Sunday, August 21, 2011

Chrome's Monthly Progress Report

Date: 8-19-11 (a couple of days late oops)
Age: 27 Months
Height: 15.1hh
Height Gain: No height gain. Now that he's two his growth is slowing way down. Most sources say he will grow another hand (four inches) from two to three years which would put him at 16.1hh which would be perfect. There is also an old trick where you can measure their leg from the middle of the knee to the coronet band right where the hoof starts. The measurement in inches equals hands. His is 16 inches, which means he should mature at 16hh. Let's keep our fingers crossed. :D
Weight: The weight tape says 900lbs.
Weight Gain: So his weight has slowed down too. He's really butt high though so I think he's headed into a growth spurt. I find it funny that my 15.1hh colt finally weighs as much as my 14hh Appy mare did that I had growing up. :D

Progress: Progress? What's that? LOL Between his mysterious rain rot and now he has another swelling on his neck (at least it's further down and not on his throat this time) from a cut I feel like we're not making any progress. I haven't been doing any clicker training at all. The rain rot (and the fact it is taking a lot longer than normal to heal) has me so stressed out that I haven't felt like doing anything. I'll try to start working with him again soon. Sigh.

Goals: I want to get his rain rot and cut healed. I want to find where he's putting his head through the fence and cutting himself because I know that has to be what he's doing. Also I want to start clicker training again. I don't want to let this lapse drag on.

I don't want to sound like a downer (that's the stress talking lol). He's happy and healthy (err . . . aside from the rain rot and cut lol). He's not in pain. So everything is awesome. :) Sorry the pictures suck. It was getting late and the light was bad. I'll get some more tomorrow when I give him his weekly bath.

5 comments:

He looks great. That's an interesting trick re the height. Wish I'd known that when Rogo was younger. He did most of his growing from 4 to 5 years old, almost a hand, and I had thought he was finished growing :)Don't you hate it when you can't find the source of a cut? Good luck. SOunds like things are healing well.

i thought the conformation pics were great. it's always good to do those regularly to keep track.

i started blanketing in winter the year of the horrible rain rot, where baasha lost all the hair on his back. i couldn't ride, of course. i said "screw this!"

baasha actually has light fleabitten areas - neck and chest is all. i love it cuz it makes him look so classic, and they're not overwhelming. they disappear in winter of course.

it's just really hard to photograph a white horse on a sunny day - they wash out completely! just like trying to photograph a black dog indoors. you need really good light or they're just a formless dark mass: )

Date Aquired: 10-19-09 at five months old.Likes: Eating, clicker training, being brushed, playing (with anything he can get his teeth on), training, grazing and getting dirty.Dislikes: Being ignored and/or bored, being in a stall and standing still for long periods of time (unless he's being brushed).

Chrome's Barn Colors: Royal blue and silver.

If you're not a very avid reader but would still like to follow Chrome's progress be sure to check out hisMonthly Progress Reportson the nineteenth of every month. You can also read more about him on the About Chrome page.

Chrome's Conformation Shot

About Rocky

Name: RockyNicknames: Rocks, RockStar, King of Side EyeSire:Unknown, but was pinto colored and registered AQHA or APHADam: Unknown, but was black and registered AQHABreed: Quarter Horse/PaintDOB: 2004Height: 14.3hhWeight:1278lbsColor: Black Sabino

Date Aquired: 5-30-15.Likes: Food! Being boss. He was always the low man on the totem pole so he's loving ruling the roost here.Dislikes: Leaving his herd and having his hooves soaked for thrush.

Barn Colors: Coming soon. Hubby hasn't decided yet.

History: His sire (a show horse) broke into the neighbor's pasture, so the breeding was not planned. The old man who owned the mare died and the family sold his dam to a friend of my friend C. After Rocky was born the friend sold his dam. C played with and trained Rocky from the day he was born. She started him under saddle and did all of his training. Eventually the friend gave him to C and she's had him ever since until she gave him to me.

About Led Zeppelin

Date Aquired: My dad rescued/bought him shortly before I brought Chrome home, but he gave him to us on 1-18-10.

Likes: Treats, forehead scratches, his buddies and braying early in the morning.Dislikes: Being handled at all (his first three years were spent in someone's backyard never being touched), sudden movements and sometimes his bratty pasture mate Chrome. :D

About Me

Me with Chrome's sire Jan!

I'm almost thirty, live in the USA and I love horses (obviously). I've been obsessed with Friesians (that's Chrome's purebred Friesian sire in the above picture) for over ten years. I started riding horses when I was five and always had horses from then until 2007 when I found myself without one. I wanted a Friesian, but the budget wouldn't allow for it so I started looking at crosses. I found Chrome (Friesian/Arabian) and I haven't regretted it for a second. I bought him as a five month old weanling in 2009 and I've done all of his training myself. The blog is about our continued journey together as I attempt to make him my dream all around horse who can do anything from dressage, competitive trail riding, driving, mounted archery, working equitation and anything else we want to try. He's still very green and we obviously have a long way to go, but you're welcome to follow along on our journey. I also love dogs, art, photography, writing, reading, fishing, biking, camping, archery and many other things. You can learn more on my About Me page, my Equestrian Bucket List page and my FAQ page.