Heat Wave

It's now officially a heat wave in Maine. Today sure felt like it. The porch thermometer, which is in the shade, said 100 degrees this afternoon. And it's been muggy also. Yuck! When I was out in the barn around 2:00PM, my horse was hanging around in the stall all sweaty and just looking miserable. She is welted up bad from the fly bites too. Both mules were in and out of the stall. Neither were sweaty and didn't seem uncomfortable. When I went back out at feeding time, I brought my horse out and hosed her down to cool her off. She really seemed to enjoy that. While I was hoseing her off, River mule came to the gate and was watching me. So, I started spraying him over the fence. He loved it and wiggled back and forth to make sure he got wet all over. It was funny watching. Louie, on the other hand, was viewing this as a highly suspicious activity. I have no idea if he's ever been hosed down before or not. I put my horse back in the pasture and got Louie out. He was definitely not sure if hosing was an acceptable activity or not. He scooted off a few times but turned right around when he got to the end of his lead rope. Then he stood like a good by but he had the funniest expression on his face. The "this feels kind of good but I still think the hose might eat me" look. And his ears were at half mast. But, he was a good boy about it. All three of them rolled immediately and looked like mud balls!

Pictures of Louie

Just out taking so pictures yesterday. I am feeling much better already. Still hurts to sit and lay down so sleeping is tough. But, otherwise am well on the mend and will be ready to ride Louie again soon I think.

Lawn Dart....

Well, I think my equines got together today and decided they are tired of me breaking them, so they made a plan between them that whoever I got on next was to break me for a change......

I saddled up Louie today and put my little S hackamore on him. I've only put this on him once about a week ago when just riding him in my front paddock which is only about 70' x 80'. He is a quiet mule and has never offered to pull or be a problem so I didn't think riding him in this hackamore would be a problem though it doesn't have much whoa. And it wasn't a problem that day, he responded nicely.

Today, I got on, did one lap around the front paddock just fine then headed out into the field. Now mind you my "field" is not really so big, 1/2 acre or so BUT........... Louie started to perk up and broke into a trot. I pulled back on that S hackamore and he quickly realized that it just didn't have much bite or power to it and he said YEEEEHAAAAAAA and took off. He went straight to the fence line and took a sharp left which I tettered but stayed on. He took the next sharp left at the corner and I was actually doing a bit better and realizing that pulling was uselss and I'd just have to ride it out. We were racing along with the fence on our right side and coming to the next corner where he'd have to turn left again. We came into the corner at full speed, I braced for the left turn........and the little bugger turned himself inside out to make a right hand turn INTO the fence. He didn't hit the fence thanks to his unique mule ability to make a turn no horse could have ever done. Needless to say, I still went left and took a pretty hard pile drive into the ground. Landed on my left side hard on my hip and shoulder. And I think I may have broken a rib or two. Once the initial pain wears off, I'll be better able to access the damage. I may be in much better shape then I feel like right now. Sigh......


Update: Bruised hip and some broken ribs. Fun, fun......Guess LBM gets a little more time off.....

Saddled up Louie

Louie was in desperate need of a haircut and today was a good day to do it. Louie has been getting so bored and when he saw me go into the barn with clippers, he followed me right in. He figures any attention is good attention. He put his head in halter and was very quite and good while I clipped his mane. When I was done with that,I decided to saddle him up and get on him for just a few laps walking around the paddock. Once again he was very good and quiet while I tacked him up. I decided to try my little S hackamore on him today. He fusses with his bit so I thought he might like the hackamore better. He stood like a rock while I mounted. GOOD BOY! He rode great and went very nicely in the hackamore. He was light and responsive. He stopped and backed nicely. I only rode for about 10 minutes then untacked him and turned him loose. He just followed me around and kept putting his head on my chest looking for love and attention. He is SUCH a sweet boy.

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.