This is Becky Mule. She isn't mine, but I love her like she is! She is the landlords old mule. He is sure that she is a quarter horse/donkey cross. He has no real idea how old she is really...just a picture that he knows the year it was taken and that she was a mature mule that summer, which is also the summer when he bought her... So his best guess is that she is in the neighborhood of 35-40. That makes she and I around the same age! Poor old mule! LOL!!
When I first moved out to the ranch Becky still pulled duty as a driving mule. She would pull a 2, 4, and 6 up hitch. She pulled on the right hand side always as a wheel mule in the larger hitches. She also was a good packing mule. She was never a riding mule and refused to pull alone, but worth her weight in gold when she did work.
Becky was always crabby and would rather just be left alone, there were days during her working career that she was hard to catch, but always worked hard once put to a task. Then about 3 years ago, the landlord retired her from work. It took her about 3 months to figure out that she wasn't in danger of working, and she became a different animal. She began enjoying a good brushing, scratching, and treats. Becky had decided that she was going to be a happy and entertaining retiree.
Becky has now helped wean 5 foals, and is always a good "friend" to any horse who is laid up due to injury. She knows shes old and doesn't pick a fight, but is game to argue with anyone she feels needs it. Like in the picture above..she is telling Fiona that she finds her anything but amusing... Becky has spent a lot of time with Fi as Fiona has been rehabbing from her fracture and tendon injury. Poor Becky just can't seem to get that darn filly to behave, but she tries! Good thing she loves the kids!
When the summer grass gets short and sparse, Becky gets run of the place. As soon as I get home from work she is waiting at the gate. I park and let her out. She grazes along the fence by her friends, then meanders where she finds the best eating. Then as dusk starts to fall she finds her way back to the gate and waits until I get back out to put her in with the crew. Happy as an old mule can be she joins the herd and shares her grass breath with anyone interested in where she has been.
As this winter approaches, I cross my fingers that this old girl will have no problems getting through another North Idaho winter. We have some alfalfa for her if it gets really cold, a blanked on order...even though she has never to my knowledge worn one before...and hopes for one more summer with my "up for anything" old friend messing around the yard, scowling at the dogs and house cat and maybe even "babysitting" Fiona again for one reason or another!
When I first moved out to the ranch Becky still pulled duty as a driving mule. She would pull a 2, 4, and 6 up hitch. She pulled on the right hand side always as a wheel mule in the larger hitches. She also was a good packing mule. She was never a riding mule and refused to pull alone, but worth her weight in gold when she did work.
Becky was always crabby and would rather just be left alone, there were days during her working career that she was hard to catch, but always worked hard once put to a task. Then about 3 years ago, the landlord retired her from work. It took her about 3 months to figure out that she wasn't in danger of working, and she became a different animal. She began enjoying a good brushing, scratching, and treats. Becky had decided that she was going to be a happy and entertaining retiree.
Becky has now helped wean 5 foals, and is always a good "friend" to any horse who is laid up due to injury. She knows shes old and doesn't pick a fight, but is game to argue with anyone she feels needs it. Like in the picture above..she is telling Fiona that she finds her anything but amusing... Becky has spent a lot of time with Fi as Fiona has been rehabbing from her fracture and tendon injury. Poor Becky just can't seem to get that darn filly to behave, but she tries! Good thing she loves the kids!
When the summer grass gets short and sparse, Becky gets run of the place. As soon as I get home from work she is waiting at the gate. I park and let her out. She grazes along the fence by her friends, then meanders where she finds the best eating. Then as dusk starts to fall she finds her way back to the gate and waits until I get back out to put her in with the crew. Happy as an old mule can be she joins the herd and shares her grass breath with anyone interested in where she has been.
As this winter approaches, I cross my fingers that this old girl will have no problems getting through another North Idaho winter. We have some alfalfa for her if it gets really cold, a blanked on order...even though she has never to my knowledge worn one before...and hopes for one more summer with my "up for anything" old friend messing around the yard, scowling at the dogs and house cat and maybe even "babysitting" Fiona again for one reason or another!
1 comment:
What a nice old girl. Hope she can carry on; but sounds like you will do the right thing for her if it needs done. Love those oldies but goodies. They are worth their weight in gold.
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