I took Chrome for a walk yesterday and we had fun. :) When we first left it was cold and a little windy so he was very alert and feisty! He was well behaved as usual, just a little more "up" and energetic than he normally is on a walk. 
He was on the look out for the neighbor's horses before we even got close to them.
This one is a little blurry, but I like it too much to delete it.
He was really marching along!
I love how he walks right up by my shoulder instead of lagging behind. 
He finally spotted the neighbor's horses trotting up to the fence.
"But mom, I want to go back and say hi."
He was a good boy though and kept walking when I asked him to.
Then I decided to do some trotting to help warm me up a little. As usual I got left behind when he started his power trot. The boy is fast. Don't you love how gray his tail is going?
After trotting for a little bit we started walking again. Then he spotted something . . .
At the gravel road where we turn around he spotted something else interesting.
Our neighbor's cattle. 
I like the Brahma cow he has. She's so pretty and a really good mother.
Chrome lost interest when they stopped walking toward him.
He was interested in something across the road as well, but I never saw anything. Probably deer.
We turned back at the one mile mark. I figured two miles was enough for his first time out in a while. And for me too! I'm out of shape lol.
On the way back he was bored and started yawning. 
He wanted to graze but I wouldn't let him and I think that had something to do with the yawning. He yawns when he wants to eat.
He eventually gave up on yawning and kept walking.
As we were walking back he started to relax and lower his head a little. It made me wish I'd taken my clicker so I could reward him for lowering his head. 
Checking out a pothole.
About halfway home it started to rain and I put my camera inside my coat to keep it dry. I don't know if he was getting tired or if it was the rain, but he started lagging behind which was really annoying. As we passed the neighbor's horses he started lagging really bad and just being a butt in general. I really think he was getting tired. We had a discussion about the lagging and he eventually started walking at my shoulder again. At that point I really wished I'd had my clicker because he wasn't understanding what I was asking. I'll work on it next time.When we got back to the house I was finally warm from the walk and the rain was really light so I got some treats to reward him for being a good boy. To my surprise he stood next to me and turned his head away from me like we'd practiced last year with the clicker!! I did it several times and he even started lowering his head so I definitely need to get the clicker back out. He's so smart. :)
What a pretty boy he is! Sounds like fun and good exercise, what could be better?!
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like he's a joy to take for walks -- more like a dog that heels and less like a nervous, flighty horse.
ReplyDeleteBe sure to bring your clicker next time. He is being so good, he deserves some clicks. I love the silver in his tail.
ReplyDeleteIsn't Ranger pretty? He is a dark or liver chestnut. We don't know what he is. She bought him from a woman who purchased him from the meat man at the Sugarcreek auction. They get a lot of Amish horses, there, so we think he might be some sort of Amish mix--possibly some Standardbred and maybe some Morgan or Draft. We change our minds about what he is all the time.
He can really move at a trot, and Ranger and Cruiser have had many a trot races on the trail back in their younger days. We discourage them from doing it, now.
They just had their 16th anniversary, so we think he is at least 20. He has been a terrific horse for her.
Chrome sounds like he's not only gorgeous but smart as well. It's a good idea to take him for walks and let him see his neighbors. Loved the Brahma cow she's a pretty thing.
ReplyDeleteI don't do clicker training but have the book and the clickers for some day when I get some free time to try it out. Just wondering if you couldn't click with your tongue and do the treats if you don't have a clicker with you?
So sorry we haven't been visiting for ages! Thank you so much for all your lovely comments recently and for still coming to visit us even though we could't return the favour! :-)
ReplyDeleteWhat an interesting experience - taking a HORSE for a walk! I'd never seen that before. I always think of riding when I think of horses...sorry if this is a stupid question but why do you walk next to him instead of ride on him? Is it better for him? Anyway, Chrome sounds great and so well-behaved - a lot better than a lot of dogs I know - hee! hee! I loved the pictures of those Brahma cows - how unusual! You never think you'd see those outside India!
Hsin-Yi
A ha, a fellow horse walker! Your guy looks much calmer than mine. :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a great walk you had. I'm very impressed with his good behavior, that you can go for a long walk like that and don't have to be concerned that he'll run off if he gets excited. I used to do that with Rogo when he was 2, but now I don't know if I'd trust him to walk that far along the road with me.
ReplyDeleteChrome is so handsome. I love the silver tail. And for such a young horse his neck is gorgeous (I hate skinny necks :)) Rogo had a skinny neck as a 2 year old, with a big head - it wasn't his best look :) Chrome is just going to keep getting better looking. I can't wait to read what the coming year holds for you two.
What a cutie! He looks like a great walking companion.
ReplyDeleteHave you thought about using a tongue click? I find it's a lot more convenient with horses because it leaves you with both hands free. Plus you're never without it!
I'm practicing the tongue click. I'm just not very consistent with it yet. I'm worried I will confuse him if I get it wrong lol. I do plan to switch to that eventually though. :)
ReplyDelete