I had some time to myself for once this morning so I decided I'd work with Louie. After feeding, I put Marie out and then led the boys out to their pasture together. Prize is being SOOO good about not playing with Louie when I'm handling them now. I just have to speak to him if he's thinking about it and he stops right away. He did do the feet locking thing as we were passing Marie's paddock but that was a minor glitch. And I turned Louie out because, though I was planning to work him, I wanted to go to the feed store before riding and didn't want to leave him in his stall. That would have been a sure why to put him in a stressed out frame of mind.
When I got back from the feed store, I went and got Louie. That was a bit of a chore as Prize did NOT want to be left behind. But, it was not too bad either. I did scurry up to the barn pretty quick so I could get the fence turned back on. Louie scurried right on up with me with no resistance at all. I led him into the barn and was almost up to the cross ties by Marie's stall when Marie whinnied and that was the end of all civilized behavior. Here's what I learned today. If your mule looks calm and sweet, don't believe it, put the chain on him. If you even think you might need to pee........do it before handling a young male mule......... Louie spun around and out of the barn he went. I didn't let go of the lead rope and it was a definite case of "dope on a rope". By the time we reached the barn door, I was pretty sure that if I did not let go of Louie I was definitely going to pee my pants. I decided I'd rather pee my pants then let him if Louie. Just so you know, I didn't let go of Louie's lead rope nor, by some miracle, did I pee my pants. Once out to Marie, he stopped, I then put the chain on and we went back into the barn. Of course Bart and Karen had heard the commotion so had hurried over for front row seats.......ok, they really came over to make sure everything was ok and lend a hand if needed. They have both been so good about everything and seem to also have a good understanding and appreciation for mules.
In hind sight, I really think what I should have done, especially since I had the time, is to have stayed right out there with Marie but worked Louie good and hard right there in front of her pasture. Lunging, bending, backing etc. THEN bring him back in the barn and if he made any attempt again to try to go out, let him go out but work him hard again when he got to Marie. And repeat until he decided that being with Marie is maybe not such a great idea.
But, I didn't do that as it didn't occur to me at that moment. I just brought him back into the barn and made him stand, Once he was standing quietly I put him on the cross ties. I did close the back door in case he got the notion to break off the cross ties. He's never done that before, but then, he's never dragged me out of a barn before either. But, once he was on the cross ties, his brain seemed to engage once again and he was really very quiet. Sierra, the girl that is riding Marie, and her mom were there cleaning stalls so they opened the back door again empty wheelbarrows, and Marie was out there calling her head off but Louie was fine. I lunged him before riding and he was very quiet so I did ride him and he was just as good as gold. Could not have asked for a better boy. Sigh....... He was a perfect gentleman while I untacked him and stood quietly on the cross ties while I put my tack away. I then led him in and out of the barn a couple of times but once again, no fuss at all.
Putting him back into the pasture was a little tricky as Prize was so excited his buddy was back. But it wasn't that difficult either and was managed without incident.
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