End of the day

I told Siera to 'stay' and she did. Obviously she is getting plenty to eat out in the forest pasture. She didn't go for any yard grass.

I had to walk over and grab her bridle and a bucket. Yes, a bucket. When I ride bareback I use a bucket to get on my steeds. 

I thought a ride up and out on the ridge would be nice to see the evening light on the croplands. Hmmm, I was disappointed that the guys that are doing another farmer's fields did not rotate to soybeans. I saw field corn coming up. 

The ride was so pleasant. I stopped and talked to the neighbor kids who were on their swingset. They waved and I continued. Instead of going by the 'new' neighbor who lets his dog run loose I decided to ride up the dead end road and just soak in some quiet ride time. 

Siera was super cooperative, she didn't hesitate and refuse to leave home, it used to be a real issue when she was younger. Perhaps she is confident that I am not going to get her lost?

I knew that Rich was waiting for me to return so he could sit and watch more TV until his bed time. 

I'd worked in the pasture with the small scythe from early morning until noon. The we mowed. Rich with the rider and I used the self propelled mower. Uffdah! Rich ran over a tarp. I heard the snap and the mower quit. He waved me off and finished up which I thought was not a smart thing to do. 
Cleaning the rider is on Sunday's schedule. 

After the mowing was done, I worked on the shade garden pulling Bedstraw aka Sticky Weed and several other names. It is an icky plant. So that project started another project of cleaning up that much neglected little garden.

I used Sven to glean up weeds and he ate the tops of from several iris plants while doing his work. The iris plants will come back and he did a pretty good job on that sticky weed.

So for the end of the day, I relaxed as we walked down the road, clippity clop, and out to the far end of the ridge. 

I didn't take pictures. I was just enjoying the moments with Siera and her nice warm body under my legs.

Once home, I gave her some grain and led her back out to her mates.

Happy content mule. Happy content rider. 

We watched some obscure program and hit the sack. I was exhausted. My summer mornings start at 5 or sooner, as soon as the birds start to chirp.

Enjoy your Sunday, whatever you are doing. I hope to get in another evening ride on one of my girls.

Smile with your Butt Cheeks

 

Excuse the photo. It was a quick snap.  Siera will get a roaching mid May, until then we go with the wild look.

I thought it would be fun to take Siera for a tiny spin on Sunday afternoon. Just around the yard and on the neighboring meadow and up the lane out back for a bit. I didn't bother with a saddle ~ But I DO wear my helmet. Siera is pretty easy going and since she is gaited, it is a very comfortable ride. Her prominent back bone though will get to you after a bit.

Siera is fairly 'herd' sour. She is sure she will die without her pals. She gets better after a bit and settles in. She will ride so far and then ask to turn around so she can see her buddies. It doesn't help that 15 screams bloody murder for about 10 minutes any time I take her out.

By about the third spring ride, I can usually just ride her up the drive or through the woods without much ado. With another mule though she is just fine.

We rode for about a half hour. Up and down and all around the farm. Finally she stopped offering to turn around and head back towards her pals. 

So I rode one last time out into the neighbor's meadow and tried to weave through the standing burdocks. As we returned home, I asked her to stand quietly and just stand. Standing still is the most important thing I ask my mules to do. She sighed and we stood.

I asked her to walk and we took several steps and when we met the patch of short grass...

Siera did a magnificent sideways 90 degree turn that came out of nowhere. I was amazed and surprised. So I turned her back and we stood again. 

Years ago I was offered some interesting advice regarding equine. I'd purchased Cheyanne from this crazy lady. She told me that Cheyanne would do stupid things and not to get angry over it. 

When a horse pisses you off, smile with your Butt Cheeks. 

That didn't make sense at first until I realized that getting angry when my animal didn't behave properly wouldn't improve my situation or my animal's situation. So when Siera lurched, I decided it was just a brain fart or an attack of killer grass. No sense in getting worked up about it.

I asked Siera for one more go around the field without any attacks from the Killer Grass. She did it, calm as a cucumber. Her mule brain started to function again and she was her old self.

I got to the Killer Grass and slid off her. I let her graze on the grass for a bit, then we walked back home where I let her in with her pals.

That ride must have been extremely difficult. 

