Wonderful Saturday

The morning started like any other except that Molly had asked if I wanted to go riding.
Well, of course I did! Mornings are the best time to go for me on the weekends. In the afternoons there are guys that race around with loud 4 wheelers and I just don't think mules and loud machines would mix well.

Not a great shot, but I just took the camera and pointed behind me. Molly's mount is Mica. She used to be a roper/heeler and team penning mule but has now retired into a life of quiet trail rides. We didn't use her for about 5 years and I pulled her out of retirement and found that she was excellent for novice riders and as a rock solid dependable mule in all situations.

I rode Siera. Molly wanted to ride her. But Siera can be funny on her first trips away from home. She can be obstinate and when it comes to black sucking mud, she will sometimes prepare for a down right refusal to move through it.
Putting a newer rider in that situation is not a good idea.

And I knew my chosen route had mud sucking holes that the 4 Wheelers had created. [No photos of the mud sucking route nor the creek crossing that was similar to the swamp of Sorrows ~~ Movie reference to The Never Ending Story]

My hands were totally full of convincing Siera she would survive the black muck holes of death.
We had to cross the valley floor but the 4 Wheelers and made deep ruts in the already saturated valley. Instead of trying to cross to the other side, I walked Siera upstream on solid ground to the snow mobile crossing.
Less stress for her and probably safer too.

We finally made it to my favorite destination. The Back Valley, The Lost Valley...well, the 4 Wheelers have beat down a trail there too. However I took Siera upstream and she didn't mind at all. At one time it would have been a bit of a fight. Not any more. In fact she was being Miss Perfect by this time.

Maidenhair Fern Hill

I was pleased as this was her second ride away from home this year. Too many variables in my life had to get straightened out before I could take the time to ride again.

As we left the Back Valley we had a steep slippery trail to go up. I told Molly that these guys could do it easily, just let Mica have her head and lean forward, keep your balance, and trust her to do the proper thing. 

It was a hard incline for both mules, but once we got on the old logging trail, we let them catch their breath.

Mica is aged but in much better shape than she was in last year. Both mules are a bit soft in muscle and endurance but that is because they don't get ridden enough. I am aiming to fix that.

We eventually made it back to the first valley. The Black mud sucking valley of ruts and black water and muck. 

When I crossed the creek I offered Molly the opportunity to ride Siera. She didn't hesitate. We swapped mules and I rode Mica the rest of the way home.

Siera knew the way home up the camp road and was not going to offer up any resistance.

Molly had met Siera the first day she came to visit and fell head over heels for her. I have two other teens girls who have done the very same thing with her. Siera is that kind of mule. She loves attention. 

Molly beamed all the way home. 

I took Molly home and told her that around 3pm I'd be taking Sundance out for her next training session. We took a vote and decided to start calling her *Sunny*, Sundance and Sunshine are just too much of a mouth full.

Sunny, it is.

The funny thing is with Sunny and her sister, it that they are the two that were born on this place and raised here. Both out of my slightly nutty but fun mare Cheyanne who is no longer with us. Both mules are extreme people mules.

In one respect it almost makes it a bit harder to train Sunny. She doesn't want to trot around the round pen. She wants to hang out with the human.

Trainers like those that they can force into lunging and moving. 

Sure I can lunge her. But then I can also work with her a bit differently and use her human trust in other ways.

Put strange things on her back. Toss balls around. Ask her to follow me over killer tarps. Kick a ball.

All with a curious attitude at first then a Ho Hum attitude.

Crinkly Mule Eating Dog Food Bag. At first it was a mule eater. After a while it was a grooming tool. Legs, stomach, ears, back and then a neck decoration.

HO..Hum.

Finally. A saddle. And a jug with rocks in it to make annoying noises as she walked.

Reaction?

Look at the jug, walk, listen to the jug. 

Stop.

Look.

Ho Hum.

I let her trot the pen with the saddle to feel the back of it bouncing around. I'll use the back girth next so she can feel that. Then add a breast collar and crupper and perhaps a britchen.

I stood in the stirrups on each side and laid across her. She just sighed.

And that was the end of the session.

I was pleased. I recalled watching a video of an old mule/horse trainer who commented that in truth training the animal should be as about boring as watching paint dry. You don't want snorting bucking and challenges every step of the way. I agree, but to me it isn't boring. It is more about watching her reactions and body language to everything we are working on.

I put things away and she followed me.

...as if to ask...

What's next?

Admittedly, this was to be Rich's mule to train and I kept holding out the hope that he'd get interested in her again.

But she is doing so well.

I am simply awed by her calm attitude.

Let's hope it eventually translates to trails!

Sundance Day 3

Now I don't have a lot of photos because basically I have my attention on Sundance and Sundance only.

Consider this. I want the training to go quietly and without much excitement. I don't want her just to accept what I am doing and be very ho hum about.

Yes, eventually we will be in the woods and on trails. But that is where I want her to have it in her head that she can still be calm.

The blanket was an issue again. I walked her into the round pen and let her loose. I grabbed a brush and began to groom her. She stood quietly. I then tapped her feet and asked for 'give it' and cleaned out each hoof.

