The burning question has been answered!!! - Ride 67

 I have been wondering how Chrome would react to riding with another unfamiliar horse ever since I first rode him two years ago...

The answer to that question is that HE WAS FREAKING FABULOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I will admit I was a little nervous (terrified) about how he would react because he gets soooo excited when he sees horses out on the road.  When I saw that someone was leasing the acreage across the street from us I immediately went over to talk to her.  I found out that we know a lot of the same people and that she barrel races.  She's a lot younger than I am but we seemed to hit it off really well.  She has three horses.  The dun mare above is an Appendix, she has another tall chestnut Appendix gelding and a brown/dark bay AQHA mare.  She has other horses, but those are the three on the lease land across the street.  I asked her if she would be willing to ride with me and my very green horse and she was all game, so after scheduling difficulties all weekend she was finally able to come over this weekend.  She rode her mare over to my house so that we could test Chrome's reaction at home in the safety of a fenced yard.

When they came walking up the driveway his head shot up in the air and he refused to move an inch.  When I finally convinced him to walk he start jigging.  I scolded him and told him to walk so he did, but he was still straining at the reins, wanting to go faster.  He walked up to her, arching his neck and acting all nutso like when on the road.  She's so used to the rodeo that she didn't bat an eye!  Gotta love an all around, been there done that horse.  After they sniffed noses I had her walk down the driveway while he followed.  He was being pushy so I put the rope halter on over his bridle.  I was going to walk him for a few minutes but hubby told me to quit being a chicken and get on.  I got on and hubby led us, following the mare, for one loop up the driveway.  Then we were on our own!  HE WAS AWESOME!!!!!  He stayed at a walk, he steered, he stopped and as you can see in the above picture he stood still for around ten minutes while we talked.  Trying to paw and leaning over to sniff her were the only signs that he was "up".  He never moved an inch (well with three legs anyway lol).  She gave him evil eyes a couple of times, but mostly just stood there and let him gawk.  :)

Anyway here are the pictures.  Sorry for the dark circle.  I don't have permission to post photos of her.

 

 

She rides everyday and her horses are literally across the street so I'm really hoping that we can become regular riding buddies.  :D  I'm so excited!!!!!!!!  I'm also so proud of Chrome.  He exceeded my expectations and put my fears to rest.  I love this horse!

P.S. Don't forget to enter my giveaway HERE.

Five wonderful years with Chrome in pictures (beware slow internet!).

Don't forget to enter the giveaway in the previous post!  Okay get ready to totally bog down your computers looking back at pictures of Chrome from the five wonderful years we've spent together.  This is a good way for new readers to catch up too hehe.

 The first picture I ever saw of Chrome!

 Chrome with his mom Beebee (Arabian).

 Baby Chrome!

 Chrome's first time on a trailer on the looooooong ride to his new home with me.

 Chrome's first hug from my hubby.

 

 Chrome's first day home with me on 10-19-09.

Best day ever!!

 

 

First time meeting the neighbor horse Two Socks.

 First time meeting my sweet Siberian Husky Storm.

 

 First time ever meeting goats!

 First blanket (he had to grow into it).

 Chrome's first time taking medicine for a respiratory infection (he was a saint!).

First walk out on the road.

 Chrome's first smile hehe.

 

 Chrome's first snow... I know it hardly counts lol.

 

 Our first New Year's together (I went out at midnight to see him... so cold!).

 This was Chrome's first equine companion Galaxy at his new home, 

but this was not the first time they were together, just the first good

picture I got of them lol.

 

 Chrome's first toy (actually a dog toy, he loved it!).

 Chrome and Galaxy grooming each other.

Chrome pestering his pasture mate lol.  They were separated at this point because she kicked him in the jaw and I thought she'd broken it.  We later rehomed her because she tried to kick me, my husband, a chicken and the dogs.  :(

 Chrome's first donkey!!!  Can you believe that's Zep????  They were the same size!

P.S.  Zep was only two years old!

 His second toy hehe.  Only horse I know who plays with a tennis ball on a rope.

 Chrome's first real snow (I know still hardly counts, but this is the south).

 Chrome's first umbrella experience!

 First game of bitey face with the neighbor that I caught on camera.

First time seeing the gorilla cart.

 

 First time shredding an empty feed bag.

First clicker session learning to target.

 

 First white tail hairs!

 Chrome's first watermelon!

 Chrome's first jolly ball!