She had to get down right away and erase all memory of me from her back.

Poor thing. She got up and walked over to another gate and sulked as if I'd tortured her. Her pal, 15 came up and sniffed her then walked away as it to say. "I have NO idea why I had to scream for you!"

Meanwhile the red heads came up for a grooming and some time in the yard too.

The grass seemed to no longer be a threat. In fact Sunshine decided it was just wonderful to graze on for a bit.

Smile with your Butt Cheeks. 

It always makes me laugh.

As it happened....

This is my favorite view in the whole wide world.
The view between a mule's ears.

Of course this is Sunshine's ears and her mane is wild and wooly just like everyone else's on the farm this time of year. I don't roach the manes towards fall as the mules need that extra insulation on the top of their heads.
Well, at least that is what I think.

Molly texted that she was coming for a visit and bringing two friends. I was properly surprised to find that one of her friends was a guy. Nope, he wasn't a boyfriend of Molly or the other gal, but they are all pals at school.

More interesting was the fact that as we talked a bit Friday night I noticed his t-shirt and asked him if Glenbrook North Highschool was indeed the one in Northbrook. He said it was. I was stunned. And then I laughed.

"I graduated from Glenbrook North 45 years ago!" We spent a few minutes discussing a few streets and I told him what Northbrook was like when we had moved there when I was a kid.
And...we both went to the very same grade school.

I had one more intramural CrossFit 'game' 20.5 to do Saturday morning and I told the 'kids' that they could clean out burrs from the mules' tails and manes if they wanted to do some bareback riding when I got back.

All the mules had been cleaned up of burrs and brushed, well, all except Fred who was his usual anti social self.

Everyone was eager to try bareback riding. Only Will hadn't done it before. I decided to just stay in the adjoining pastures. Everyone would get some more experience on the two young mules with nice round backs...and some experience riding the bony backs of Mica and Fred.

I allowed them to switch mounts to see how different each animal was. Siera behaved as expected. After a while of riding in her pasture she decided to test her riders by putting up a little mule protest.

Mules generally don't like doing the same thing over and over so it was no surprise. Plus Siera felt she could get away with refusals.

I explained to Will and Sonya that these were not 'lesson' animals like they had at their school. These mules were more into trails and doing difficult things, not an open pasture where walking was boring to them.

Everyone enjoyed themselves and I imagine there may be some sore butts and legs this morning.

I brought out their cell phones after the ride was over so they could all get photos of themselves on mules to share.

I'd requested the phones be left in the house before riding. You should have seen their faces when I said that! Shock! [Well Molly wasn't shocked]

All in all we had a fun time and Molly's friends got introduced to mules.

Fractals and Riding

Really? What on earth do those two things have in common?

Nothing.

Except yesterday early ... early morning while it was still dark, I messed around with JWildfire which is a fractal program. I haven't dabbled in it for a long time so I decided to mix it up with something I 'created' from Incendia.

I felt a bit creative so used Incendia Next along with PSPX7 to create this 'thing' I call *Cosmic Wishes*.

The next one was done in JWildfire using another fractal creation as the backround. This was a tricky one to do, but I love the colors. Basically it is just abstract and color...

And last from yesterday morning...A Mandelbulb with  JWildfire fractal as its back round.

I could see something more interesting in this if I did it over again. However, I never seem to be able to do 'the same' thing over when it comes to art. I always end up changing it and making many versions.

My day fairly went normal as could be. I left my laptop whirring away on a fractal render while I did chores and we did the watering together. I did take a walk and when I got back, Sunshine came to the gate.
Well, that was simple. I grabbed a halter and put on her bridle.

She is 'stump' broke, so I can lead her over to the yard stump and simply step on....gosh, I love short mules!

We rode up to get the mail through the neighbor's woods. I had just remarked the trail so I could see it easier.

I wondered if Sunshine would let me on if I stood her in a ditch after I got the mail.
Nah, that didn't work out well. So I tried an old downed tree. I walked her alongside it while standing on the log.
Perfect.
And we were off again. The mail was safely tucked into my coveralls. The breeze was biting cold, but I was toasty warm on my little Red headed heater.

It is Christmas Eve day and we will take my special 'lasagna' dish to my MIL's to have it with her around noon.
I want to be at home for Christmas Eve.

