a horse obstacle course, designed by yours truly and built by Beth and Jim. We had a great day! All the horses were so good going through the different obstacles. We hand walked our horses through first, then some people rode. I could not muster up the courage to ride Shyloh through, even though she walked the course like a champ, even though she wanted to eat grass the whole time.

We even had the Great Arabian Down and Back Sprint!

I took Shy through the course a bunch of times, then cheered on my fellow barn friends as they went through and Shy grazed.

I have a ton of photos to go through that I want to share off all the horses going through the course, but I am too tired right now. I promise to share soon, though!

line driving obstacle course

I did a line driving obstacle course with Shyloh today. I also worked on keeping contact with her as we did our line driving. I am undecided with how our little session went. . .

The key:

1. Poles

2. Hula Hoop. I stand in the hoop and have Shy circle around me without stepping out of it. We did both ways.

3. Tarp with a board on it.

4. Cones. Weave through them forward and backwards.

5. Barrels. Narrow space, go through them.

6. Alleyway with poles.

7. Cones. Figure Eight.

Usually, when I work with Shy, I am able to pick out at least one improvement or good thing that happened. While I can say that Shy went through my course really well, I am still a little disappointed. I felt she, me, we could have done better. 

Why me?

Really?

Shy conquered all of the obstacles with ease except for the tarp and board. This is the same obstacle she refused at the show. She does not have a problem with the tarp, it is the board. And she does not have a problem being led over either, but she won't do the obstacle being line driven. And yes, I did have a whip. Not much use, except for moving her sideways at lightening speed. Needless to say, we spend a lot of time on this. . .

Almost there. . .

We did it!

I know what I should have done. I really should have got my clicker out and did some training that way. But I didn't and I am a kind of upset with myself over this. 

Eh. . .I am not sure what is up with Shy this week. She just not seem to be wanting to do work. I am going to have to keep working on this for the next show.

monday musings by shyloh #17

I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas! I know I did! Allie and aunt Kathy let me and Casi, and then me and Ryleigh go outside on Christmas Eve! Most pastures are still muddy and some have ice spots, but the small one was okay, so that is where we went. We didn't go crazy or anything like some of the big TBs might go, we just stuck our heads right down and got to business. . .grazing!

nom nom nom. . .grass is good!

We got to go outside today, too!  It was so nice to have the cool breeze and sun on our backs. I just loved it! I must say that I am glad I have a stall. I stay clean, but most importantly dry. My old paddock is still flooded and so muddy. I feel bad for poor Notch out there! But the mud only goes to his pasterns, where if I was out there it would probably go up to my stifles!

Allie took a ride on me the other day and set up a little obstacle course for us to do. Because we did this so so many times before she started riding me, I was a pro! I went right through it without a problem. Around, through, and over. Easy as pie!

Beginner's obstacle course

Although, while I was doing the obstacle course, Beth decided it was time for dinner! I saw her walking down the aisle with the hay wagon and throw my dinner hay in my stall . . .I was so  torn! Allie was telling me to go one way (which was away from the door, my stall, and my hay), but I wanted to go another way(toward the door, my stall, and my hay). I tried to compromise. . .I faced the way Allie was directing me to go, but I made my legs move another way, towards my stall. I can do quite the fancy footwork when I want to!  But, I was unsuccessful and I had to do the obstacle course one last time. Then Allie let me eat!

Am I too young to start shaving my legs? They are pretty hairy. . .

Allie taught me to play ball. Her version of ball is to kick toward me and then I run away snorting and sometimes bucking. It really is fun and I am not really afraid of the ball! Then we tried to another ball game, roll the ball back and forth. Allie would push it toward me and I would push it back!  

I'm cute!

Another fun thing to do is play with Casi. I get him to chase me, then throw side bucks out at him! Casi thinks this is so much fun, too, because he does the same thing! I only try my hardest to play and be extra goofy when Allie isn't looking. I need her to think that I am a serious horse. So, if I am in my stall playing with my Lick-It or Jolly Ball, as soon as I see Allie, I stop. And when I play with Casi, it is usually when Allie is not around. But I got word that Aunt Kathy told on me and Casi the other day. . .and I think Allie was spying on us from out a window today while we were playing. I need to watch myself! I really need to keep up my "serious" horse demeanor. I cannot be confused for one of those silly mini horses or ponies just because I am vertically challanged! 

Time to eat my dinner hay. . .I'll let Allie tell you all about the wreck that was the bareback saddle pad another time. . .

~Shyloh