Chrome Ride 126 - 100 Ride Challenge Ride 12

It's been a while... you might have guessed it is because of my shoulder.  It got worse.  It was to the point that after working an eight hour shift on Saturday (against doctor's orders because I couldn't find someone to take my shift) I was in so much pain I could barely drive (couldn't turn my head in any direction.... driving with your head straight makes looking for oncoming traffic hard), couldn't take my shirt off without help, couldn't wash or comb my hair, etc.  You get the idea.  It was bad.  So I asked off for a week from work (unpaid yikes!).  I was in quite a bit of pain Sunday and Monday, but today I was feeling well enough to clean most of the house and to go for a short ride.  I rode in the yard for twenty minutes with just his halter.

Chrome was being a bit of a pain.  I thought it was because he wanted to graze, but turns out it was partly that and partly because he's getting itchy already.  I'm going to have to start the neem oil early this year!!  So we just walked around and he was using his big, ground covering walk again.  That was a relief because his stifle caught when I led him from the pasture and when I was asking him to back up.  I couldn't figure out why he wouldn't back up because he'd been doing so well.  He would rock his weight back in a normal, relaxed manner and then he would bring his head up and pin his ears.  I insisted because I'm an idiot and thought he was just being a turd, so he finally swung his butt sideways, which unlocked his stifle.  That's when I realized what was going on and felt horrible.  I praised him and didn't ask for anymore backing.  He was doing so well last week that I don't want to mess it up by asking him to do it when he can't, which frustrates him.

He didn't want to stand still so I insisted and we watched hubby till the garden spot.  Once he listened and stood still without trying to move for a couple of minutes I hopped off and praised him.  He immediately wanted to graze so I made him stand ground tied for a while before I let him graze.  I actually looped the rope over his withers and that was enough to keep him from being able to reach the grass so I let him self correct himself until he gave up and went to sleep.

 Zzzzz,

 Just kidding, he was blinking.  

He was standing still and relaxed though, so I praised him, untied the reins and gave him the "okay" vocal cue that I've been trying to teach for years and let him graze while I helped hubby with the garden.

OrangeJello (the orange cat) likes to hang with us too and has no self preservation around horses... luckily Chrome was too busy grazing to try to kill him lol.

I have news on the shoulder/job front, but it has to wait until tomorrow.  I have to go to physical therapy and I want to see what they say before I update you guys.  Please keep your fingers crossed, pray or send good luck vibes, whatever your thing is, for me please!

Chrome Ride 125 - 100 Ride Challenge Ride 11

I wasn't going to ride because my neck and shoulder were hurting, but Chrome was begging for attention so I decided to hop on bareback for twenty minutes.  It's been a bit cooler lately and he's been very energetic.  He was walking out so forward that I thought something was wrong at first lol.  I'm not used to his big walk anymore because he's been walking slow due to his stifles being so weak and being so out of shape.  I'm glad the exercise is helping him move and feel better.  :D

Anyway there isn't much to say.  I didn't work on backing or anything because my shoulder hurt and he was being so forward I just wanted to let him walk out.  I kind of let him decide where he wanted to go and we made loops all through the yard, trees and driveway.  It was fun.

Can you tell what he's sniffing?

 The cat!

 This cat has no sense of self preservation.  Chrome's hoof is right next to him and he won't move!

I probably won't ride over the next two days because of work and weather, so I'm glad I rode today.  :D

P.S.  I'm actually posting this the next day and back posting it to the correct day because I forgot to post it the day of the ride.  Sorry for any confusion!

Chrome Easter Ride 124 - 100 Ride Challenge Ride 10 - Exciting Video From Yesterday!

 If I was still doing monthly progress reports (I should be, but I haven't been....) this would make a pretty good conformation shot.  I wish I'd stuck with that because it would have been awesome to see his color changes in monthly conformation pictures.  Oh well.

