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.

Back in the Saddle

Some people may think that my jump right into riding Siera after Badger's death could be a bit heartless.

To tell you the truth, I always hoped and held out the belief that Badger would suddenly have a miracle cure...that he'd jump back to his formal self.

After watching him lose wieght and begin to suffocate and die before my eyes, I started to emotionally try to distance myself from him.  It hurt every day to see him stand and try to breathe.

I am sure that this recent heat wave would have done him in.  But....

But, a few years ago I met Siera, the mule I didn't think we needed.  The mule who decided that SHE was my best friend [aside from Badger].  I sensed in her a possibility of a 'Badger type relationship' and this was before Badger got ill.

It is rare that this sort of thing happens in the equine world.  A trust that is like no other that develops between human and equine.

Before Badger passed away, I couldn't concentrate on developing this special bond between me and Siera.  It just didn't feel right.  I felt like a traitor.

Now it is just the two of us.  [Granted, I have Opal, Fred, and Sunshine to ride too].  Siera has something that calls to my heart strings.

I think I'll go with the flow.  

She is proving to be a one of a kind mule.

The type that never comes along a second time.

I think I am blessed.