Weekends over

We had a busy weekend. We lost our electricity into our home on Thursday. Luckily it was between the pole and the house and did not affect the horse trailer. We have 12 foot of living quarter in there with AIR CONDITIONING. Last week was scorching hot and high humidity so we were grateful for the trailer. Went to Moravia for an All Mule Show. I took second in walk trot, third in women's western pleasure, third in ranch trail class, and fifth in barrels. Woohoo for Rosie the big red mule!!!!!!!!!!! Then mom had a dutch oven cookout Sunday for my side of the family. Lots of yummy food. Bill chose to stay home and put the new electric wire into the house. When I got home the air conditioner was running and MY HUSBAND had a load of his clothes washing as he had to leave for work out of state at 6 PM. So all is well now and I have my computer back.

WOW it hasn't rained yet today

No rain yet today but I do believe it will rain some tonight. I spent part of my afternoon taking a break from work and visiting with Jeanie. We didn't ride today. Her lot is like a bottomless pit so we decided to sit inside, eat tacos and relax. It was great but then I had to go back to work for a few hours.

My mule has realized I'm getting her out every night and giving her feed. She meets me at the gate and I take her to the hitch rail to feed her. I have had Rosie about 2 1/2 years and am just now getting her to nicker to me. I rarely tie her to the hitch rail as she wanders the yard with a halter and lead dragging and never leaves the yard. Today I just wrapped her rope around the hitch rail and left her to eat her grain while I fed the others. She had no clue all she had to do was pull on the rope to move on to the grass. She was pretty upset when she found this out. Missed some good green grass she did.

The attached picture is of Rosie and I TRYING to play polo at the Clark County Mule Festival in Kahoka, Missouri last year. She HATED the ball. How do you like the hat?

County Fair and Jenny's haircuts

Before and after pics of Jeanie's mules "County Fair" and "Jenny" getting haircuts. County had to have a little mane left for Jeanie and I to use to get on her - she's a BIG mule. The single pictures are before and the one together was after as you can tell by their expressions. Jenny had a little foretop that is now gone. She really did not like having this done and she is really P**SED at Bill and I and maybe even Jeanie. But anyhow they look so nice and we enjoyed the short visit with Jeanie.

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Rainy days and Sundays

We have had right at 6" of rain in the last week and it's raining again today. But we are going to make the most of it and go trim Jeanie's mules manes and hairy bellies. Nothin' else to do on a day like today. Watch for before and after pics.

Mr. and Mrs. Tom Rabideau

Congratulations to Mr. and Mrs. Tom Rabideau and their families. It is now official. What a shindig!!!!!!!!! Yee haw!!!!!!!!!

In Remembrance

Well we lost a colt last night. Jethro which was Reba's colt. Don't really know what happened to him. Not a single mark on him anywhere. Just makes me sick and I am trying very hard to talk my husband into giving up the mule raising/breeding thing and just keep our riding mules. This definately sucks!!!!!!!!!

Day before hump day ride

This is what life is all about. Jeanie invited me over to ride her mule County and she rode Glen's mule Jenny. It is so generous of her to let me ride her girl. We had a nice ride but we've had too much rain to go on the sliding hills. Don't matter to us - any time in the saddle is great. Found out Jeanie's hay is ready to mow - her and Glen had to replant their hay field last year as she told me today that land was under water at this time last year as the Des Moines River was out of it's banks for a long time. Any how we enjoyed our ride and will try to ride again on Thursday but more rain tomorrow. Yippeeee!!!!!!!!!!!

Ivy got a haircut

Here is Ivy getting her very first haircut as a yearling. She did very well. She looks like a mule now and looks so grown up. She is for sale if anyone is interested.

Greystone's Plain Jane

She has a name now and she's outside too. Meet "Greystone's Plain Jane". Momma really likes her too.

Final mule colt of 2009

Here she is finally. She came early this morning and she wants everyone to know she's a diva. Got any ideas for names? This is the last foal this year and I can't think of a good name. Her momma is a granddaughter to "Scotch Bar Time" and she loves her mule foals. This is her third for us and all three are different colored but great personalitties. Please comment with any name ideas.

John Strable's Mule Clinic

Here are some of us at a clinic the John Strable put on for IDMS (Iowa Donkey and Mule Society) members. Teaching trail mules to be flexible and responsive. John pretty much had his work cut out for him. I guess I keep finding out that trail riding is where me and my "ugly red mule" belong. It's where we both have the most fun and she is a wonderful ride on the trail. SAFE, SAFE, SAFE!!! I'm going to try to work on the things John taught me and see if I can make my mule a bit more responsive. I'll keep you in touch about that!!!