Mocassin's first "ride"

We are getting ready for the Iowa Donkey and Mule Society State Show and Futurities. Bill took Mocassin for a pony tonight for the first time. She obviously didn't like it at first but she got better as we went. We'll try again tomorrow night and I think that will help her a lot. She will be shown in the 2009 Molly Futurity this year. I believe she will be Bill's next mule.

Then I will show Rosie in a few things. We usually either do walk trot or Women's Western Pleasure, then I'll try the mulemanship, trail and I think that's it on Saturday. Then Sunday are all the games. Now know that Rosie and I are not real fast but we are precise and we did place in last years games - I think I placed twice in the pantyhose race and once in the relay race. This year we'll do whatever we are eligible for. Egg and spoon, barrels, poles, keyhole or pylon alley or whatever they call it, pantyhose race, relay race. I think that's it. I'll be dog tired after that.

Our nearly 15 year old granddaughter will be riding Eve her tusty mount. She usually does walk trot and sometimes western pleasure, pantyhose race, egg and spoon, maybe pylon alley but she is a bit shy and she doesn't want to try the other games because she doesn't understand how they work. She wants to do the surf board race but Papa refused to pull her and if I had tried we'd still be trying to get Rosie to stop. I'm gonna have Tom work on that this winter. The grandkids for the most part will take Rosie and Eve - I am getting ready to get my 3 year old back from the trainer. She won the 2006 Molly Futurity out of 19 colts. I sent her to a wonderful trainer who is likely to win herself a trophy saddle this year with her in the three year old futurity or the junior (5 & under mules) mule. I am so excited about this colt as this is one we raised. I really hate to go from an 11 year old WELL broke mule to a three year old but I truely believe the traine has her about as well broke as any 3 year old can be. She has been showing her all over in Northern Iowa and Southern and Central Minnesota and winning right and left. Won a western pleasure class at a horse show and the trainer was the only one with mules there. She won a timed trail class earlier this week. Anyhow as you can see I am really proud of this mule. I chose not to train this mule as I am not as good a rider as I was at 14-18 or so. I raised a family and could not afford to have equine as I was a single mom. So I took about 35 years where I only rode a few times. It doesn't take much to scare me out. My first mule was an idiot and she did several things to me but the worst for me was the run off. That was it with that mule and that's how I got Eve then eventually Rosie.

Holy cow MJ. I didn't aim to write a book but I guess you can tell that I do love my mules. A few years ago I never thought I would say those words but "try it you'll like it!!!!".

Wish me luck and hopefully I'll have some pics to post after the show.