 First time meeting the other neighbor horses down the street.

 

 

 Playing with a feed bag.

First time seeing a rooster in someone's arms.

 Chrome's first time being hosed off 

(I got the wrong pic, meant to get one with him actually wet).

 Hahaha no caption needed.

 Chrome's first time casually picking up a neighbor's sign and carrying it off like it belonged to him LOL!

 First time playing with a box.

First time seeing a mower.

First time in the sprinklers.

 

 First time on the thirty acres lease land at our old house.

 First time seeing the gravel we put in his stall.

 Chrome's first time biting my dog.

 First time playing with a scrap of tarp.

 The beginning of his fascination with facial hair haha!

 First real bath.

 So downhill!!!

 

 

 Pictures from after his first bath.

 

 

 First Christmas pictures (although I think they were taken in Oct or Nov lol).

 His replacement toy when Zep broke his other one.

This one didn't last long either...

 

 

 Chrome's first time playing with a goat.

P.S. Sycamore is still happy and healthy in his new home!

First homemade rope halter.

 First on cue smile caught on camera hehe.

First time wearing the surcingle.

 Chrome's first time trying to kill a goat haha!

 Chrome posing with me in a dress after a friend's wedding.

 

 First hula hoop experience!

 First walk on the road while wearing the surcingle.

 Chrome's first scary leg injury!

 Chrome's first feathers!

 

 More bath pics because I like them.  :)

 First time playing with a tarp.

 First time seeing a four wheeler.

 My favorite picture!

 Chrome's second birthday but first time wearing a party hat and braids.

 Chrome's second scary injury... huge swelling.. turned out to be a fairly minor cut.

 

 First homemade cavesson.

 

 Chrome's first time meeting Faran (I miss him, but he's doing great!) 

First time wearing a saddle.

 First time on the pedestal.

 Chrome's first fungus of some sort. 

Well actually he had a few tiny spots of rain rot when he was a weanling that went away quickly and never turned into a full blown case.

 First roll in the pond.

 First time seeing a tractor.

 First time playing Chase the Tiger.

First time wearing a loud bag of paper (prep work for CTR) and I think my first time laying on his back. Maybe the second time.

 First self timer photo shoot together. 

 First time being sedated (and getting gelded).

 

  First time wearing a breastcollar and pulling a tire.

Chrome's blue Christmas halter.

 Chrome's first visit to church LOL!

 First time wearing Aussie saddle and first time with me in the stirrups.

 Wearing his old baby blanket shown at the top of the post!  Awww!!!!

His first rider hehe. 

 First time watching neighbor horses galloping down the road.

He wanted to go with them sooo bad.

 First visit to the creek.

 His first mounting block.

 His first time having his teeth floated.

 

His first birthday party and his first ride ever (yeah bareback in a halter hehe)!

 First cordeo (neck rope) training.

 First mud art! 

 First fly mask!

 I just love this one.  

 First ride with a saddle (his tenth ride).

 First haircut!

 My other favorite picture.

 First bout with sweet itch.

 First official longe training (I had to longe him some when he was gelded).

 Fun photo shoot for no reason. 

  First abscess.  :(  See his right front hoof?  Wrapped in blue.

 

First road ride.

That is not a tie down or anything on him.  It's just the rope I had around his neck hanging down really low.

 This one just because we're crazy.

 First snow ride (on Christmas!).

First day in his new home.

 First picture I took of him in the fog. 

 First time being mounted by a donkey??

 First ride in his new home.

 First road walk at his new home.

 First time being led by a four wheeler.

 First road ride in his new home.

 First time being roached.

 Just because I love these two.

 First canines!

 Two more I love.

 First time of me meeting his dad!  :D

I think he's the most gorgeous Friesian stallion I have ever seen!

 First leather halter.

 First tail braid (for me and him!).

 First ear bonnet.

 First bit!

 Playing in the pond hehe.

 All decked out and adorable!

 First bridleless ride!

 His new goat buddies.

First two point challenge hehe.

We have had so much fun!!!!  This is obviously not everything, but I think it covered all of our firsts together.  :)  This has been the best five years of my life with the best horse I've ever had.  I love him so much and I look forward to many, many, many more with him.  I can't wait to see what else we can do together like dressage lessons, competing together (a first for both of us), driving together, galloping together, etc.  So much fun to look forward to!  I hope you've enjoyed the recap and I hope you'll enter the giveaway in my previous post.