Siera shines through

When we got Siera I never imagined that she would be good for novice riders. However, I've been working with her for quite a while now. I love the fact that when something confuses her she stops.
When something startles her, she ... stops.
When she is upset, she'll back up and she stops.

She can't really buck. I've seen her try. She can't really rear up. She is a gaited mule with different hindquarters than those of her quarter mule pals.
She is calm and quiet 95% of the time.
She will get excited if she is left behind in the pasture. She is calm when she is with a human.
She is even calmer if she is with another mule. Even with the redhead Sunshine.
The redheaded mule sisters tend to stick together. The bay mules tend to stick together out in the pasture.

Still, Siera can be a challenge. I told Ariel that Siera would give her grief in the Merry Meadow because that has been her summer home for many years and...Siera could hear Fred braying his mournful sounds of love for her.

I figured Sunshine would be the problem mule. However she really wasn't. She did exactly what I asked of her and I rode her as if she were her 'mother'. The ditsy Cheyanne.

What the Ariel and Siera learn?
Siera learned that indeed Ariel can be the boss. And that Siera was not in charge of the direction we were going. If Ariel wanted to go around an apple tree, then they would go around it.

After riding the meadow, we tied Sunshine and Siera up to the trailer so they could stand and think about things. We moved to the porch and had a snack.

I decided that Ariel and Siera were ready for another challenge.

We decided to go explore the fields on the ridge. I texted my 'upstairs' neighbor and she was kind enough to take a few shots of us riding together since I never really get the chance to do so.

We rode out towards PeeWee's and simply enjoyed the view from the saddle.

As we rounded the edge of the soybean field and stopped to look over the ridge...Siera did her thing.

It generally surprises the rider. I always joke: "Hey your broke my mule!"
It gets a good laugh.

Sunshine was outstanding. I like to compliment my girls each time we go out and they do the expected good job. We sat on the mules and watched deer graze in a field close to the woods below us.
That is our next riding goal is to do a ride down the old 'camp' road to the creek and explore.
Since no one has cattle on the land anymore the woods have gotten overgrown and choked with nasty weeds. The creek crossing has been washed out again, but I am sure I could get Sunshine through it and Siera too.
We probably won't challenge the creek quite yet with Siera.

After enjoying the view, we headed back along the driveway towards home. The girls were absolutely amazing.

I think I 'll keep these two!!

Focus

Well the focus has been on riding. Ariel has ridden Fred every day this week.  She has come a very long way with her skills.

Before riding I have had her take Fred into the round pen and work a bit with him.
Here she was getting Fred to 'Heel' off from her shoulder.

It took a bit, but since he already does this with me, Ariel was able to get him to do it with her.

It helps enable a new rider's confidence when they don't have to touch the equine and the equine mimics their every move while not on a lead line.

Fred has never had any formal training on lunging and since he is about 30+ ish years old, we aren't going to confuse him. He has done such a fine job with Ariel this week.

We started out the week just sitting on Fred and learning to balance and move with the mule.
I can't tell you how many hours we worked with that because I didn't keep track. I just wanted Ariel to learn how to find her seat and feel light and airy on top of Fred.

When we moved outside to a small paddock, she felt confident in her abilities. We keep working on a better leg position for her, but I feel as though I need to try a different saddle. 
The stirrup fenders in this one are so stiff, okay for my husband, but not quite what I'd like to see for a new rider.

Taking care of Fred before and after riding is as important as the ride itself.

Learning that you need to stay focused and confident is all about learning.
Well, at least that is my opinion.  I am not a trainer, I've just done informal work with 4H kids over the years.

Yesterday we got dressed up for our All Two Mule 4th of July Parade.

I put my camera on a tripod and used a remote with a delay so we could get this shot. 
We rode together along our gravel roads but kept the mules on the edges of the hay fields to avoid any traffic if it were to come through.

We never saw a car. And we still had a wonderful time.

After 'the parade' Ariel's folks showed up. We weren't quite ready to stop riding. Ariel didn't want to get off. 
[Not a surprise, I didn't want to at her age either. I was always sad when my rides with my cousins ended.]

So we set up some obstacles in the large empty paddock. Hula hoops, balls, a 'bridge', and a black door mat.

We tested our own confidence with this exercise. Ariel learned that if she believed she couldn't get Fred near the balls, then Fred wouldn't do it.
However, I talked to her and said that no matter what people say, a mule can tell what you are thinking and they feel your confidence in them through your body language.
If you see nudging the ball with the hoof as something you can't do, then Fred will believe he can't either.

We ended up playing kickball with our mules. Not a wild game but where we'd take a few turns getting our mules to bump the balls with their hooves.

Ariel and Fred have made a good team. I think this shot says it pretty clearly.

I am pretty impressed with Ariel's focus and attention to detail. She listened all week as we progressed daily with Fred.
Even when Fred gave her a hard time, she was patient and didn't lose her poise.

Her week of learning to ride is ending and I'm pretty sure that this will be the thing she misses most.

After Ariel finished, her brother was given a ride by Grandpa.

He wants to learn to ride too.