When the word got out that I had bought a 20 month old colt, the first question I was always asked was why did you buy a horse that you can’t ride? Since I have a history of being very frugal (my husband calls it "squeaky"), my standard answer was "it was cheaper than a finished horse". Why bother going into detail with non-horse folk? My main objective, however, was to grow with the horse. And the thought of having a horse with a clean slate was very appealing.

Anyone that reads horse literature these days knows the importance of groundwork and the benefits that can be had by just spending time with your horse. I found out quickly that with a young horse even small accomplishments become milestones. Haltering, leading and even picking feet are all accomplishments that take time and patience. The very first day I owned Chessie, Terry Ames gave me instruction to pick up each foot 100 times. I don’t know if she was joking or not, but I stood and picked up each foot 100 times.

As the months passed, I continued with my lessons on other horses. Chessie and I continued to practice haltering, leading, grooming, and picking up his feet ... 78,79,80. We learned to enjoy each other’s company. I learned patience.

When Winter turned to Spring, the only hard part was watching everyone leave the barn to trail ride. I was still picking up Chessie’s feet ... 93,94,95. Before I knew it, though, we had a bit in his mouth and a saddle on his back. I finally took my first trail ride on him just last week, and it was the kind of feeling that only someone who has bought and watched a young horse grow can appreciate.

As I look to the future with my 2 year old, I need to remember that he is young, and together we are still learning. It is challenging and fun to be experiencing these milestones together. Even on those challenging days, I wouldn’t trade my Chessie for the world. And boy, can he pick up his feet ... 100!