Out and About ~ Me Time

This past week has been a good one filled with ups and downs. A few warm days were wonderful. Morris was able to get out and walk with me for some nice romps. Dixie watched over her elder dog friend.

Then the weather went crazy. It was 45 degrees in the morning and pouring rain when the temperatures dropped to 15 degrees by noon and we had sleet and snow. By nightfall, the temperatures had gone to 5 degrees and the winds kicked up.

I was concerned that Mica one of our mules who seems to be effected by rapid weather changes would show signs of an upset stomach. She didn't. Other than frosty backs no animal showed adverse effects. Phew...

I knew that the rapid cool down would create some interesting views along the creek. So after the chores were done, I packed a bag and headed out. I wanted to get to the 'East' Dry Run to see if the spring had created an ice flow.
However to get there quickly I had to walk across the top of the ridge and across cropland which placed me in the cold north breezes.
The temperature was -7 with a wind chill of ... well, cold.

I am so grateful to have purchased these over the glasses goggles a few years ago, combined with a face mask, hat, hood, and scarf my face rarely gets cold even in subzero temps.
I also wore insulated coveralls over layered clothes underneath.
I know, most people would cringe at these temperatures and stay inside. Most sane people, that is. But dressed properly a person can enjoy the bitter cold.

I climbed down through the woods and was surprised and pleased to see that the spring at the top of the dry run had been busy!
As I was climbing down I heard some rather loud cracks and at first couldn't figure out what it was.
I've heard it on lakes but never on an ice flow like the one I was standing on.
The ice was popping in the cold!

In contrast, December 10th:

The spring has added at least two feet of ice in waves...

The sun was shining brilliantly onto the ice so getting a good shot of the ice flow would have to wait for an overcast day.
I sat on the ice to take some shots of the little spring.
The water comes up out of the ground and is much warmer than the air around it. I knew that this spring would be 'running' as well as the spring at the bottom of the dry run.

I packed up and hiked to the next spot. The Big Spring.

Here it comes out of a rock and clay are and flows towards the creek. This is the spot in the spring where the very first flowers appear, the marsh marigolds.
No flowers today. Just bone chilling cold. When I squatted down to take some shots of the incredible frost on the mossy rocks, I could feel the cold air caressing my face and it seemed to come right through my coveralls.

The excess moisture from the past week and then the plunging temperatures had an interesting effect on sticks, logs, and moss, a hoar frost effect.  I was really quite excited to see all the delicate frost clinging everywhere.

I should have worn my boots that would have allowed me to stand in the water and take some shots. However I didn't. So I walked down to where this spring water joined up with the creek.

To compare with December 10th....

I only took two shots before my fingers started to get cold. I opened some hand warmers and put my hunting mitten/gloves back on. It was time to head up the valley towards home.

All along the creek where grasses dangled, the frost had collected. I felt like I was walking in some sort of wonderland.

I know that each time I visit the creek, now dubbed *Awesome Creek* by the neighbor kids...it changes slightly. 

The old Mule Crossing. It changes constantly. This is the spot where we used to ride to cross the creek on the west end of the valley.

And then yesterday?

Different but similar. With the subzero temps, the ice is starting to form on the edges of the creek and extend out into the faster moving water.

December 21st 2017

January 7th:

January 11th:

 And then yesterday:

I love this place.

This morning after chores I raced out with my camera and no dogs to try and *shoot* some more hoar frost before the snow and wind change the creek again.

I was not displeased.
I told my husband that I'd only be gone for about a half hour.

Oh.
I was gone longer than that.

The camera is still in its bag warming up slowly.

When I get the winter doldrums I just go out the door and make my way to the creek.
That's what I call Me Time.

Promise me

Ugh the tail!

I haven't been doing much with Siera and unfortunately she has gotten into Burdocks. I don't like burdock and I like it less in horse manes and tails.
Siera has cultivated a lovely full length 'horse' tail which not every mule can do.

However, because I've been busy painting, purging out the dressers, moving boxes, and ignoring my best equine friend...she had a mess in her tail.

I hoped that I wouldn't have to cut burrs out as I've had to do in really tangled messes of tails. Last night I rolled up my sleeves and got to work.

I couldn't recall where I had put my Showsheen, so I grabbed some hair conditioner and put water in a little jug. I worked for a long time. Siera would munch a bit on grass and then stop and turn her head to watch.

A few times she wiggled a bit and stomped her foot. But we talked about her tail and her remarkable beauty. I told her this was in her best interest.

She agreed. Her tail and back end were her best parts. 

Who could not stop and admire her long flowing tail and her well rounded butt?

