When I got to the barn yesterday I brought Marie in first as usual. I Then went down for the boys which right now I'm bringing up one at a time with Prize being reluctant to enter his stall. Louie came up to the gate first so I halted him and would bring him up first The boys were both quiet and relaxed. I haltered Louie, opened the gate, asked Louie to walk through and he did. Oh yep, he went right through, looked right and kept right on walking. No bolting, not upset. Nope, he just walked off like I didn't even exist and never even hesitated when he hit the end of the lead line. I tried to hold him which was pointless and only caused me to drop the gate. Opening a wonderful opportunity for Prize who took it and out he went. If I carried a gun, I swear I would have shot my mule on the spot!
Both mules went right over to MaryJo's horses who happened to be by the gate. Louie let me come right up and catch him. And when I got him, I put the chain over his nose and then very pointlessly and inappropriately gave some tugs and vocally vented my anger on him. I led him back to his turnout and led him in and out and in and out but that too was pointless because he knew I was angry and was of course being the most perfect equine to be led on earth. And that made me even angrier as he was proving that he KNOWS what he is expected of him! Of course all this time Prize is having a good old time touring the grounds. He made one circuit around the front of the building at one point. Karen was in the viewing room and saw him go by the window so came out to see what was up and to help in whatever way she could. Catching Prize wasn't really a problem though as by that time I had just put Louie in his stall and was heading out to get Prize's halter when Prize spotted Easter the goat, who made a beeline for the barn with Prize hot on her heels. Thankfully, Karen was right there and ran interferrance for Easter and I came in behind them and Prize let me catch him and put him in his stall with no problem.
What is so frustrating is this pulling away is Louie is not getting better at all. And this pulling away thing has only developed since he's been at Upper Pond. I've never had to lead him with a chain all the time before. Even when he was boarded out last winter. The barn owner there used a chain on him but I never did!
Anyway, my handling of Louie yesterday evening pretty well broke every rule in the horsemanship book. The "you must discipline within 3 seconds", abd the "never discipline in anger" and "don't discipline them if they let you catch them" ......... and the list goes on. I knew all this at the time but I was just SOOOO mad at him! Then, of course, I was feeling bad about it all night. I'm thinking he will never trust me to catch him again. And he would be confused now not knowing why I went psyco on him and so on. Poor little mule.........
When I got to the barn tonight, Louie and Marie were in the same turnout together. They were standing in the back of the turnout hanging out along the fence with MaryJo's horses. Louie sees me, gives a grunt in greeting and trots up to the gate to meet me. He sticks his head right into the halter for all the world looking like he was saying, "dont' worry mom, I'll show you what a good boy I can be", and he leads like the most perfect equine on the face of this earth. I had to go and get Marie as she was prefectly happy where she was and did not come to the gate. Louie kept perfect body position with me with no pressure on the leadline at all. Walked when I walked, stopped when I stopped. He entered his stall quietly, turned and stood quietly while I removed his halter..........
I still know my actions were inappropriate yesterday. I would not recommend them nor do I hope to repeat them. but apparently Louie's smart mulie brain was able to process what happened yesterday in a constructive way. Now I am under no illusions whatsoever that I will have no further trouble with said mulie. And once again my mule disproved the theory that mules hold grudges. So, for today anyway, I love my little mule..........Tomorrow is another day....LOL
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