Ride 63

Dang his toes are long!  My farrier has been sick... :(

I went to a friend's house today (getting reacquainted after living in another town for six years-gotta love moving back to your hometown) to talk art.  She's been painting for fifty years or something like that.  She gave me some tips on my charcoal and we just had a lot of fun talking art.  While I was there she said she would love to meet Chrome because she's only seen him on Facebook and she thinks he's beautiful.  So when my husband got home I decided to ride to her house (only about a mile).  Chrome hasn't been ridden since the end of July (too hot and busy with new job) and last night he was going nuts in the pasture.  He was galloping around and created the mother of all dust storms!  I actually saw him intentionally kick the donkey with one hind leg three times!!!!  I've never seem him kick like that!

So I might have been a tiny bit apprehensive about riding him down the road, hence why I asked hubby to walk with us.  :)  We took Jackal too (did you see him in the above picture?).  Chrome had apparently been in the pond and after I got done brushing him there was brown dirt layering the gravel... sheesh.  He stood rock solid while I tacked him up.  He wasn't too happy about the bit because it's been a while, but he didn't fight it and he quickly got used to it again.

He was great as we set off down the road.  Slightly looky, but walking on a loose rein.  The entire time we were on the paved (familiar) roads he was great.... then we turned down a gravel road where he's never been before.... a gravel road with at least seven horses on it.... seven crazy horses that liked neighing, bucking and galloping.... with pastures right next to the road.... I'll admit I was mildly terrified!!  The awesome thing is he didn't act like he noticed the huge gravel he was walking on at all!  Part of it was probably distraction, but he definitely does not seem foot sore which is awesome because he seemed a bit sore on our last road ride.  He would occasionally step on a really big, pointy piece that would make him gimp a step, but not much.

Sorry these are crappy cell phone pics and I didn't get any as we went by the horses because I had my hands full.  I made it halfway by the first property with two horses that were going nuts with him just doing a huge, floaty walk with his ears in my teeth... then he saw the five insane horses in the next pasture and I finally got off.  He was being very strong, wanting to trot, completely ignoring me, tail flipped over his back... On the ground I had to jerk on the bit (I know... bad momma) a couple of times to get his attention because he wanted to put his shoulder into me as he gawked at the horses.  Next time I'm taking a crop!!!!!  He wasn't horrible, just extremely excited.  On the ground I never felt in danger or anything.

Shortly past the crazy horses we turned into the driveway to my friend's house and then he spotted her two horses lol.  They were calmly grazing, ignoring us (except for one neigh) so he just stood and stared at them.  He didn't dance around like with the others.  I HAVE to get him better socialized!!!!  We had a nice visit for fifteen minutes or so (wasn't looking at the clock or taking pictures, so not sure).  Then we headed back home.  I walked until we got off the gravel road, then mounted up and rode home.  He wanted to veer off into fields, but otherwise he was great and on a loose rein.  He has trail riding nailed if there are no other horses LOL!  I'm a little worried to see what his first ride with other horses is going to be like...

Once back at home I let him lick on the salt block.  I swear his eyes glaze over and he goes off into lala land when licking it.  Will the salt hurt my bit??

He's a good boy.  For a five year old horse who has had a rider on his back only sixty two times since 5-19-12 and hasn't been ridden in a couple of months I think he did fabulous (who doesn't love a horse you can just grab out of the pasture after time off, hop and and go??)!  He's so sane  and laid back (when there aren't other horses around).  :)  Love him!  I'm not even disappointed in myself for having to get off and walk, because I know we will get there.  He walks past the other neighbor horses with me on his back now.  We will just have to work with each new pasture of horses.  If that's his biggest hang up I'm not going to complain.  Also the fact that as soon as we were back on the main road away from the horses he went back to calm on a loose rein makes me happy.  He doesn't stay wound up after the stimulus has moved on.  :D

At home I trotted a couple of circles in our driveway parking spot.  It actually worked out really nicely for a twenty meter circle... sadly there are normally vehicles there.  I need to work on some dressage stuff though because he can barely trot a circle LOL!

Anyway the ride was 55 minutes long including the part where I walked and stood around talking to my friend.  Not that far, but it was fun.  The weather has been nice so I'm hoping I can get back to riding.  It's just hard to schedule rides in around work during the week and that will get worse with winter on the way... oh well, I'll try!

P.S.  I think next time I'll take a crop and ride to those horses, hop off, do ground work until he's calm and focused on me instead of staring at them, then hop back on and ride home.  That's my game plan anyway!  Also yes I did wear a helmet.