So a cold front came through, but it didn't rain after all.  When I got off work I was in absolute agony (still am to be honest, several hours later) from my pinched nerve, but I couldn't pass up the chance for a short Easter ride in the sunshine.  I was going to ride in the halter again, but Chrome was feeling frisky so I put the bridle on him.  I still rode bareback though.  We rode for seventeen minutes around the yard.

He was super alert, but not out of control.  Hubby hand walked Rocky with us to keep us company (he did a lot of work on my car and tilling the garden, so his back wasn't feeling up to riding).  Chrome was fine if he was in front of Rocky, but if we got behind them he kept wanting to walk right up on his heels and then would spaz out when Rocky put his ears back.... dork.  If he'd just stop getting close he wouldn't have had to worry about Rocky, but he was easily out walking them (he was walking out so much bigger than he has recently, in part because he was running around, playing and bucking earlier in the day lol).  He was pulling on me which hurt my shoulder really bad, so I started making him stand still, let Rocky get ahead and then walk really big to catch up, repeat.  We also worked on lateral flexion when he didn't want to stand still, but that was torture on my shoulder too.

We did a little bit of backing up, but he was getting mad and pawing because hubby and Rocky were walking down the other driveway without him lol.  He did okay with it though and then stood still when I asked while we waited on them to come back.  Then the wind picked up and I got really cold (I was in short sleeves, hubby was in shorts), so I called it quits after seventeen minutes.

When I first got home from work and went out to the pasture to get Chrome, I called his name and he stampeded from the back of the pasture, bucking all the way.  Seeing his exuberance I almost chickened out on the ride... I knew I couldn't do that though because if I did it would just set me up to not ride next time.  I'm glad I rode, since he ended up being fine, but I probably shouldn't have considering how much pain I'm in.  I'm too stubborn not to though... if I have to suffer all day at work then I can put up with the pain to ride when I get home dang it!

 Afterward Chrome acted exhausted... just kidding, he was yawning in anticipation of getting fed.

Here are some more random pictures because my boys are cute!

 I captured that perfect evening light on his face.  I love it!

 Watching my hubby walk to the house and back.  He totally knew he was about to get fed hehe.

 Doing his cute continuous nicker at hubby.

Chrome getting fed.  So gorgeous!

Okay, I almost forgot about the video.  As I mentioned yesterday, I clipped my parent's Yorkie.  They bought a new pair of clippers so I can clip Mac for them.  That way they don't have to take him to the groomer anymore.  It's a really nice cordless pair of clippers too!  I don't mind clipping their dog because he is very well behaved for it and it's actually fun.

So afterward when I got Chrome out and started grooming him for our ride I decided to cut his mane off.  I couldn't take it anymore!  So I got out the scissors and hacked it off.  I didn't like the way it still had some long hairs folded over, so I decided to introduce Chrome to the new clippers.  This was only the second time Chrome has ever seen clippers in his entire life.

I shared a video on this post back in 2014 of the first time.  He was so tense in that video!!  I'll post it below so you can compare.  Here is the video from yesterday, uncut except for removing conversation I don't want on the internet.  It's kind of long, but I really wanted to share the whole process.  If you get bored, just skip to the end to see how he relaxed.  I rewarded him by ending the session when he chose to sniff the clippers in my hand all by himself.  :)  Oh and the part at the beginning shows how he watches me when I got inside while he's tied up.  So cute.

Direct link to the video.

Here is the video from the first time.

Direct link to the video.

See the difference?  He was wary yesterday, but he was a lot more relaxed at the end compared to the first time.  The whole thing only took ten minutes.  I wasn't able to clip much though because the clippers aren't big or strong enough.  They are specifically for dogs, not horses.  I might have to get a pair of horse clippers.  Any suggestions?  Nothing too expensive since I'd only use it for roaching his mane once or twice a year.

Here is a picture from yesterday where you can see the point where I stopped clipping lol.

That's all for today!  I hope you enjoyed the videos and pictures!