I had to use the scissors twice to cut knots. But in the end we persisted. I need to find the Showsheen to make the tail easier to maintain.

I asked her if she wanted it braided and wrapped. She turned her head and stared at her tail.

I received what amounted to a mule 'shrug'. As long as her tail remained beautiful, she didn't care.
She swished it to test it.

Much better than that lump of burdock.

Why don't we go for a ride so I can show it off?

Of course. Why did I not think of that? I grabbed her bridle and got a leg up from hubby.

We went for an evening ride and on the way back collected the mail.

We stopped and chatted with the neighbors as they were getting wood from their wood pile. Siera stood quietly and watched the kids as they ran back and forth. They'd stop to pat her on the nose.

See? I am The Good Mule!

Off course you are Siera. You are totally relaxed, even while getting the mail! 

It was a short ride and I led her into the pasture where I took off her bridle and halter. I dropped them on the ground to hook up the gate.

Leave these. We could use them again soon. Please?

I sighed. Maybe tomorrow evening?

Perhaps. When will you braid my tail? And do I get ribbons in it? Pink is nice.

I stood. Siera stood with me. She even stood at the gate after I closed it.

Promise me.

I promise.

Riding progression

We waited until the afternoon cooled off a bit before getting Fred out for ride number two.

Ariel and I cleaned Fred up and just talked about mules and equine safety. Something I usually do with kids near these large animals.

Ariel has ridden on and off since she was pretty small.
We started working on riding in 2008 with my mule Badger.

Badger left our world in 2012 and we sort of let things go by the wayside. 

We didn't have extended periods of time with the kids and so we really didn't have enough time to really get into riding.

At Grandma & Grandpa Camp in 2014 everyone got a ride on Fred.

And Fred seemed to take to being with kids very well.

Fast forward to the present.
We worked hours on balanced and calm riding with quiet hands and gentle hands. Towards the end of this ride Ariel started to hold the reins.

"Ride like you are a ballerina, with poise and confidence at all times." I told her. "You are a dancer on top of a very powerful animal who is willing to take his cues from you. If you are relaxed, he will relax."

In a round pen or small paddock, I've gotten Fred to 'heel' me off a lead rope. I showed this to Ariel yesterday. I walked along and made serpentines as he heeled at my shoulder. Fred stopped when I stopped, he stepped out when I stepped out. He backed up when I backed up. 
Again I made a reference to working with animals and dancing. "It is a dance between partners. Fred is my partner," I told her, "He knows to mimic my movements."

Ariel watched for a bit and then said, "Siera does this for you too!"
Indeed Siera does.

Then we started working on light hands and reining. Ariel is extremely calm with animals. It shows in this shot where Fred decides to cry out and bray for his mule buddies.
She waits it out unfazed and continues riding.

We move outside as Fred gets bored with the round pen. Mules do get bored and need a challenge.

We practice mounting/dismounting and emergency stops and dismounts. 

Ariel nails all of it quite well and we move to riding in the larger winter paddock. 

The next step after another warm up and review will be fun. I will get Siera and we will ride the paddock together.

Siera ~ Naughty

Siera is doing well her hoof/frog issues seem to be clearing up.
I should have been exercising her more, but with mud or ice being the normal all around us, I haven't been able to.

However, I was able to get her out and ride her for a bit this past week.

She decided that she wanted to protest every step of the way and be back with her friends in her paddock. 
This is pretty much Siera's normal spring behavior.  She needs to be weaned from her friends/buddies each spring and learn that yes, she can walk away from them under saddle or on lead.

But sometimes she just needs to stand and think about it.

She is actually getting better at this and realizes that when she is going to toss her head and act like love sick animal, that she will get a time out at the 'naughty' tree.

I let her stand there for about 45 minutes while I did some yard work.  She pawed a few times and tossed her head only once or twice.
Then she settled down and stood quietly.

I loved her up and we took a short ride to the ridge.  The woods were too slippery and muddy or we would have gone on a nice narrow trail.

When Siera has too much open space and nice even ground, her mind wanders and she thinks more about misbehaving than worrying about her next step over a log or climbing through a ditch.

We worked a cornfield for a while until she realized that I was not going to just turn her in the direction of home.
We did a lot of circles and many 'stand stills'.

When she finally took a deep sigh and moved on with forward ears, I knew that we'd gotten through the first stage of separation.

Since she hasn't had to work most of the winter, I rode her out 1/2 mile and back to get the mail.

It is funny that different animals have different attitudes about leaving the farm.  Siera puts up a fuss and eventually quits when she is asked to work a difficult trail.