I think the magic happens this night.

Sunrise, Frost, and Mules

Yesterday morning started out with a huge Wow!
I looked out the window when I could just see the animals. Stella had jumped through the electric fence again. It seems she gets crowded next the the bale feeder and jumps through. She manages to do this whenever I am not looking.

So I got dressed and went out to move her. I got her put back in where she belonged rather easily. This is becoming very routine for us.
I don't mind so much, she is such a nice heifer.

I glanced up at the sky and saw the sliver of the moon. The metal gates and the electric lines all had hoar frost on them.
So I grabbed my camera and decided to walk up to the ridge and see what the predawn light would reveal.
I didn't intend on staying on the ridge. I didn't intend on walking through the fields. But I did.
The sky was amazing.

The frost was amazing.

The colors were non stop and brilliant.

And I took a lot of photos. A lot....

I didn't bring a watch or my cell phone with me as I hadn't intended on staying. I was just going to look. Yeah, well that didn't work out did it?

I hurried home and was relieved to find out that Rich wasn't awake yet.

Before I went in the house I put the camera in a plastic bag and sealed it, then put it in a camera case. This allows the camera to warm up slowly so it doesn't get condensation on its sensitive electronics. The Olympus camera I have is supposed to be 'weather' resistant. However, I don't like to take chances.

My day went as most days now. I got phone calls from the VA for setting up appointments for Rich, started a venison roast in the crock pot and made out a grocery list. I studied the living room and figured out that I should probably move the couch into a place where we could do a small family portrait when the family comes.
I ran my errands to town and told Rich after making us some nice omelettes for our noon meal, that I intended to make some chocolate chip cookies.

Intended was the key word.

The day warmed up nicely from the 5 degrees that it had been at sunrise. I did the stock tanks and intended to go in the house to start those cookies.
I intended.
Really I sort of did.

But then I had a thought. I used to always ride an equine on Christmas and New Years. Back years ago I would ride with a couple of my 4H kids and their horses. We'd done some incredibly cold rides. I rode Badger when I moved to this farm but rarely would anyone go with me. I convinced my husband one year when it was fairly warm.
Yes, Morris came too!

And then there was the huge snowstorm and temperatures that dropped below zero.  I still rode Badger, however only for a very short while. My hands and feet got numb!

So I thought since Ariel and her family were coming to the farm after Christmas to celebrate with us it would be nice if she could do the honors of the Christmas ride with me.
It wouldn't The Christmas Ride.

But it would be the next best thing.

So I caught up Siera and we went for a bareback adventure up through the woods. I think we lost the good trail I used to have and ended up brush busting. I know that briers and thorny bushes untied my hiking boots.

When we reached the road, we rode out onto the field where I'd taken the sunrise photos.

Our shadow photo is downright awful looking! Looks like Siera is a 50 gallon drum!

She told me she did not like that photo what-so-ever. Nor did she like this one. I got off at the mailbox and collected our mail.

When I returned her to the pasture, Sunshine came up and nudged the halter.

Well if one mule ride is good, then why not a second one?

Bareback riding in the winter is the way to go. The heat of the mule keeps your legs nice and toasty.
The only drawback to that is that I tend to grip harder with my thigh muscles so the next day or so I have tender muscles.

I'd say that was so much better than baking any way.

Today.
I promise to make cookies.

Gone Riding

Just before it was time to do chores, I grabbed Lil' Richard and put him in the round pen where he proceeded to run, buck, and roll in the dry sand.

He 'self lunges' for a bit and then waits quietly for me to come in and work with him.

I let him run in the round pen, while I took Siera out and rode her for a while bareback in the meadow.  She did a great job and only gave me a bit of her 'typical' grief once.  She did a little hop with her hind end and I laughed.

Riding bareback is so much warmer than riding in a saddle when the temperatures are in the 20's.

I rode Siera to the ridge to get the mail.  Since there were no stumps around to get back on, I led her back home.

Next it was time for some work with Lil' Richard.  I went in the round pen and we worked on a 'kiss' for getting up and his whoa.  He nailed it quickly.
I made makeshift reins out of the lead rope and swung my leg over him.

