Brave Chrome!

It may upset people to know that I shoot possums and armadillos but between the death of my chickens, the eating of my chickens' eggs, the holes under the foundation of my house and the holes in my pasture that can cause broken horse legs I just don't feel comfortable leaving them alone. We haven't had any success with traps and we don't have anyone local who can trap them (I wouldn't have that money right now even if I did). So please don't get upset at me for doing what I feel is necessary.

Now that that is out of the way, on to the story. We've been having problems with possums and armadillos for a while. I keep spotting them but normally can't get my husband out there fast enough to shoot them. Last night however when I was going out to bring Chrome and Zep in for their dinner I heard something moving in the brush along the fence.

I used my flashlight and finally spotted a huge armadillo. It's the biggest I've ever seen anyway. It started to run so I ran and cut it off. Once I got in front of it (I'm assuming it was headed for a burrow) I had it trapped. He had the fence on one side and me ahead and to the other side. For some reason he wouldn't go back the other way. So it froze under some brush and sat there.

I called for my husband and luckily he heard me from inside the house. He brought the .22 out and shot the armadillo. Chrome was right there next to me obviously because I was carrying his dinner and he's a pest anyway lol. He spooked at the gunshot, but didn't go far. The armadillo didn't make it far before it started flopping around.

When the critter got still Chrome walked slowly toward him, sniffing heavily at the scent of blood. He got up to him and sniffed at him (I'm pretty sure he touched it). All of a sudden it flopped one last time and he did a one eighty in one spot and cocked his rear leg. He sort of kicked out halfheartedly a couple of times, but you could tell he was ready if it moved again. He was so brave.

Then my husband decided to shoot it again in the head because he was worried he'd got it in the lungs and he wanted to make sure it didn't suffer. I started walking back toward the barn and Chrome followed. When my husband shot the gun Chrome sort of jumped in place and took one sideways step, but he didn't spook full out or run. He's such a good, trusting boy. I was proud of him. Maybe someday we can do mounted shooting games or something. :)

Anyway I didn't get pictures because it was pitch black outside and I didn't have my camera. I just wanted to share because I thought Chrome was brave. I love seeing their instincts take over (well not when riding lol). I've seen nature programs showing wild horses and how they react like that. :)