Dreams

"Hi mom person." 

Okay, that was weird. For whatever reason, I heard those words.

"What?" I asked, not sure that I just heard that. And in the dream Sunshine's face was right there.

"You heard me, don't be so dense. Mom person. You are my human mom well, birth mom. Not that biological thing of course. You could never have such a beautiful child as me," Sunshine said. She continued, "Horse Mom had her short comings, I mean little ears and all. But you have almost no ear at all. I suppose you are lucky in a way, your ears don't attract flies and bite..ey things."

An image of Cheyanne, her mom kind of came to mind for a moment.

"Your mom was my very first equine that I truly loved. She was stunning."

Sunshine dipped her head in my dream and closed her eyes, then opened them. "Oh yes, my mom who dumped you so many times? Her? That scatter brained mom? Thank goodness my father was a sensible donkey. She was an excellent mom though. The best."

Sunshine leaned in close and looked me in the eye.

"I have a secret," she whispered. 

"Do you remember when I was injured for a whole year? The doctor man said I might not ever recover. And you came in every day and hugged me and talked to me? 

You probably didn't even know back then that we mules understand every single word you say. Most of the time we just ignore you."

"Well," I replied a bit weirded out, "um okay."

Sunshine winked.

"I get you. I know you. Deep in this heart of mine, I am with you."

"Um. You get me." I stated.

"Oh yes, I know you. Just like Badger did. My heart, your heart, we are connected. Truly we are." Sunshine breathed into my face softly so I could smell her breath.

"I know you."

I woke up with a start and tossed on some clothes. I walked outside and down to the front pasture. 
I flicked on a flash light. There was Sunshine staring at me curiously by the gate.

Her head nodded slightly and then she turned and walked away.

Yeah.

That was totally weird.

Little celebrations

The riding mower needs a new inner tube or a new tire ... well let's say filling it up every time we used it last year was a pain. 
Hubby actually got out there and took it off! Three years ago I had to have the neighbor come down and help me do it. 

I worked on the pasture weeds and since we were waiting on rain, I couldn't burn the piles of elderberry, sourdock and burdock. It seems as though it is an never ending battle and around the middle of May I generally give up and resort to just weed whipping the plants in spots. The heavier woody stuff gets the machete. However, I have made progress over the years.

My afternoon schedule was to run to a place in town where our local Dept of Health had set up a clinic for vaccinations. I'd scored an earlier vaccination by juggling different sites. My neighbor and I were signed up for the same time. We drove separately and stayed in our seats for the 15 minutes, then we were done. 

I took the flat tire to the guy we have always purchase our mowers and chainsaws from. I like shopping and supporting local people and this guy was a kid when he started out.

He'll fix the tire, get a deck belt for hubby's big ol' zero turn and I purchased an early gift for myself. A nice self propelled mower. I was tired of pushing that old crappy mower up the side hill. Happy Day for me.

I walked out into the pasture and stood. Pretty quick Sunshine walked up and I took her out and saddled her up. I told hubby that I was going to ride our land and just head on down to the creek.

What an ugly shadow of us! 

She was pretty sure that she'd rather not leave her buddies so she just stopped and waited for a bit. Every mule offers hesitation the first time in the year when they leave their pals.
Sunshine gets over it quickly. 

No photos of us following the trails we went through the woods. I was too busy watching out for branches to duck. She took a deer trail instead of the nice wide ridge trail the bulldozer had made for us.

We came up on that group of male Tom Turkeys. They came walking and strutting through the leaves sounding like a heard of elephants.
I love this mule.
She perked up, ears forward and nose flared. I could see the Tom's bright red heads as they walked through the brush. I was hoping they all didn't take off like thunder.

Sunshine took a huge sigh and then we carried on zig zagging down the steep hill. When we ended up on the ridge trail, I dismounted. Always the first time out with a crupper she gets a bit tail swishy. Just her way of saying she would like me to know that the slight tug on her tail head was a bit bothersome.

