Back Lawn

Today was finally cool enough to work outside after a few days of nasty heat. Right after I fed the horse and mules this morning, I got out my fencing supplies to put up a temporary fence around the back yard. As soon as I got out my plastic step-in posts, my horse knew exactally what I was doing and started pacing the fencline and nickering. Louie had no clue what was going on and why my horse was so excited. It too me a little longer then usualy to fence the yard as I had some tree trimming to do and I made the fence "hot" which I don't usually do. I know my horse is fine with but don't know if Louie will bother the fence if it's not hot. I don't think so but just don't want to find out the hard way. I had to do some scrounging for enough insulators since most all my insulators are in a bucket, in a crate that is buried under a bunch of hay bales right now. So, I had to find some on trees where there is no longer any fencing.

Once done, I opened the gate and my horse trotted right out. Louie didn't know what to think. He eyed the gate suspiciously in case the electric was still up. He finally walked out tentatively. Took a few bites of grass then trotted back into his paddock. He stood in there a few minutes thinking it all over. But, when he saw my horse was not coming back in, he finally wandered back out. He went in and out a few times before he relaxed enough to settle down to grazing. Silly mule!

Now that he is FINALLY shedding out, a lot more of his "Bend Or" spots are showing up I didn't know he had. He has the one large one on his back that is visible even with his winter coat. But, it seems he has quite a few small ones that didn't show with his winter coat. I can't wait to see him all shed out.

Louie's First Day Out

Today Louie went back to work. Lightly and carefully but he get to start doing something again. Louie has not stepped foot out of his pasture in 3 months now. So, I caught him and my horse Marie. I tied them both to the trailer and groomed them both. Louie was pretty good. I then decided to load him into my trailer, just because...... He has always led in pretty well but I want him to self load and he has never been very good about that since I've had him. And he was not great today. Took about 15 min but he did get on. I backed him out and gave him lots of praise and petting. Which I'm sure meant squat to him as there were no treats involved. LOL.

I then tacked up Marie. When she was ready, I first led Louie to the mounting block and had him stand still and leaned all over him as if I was going to mount. He moved off the first time but them stood nicely. I didn't really want to mount him as I was going to pony him from my horse. So, I then mounted Marie and headed out. Just a few feet out of my driveway Louie pulled back for some reason. My horse kept right on going and pulled him along and he didn't do that again. He was a bit of a bone head at first though. Wanting to rush up in front of my horse (he has ponied before, he knows what he is supposed to do) Then he kept bumping my horse so I finally snubbed his nose up tight to my saddle horn and went like that for a bit. The Physical Therapist only wants me to pony for 30 min. at a time right now so I didn't go far before turning back. But, by then Louie had settled down and I let some slack out on the lead line and he stayed in position and behaved nicely. We were out on a tar rode the whole time and he is so good. Not spooky about things. We went by someone grinding stumps by the road, some kids, bicycles, Fedex truck. No reaction to any of this stuff.

When I got back, I tied both to the trailer and untacked Marie. I put her away and left Louie tied for a minute. He pitced a fit. He pulled and reared back and danced around. Then he proceeded to dig a hole to China. I didn't want him digging in the driveway so, I tied him to a tree and left him there to pitch a fit all he wanted. I was not going to put him away until he settled down. Took about 30 minutes but he finally did stand quietly. So, he was actually very good today overall, but he did have some 5 yr. old moments! LOL.

Good mule

This past weekend was my first competitive trail ride of the season. It was supposed to be Louie's first ride. Sigh.....

Anyway, Bonnie and I both went to this ride so Louie was left home alone for the weekend with my husband in charge of taking care of him. I had left the grain measured out in pails but had forgotten to tell my husband he'd have to soak beet pulp for Louie for each feeding. I called him Friday night. I asked how Louie was doing. Fred said he was just fine and he'd let him out on the big pasture (big being relative when talking about my pastures) I nearly had a heart attack when he told me that. First because Louie has not been out on pasture this year. He has been confined to a smaller dry lot as he's been healing. Before I could even say anything though, Fred said he knew not to put him out for long. PHEW!!! I asked if he was hard to get back in from the pasture. Fred said no, he'd come right back down at feeding time. What also scared me was that the pasture was fenced with 2 strand electric wire that is NOT electrified. Fred said Louie had not bothered the fencing at all. Once again, PHEW. What a good mule. He is sooooo good about being left alone.