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!

Well, I did it.

I haven't thought much about riding now for two years. I've maintained my mules by making sure they are healthy and well cared for.

I didn't have much time to get back in the saddle and enjoy them.

Over the weekend, the gals got their classic spring haircuts.

Siera was the messiest one. But a bit of trim ....

Cleaned up her ears and mane!

Yeah--she didn't want me

to take her photo.

So yesterday I finally took her out of the pasture and saddled her up. She had some tail swishing but that could be because the flies were still after her or, she was unhappy about the prospect of working.

This mule is basically lazy. She won't do much of anything unless you ask politely. Get rough [my husband used to be rough with her] and she will do nothing. She will become a statue.

Hubby relented years ago that this mule was a lady mule like my mule Badger had been. She preferred my soft spoken ways to his growly gravel voice. Her name when he rode her was *goddammitSiera*.

I am the quiet one. I don't expect perfection every time I saddle her. I expect we get along and have a safe trip.

Anyway, there was no reaction when I mounted and rode her around the yard area. She did everything I asked of her.
Below is her listening to me to ask her to walk. The mule ears are like antenna, they point to what is interesting to her.

I then took her down through the neighbor's meadow and we took a short tour of some of the deer trails. I let her stretch her legs into a fast gait. 

It was a short ride that only lasted about 15 minutes, but she did everything I asked of her. Step out, walk, gait, stop, backup, and turn around.

Another crap shot, but here she is enjoying some yard grass while I put things away. Yes. She will stand in the yard and not leave. 

This is my mule that had never found her place with the other mules. She tolerates them but doesn't hang with them unless she is using their tails to swat flies.

When the Vet was here a few weeks ago he noted that she was a 'people' mule and that she preferred my company over her herd mates.

I like that.

But even more?

It looks like I'll be riding more and more. Siera will go to my friend's farm after June 5th. Then I will be riding with my friend and her horse Johnny Cash. 

Hopefully we will take lots of trail rides through her valley and streams this summer. She also has an indoor arena and outdoor arena. Maybe I can teach this mule a few new things.

I mean...wow....how did I forget how much I loved the sight of those ears from her back????

One saddle

In 2011 I had a friend who rode Endurance call me up on a saddle she found on Craig's List. The saddle was missing the fenders and most of the other parts of the saddle were quite worn.
However, it looked much like an old Cavalry Saddle and weighed next to nothing!

I drove over and looked at it and realized that it may in fact be an old Stonewall Saddle.

The first photo is of Sunshine with the saddle on her.
Here is a shot of Siera after we outfitted the saddle with new straps ordered from Stonewall and English synthetic leathers along with synthetic stirrups.

It really doesn't look like much does it? With mules we use a crupper on the tail and a breastcollar. These items keep the saddle from sliding forward or backward while negotiating our steep hills.

Sunshine's back with the saddle again. You can see the breast collar is also sort of an Aussie style collar and not the typical western breast collar. We found that the typical western breast collar could choke the mules on a really steep hill.

Then here is Mica wearing the same saddle and you can see how the crupper fits.
Excuse the hair all over the yard, it is shedding time and I cut her mane with a pair of scissors.

When I first started using this saddle, I was sure that I'd fall right out of it with the least little bolt or spin that a mule would make.

One afternoon I took Opal [she's gone now] out to pick black berries and wild yellow raspberries.

She was by far the quickest mule we'd ever owned. She was my husband's Team Penning and Gymkhana mule. Eventually she retired from speed work and I would take her on solitary rides.
A doe burst out of the corn field we rode by on our way home. Opal leaped into the air and did a 180 turn and began to gallop in the other direction. Spooks happen.
How I sat that event out is still anyone's guess.

And then there is Siera. The least spooky critter I have. If she gets frightened, she generally freezes up solid. [Unless it involves farm machinery or baby carriages]

Well, back to the saddle. It works on all of these mules and is super lightweight. I like riding in it. The English stirrups require that I wear half chaps to keep my lower legs from pinching.

It wasn't until two days ago that I realized that I've used this saddle on every mule I ride and it works wonderfully.

Of course I have other saddles but when the grand kids show up to ride I have to let them use my Western saddles.

This is the end result of all the work I do to keep these mules in tip top shape.

What is nice?
I can just use one saddle for all these mules.
It is a terrible job, but someone has to ride them right???

It is riding season again!