By midsummer, she ignores the crupper. I may put a britchin' on her saddle this summer to avoid tail swishing and ear twitching.

For a job well done we stopped in our creek bottom and I let her grass on some of the good stuff in the creek. She thought she was in heaven.

Then I tried something no one has tried before. I wondered if I could ride her upstream and around all those boulders and downed trees to hunt for morels later this year.

There is no easy way out of this creek unless you are willing to climb. 

Blurry shot with my pointy shooty camera.
I asked her to negotiate a deep pool of water with a boulder on one side and a tree on the other with no other way around it.

I have to hand it to her. She looked at it, sniffed it, then stepped into it and walked through it. She has all the calm of her donkey dad, Bruce. And lots of the thinking of her mom a scatterbrained arab/quarter mix. Her mom when faced with a difficult situation would stop and think in the woods.
In a field or wide open space ... she'd just go bonkers.

I like an equine who thinks. Sunshine thinks hard all of the time and misses nothing.

Below we check the forest fence above the creek. Wow, it is easier to ride her than walk it!

I counted two insulators that need replacing.

We then climbed out of the valley and headed home. That was enough of the rough stuff for the day. I told hubby that I may take nippers and the machete and clean up the trails the mules made last year in the woods.

I said I could ride much more right at home than trying to figure out if the 4 wheelers were going to be out on the neighbor's land.

Above...one of the Bell Necklaces my mules wear. It alerts slumbering wildlife to get up and move before we get there. Never have any of my mules freaked at wild life, but they do get startled when a herd of gobblers suddenly come out of nowhere and thunder overhead. Most of the time they get stiff legged and stand still.

Then they sigh and we move on.

[The strap is hanging off her side...I'd started to unsaddle her. And yes her mane is wild yet. I will roach her mane once the weather stays warm.]

Many little celebrations for my Wednesday.

Color me happy.

Life's Little Pleasures

 

There was a lot of work I could do.
But the day was going to be warm and unseasonably nice.

A distraction from the news would be a good thing. So I set up supper, made a red velvet cake [his favorite] for Rich and then walked out to the pasture with a lead rope. 
[And for anyone who knows me...I really dislike baking and this is the second cake in like forever. However, it wasn't so bad and maybe I'll make more this year?]

Sunshine walked up to me. My little red mule. I last rode her in June and July when I had a friend who was going to come over and ride with me. Then I got busy with the yard work and garden and it seemed my riding time always got put off.

Off we went. There won't be any photos of us on the trails in the woods or of us sliding down creek banks to cross the valley. Those moments demand attention to detail. And the trails are steep except for those on the ridge and the one that is mowed around the large corn field.

No, I don't trim the manes at this time of year. These guys live outside and in the woods with a few windbreaks for shelter. Rich feels if I roach the mane right now, their necks would get cold. He's the boss. Besides, it doesn't affect how they function so it doesn't matter to me.

We made the circuit to the back valley and down into that stream to watch for trout. I dismounted back there and let Sunshine eat while I just enjoyed the forest and the stream.

I'd seen two trail cams and had waved to both of them. There is a fellow that leases the land for hunting. I rarely ride or hike this part of the land when I think he will be out there. The guy is a real jerk though. 

I ran into him last year when he was putting up a stand in August. He asked what I was doing. I told him hiking.

He said, "I lease this land for hunting!"

And I replied, "What hunting season is it?"

Well it was not a hunting season, and I have permission to walk and ride all the acreage any time. I do politely avoid where this guy puts his stands. 

Anyway...

I noted where the stands were. November 21st is the opening day of gun season. I don't even wander about much on my own land. The first day sounds like a war is being conducted. 

I enjoyed my ride and when we got back home, I hand grazed Sunshine in the yard for a while.

Suddenly, the rest of the herd decided that they'd love to be caught too.

I wonder if Siera would like to go next! Another fine day is in store. I could take advantage.

For our evening entertainment, we looked outside just after we ate supper.