He just did as before.  Stood there.  I thought about it for a moment then re-created the specific 'kiss' that had moved him before.

Suddenly we were in motion...and then he stopped.  I kissed again and we went into an extended trot which I just sat and rode out.  He was extremely smooth, incredibly smooth.
Since we were just working on the Go and Whoa, I let him pick the pace.  He did however follow my lead as I used the rope to guide him.

Win Win!

We kissed to go and Whoa to whoa.  After about 15 minutes we quit and I groomed him, then took him to his pen where dinner awaited him.

He is an incredibly smart pony/mini horse.

Of course he is mature and has age on him.  But who would have thought that you could train an animal who was somewhere between 16 and 19 yrs old?  True enough we stake him out in the summer and lead him from place to place and he stands well for the farrier.
But he never had any formal training.

Well, the saga continues.

Siera and Princess

So by now you all know Siera.  She is my 'after' Badger Mule.  Will she ever be as good as Badger?
Ahhh, it isn't fair to even compare is it?

Time to move away from comparisons and just go forward.

Yesterday I took Siera out and gave her a nice clean up [actually I did that to several equine!].

I put a bridal on her and wondered how she'd react after not being ridden since November and how would she like being ridden bareback?

On came the helmet [safety at all times].
Next came "bucket training".

I not tall enough to jump up on her.

So at first she decided that the bucket was mildly interesting, but would step back when I went to swing a leg over her.

We repeated these steps until she stood still for 3 mounts.  Then we rode around the yard and up the drive, around trees and ... climbed a big dirt pile.

I was happy to have her untrimmed mane to hang onto  when she and I slid down the pile of dirt and then re-climbed it.
For about a half hour I just sat on her and enjoyed the warmth from her body and the view.


We were practicing patience at standing still.  She is pretty good at that!

Next I took out Princess.  She came willingly.
After a long currying, I decided to give her a halter 'lead line' obstacle course.
I was curious to see if she would go anywhere with me, including climbing huge piles of dirt and down a deer trail and around trees...out of sight of the other donkeys.

Conclusion.
Princess does not care about her 'buddies'.  She went everywhere and did everything for me.
We do however have to work on her back up.  She has no clue what that is.

Soon she will be getting her first saddling and bridling.

She won't be hard to teach to ride.  This I can be pretty sure of.

In case you are wondering ... Princess is the mom to Thor.

The photo was taken March 28, 2008.

I think she will be a fine riding donk.

Pre-dawn

Pre dawn is a special time. The robins are just begining to sing their songs. I am sleepy eyed and stumbling around the house trying to pull on my polertec riding pants as it is 48 degrees outside.

I put on a regular sweatshirt and then a thermal sweatshirt, zap a cup of old coffee in the microwave and stir in some 'goop' to make it taste better.

I can see the sliver of the moon peeking between the clouds.
This is insane.
Getting up this early before I go to work, just for a short ride to watch the sunrise.

But...it isn't, not in my mind.
I love sunrises [some days I am asleep before sundown].

I slide out the back door and give a stern HUSH to the hound dogs who stir lazily in their dog houses...they are but black shadows.

I call softly:
*Badger!*

Out of the pre-dawn darkness comes the bay gelding who is one of the loves of my life.
He makes some sort of mulish knickering noise.

I open the gate and slide a bridle on him. I lead him to an overturned bucket in the driveway ~~ and scramble on his 15 hand body. He is warm, which is nice, because I can see my breath in the semi darkness.

I nudge him with my dew wet 'endurance' lace up boots and we head up out of our valley 'pocket' towards the ridge.
Badger knows what is expected of him.
We've done this before.

I have a need to ride... a need to see and photograph the sunrise.
I'm willing to sacrifice an hour of rest for it.

And Badger?
He doesn't mind.

We get to the ridge top and stop. He is happy standing still [and he is keeping me warm].
We wait...and wait.
At 5:40AM the sun is supposed to break the horizon.
I know, I've checked the weather site for our area.

Two white tail deer walk lazily across the darkened gravel road in front of us.
The robins are singing their good morning song.
A Wood Thrush trills in the timber.

All is peaceful.
All is well.

And I get several photos.

I pat Badger's neck and we head back down the steep driveway.

I can't think of a better way to start the day.