Mica

August 2009 is one of the last times Mica was ridden out and about. I don't recall why Rich stopped riding most of the time, it seems that my job then interfered a lot with riding.
Here she is in full riding gear.
Mica has an excellent training backround. Her trainer was pretty meticulous about her ground behavior and her manners.

Fast forward to 2017. Mica has been 'out to pasture' retirement. Not because anything is wrong with her, but because Rich just 'didn't have time' or was 'too busy' to ride.

I insisted on keeping Mica even though she hadn't been ridden in ... 8 years. Rich took her out a few weeks ago and she acted like a bit of a ninny.
I sometimes wonder if it is the attitude of the person handling the animal.
Don't get me wrong, Rich is not mean but he does demand perfection.

I realize the animal is an animal. Mica has been handled a lot since her 'retirement' I catch her often, clean her feet, move her from one pasture to another...and she has never been tough to handle.

So. Yesterday she came out of retirement at the ripe age of 21.

I worked for about 20 minutes with her. Then I put on a saddle and mounted, dismounted, and lay across her.
I let her 'heel' me around the pen, stop, turn, follow, back up, and stand on vocal command.
She actually was enjoying the attention and the work.

The kids handled her too. And she was polite when Dennis made mistakes, she tried to 'heel' him and not get in his way.
After a bit of coaching, Dennis nailed it.

I was so happy and Mica was so content with the kids petting and grooming her.

My question to the kids was.
"Do you think Mica enjoys this?"
"YES!"

Most mules love a job. Mica is going to love coming out of retirement.

We put her away and the kids still wanted to 'mess with mules'.

So out came the fabulous bay duo.
Siera and Fred.

End of story!

I needed to bring Mica out of retirement. The kids want Grandpa to ride with them. He can ride Miss Sunshine and go along if all goes well with Mica.
This week will be fascinating.