And yesterday morning....

once again proving that no matter what kind of camera a person has...

Hrrrmph.

And the day I had my pocket camera?

I think this is the one that comes down to graze near the outhouse in the evenings...

Have a good day. Enjoy Life's Little Pleasures.

What have we learned?

Saddle view from Sunshine's Back

Molly and I went for a 'sunset' ride on Tuesday night. Monday evening we worked with Sundance in the round pen.

Monday night Molly learned an important lesson. While working with Sundance she dropped the dog food bag that made crinkly noises between the back legs of the mule. She immediately bent to pick it up.
Sundance was startled and swatted with a hoof as she darted away.

No real harm had occurred but Molly did get her arm brushed by a hoof edge. We talked about that for a moment and Molly said she understood that she should have just stood for a moment and not tried to grab between Sundance's legs.

I had Molly lunge Sundance around the pen and placed the very very scary dog food bag in a spot that Sundance would have to eventually go over.
I told Molly that she wouldn't mess any training up at all. But since Sundance suddenly had an issue with one thing that was going on, we wouldn't saddle her until she figured out that the dog food bag wouldn't eat her.

Molly worked with Sundance who first jumped the bag, then later trotted over it, and lastly Molly got her to stop with a foot on it.
Lots of praise.
While working, Sundance did show the classic signs of thinking about what she was learning. Molly showed an uncanny ability to work with Sundance.
This young lady had never been in a round pen before.
We ended the session with more grooming and a bit of grazing in the yard. I let Molly handle her for all of that.

See. Sundance had been pretty much handled by Rich for most of her young life. She was to be Rich's mule. And Sundance could be a handful at times so I sort of backed off from handling her until this last fall when I realized that Rich would probably never get back to working with her.
The changes in this young mule have been astounding.

The small herd can be in the forest and all I have to do is start a series of whistles. Sundance comes at a trot or lope to my whistle.

She literally begs to be caught and worked with any time she sees me in the yard or her pasture out back.

 

Sunshine is not quite as attentive, but I must say that the red headed sisters are very people oriented. There was a time when Sunshine [the older sister] didn't want to be caught. However since I have been constantly doing things with all of the mules ... it seems all are eager to be handled.

So Molly and I saddled up Sunshine and Siera for our sunset ride. Off we went along the back roads on the ridge. The biggest challenge for Molly and Siera was to not leave Sunshine and I too far behind. Siera is gaited and walks as fast as Sunshine can jog.
Molly did a great job. A few times I told her to let Siera go ahead and stretch her legs but then turn around and come back or make Siera wait for us.

Molly did...

Not a great shot by any means. But you get the idea.

We sat and watched the sun go down where the gravel road meets blacktop. Then we turned towards home.
I could hear machinery that sounded like a large tractor just over the hill. It sounded as though it were coming towards us.
I asked Molly to bring Siera into a hay field and turn her so she could watch the tractor from a 'safe' distance.
Siera has had issues with loud machinery before and I wanted to avoid any accidents.

I lined Sunshine up next to Siera and sat still. Sunshine glanced up at the huge monstrous tractor and dipped her head to sample the hay under her hooves totally unimpressed by the size of the tractor and the large flatbed of round bales it was pulling.
However, Siera's eyes kept getting rounder and larger, her neck tightened and she started a bolt. I held my hand up and amazingly she collided with my open hand and stopped wide eyed.
Molly sat the bolt perfectly without losing her balance and calmly brought Siera back to watch the tractor move off.

At that moment, I felt that Molly was going to be an amazing rider some day. This was her fourth time on a mule and she'd had no prior experience. I do not believe I've ever seen anyone as talented as her at her age. Yes, I have really good animals for her to learn on, but she never lost her cool or her balance.

The rest of the ride was rather quiet and colorful.
Molly and I unsaddled the mules and treated them with some grass from the yard.

Molly came in the house afterwards to tell Rich what she had learned. The two of them talked about mules/horses/training/riding and skills.

