Little Miss Sunshine

 

When this mule was born hubby thought we should sell her right away. She never got big but mom was only 14 hands. I wasn't impressed with her at first as she wasn't super striking to look at. I didn't feel that she had the best confirmation in the mule world. She inherited her mom's barrel body but did not inherit her mother's attitude.

At the time, I was working with her half brother who was 15 hands who was an incredibly handsome dark bay mule.

Rich put her up for sale and a guy came and looked at her. He wasn't impressed with her looks either so we decided to keep her and make her a grand kid mule. 

Thing is, she became our all around trail mule.

What I never realized in the years I worked with her is that she was absolutely beautiful, kind, sweet, and just like her half brother...she would do anything I asked her to do. I lost Badger when he was 16 years old due to an illness. It broke my heart and I couldn't bear to think of even loving another mule.

In the face of difficult situations in the forest, Sunshine will look at it, assess it, and then deal with it. She thinks, just like most of the mules I've worked with over the past 30 years. 

Sunshine's mother was reactionary. 

A deer would step out of the forest a quarter mile away and she'd generally spin and then stop. Sunshine points her hears, slows down, observes, then walks on. 

When I was working her as a 5 yr old I'd sing from her back, drop her reins, flop around in the saddle, and pull branches off trees and wave them around. I'd cry out, whine, complain, and carry on.

Rich laughed and said I was acting like a 4 yr old and I agreed. If a kid were to ride her, they'd probably do all of these things. 

But she did end up being an incredible mule to carry grandkids.

For whatever stupid reason, she still was not my 'favorite' heart throb mule. I was still lost over losing Badger so I rehabbed Opal the people hating mule. I fell for Siera with her good looks and her incredible gaits.

Time and time again, I returned to riding the Little Red Mule. Each time I discovered more reasons why she was so good.

My friend who has horses had invited me to bring a mule to her place so we could ride together. 

Kristi just wanted to ride and have someone to go with.

My first thought was to take Siera. She is 14.5 hands and a very striking bay mule. She is calm and easy going too. Siera developed that weird lameness so that left Sunshine.

I struggled with that decision because she is 28 but in great health and no issues. But I've never ever been apart from her for 28 years. I didn't know if I could wake up in the morning and NOT see her in the pasture.

This week we finally made a date to move her. My anxiety level went through the roof. How could I let my red head leave the farm?

Another thought struck me. I have raised this mule from birth. I have overlooked her time and time again but always knew in my heart that we have a special connection that normally doesn't occur between equine and humans.

When I took her photo in the pasture the other night I was again struck by her poise and beauty. Plus the fact that I could not step out on the porch without her spotting me from across the field. Always, always, she knickers and watches to see what I am up to.

Was I really that dumb to not appreciate the plain colored red beauty? With my heart in my throat, I took her to Olive's house where we transported her to Kristi's farm.

I put her in the paddock next to Johnny Cash [Kristi's new horse] and observed. Sunshine walked around the paddock while the horses checked her out. The horses bounced around and whinnied. Sunshine gave them the once over and then got down and rolled. Apparently she wasn't too impressed.

Kristi sent me a photo of Sunshine this morning so I wouldn't miss her too badly.

So Sunshine and Johnny Cash got along just fine.  She must like his songs.🎶

I went there last night and we rode for a bit in her indoor arena. 

Sunshine had never been in one and didn't care for it at first.

We then headed out and down her road which is a dead end. The wind was blowing pretty hard but the two equine didn't seem to mind. We traveled through a gate and rode through a large pasture. Sunshine was on a mission and did her best mule walk which is fast.

Johnny is a Western Pleasure horse and walks slow and easy. 

Eventually we went to the outdoor arena and practiced some figure 8's at a trot and just enjoyed the evening.

The kids went by in a UTV, the Amish neighbor was moving sheep and they were making a lot of noise. Tyler the handyman was using a skid steer just outside the outdoor to spread dirt and do landscaping.

Both equine took it all in without batting an ear. Though the crappy shot below shows my long ear watching the Amish Sheepdog.

So.

What does it feel like riding after such a long hiatus? 
Sweet.

I will commend my Little Miss Sunshine for taking it all in at a strange place and not being a butt head. She did everything I asked her to.

Saturday morning we are going to trail ride at Kristi's.

My decision was the right one. Serendipity chose Sunshine and Sunshine once again proved exactly why she was the one mule I've always wanted.

What can I say. Except that I haven't felt this stress free in years. Yes, riding is magical.

Back in the saddle?

For the past few years, I've had almost no opportunities to ride. Most of the time, I just didn't go because hubby wasn't well and he wanted to spend time with me [and Charlie] on the couch watching movies or something on the TV.

I skipped evening rides because I never knew how many more times the two of us would sit together on the couch after supper.

Last year, my friend Kristine asked me if I'd bring one of my mules to her place and ride with her. We could pasture my mule with her horses.

This way, we'd ride together instead of alone.

The more I thought about it, the more sense it made. No board fees, just fun riding.

Since I haven't ridden Siera in two years [kids have ridden her in the yard], I thought I'd better make sure that she'd be ready to go and safe.

I chose Siera because the two red headed sisters have been together since Sundance's birth here on the farm. They are like a unit. Sundance has a temper tantrum if I take her sister... Sunshine out for a ride. They hang together and Siera is odd mule out.

Maybe if she hangs with Kristi's gelding Johnny Cash [he is a looker too!], she will find friendship.
 

I've been saddling up to get the mail and to explore the ravaged woods on my neighbor's land.

I haven't taken Siera out and down the road as I have 2 neighbors that allow their dogs to chase cars and everything else that may go by in the crop fields or dirt road.

I can't get over the view I've missed for so long from the saddle.

We went down one of the old trails that has a new monster in it. I thought Siera would hesitate or even balk at walking by it.

Nope. She didn't care.

We rode up to it and Siera dropped her head looking for some grass. 

She could care less.

Everything worked on her. Her right, left, walk, back up, and the all important 'stand still'. 

We sat for a while watching the evening light drift through the forest. I heard a rustle and Siera pointed out a hen turkey moving through the forest with her brood. 

I guess Siera did okay. She was quiet, calm, and stood quietly while I gathered our mail. The two mules at home didn't bray for Siera, in fact they ignored the fact that she'd left the farm.

As for training and tuning up, I just go out with Siera and ask that she provide me with a safe journey. She is a trail mule. She is to deal with wildlife and forest things. Perhaps she'll learn something new when I take her to Kristi's. But I'm wayyyyy okay with a quiet ride that just moseys along.

The saddle I use on Siera is a very old Stonewall saddle that was used in Endurance riding. I like this saddle because it is light and it is designed after the McClellan Saddle. 

It fits her so well and is very comfortable for me.

👇

Edit.
2 days later her lameness showed up again. This will take her out of the realm of summer riding until we figure out what her on and off again soreness and stiffness is all about. Equine.
So strong, so incredible, and sometimes so fragile!