Rich was supposed to take me for a nice long picnic ride for my b-day, but we decided to take a ride in the neighbor's timber instead and not go too far as Chey is due to foal.
Okay, so we go to the back valley and do some tricky mule maneuvers to get through the mess that the flash floods left last year.
We ended up jumping the mules 'in hand' over about 4 downed trees. [Very cool!]
Then I decided to stop behind Rich and take some pictures. Rich's mule, Mica, was being a turd so I let them get up by the creek...
I stepped Badger into the tall weeds and grass that nearly touched his belly.
So camera in hand, I asked Badger to take one step...
He did...and the next thing I knew is that I was hollering 'OH S**t!'...
I had no idea what happened except that a hen turkey came up past my head at the same time I hollered...I felt Badger move...
~~and the next thing I think is~~~
I wonder where in the h*ll is my saddle ?
I'm holding the camera, hubby is laughing, and Badger is standing stock still like a statue.
Badger had levitated me right out of the saddle.
I was sitting on his neck!
HIS NECK!
Now how goofy is that?
Rich said Badger probably stepped on the hen and got pecked. Well Mr. Badger went straight up in the air like magic...all 4 feet off the ground.
[Badger has had turkeys fly up under him before with a ho-hum attitude]
Rich said when I hollered Badger turned into a statue.
I did an un-graceful dismount off his neck and hugged that mule long and hard.
Damn I love this mule...I surely do.
Strange but very true.
Sitting between those big long ears and a saddle horn is a little bit unsettling, to say the least! Happened to me many years ago in Oregon. We'd been stepping over windfalls all day and for some reason got tired and popped over one. Unfortunately I didn't dismount as gracefully as you did. After a short hand gallop, I ended up in a pile of rocks with the mule looking at me and asking "what was that all about"? We were a good 6 miles from the trailer and for a few minutes I was thinking helicopter ride back to town.
ReplyDeleteFunny story, and I'm glad to hear that you and your mule handled it so elegantly.
:) You have the BEST adventures. I'm so happy that you write about all of this, because I can live vicariously through you---and what treasures for your grandbabies. :)
ReplyDeleteI must give credit to Badger who is nearly as unfazed by nearly everything...
ReplyDeleteHe also seems to always have my best interests at heart!
Thanks!
What a cowgirl!!! And one heck of a mule. I saw a big guy do that one time on a little mule and by golly that little mule held him up until he got his footing and got off. Much more fun to watch I'm sure!!!
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