Lil' Richard was more than happy to leave the farm. 
Badger never minded.  
Fred brays and vocally carries on for about 1/4 mile, and then steps right out.  
Opal used to turn her head towards the farm and walk with one ear turned to home.  When we got past that magical mark in the trail, she'd stop and she'd be all attention to detail.
Sunshine will turn her head and may even bray once, but then she marches on.  She waits until you aren't paying attention and then will try to turn back home.


I would like to see Siera get over her separation issues, but I also realize that she may never be that kind of mule and I will have to deal with it each spring.
That is okay, she is a fun ride. 
Siera's best feature is that she doesn't spook.  

She is one of those equine that will lock up and stand still as a statue until she figures out the situation.  

I'll put up with her idiosyncrasies if she'll put up with mine.

Afternoon Delight

What do you do when it is cold, windy, and it is March?

Well, Siera started to 'talk' to me when I walked across the yard.

She did little mule grunts and nickers.

I took her out of the muddy paddock and started to clean her.
Her mane was full of mud and hay particles.  
So carefully cleaned her mane, then took the scissors and tried to clip out a section for her bridle.

Oh dear.  I didn't stop there.  I pretty much butchered her mane.

She turned away when I pulled the camera out of my pocket.  I think she was embarrassed by my lack of hair cutting skills.

No matter, at least I could see her head when sitting in the saddle.

And off we went for a ride on the ridge to visit anyone else that might be out and about in the 'neighborhood'.

What a delight it was to ride Siera who had decided that this was an adventure for her too.
She had no hesitation regarding leaving home.

She stretched out and moved along as if this was a part of a normal routine.

We stopped and visited with one of the farmers.  Her dogs kept moving around Siera as I stood there, holding her rein.
Her dogs are cattle herding dogs.  And they thought Siera or I should be moving for them.

My neighbor stroked Siera on the forehead and kept saying what a nice calm mule she had turned out to be.

I had to agree.  Siera and I have worked towards becoming a 'team' for quite a long time.  Finally, our work was paying off.

We took a round about way over the ridge and through some hay fields.
Siera never offered to argue about who was in charge and she was super willing.

I couldn't have had a better afternoon ride.

I have found Siera and she has found me...

woods

Hubby was set up to haul round bales of hay for the day.  I'd gone to the recycling center and grocery shopping...  so I decided to grab a mule ...

I saddled up Siera and decided to go exploring on mule back.

You have to understand.  4 years ago, Badger took me everywhere and anywhere, safely and quietly.  Badger got ill, very ill.  He died of equine COPD 2 yrs ago and ever since I have been searching for an equine I could ride solo out in the woods...all 2,000 acres of it that surrounds me plus the roads safely.

Siera picked me.  Hubby bought her and SHE picked me.  I bought her from Hubby so he could never sell her.

Siera and I have had our training issues.  There has been times when I decided that Siera was NOT it.

That she would not fulfill my needs...

But since last week, it has all started to fall into place.

We've been training together for 5 yrs.  IF anyone ever says they can train a horse or mule in 30 days...okay ... who are they kidding!

Somehow... today... Siera and I hit the 'button'.

WE have figured each other out.  And let me tell you, no two animals are the same.

She and I have finally hit the point where we 'get' each other.  She understands what I want and I understand what she really will do for me.

I rode her twice.

Once in the woods and along trails.

Then I brought her home, but was so enthralled with her that I saddled her up again with an English Saddle and took her out to visit neighbors and check out things that in the past freaked her out.

Today she was the Miracle Mule.  That very same mule who came to me 2 yrs ago when I was so sad.  The very same mule who stood guard over me for a night while I sat in the meadow and cried.

So yes.  This Siera mule will never BE Badger.  But she has taught me that I have a place in my heart for another 'kind' of mule love.

Siera's mule love.

Siera is intense about her people relationships

She will not even acknowledge my husband.  She sees me and no other human.

Tonight when I introduced her to some of the ridge-top neighbors who knew Badger ~~ Siera bowed her head to the kids ~~ then leaned her head into me as if to say.

I can love all of you.

And let me tell you.

Siera made me cry and sing at the same time.

Thank you Siera.  You entered my life when I didn't want you, but loved me unconditionally and helped me overcome the loss of Badger.  [Badger was a mule who only had eyes for me and always was good to the grand kids.  He was something so extra-ordinary that I was sure I'd never find another equine like him.]

Now Siera is showing me how special she can be.

Sure some say it that it is my training.

But I think not.

It is our 'connection'.

If you can connect like I have with Badger and Siera.  Then you will have a once in a life time experience.