better rides

This week has given us snow, freezing rain, below zero temps, rain, and now 50 degree weather. Shyloh seems to not be fazed by any of it.

Me and Terry went out to the barn to take advantage of the nice weather before it plummets back down to below freezing later in the week. Shy continues to be a burr magnet and she is getting increasingly irritable at me pulling them out, especially by her ears. I keep telling her to stop sticking her head in burr patches, but it is like she doesn't understand (haha). 

Terry talked me into a ride today and I reluctantly agreed. I just wasn't feeling it, but I am glad I did it. I think Terry was regretting it though, since Reba cowkicked her, gave her a hard time with the bridle (tall horse/short person,easy to do), then was a butt for mounting. But, as usual, Reba was great for the actual ride part.

Shy has been doing excellent with her mounting, no issues in forever. I hopped right up and Shy was ready to go. She tried to do her spins like last time, but I think I was a bit more sure of myself and Shy gave up really easily. After that, Shy was a golden pony.

We led the whole ride! Shy was great. Relaxed, sure of herself, walking at a nice place, and listening to me great. All I had to do was turn my head and she went in the direction I wanted. We had such a good time and Shy really seemed to enjoy herself. 

After, Reba and Shy got their treats from Terry in the pasture. They are so cute when they mug her for the treats.

I am loving these bareback jaunts on Shy and I think she likes them, too. Maybe it will be time to brave the trails on the property soon. . .

driven to drive

After Plow Days and all the fun I had riding and driving, and since I am out of a saddle, I have decided that I want to really get Shyloh driving over the winter. I have grand plans of working on line driving, then when I feel she is really good with that having her pull an empty sled and working all the way up to pulling me in the sled. My thought is that by the time the snow comes she can give sled rides!

Them other day, I got Shy's harness out of her show box and tacked her up. Shy's patience with me is also amazing. She stood like a pro while I untangled all her lines and got myself ready. I figured I would have some issues getting her going, but she walked on like she had been doing this for years. We went all over, including places I have never walked her before. We even trotted some. At one point I decided to test out Shy's "gee" and "haw." I can't believe that I have to learn more words for right and left. . .I have a hard enough time as it is with that! I wanted Shy to go right, so I said "haw." She started turning left. . . even though I was using the reins to tell her right. Then I said "gee" and she immediately corrected herself. Good pony. Clearly knows more than me. . . I was quite impressed! 

Shy did spook once, but it was so minor and if a spook can be good, I would call this spook good. We were coming up around a trailer and the lady that owns the two Halfingers was sitting on the edge of it. I didn't even see her, but Shy jumped sideways a little. I am just happy that she did not try to bolt or run forward! We worked on whoa and stand and Shy did her typical moving to the left until she was halfway around me. We need more work on that.

Today, I did some more line driving. I am so happy with Shy's progress!  

To be sure that we can be in the big leagues of driving, I have marked Shy so I can get the "gee" and "haw" straight. . .

This is what the pros do, right?

I think going around the barn property and not being inside has a lot to do with this progress. It is not a boring arena. I remember discussing using the outdoors quite a while back and now I have little roads to do that on!  Shy is very curious about her surrounds and got a little side tracked with some new horses she has not seen before. That was the only issue we had today, and I took her past those horses over and over until she walked right through and stopped trying to go up to them. It only took three times.

On the go!

Shy had a terrific whoa and stand today! So much so that she didn't move when I stopped and talked to some friends for about 5 minutes, she even cocked a leg and stood perfectly still!

Not going anywhere!

I worked myself on keeping contact and trying to match my walk to that pokey pony. I think I am getting better. We worked on some more trotting too. . .until I ran out of breath!

Shy did so well, I bought a plastic sled from Target. 

I am going to drag it behind me next time, that way, if Shy spooks at it, I can let go and she won't be dragging it behind her.  Then, I will need one of these. . .

monday musings by shyloh #29

Let's go for a ride outside!

I am such a pretty girl!

Look how good I am!

I am the outdoor horse extraordinaire!

Look how cute I am! Don't hate on my luscious tail. . .

I like big butts and I cannot lie. . .you other Haffies can't deny. . .

 Job well done! 

These amazing photos are from Robin, Ryleigh's mom. She is a good picture taker.

The two leggers finally wised up and just took me outside to ride, where I belong. I did not disappoint. They also got a good bit in my mouth so I could better understand what they wanted of me. It is much more comfortable.

I guess for being such a great outdoor horse, I got pampered over the weekend. I got a good brushing, so good and relaxing that I was falling asleep! I also got my bridle path clipped and it didn't bother me at all. Then I got my mane and tail conditioned and worked through. My tail got a real pretty braid in it, too. I got some hoof conditioner for my hooves. I sure am the prettiest mare in the barn! Maybe the world!

Look how shiny I am! Good bye winter woolies!

It was so nice outside, I thought for a minute that I was going to get a bath. I was watching the other horses go in the wash stall and get baths all weekend, but not me! Whew. What we did instead was go outside to eat yummy green green grass! So good! But I only got to eat for a little bit. Gotta get into swim suit shape. 

So so tasty! I could live off this stuff!

I also got to watch Kathy and Beth ride Casi! Boy does he want to go fast!! He doesn't like to be by himself, so I went and stood around while he was riding. Casi did do a no-no when Beth asked him to canter. . .he bucked! But no one fell off and then he got better. But he still wants to be fast. I think before he came to the barn he was the top runner in the Underground Appaloosa Race World.

While watching Casi, I ate a little grass. Allie kept making me take breaks from eating, so  I took myself a nap under the late afternoon sun. 

What were your horsey weekends like? Any other horses out there get pampered this weekend?

~Shyloh

walking on sunshine

What a day! It is mid-March and well over 60 degrees! Madness! But I am not complaining about this beautiful, unusual weather. 

However yesterday, Michigan did have tornadoes! I could do without those! And one was reported to have touched the ground so close to our barn. Scary, but the horses and people were all safe. Whew.

Too close for comfort!

Today marked Beth's fifth ride on Shyloh and her third ride outside (not that I am keeping track). We tried a French link snaffle for the ride. And we went directly outside, no indoor arena first.

Best decision ever! Shy took really well to this bit and she was so relaxed outside! The ground was a little mushy from the torrential downpour that happened last night, but Beth remarked how sure-footed Shy is. They walked and jogged and had a great little ride!

Beth forgot she had little ball spurs on, but she was extra careful and only once bumped Shy with them. She was like, What the. . ., but recovered immediately. Ryleigh was calling for Shy while he was inside, but she kept paying attention to her work. I also put the Western reins back on the bridle because the ones I had on were too slippery. Shy did not mind them hanging down at all.

Now, the super exciting part. . . Beth told me to get up there. . . so I did! No beating heart, no fear, I just got right on (as soon as I put on my helmet). There was a dramatic difference in outside Shy vs arena Shy; I could feel exactly how relaxed Shy was, which made me more relaxed. Robin took some awesome photos during the ride and I cannot wait to see them. We rode for 10 minutes of perfection! Shy's whoa was spot on and her walk was fantastic! I was able to keep Shy moving without startling her and got her to walk past her paparazzi without stopping for a photo shoot. She listened to my cues. When I started (unknowingly) leaning forward and shifting my balance, she stopped. And, she did not scoot away when I got off of her! 

What a good pony I have, she is so smart! Maybe I will have my little trail horse sooner than I thought!

Shy participating in her favorite past time