monday musings by shyloh #22

See my sign? It is great! It lets all the horses and two leggers who pass by my stall (which is everyone since I am right across from the grooming stalls and right next to the dreaded arena) know who I am and how extraordinary I am! And also that I am a Haflinger, the greatest horse breed ever produced! True story.  And I guess that Allie loves me.

Now no one can forget how awesome I am, my sign will remind them all!

I was real scared of the sign at first. I didn't know what it was and Allie was coming at me with it all quick. I tried to run, but I was in my stall and I couldn't go very far, so I just kept backing in circles. Allie played the click and treat game with me and my sign wasn't scary any more. All I had to do was touch it and I got a treat! So easy! I realized it wasn't a mountain lion in disguise (those mountain lions have many, many disguises) and I could touch it with no problem. Hey, I was even bigger than my sign! So not scary. 

Treat please! The sign is not a magical morphing mountain lion. Touch!

I was promised that I would be getting out of the boring arena to do some work in the "real world," but that hasn't been happening. This does not make a mare happy, broken promises and stuck inside and all. But then when I went outside to hang with some new friends, I decided that it is not practical to be outside working. Outside is only for finding what is left of the grass. How can it be muddy and icy at the same time? So I guess as long as it is windy and rainy and snowy and icy and muddy, the arena it is. . .going round and round and round. Blah.

Like I said, I got to go outside with some new horse friends! We went out "at out own risk." This was because of the ice and snow. I am pretty hard-core and was not bothered by any of the winter elements.

Mocha in purple, Dante in blue. It was so blustery out!

This is Mocha and Dante. Mocha quickly realized that I was not going to run around with his off the track self and just ate grass with me. Dante wanted me all to himself, he was infatuated. We ate grass together, too. Sometimes, when the wind got blowing real hard, they went on each side of me to protect me. But I think that they fail to realize that I am a Haflinger and I don't need to be protected! 

Mighty Haffie am I!

And poor Ryleigh. . .I could hear him calling for me all the way from the barn! He was spying on us from his window and he was not happy that I was out with two other geldings. But thank Pegasus that Ryleigh wasn't out there, he would have tried to beat up Mocha and Dante. He never would have caught Mocha, but he probably would have hurt Dante. And I don't want my new friends hurt. And they are Ryleigh's friends too, he just can't stand for me to be around other geldings. 

Snow on my back! I couldn't feel it through my winter woolies. So thick!

Outside, the snow got a little intense for a while and I was covered! I didn't mind at all. In fact, I really did not want to go inside when it was time, but I did. I was a good girl. Fear not, I am just planning my next big thrill. Haha!

I'm a pretty cool gal!

~Shyloh

something cool. . .

My something cool finally came in the mail! I was so excited! The something new was the harness and line driving down the road. The something interesting. . .well, it is still a work in progress and proving to be a little more difficult than I thought. But, for my something cool, I had walked to my front door with my arms full of stuff and saw a package on the porch. I dropped everything and jumped for joy! Even the dogs had to wait to go outside until I was done with my jumping.

But first. . .the reason I was walking into the front door was because I was coming home from the barn. It was a nice day, but so so muddy. I really wanted to take Shyloh on a walk outside, but we would have sunk in the mud for sure. Instead, we had a little spa day.

Shy was not impressed with spa day

I groomed her really well, took my time, and just talked to her. Shy is shedding already; her body is so confused by this weather. I put some hoof conditioner on her hooves because they seemed to be dry. This dryness was the cause of a minor meltdown the other day, on my part. I had no idea what was wrong with her hooves, but after settling down and becoming rational. . .I realized that they are just dry.  Kathy confirmed this for me, whew. Shy has been inside during the week days because the pastures are dangerously muddy. I have been letting her out on weekends when I was there to supervise. 

I played around with her mane and came up with an evening "do" for her. It is a side swept mane-style that exposes a little more skin than Shy is used to showing. 

Showing a little neck. . .ooh lala

It is much more sophisticated than her normal double mane. Kathy said she looks more like a horse and less like a pony with her mane on one side. I would have kept it for a while, but as soon as we got in the arena, Shy shook it out. Back to the double mane. 

We lunged for a while. This is something we have been doing every time I have been going out. It's boring, but useful. We have been working on whoa and transitions. I did make a discovery today, though. I already knew she would not canter on a lunge line, but I found out she has two different trots. I cluck gets a slow, bumpy-looking trot and a kiss gets a quicker, more elongated, and smoother looking trot. Very interesting.

Anyway. . .here is my something new!

It was made by Sand at Manitiba MoonSox and Me. She does wood-burned signs and has a website called Cantering Customs. She does gorgeous work! She came up with the design and it totally encompasses everything that Shy is. I love it! Thank you so much Sand!! I can't wait to put it on Shy's stall tomorrow.