pokey pony

Shyloh was soooo pokey today! 

When I got to her, she looked like this. . .

Hard to see, but there are little burrs all in that forelock!

She had big burrs in her tail (I forgot to braid her tail last time) and little burrs on her armpit area, feathers, neck, mane, forelock, everywhere!

We did some line driving (more on that later) and she walks like she is going on a Sunday stroll. Even her trot is pokey. I have no problem keeping up with her when she is trotting on the lines.  I need to get her to pick up her walk, because that is when the problem of me losing contact occurs. I walk to fast!

After our line driving, it was time to eat. Shy missed her dinner with the herd, but I asked the feeding lady to put Shy's hay to the side so I could give it to her. I stuck Shy in the paddock next to her herd so she could eat. . .over an hour later, I was still waiting for her to finish! 

Nom nom!

It was dark and cold, but nice to be able to spend some time just loving on Shy. I think she enjoyed it, too. I spent this time to feel all over her for any thing amiss and pick out all these teeny tiny burrs she picked up from living outside. 

Taking her time. Perhaps she just liked spending time with me?

Pokey, pokey, pokey!

monday musings by shyloh #61

Fashion Show!

Allie got me a few new things and I got to model them. Because I am a super fuzzy super model. And super cute. I don't think I am cut out to be a super model though. . .it gets super boring and I was falling asleep by the end of it. And it does not involve eating grass. 

1. 

New western bridle. It's cute and it fits just right. It has a knot thing right in the middle of the brow band, so there is a tiny bit of flair to this bridle. Brand new and a great deal!  Now I just need a matching breastcollar. . .and a saddle. . .nah, I don't need a saddle.

2.

English bridle! What?? Allie said she got a really good deal on this and could not pass it up. And it came with reins. It is a hunt bridle. I wonder what I will get to hunt in it? Hopefully hay! Allie was told it was cob sized, but its not. . .it just fits right on the smallest holes. I am so beautiful in this bridle, it's blinding and I have to close my eyes.

3.

Teal rope halter. Allie has never used a rope halter before, but she said for 8 bucks for the halter and lead, she couldn't pass it up! Now she just needs to figure out knots. . .knots are her weakness!

4.

Bell boots. Kinda cheap, but they have velcro to secure them. I promise they are not tight on my legs, I am just so fuzzy! I don't really need them, but they are good to have.

5. Polo wraps. Navy blue. Everyone knows what polo wraps look like and everyone knows what navy blue is. Allie was too lazy to wrap my legs. But polo wraps are good to have, too. 

6.

Cooler. (not bought at tack sales) I think it makes me look like a mini! But I will only be wearing this for a short time and only if I get sweaty. So probably never, since I rarely sweat. Although it was comfy and seemed to fit really well. I have to give Allie kudos on this since she have never bought any type of blanket before and didn't know what would fit me. Happily for me, I won't ever be turned out in this, could you imagine what my herd would think? I am already the smallest horse out there and this is not flattering to my height at all. 

7. Shipping boots. (also not bought at tack sales) Allie could not find any cob sized boots for a reasonable price. So she went with horse size. Eh. . .they are a little long. So Allie asked the lady who fixed the surcingle if she could cut some off and sew to the right length. The lady said yes, so Allie needs to get the measurements. 

I will soon be a fully loaded horse, minus a saddle. . .

Wormer smile!! Yeah, I got that, too. . .

~Shyloh

plow days

Another day and I was back in Ohio. This time me, Jaime, and Kyle took their horses to Plow Days. Basically, it was a lot of Haflingers, some mules, a couple Belgians, one Perchereon, and one Clydesdale plowing some guys field. We actually didn't plow since we didn't have a farm implement. It was cold, but it was fun.

The Belgians, they worked hard and plowed a lot of land!

Mulies!

Jaime took me for a spin with Notch around the cut down cornfield, then I got to drive him! It was really cool. I even trotted for a short bit. Jaime trained Notch all by herself and did an awesome job. He is such a good boy. 

Percheron butt!

Smiles!

Kyle rode Clutch. The Gypsys were there, too, being ridden. 

And this kid is a nut! He pretty much just scurried right up on top of Clutch to ride him.

Monkey boy!

I also got to go for a ride in a team Haflinger hitch. Becky trained her mares, Allie and Stinky, too. Their ride was so smooth, it was very nice. Makes me itching to get Shyloh going!

Becky and her mares, Stinky and Allie

Pretty Stinky!! Her eyes and face are just so soft!

A couple teams of Haflingers were hooked up three across. Beth's team had a newbie on the end. Moe was learning to drive and was his first time hooked up with other horses. He did a great job! Beth trained her Haflingers, too.

