Just some Sunshine

I like to ride Solo.

So I look for qualities in the animals I work with to see if they will be up to 'snuff'.
So I've been 'making' time to go the extra effort and work with Sunshine my little red mule.
I want her to be as solid and dependable as Badger.
I know not everyone likes to ride solo, nor do I think it is always smart to do. But sometimes I am in situations where I have to make sure that my mount will not fuss and take comfort in me and not look for another equine.

In other words, pay attention. I have a mare who I will not ride solo because solo .. she is an accident waiting to happen.
With another horse or mule she is quite content that the monster will eat the other equine first.
Sunshine has had experience but has had two yrs off. I've been working with her everyday inside our shed in the round pen since it has been so horribly cold, rainy and muddy.

Today I saddled her in the round pen rode her a couple trips around and told hubby to open the gate. Out we went. Aside from taking a good look at odd things like a flatbed trailer [Sunshine said it would eat her mom...the ninny that can't ride solo].

We reached the bottom of the hill and she never looked back at the gals in the pasture. Off we went up the road past the neighbor's [they had a 4 wheeler running]...out to the tobacco shed and returned home.

I think she wanted to explore more.
But I didn't. It was rather windy on the ridge and felt safer down in our wooded area.
She may just make a solo mule after all.

I gave her a pat on the rump when I put her back out in the mucky pasture and told her she'd live yet another day. She's a good little red mule.