Final Exams for Siera

Well she is getting there.  An equine is always in training, but we are getting very close to Siera's final exams.

What on earth are you talking about?

I'm sure you are wondering.

What sort of testing should a mule go through?

Well, I don't do pleasure shows as Siera wouldn't work out in Western Pleasure, she gaits, instead of lopes.  She will walk a stretched walk but never a slow Western Walk.  She will trot, again ... she does what comes natural to her breeding.  Not a slow moving jog.

Nope, her finals are different.
She has really been doing excellent and so far this summer has done all but two rides solo.

Can she get over a log safely with me on her?  Can she jump it with me off from her?  Will she willingly go into creeks and brush bust, cross washed out rocky ravines, and do it all safely?
Will she freeze when turkeys fall out of their roosts in the early mornings?
Will she spot deer and stand quietly and not bolt?  
Will she figure out how to get around an obstacle without a refusal?
Will she stand quietly and wait while I take photographs?

Most importantly.

Will she be kind to Morris and make sure to stop when he asks for a lift?

Actually she does all this.

Her finals have to do with traffic.  She got a very good experience yesterday.  We saddled up for an evening ride. A neighbor was picking up hay bales with her tractor.
Siera and I followed the tractor down the road.  She gaited out fast as to keep up to the scary noisy thing.

Seems chasing a tractor is more fun than having one come at you.

I am just about ready to pronounce that Siera is a qualified trail mule for me.
I've had my doubts off and on.


But this summer she has earned her bragging rights.

Last week I had someone ask if I'd sell her.
I answered no.  They wanted me to price her.

And I asked them how on earth can you price 5 years of working with one animal?  And after all that why on earth would I want to sell her?