We waited until the afternoon cooled off a bit before getting Fred out for ride number two.
Ariel and I cleaned Fred up and just talked about mules and equine safety. Something I usually do with kids near these large animals.
Ariel has ridden on and off since she was pretty small.
We started working on riding in 2008 with my mule Badger.
Badger left our world in 2012 and we sort of let things go by the wayside.
We didn't have extended periods of time with the kids and so we really didn't have enough time to really get into riding.
At Grandma & Grandpa Camp in 2014 everyone got a ride on Fred.
And Fred seemed to take to being with kids very well.
Fast forward to the present.
We worked hours on balanced and calm riding with quiet hands and gentle hands. Towards the end of this ride Ariel started to hold the reins.
"Ride like you are a ballerina, with poise and confidence at all times." I told her. "You are a dancer on top of a very powerful animal who is willing to take his cues from you. If you are relaxed, he will relax."
In a round pen or small paddock, I've gotten Fred to 'heel' me off a lead rope. I showed this to Ariel yesterday. I walked along and made serpentines as he heeled at my shoulder. Fred stopped when I stopped, he stepped out when I stepped out. He backed up when I backed up.
Again I made a reference to working with animals and dancing. "It is a dance between partners. Fred is my partner," I told her, "He knows to mimic my movements."
Ariel watched for a bit and then said, "Siera does this for you too!"
Indeed Siera does.
Then we started working on light hands and reining. Ariel is extremely calm with animals. It shows in this shot where Fred decides to cry out and bray for his mule buddies.
She waits it out unfazed and continues riding.
We move outside as Fred gets bored with the round pen. Mules do get bored and need a challenge.
We practice mounting/dismounting and emergency stops and dismounts.
Ariel nails all of it quite well and we move to riding in the larger winter paddock.
The next step after another warm up and review will be fun. I will get Siera and we will ride the paddock together.
I won't go into too much detail about yesterday morning's frustrations about FedEx not delivering my package to the right place...and me looking and calling all neighbors trying to find my son's Wedding Book.
I talked to FedEx Customer Service and they will have the driver find it and deliver it to my place on Monday.
That is the best that can be done.
Blurb Customer Service refunded me my 'Special Delivery' rate. They want an update on the package asap.
All in all, I was pretty hot. Today we are expecting quite a bit of rain and I hope the books are protected wherever they are sitting.
Anyway, a very important thing to remember is NOT to work with an animal when you are angry. So I put off working with Siera until late in the afternoon when I'd calmed down.
No use getting all riled about something that is way beyond my control.
Siera has a habit of tossing her nose while riding. This is the way she used to communicate her dislike I thought of what we were doing.
So yesterday I changed to a very mild 'gag' bit with a noseband.
Yes. Siera started 4 yrs ago with a Snaffle bit. She works very nicely in that until she doesn't want to. She will stiffen her neck and no person can move her nose...not me at least.
Regarding bits. I only know that sometimes I have to to try a few different things before we find a good fit. Each animal is different.
Anyway, she loved the sweet iron bit and played with it while we rode.
Yesterday was our best ride to date.
She had almost no head tossing, only twice while riding up the driveway and away from home.
Loose rein, no head tossing, neck reining, standing still...standing still for dismounts in the woods, on the road, and in a mule eating soybean field.
Last year she was positive that soybeans would EAT her alive. Also certain tall grasses.
She is a slow maturing mule?
If I were to take Siera out on groomed riding trails with another animal, people would see her as a broke, broke, broke riding animal. And I have to admit, she really is well behaved.
Yesterday we reined through the dense woods doing serpentine moves with a loose rein. She is now getting to trust me that I won't put her in a bad situation and I trust that she will take care of me over rocks, logs, and poor footing.
What a great place to arrive at.
Siera and I have started to work as a team. What a heady boost to my 'inner' spirit to have finally arrived to that place.
There is nothing in the world quite like having a big animal understand what you are asking and do it willingly...and without a word being spoken.
Just body language.
What a perfect wonderful way to relax with a mule.