Beth driving her three with the farm equipment. Rambo is in the middle.

They did good! Even the new guy (with lead rope attached, just in case)

The other set of three

There were a few wagons. . .

And an eight hitch team of mules all hooked up!

Could you imagine driving eight??

At the end, they held a log skid contest. The point is to stop the log at certain points between the cones.  It was different. . .

Whew, what a horsey weekend! I am exhausted!

auction and tack sale

The Auction

Belgians. . .yearlings, two year olds, not broke, green broke, well broke, broke to machines, teams. . .all the Belgians you could ask for. . . .all the way from $500 to $25,000! That is what the auction had. Jaime was hoping to get a nice looking  Percheron to complete her team. But the only Percherons there were blind or lame or had an asbcessed tooth or warts on the nose or a dropped hip. Poor guys. I heard earlier in the week that they had Haflingers that were selling for $35! $35!!! So sad. They only had a couple Halfingers the day we went and they were not that good looking. And for some reason, their forelocks were clipped off. There was a good looking Belgian gelding who had real nice movement (and he knew it) that sold for $4,500. Overall, the auction was pretty sad and depressing and we didn't stay long.

But we did check out Shipshawana which is Indiana Amish country. That was fun!

Amish Parking

This buggy was very cool. The doors slide up! I think five people came out of this cart.

Jaime and Kyle checking out some nice Amish made chairs.

Super cool toy! The kid sits in the back and peddles and can steer the horse bike by the reins!

Want! It has an awning, the table gets bigger to eat, and it glides back and forth!! Only $1,300!

Giant 6 ft tall wind chimes

Puzzle toy alligator

Cutest Bulldog puppy! I wanted him, but he was $2,500! The Amish do not mess around!

Heard the clip clop of horse and buggies all over

The Tack Sale

Today was another early day. . .I got up early and Kathy, Jaime, Kyle, and I went to this tack sale that was advertised at the barn. We drove out there and. . .um, super creepy barn and lady. But she had some great deals and I actually bought a few things. Then we crossed over to Ohio (three states, three days?) and went to some tack stores down there. And I bought a few more things that Shy desperately needed. I took everything back to the barn and had Shy model them. That's when I discovered the bit I bought her is too small. Not overly small, but just a smidge. Ugh. It was the same size as the bit she was using, but a different maker. Lucky for me, Analeesa's owner had a french line snaffle O-ring in a 5 inch that she wasn't using and she gave it to me!

While tack shopping, I looked for some saddles and saw a few that caught my eye. . .

Do you think this will be comfortable on long trail rides?

Teal is cute, right? Comes with a matching bridle. . .

I actually did not see any saddles I really liked. I did sit in this amazing Circle Y saddle Jaime was considering. It felt so good to sit in a saddle, even if it was not on a horse's back. I want mike to build me a saddle holder so I can take my saddle to work and use it like a chair. . .I won't ever be able to put it on a horse, but I can still get some use out of it! And practice my saddle posture, too. I might hold off of on the saddle hunt and work on Shy's driving. Just a thought for now. . .

blahs

No news really. Shyloh is getting more and more fuzzy every time I see her. We have not done any work all week and we probably won't through the weekend either. Tonight I am headed out to the Topeka Auction in Indiana. I am not buying anything, but I am going with Jaime and Kyle, who hope to purchase a draft horse. Should be interesting. . .I have never been to an auction. Then when I get back, I would like to go to a tack sale near Ann Arbor. And that pretty much sums up my weekend.

Windy troll forelock!

Shy's eye looks better. There is no more swelling and she is keeping it open now. So that is good. 

Looking better!

And, even though she was in the way, way back of the pasture, behind the woods, when I walked out there and called her, she came running to me! That was really the highlight of my day!!  But something weird happened while I was getting Shy out of the pasture. . .some kid was zooming through the HORSE pasture on a 4-wheeler. . .what the hell? Obviously, this was not his first time in there, as none of the horses cared. I yelled at him and told him he needed to leave and make sure he closes whatever gate he came in. Then I got the barn manager. Turns out, it is a relative of hers that lives next to the pasture. She does not like that they keep 4-wheeling there, but it seems that there is nothing she can do. . .what? How can you just let people 4-wheel in a horse pasture? Strange.

To the left, to the left. . .

Slide to the right. . . 

Aside from that, the pine tree that fell has been removed and the barn manager was zipping around on her golf cart checking fences. It is nice to see things getting done and checked on as it is needed. 

This post seems so blah, but that is kind of how I am feeling. . .I do miss the time I used to spend with Shy just doing nothing. It is harder to do that here. Hopefully, I'll find something good this weekend!