Ride 57 - Solo Road Ride with Bit

The weather was amazing today so I finally got to ride Chrome! It has been a little over two weeks since I last rode (oops... It's been hot and I haven't felt good), but he was in a very laid back mood so I decided to try riding him out on the road solo while my hubby is at work!!! That may not sound like a big deal but to me it was.

He was awesome! I had him in the bit for the first time on the road and he did well. When he tried to balk or turn back home it only took a couple of corrections before he gave up. He was being hesitant and tense but he held it together. He only startled in place twice when something rustled in the leaves right next to us. He gave a few things the hairy eyeball, but that was all. I can't wait until he gets more confident and enjoys going out alone. He really doesn't like not having someone walking on foot with him. It will just take time but I'm hoping he learns to enjoy it again like he enjoyed our hand walks.

Such a cute shadow!!!! It looks so Arabian!

We only went half a mile before I came to the neighbor's house that has horses. There was a guy walking down the road and she was yelling at him. She's a known drama queen so I turned back and went home. I didn't want to get involved with her and I didn't know the man who was walking in the direction I wanted to go.

Back at our driveway I waited for a truck to pass (only one we saw for the whole ride) and then lined Chrome up to the mailbox, leaned waaaaay down and got the mail!!! He did great. He stepped sideways toward the mailbox because he's not used to me hanging off his side but he stood still. Or mailbox is too low lol. So we played pony express and took the mail to my mom's house and to my grandma's house.

The whole ride was only half an hour. There are about six guys here with trucks, wheelbarrows and tons of other equipment pouring concrete for our porch. He eyeballed the trailer because we had to walk right next to it but was totally fine with everything going on around him. He totally had to ham it up and get cuddles from all of the men. It was hilarious. He got lots of compliments too.

It was a great day! I'll share pictures of our porch when it's dry. It looks awesome. I can't wait to screen it in so we can have a mosquito free outdoor area. :-D

Funny (also scary) Story

I let Chrome out to graze in the yard around seven or eight pm and then completely forgot about him.... at eleven thirty pm a storm started moving in.  The wind was blowing so hard it slammed my screen door open and closed repeatedly (I can't latch it because it swelled and doesn't close all the way).  We didn't know what the banging was at first and went outside to see.  That's when we heard Chrome screaming at the top of his lungs.

I totally freaked out, ran inside to put boots on, grabbed a flashlight and my umbrella and ran outside.  Chrome was standing by the pasture gate (I had closed it to keep the donkey and chickens out there because they are hard to put up after dark) neighing.  He was extremely jumpy and bolted when he saw my umbrella and flashlight.  I talked to him and he came back as I opened the pasture gate.  He bolted into the pasture and galloped to the barn, but the noise freaked him (tin roof) out and he trotted back out.

After several times of him coming in and out of the barn I ran inside the barn (also to get out of the rain and lightning) to turn on the light and calm him down.  I stayed in the aisle where I couldn't accidentally get run over, but I reached through the door to pet him on the nose.  He spun around to stand just inside the barn, facing out, but with me talking to him he stayed inside (the donkey was already hiding inside because he hates getting wet).  Chrome was very tense, all of his muscles balled up and he was even shivering although it wasn't cold.

I stayed with him until he stopped shaking and was calmer, but I left the light on for him when I went inside.  I've never seen the weather bother him like that and I was totally freaked out thinking maybe he could hear a tornado or something like dogs do.  I think it was because he was trapped out of the pasture away from the barn.  The storm passed in ten minutes or so, but another one came through around 1:30am so I didn't get much sleep.  He was totally fine and acting completely normal this morning.  I hope I don't ever get stuck out on a trail ride when a storm comes through LOL!

P.S.  Check out the contest over at Endurance Granny (LINK).

VCMBH: Interested Parties

L. over at Viva Carlos has another blog hop!  She said:  "So way back in week seven of this tortuously long blog hop I have going we talked about the Pros of our current horse. Some of us experienced these pros after buying our horse. Now I am curious, what made you interested in your current horse that lead you to buying them in the first place?"

Actually when I started looking for Friesian crosses in my state (not many at all!) it was a different colt that I was inquiring about based just on a written description (the sale site didn't have pictures).  It was a black colt sired by a Friesian stallion (Chrome's dad) and out of a black Tennessee Walker mare.  Mare is 16hh and sire is 16.1hh.  He sounded perfect.  Sadly when I called I found out that he was promised to someone else.  :(

I was originally going to move on to a different breeder because the only other colt she had was out of a 14.3hh gray Arabian mare.  I didn't want a short horse or a gray horse.  She asked me to at least consider him and told me how great his mom is so I said, okay send me pictures and videos.

When she sent me this picture it was basically love at first sight!!!  I'm no expert, but he was one of the best conformed weanlings I think I had ever seen... and look at that face!!!!  Then she sent the videos and I was sold.  I looked for the videos, but I can't find them.  I think they are on my other computer.  I might try to post them someday.  In the video she trotted him around the round pen so I could see his big, floating trot.  I got to see him get led around and fly sprayed.  He was such a good boy.

I figured size and color weren't that big of a deal and decided to get him.  All I have to say is man I'm SO GLAD I DID!!!!!  He's the best horse I've ever had the pleasure of being around.  He's so smart, curious, confident and personable. I love him!

Thank you for the awesome blog hop L!  Everyone, if you decide not to join the blog hop I would love it if you would share your story in the comments.  :D