The burning question of this coming weekend. Will the Annual Folsom All One Mule Parade have more than one Mule in it?
Will it?
Um. Why do you think I've been training the kids so hard on riding?
I mean, last year these kids worked very hard at becoming mule riders.
Nearly every waking moment was spent on ... learning to ride and practicing.
We worked hard, so very hard.
This year I can ride with them in the old winter paddock for practice. The kids can ride the mules pictured. Fred and Siera.
I can ride my little red head.
After Badger died I figured the kids wouldn't have a thing to ride.
I worked for 5 yrs on Siera, I worked hard. I have worked hard with Fred the elder mule and am working with Sunshine too.
Sunshine is proving to be a calm Zen mule just like her half brother Badger!
Because of our chaotic year, I haven't been able to ride Sunshine since last fall. Last night our outing was good. Not a blip in her radar.
Same with Siera the night before.
I do love a good mule. However...I love a great mule and I have 3 of them with one in training.
So...hopefully when the grand-kids arrive we can have a refresher and on Tuesday do a 3 mule parade. We may only go past one neighbor but that will be good enough for me!
It began in 2007, but no one took the photos of the first solo parade ride.
Badger and I continued to do this even when he was ill with Equine COPD in 2009.
2010 was his last year, we did a lot of walking in this 'parade' but still we did it.
In 2011 I took out Badger's little half sister, Sunshine. She actually did very well, but I had my eye on a younger bay mule in training.
By 2011 I started riding the people challenged mule almost exclusively as my steady ride Badger was no longer safe to ride. His daily life was a struggle to breath and he was humanely put down.
Opal then took over, she actually enjoyed it.
Last year we really got decked out for the ride. Opal loved being 'gussied' up. She also never minded going away from home solo like Badger.
Last year was one of the most memorable rides as we were waved to and the 5 houses we passed...people wanted to come out and pet her. Opal ~ so people challenged ~ would only back away and snort while I explained that she really had a hard time trusting people.
So this year, Siera is up. She still can be a bit of a scatter brain when it comes to certain things, but she needs to fill some BIG hooves.
So in the memory of Opal & Badger, Siera will do her first ....
All One Mule 4th of July Parade in Folsom, WI.
And may you enjoy your holiday also!