I consider this pretty good. Rich used to be able to be the only one to handle her feet and she wanted to 'shake hands' with you and pull the foot away. She even gave our farrier some issues one time. I dislike that in an animal.
So before I get on my soap box of how there is no excuse for not being able to do hoof care...I will change the subject.

I grabbed the Big Black Blanket and approached. She stepped away and flinched. I let her stand and then approached again. She didn't turn her head but watched me anyway.
I stood far enough away that I had to toss it.

She bunched up as it landed cockeyed on her back. And then played statue. So I walked up and let my hands do the complimenting and I spoke very softly. "You are a good girl."

I stepped away from her and walked to the middle of the round pen. Sundance thought about it. She stared at the gate. Fred was screaming out for her. It was almost as if she made a decision.

She walked to me.
I rearranged the blanket and asked her to walk around the round pen. I asked her for a direction change and a whoa.
She did it nearly perfectly.

I stood. She stood. She looked at me and then looked away.
Finally she sighed and walked up to me again.

Again. More gentle hands on her and sweet little murmurs.

"Would you like something new?" I asked.
Sundance didn't answer. She just watched me with quiet eyes. She was diggin' the attention.

I showed her Sunshine's & Fred's bridle. She smelled it. I took my time and put it on. Gently over the ears, gently the bit went into the mouth. I adjusted it so that she could play with the snaffle bit with her tongue.

It was statue time again.
Note the stuff in the purple sled by the gate. Those are grooming tools a spray bottle. If things get too boring, I pull the sled around in the round pen and Sundance watches from a distance and approaches when I stop.

She will eventually pull this behind herself calmly. At least that is my intention.

Since she was being so compliant, I began to toss other old blankets on her. I was met by the same ho hum attitude.

She did walk around for me and stop and turn while playing with the bit.

I did this for about 20 minutes and then pulled the blankets off. Sundance followed me while I was hanging the blankets back up.

I was sorely tempted to try a saddle, but then decided to do some more prep work.

I hooked up a rein to the right left of her bit and put a bit of pressure onto it. I watched her feet and as soon as she moved her muscles and lifted her hoof, I eased up. After several repeats she anticipated the movement of the rein and sidestepped towards me.

I switched to the other side. Sundance was left 'handed'. Of course that made sense from all the years of leading her from the left side. Now on the right side she resisted. I held the rein and waited. I saw the muscles flex in her shoulder and stopped.

After 3 more repeats, she moved her legs and side stepped slightly. I stroked her neck and praised her.

I moved her back to the center of the round pen and took off the bridle slowly, letting her chose how to spit out the bit. More murmuring and more soft stroked on her poll, withers, and neck.

I put the items away while she watched and then we left to take a walk up the driveway together.
She was alert and looked around as if to look for her herd.
I considered separating her for training but since she seemed pretty content with me once she was away from the others, I decided to let her be with the rest of them.

Another boring training session.
I like it.

Next session will involve some of my body language with Sundance. I want to see if I can use a method of relaxation to keep her attention on me and not what is happening outside.
I've used the Horse Stance in Tai Chi before and it works well.
What the heck, at least I will be super relaxed!

Tai Chi with Lil' Richard

While I was working with Lil' Richard I thought I'd try out some Tai Chi breathing techniques that I'd learned with hubby last week.
One of the exercises is called the "Horse Stance", it is a way of being in the 'now' and present and controlling your breathing and becoming totally tension free.

So Lil' Richard was doing very well, but I wondered if I couldn't make him relax and come to me easier.

Well, it couldn't hurt could it?  Besides, I needed to practice my Tai Chi before we had another session.

So I had Lil' Richard standing facing me after a 'whoa'.  I took the Horse Stance, and then began letting the tension out of my shoulders, and letting my whole body relax into my breathing.

I concentrated on watching Lil' Richards knees.  Pretty soon he began to drop his head lower and lower.  He began to lick his lips and look totally relaxed.

I took my baby finger and lifted slightly on the rope.  Lil' Richard quietly walked into me and took a deep breath.  He was totally relaxed.

I couldn't believe it.  Well really, I could, because I am well aware that a tense wired up person near a horse will make that horse -- or any animal -- tense themselves.  I've always practiced relaxed body riding.  So this made perfect sense.

I wanted to make sure that this was not a fluke so I worked him a bit more and tried a more aggressive stance.  Lil' Richard ignored my commands and picked up the pace.

I returned to the relaxed breathing and body stance.  Lil' Richard progressed rapidly and willingly.

He is a an older pony, somewhere between 17 and 19.  I figured this would be an impossible job.  But I think he is enjoying the work.

Later I brought Siera in the round pen so that the sand could dry out her feet and I could check on her frogs.  She thought that she'd just nag at the gate to get back out with her friends. After asking her to work whenever she misbehaved, she settled in.

Siera then heeled me for the next 30 minutes, while I cleaned the roundpen.

I stood in front of her and did my relaxation technique.  Siera watched me and soon dropped her head and stood quietly as if she had not a care in the world.

I'd like to call it magic.  But it isn't.  It is just body language and it shows how quickly and animal can pick up on it.

Hopefully today will be the day that Lil' Richard gets to try a bridle and we get to our first ride by the weekend.