Mule Magic

I took out Siera last night'' to give Fred a break from the constant 'do overs' of training two young people at the same time on him.

I actually discovered a few things about Siera that I can now use in the future.
The kids tried to 'operate' Siera in the very same manner that they learned on Fred.

However I soon realized that I didn't train Siera in the same manner. She will not respond to confusing signals period. She will resist more than Fred, so in a way she is less forgiving unless you open up to her 'magic'.
Fred has been trained in the traditional "Whoa". Siera has been trained in the hands and seat 'whoa' with no verbal words.

When I realized that this was how I rode her, I showed Grace and then talked her through a non verbal no rein pulling whoa. When Siera complied quietly and calmly Grace's face lit up like she'd learned a great secret. Indeed she did.
To 'whoa' Fred one needs to pick up the reins, and ask out loud for a Whoa along with giving the reins a slight traditional tug.

Siera responds as I have unconsciously trained her to take photos. I bring up a hand and change my seat bones to put a slight weight in the back of the saddle.
I don't utter a sound. Siera halts quietly.
I couldn't figure out why the kids were having so much trouble with Siera at first. She'd pull her head up and turn it sideways at the pull of the reins. Oh she stopped, but she let you know that it wasn't a Happy Stop.

On directions. With Fred and new riders it is best to plow rein as the direct rein gives him a lesser chance to refuse the turn. He can do the western rein, but just depending on that doesn't help the novice rider when he really doesn't feel he needs to follow your direction.

With Siera neck reining is a combo of things. I use my body and a light one hand rein with the pinky finger of the second hand to direct the rein if she gives a slight refusal. With Siera, it is all light hands. Heavy hands and yanking will make her quit working period.

Siera is a bit temperamental. She is partial to females and to kids. She seems to thrive on attention and could care less if her equine pals are not around. She relaxes with the kids and seems almost as if she were a statue.
If someone has a loud deep voice she freezes. If she doesn't think she can go through a mud hole, she will be to put it lightly, a butt head. Once through though she goes back to being herself.
She is an animated ride.  Being a Peruvian Paso Mule, she stretches out those legs.
She doesn't do "Rough". I am not and advocate of rough anyway. I am an advocate of quiet uncomplicated riding. I like my animals to take verbal cues.

Grace was amazed again when I told her, "Just pick up the reins and say 'Walk'."
She did and Siera walked. I have other verbal cues I use such as a kiss means trotting. Since Siera is gaited I've never asked for a lope, gaiting out at 12 mph is all the speed I need.

I now can take this knowledge and help Ariel the next time she rides Siera.

And I realize that in order for anyone else to ride her properly without frustration, they would need to learn to use Siera's personal cues.

Perhaps that is not the proper way to train an animal, but I sure do like it.
Siera listens attentively to me and my body language. I like that a lot.

Surely Siera has some Mule Magic.

Pinch Me!

The girls wanted to learn to ride. It is a fairly long process the way I teach it.

But it is step by step without skipping any safety factors. The goal of these lessons is to learn that a horse or mule are wonderful and fun. However these are huge animals with lightening fast reflexes.

You need to control that huge animal especially if he outweighs you by at least 10 times. Here is Evelyn using the finger method to turn Fred. The girls have to teach Fred that they are in control and the girls have a challenge with Fred.
While he makes a great schooling animal, he also makes you work each step of the way.
He won't kick, bite, or buck. However, while handling the reins, he will stop and not do a thing if the rider is sending mixed messages.
He doesn't just let the rider ride, he requires them to gain knowledge.

The end result of good schooling is a happy content pony mule that will take you where you ask him.
Once outside the girls found out that he will go more willingly. After all a mule gets bored doing the same things over and over indoors in a round pen.
Fred may be 30 something years old, but he still has a mule mind and dislikes mindless circles.

The girls and I stopped on a good note. They are ready for the next step and the easy mule who is lazy and doesn't mind the round pen.
Siera.
Two mules for two Sisters!
Once they have ridden Siera, then I can get them both mounted in the little lot to experiment safely and ride on their own.

However.
Here is what we have been up to.

We went to the ridge on Tuesday night to watch a huge front come in from the southwest.
After some oohhhs and ahhs, the girls climbed a round bale and did a nice pose for me.
"Let's pretend we like each other!"

Then they were off to stretch their legs and run. They played hide n' go seek. Chase, ...run...
I watched the storm approach and enjoyed their shouts of wonder.

Goats.
My neighbor has goats. The girls love goats. The goats are the 'bomb' [I don't know if that is the proper term or not]. Each day we must visit the goats. MUST.
And we must pick black berries.

Who can resist these faces?

Yesterday was adventure day.
The kids who used to live in the 'upstairs' house came to spend some time and we all took off hiking to the creek after playing a break the ice game of Roll The Pigs.

We made it back to the house in the stifling heat in time for PB&J sandwiches on the porch. Our guests left and we rode.
Then we had to go back and visit the goats of course!

While in the goat pasture we heard rumbling and thundering. I called the girls who were disappointed and we headed back home. A Severe Thunderstorm Warning had been issued.
Rich came out on the porch and we all sat and watched it rain and chatted.

Pretty soon Grace got up and went inside.
She was rummaging in the kitchen.
I asked what she was looking for.
"Pans!" she replied, "I'm going to make supper!"
Tonight was grilled cheese and she was going to cook.
Count me surprised and pleased.
Not only did she make our sandwiches, but she also cleared the table and washed the dishes and cleaned up.
Pinch me.

We decided that after supper we'd grab a movie off from Netflix and enjoy some quiet time.
The girl's parents called half way through the movie and the girls went out on the porch to talk to their parents.
Everyone sounded excited and happy. Mom and Dad were having great adventures as were the girls.
When asked how their day went, the girls talked about the goats. They mentioned Fred and riding in passing, but the conversation went to the goats.
And what goat diarrhea looks like.
After the phone call, Evelyn suggested that she make microwave popcorn for us and she did.


Today is Thursday and as I write this, Morris has come down to go out and has returned upstairs to be with 'his' girls. He is going to be one very lonely old dog when they leave. He always spends a day or two wandering the house and looking for children after they have left.

The girls mentioned that they didn't think 5 days were long enough for them to be able to do all the things they wanted to do. I sort of agree. We haven't gone to Jersey Valley, we haven't gone to the river, and we haven't done a major adventure in Awesome Creek yet.

Each of our days have been jam packed with adventures around the farm. The kids are getting to be experts at helping with the chores and we've settled into a good routine.

The two sisters are having a good time.
...and so are we!