The farriers came out yesterday to trim the herd for me. Sundance used to have a habit of not wanting to stand quietly for them. She also would not put her foot on their stand to allow them to rasp her hoof.

I'd been working on that for a while now. Every day I catch her and clean her feet and have her bring her front legs forward while I pretend to rasp them.

When finished with the red heads the farriers did comment on how nice Sundance had behaved.
What did I learn?
Hoof work pays off.

This month has been a whirlwind of mule riding and training between all of the other things I have going on.

I'm diggin' it. It has been nice to have my interest in working with the animals sparked again.

However leaves on Monday to spend the rest of the summer before she heads off to college at her Grandmother's. Can I say that I am going to miss her?
Oh yes.
I will.

What have I learned?
I still love riding and training.

Mixed Bag

A horrible shot of Charlie, but evidence that now the two dogs are tolerant of each other.
Charlie was a bit put out by Teslin taking over that side of the couch. He preferred it when she would lay in her cozy little bed or go upstairs. She has quit going upstairs now and prefers our company.

She has decided that Charlie's food is better and has gained a pretty good appetite. Teslin will come and stare at me when she wants dry food. She has free feed food in her own bowl. That is fine with me. When Miss Picky eater is hungry and she gets food.
Both dogs went with me on a long walk yesterday. Mistake. Don't let Tes off leash, she has a way of deciding to take her own way and wander. My son said she isn't deaf, but she is when I call her.
So she was put on a leash and our hike was rerouted towards home. Coming through the meadow ... I had to carry Charlie. The grasses were so thick and hip tall on me.
Note to self. Stay out of the tall stuff with the dogs.

I took an afternoon to start to clean all of the saddles and gear. I sat on the porch Sunday with the dogs and cleaned 5 saddles and oiled britchens.
After pulling a tire off the zero turn mower, I took it in for repairs and then spent the evening trying another first.

Rich has always roached our mules' manes. So I decided to use the clippers this year as I'd used scissors last year with okay results, but it took forever.

So there is Sunshine with her Shaggy Messy mane.

Clipped! And I did her ears too. She looks much better. I used an old set of clippers on her. I asked Rich why he had quit using them. He said something about not cutting or some such thing. I thought I'd find it's manual and well...

Holy cow! I fixed them, cleaned the blades, oiled it, and then used the clippers on Sunshine! I even watched videos on YouTube to see if there was an easier way to clip. I followed a video and it worked out better.

Siera was a cakewalk. I used the large clippers on her. I'd taken them apart and cleaned and oiled them also. See? I am learning!

 Messy...

Stunning!

Last night I caught up the youngest mule. Rich said she hated clippers. I put her on the tree and turned on the quiet clippers. Sundance lost her mind. I know Rich had twitched her in the past to do it. But I am in no hurry. I left Sundance tied to the 'Naughty Tree' while I put everything away.
I was going to have to calm her down and we'd take our time regarding clipping.

Sundance and I went to the round pen and worked for a while. She decided that the goat in his pen was a mule-eating transmorgifying monster of some sort. Eventually she walked over and stared at Sven who just talked to her through his pen.

Sundance thought he was okay to look at. But I was still the enemy and I was NOT going to touch her at all. This was my own fault for not properly dealing with her clipper issue. But at the same time, it opens up a door for us to work together. She was doing so well last fall and it fell apart last night.

I worked with her and as soon as she turned, dropped her head, and walked to me with a kind look in her eye...I praised her and then took her back to the pasture after a short time grazing in the yard.
I let her loose in the pasture and she decided to glue herself to me.

I think I was forgiven. Her sister, Sunshine thought she'd like to get caught again.

Soon.

I think I am glad I didn't do a vegetable garden this year. I'm hoping to spend a lot of time working with Sundance. My goal is to have her under saddle this summer at some point.

Here is where we were last year when I had to end our lessons in the round pen.

~~ This is where the large square hay bales are stored for the winter. I dislike having to use this space but hopefully I'll work something out soon enough.