Chrome Ride 134 - 100 Ride Challenge Ride 20 - Rocky Ride 10 (with us)

I rode Chrome with the saddle and bridle for twenty minutes at the walk only in our yard because his stifles were sticky.  Moving definitely helped, but I wasn't going to trot or canter with the risk of it giving out or locking.  I noticed that, although he's building muscles in his haunches, he is still lacking quad muscles, so I definitely need to get him going up hills or over poles again.  Normal riding isn't going to strengthen the correct muscles.

ETA: You probably noticed there are no pictures of me riding Chrome.  That's because hubby was busy mowing and I forgot my phone.  I went inside and got it after the ride and got all of these pictures.

After I rode I did something that would make Lytha proud!  I washed Chrome's yellow tail!  Hehe.

It was just a bit cool for a full bath with cold well water, 

so I just did his tail in a bucket while he grazed.

 The goats have ruined his beautiful tail!

It used to be thick all the way to his fetlocks.  :(

Now it is so thin below the hocks... I may have to cut it....

It was funny when I walked up behind him and dunked his tail in the bucket, he turned his head to look back at me.  When he figured out what I was doing he went right back to grazing.  :D  He's so used to my weirdness.

 His face is getting so flea-bitten!

 After it dried it looked much better.

Still yellow, but much, much better.

See how it's thick to his hocks and then turns to a thin, scraggly mess?

 If you only look at the top it's still as gorgeous as ever.  

After that I did something I haven't done in a while.... I rode Rocky!

I was such a big chicken I had hubby walk with us up and down the driveway a couple of times.  Rocky definitely tested me (trying to spin, ignoring my cues and even got light in the front end once), but I persisted and he gave up fairly quickly.  Once we reached an understanding I actually had fun.

I forgot how nice it is to ride a horse that neck reins.  He is so supple and bendy in the bridle.  I was amazed, to be honest.  When we first brought him home he was stiff necked and braced horribly.  Hubby has done a great job getting him light in the bridle (except at first when he was testing me) and bendy.  I did the exercise that I did with Chrome the other day, only using neck reining instead of direct rein.  I was lightly laying the rein across his neck to see how little it took to turn him.  We were almost doing serpentines he was turning so light and fluid.  I was very impressed and happy with him.  I'll definitely have to ride him more now that I know I can get through his bratty moments.

Love this picture!

I finally have a black horse to ride like I always wanted (little girl dream horse!) hehe.

I even asked him to do a short trot, close to the pasture gate, so I wouldn't have to deal with barn sour bolting.  He did a slow, easy jog that was such a weird side to side movement that I'm not used to!  I'm so used to Chrome's forward trot, that it felt strange riding Rocky's slow jog.  It was comfortable though.  I'm really curious to see how his bigger, forward trot feels (because he can do a heck of an extension in the pasture), but I wasn't willing to push it since the ride was going to well.  I know I've trotted him years ago, but I honestly can't remember what it felt like.  I'm looking forward to reminding him how to be a safe and sane equine citizen.