Persistance, Patience, Kindness = Success

So the big day came.
Opal had been released into the 'Merry Meadow' with the donkeys and a young mule.

My husband said I'd never catch her out in the meadow.
NOT with a lead rope on my shoulder..nope
nope
nope
no
way.

I had the 'secret weapon' in my pocket, in fact I had two of them.
Horse cookies.
Kindness, persistence, building trust, catching, and repeated daily contact was now going to be tested.

I laid the bright red rope on my shoulder and stepped into the pasture.
Off in the distance her ears perked up and she made a bee line for me.

I showed her the cookie.
She smelled it. Backed away.
I held the cookie out again.
She stepped up.
I kept the 'secret weapon' in my hand as I stroked her head and ears. Then I showed her the lead rope and attached it.

She munched happily on the cookie.

We saddled up and went for a cruise.
Funny how she acted like Badger, just dogging along looking around and being gentle and quiet.
Not the racey fired up mule my husband rode.
A quiet content mule.
I got off several times to take photos with my fugly pink camera.

I even sat on a stump and discussed life with her.
She seemed not to mind at all, especially if she was allowed to graze.

We wandered PeeWee's land and stopped to gaze down into 'the cave'. We stopped and watched water in the creek below while standing on 'MaidenHair Fern' Trail.
She was happy with me, content with my company.
I felt safe with her.


She even let me hug her.

As the evening set in on the ridge, I took her back to the Meadow and released her...
offering the second 'Horse Cookie' as reward and a reminder.

She stood close to me and when Eddie the donkey tried to come around and push her away, she laid her ears back and swung a foot at him.

I'd won.
Opal now liked a human.