Our youngest cowgirl

Rosie is breaking in another cowgirl. This is our youngest granddaughter who is now 16 months old. She wasn't sure what to think but I think if I just rode off so she couldn't see her parents she would have been fine. Her and I have a pretty close relationship so she trusts me to begin with. I just kept talking to her and tried to get her to take the reins. No way was she going for that, but I do think she likes them.

She has a Violet dog and if you don't know what they are - well when you push each paw it says something different or plays music. That is her best buddy along with a blankie. Well she has always seen me give Violet kisses, I give her kisses. You should have seen the look on her face when I kissed Rosie. She puckered up but she didn't want to get that close to Rosie's face. One step at a time. It certainly was fun for me.

Anyhow this picture will be in an upcoming issue of Mules and More Magazine. Keep an eye out for it if you subscribe. Angel's pictures will be in Mules and More soon too.

My big brown mule

My wonderful 4 year old mule acting like a big girl. She stood quietly while Rain and Jane got bathed - sometimes Angel would get sprayed too - but she stood up and didn't paw or grump at all. She is such an awesome mule and she's still just a baby. We have had such an awesome summer together. This means Rosie hasn't got much riding but I did ride her Saturday when we had some company here to ride.

Sticked her on Saturday - she's a strong 15.2hh but sure looks bigger than that when you're standin' beside her, saddling her and mounting her.............long way to the top but every bit worth the struggle.............she's an awesome ride with VERY smooth gaits. What a blessed woman I am to have the two wonderful mules I have. Thank you God and Bill Garman.

Yay for Saturday

Busy day today. Chugging down a cup of coffee, then out to feed the equine, go get hay and a few groceries, then we have company coming to ride today and maybe spend the night. How exciting. The river is out but I bet these two guys find us some place to ride.

I'll be posting some pictures as soon as I can get to my computer but I am really excited about spending time with friends so you'll have to wait until we finish our visit.

Hope y'all have a great day...................ride if you get the chance!!

Weekend is here

We are excited here. Weekend is here and we're having company tomorrow to ride. Hard telling what kind of ride we'll have but I betcha we have a good time. Angel does very well with this group and these folks are willing to help me get through the scarey things for Angel - which aren't many.........primarily large, loud, moving machinery and the only way for her to get over it is to meet them on the road as we don't have any of that equipment.

I think the sun is suppose to shine today and no rain until sometime on Sunday. I am looking forward to fun rides and great conversation........and a little food just for good measure.

Have a great weekend and may the sun shine and allow you to do what you like.

Our first real trail ride

These pictures are some of the first trail riding miles Angel and I have gotten to share. Thanks to some wonderful friends we were able to get her into some water and mild crossings to see how she handles them. She's gonna make a trail mule too.

She already has a very extensive show history and I have been very excited to be able to get on a trail with her. With the amounts of rain we have had I have been limited to road riding just to keep her in shape. I'm not complaining about that. I'm grateful that the rain gave us a little break so I could ride her.

I am really enjoying this mule. We bred her mother, foaled her, raised her and had Sue White of Rockn' S Mules train and show her last year. She has taught us a lot about raising mule babies and I hope we are getting better with each one.

Obbie and Jenny Schlom at Bishop parade

These girls, along with their mother Cynthia, camped next to us at Bishop Mule Days Celebration. Their mother made these outfits except for the saddles and she painted them. Awesome family!!

I'm back

These are photos of the trip to Bishop Mule Days Celebration in Bishop, California on Memorial Day weekend. Wow what a trip and what an exciting time. I realize I haven't posted for a long time but a lot has happened in the last year and I had to rearrange my life. It has been an experience but all is well now.

The trip to Bishop was an exciting one. We had a blow out 155 miles from Sue's house. Then first thing the next morning we had another blow out. Had to stop in the summit of the Rockies to buy another one. It was memorable and VERY worth it.

I will never look at a Taco Bell the same way. That is a personal story between Sue White, Shelley Daley and myself.............kind of a girlfriend thing. And you had to be there at the time. Doesn't seem so funny when told to others - except my Oklahoma friend Carolyn. She thought it might make pop shoot out of her nose.............had she been there.........and I secretly think she wishes she had been because it was FUN!!

We met some wonderful people in the mule world and I am keeping in touch with many of them through facebook.

Hey no rain today.............equine friends - I hope you get to ride today. I know I will........ya gotta do that when you ride a young one.

This is Barney. He is a lazy rat terrier. As you can see he has protected his chewies. Barney is my side kick in the house and Fred is my outside/trail riding dog. The neighbors and us share Fred. They call him Muttly when he's up there. Any time we are gone camping or whatever he goes to the neighbors and comes home when we do. The neighbors have two of his puppies and once in a while he brings them down to visit.

Barney is a different story. He had never been outside when we got him 6 or 7 years ago. He was 1 1/2 years old when we got and VERY distrustful. But we have been socializing him through camping and he is blossoming into a social butterfly but after he has visited he's ready to get back on the couch in the trailer and nap.

Barney is the wimpy one and Fred is the protector. Nice to have these guys when hubby is gone working away from home during the week. Love my animals!!!

Birthdays

Hello everyone!!! Today is my 50 something birthday. I am trying to talk hubby into going for a short ride today but we've had a lot of rain this last week so I imagine the trails will be slick in places. I'll have to use my 4 mule drive!!! Now attached are my granddaughters first exposure to riding. I say she's ready to meet the mules!! Doesn't she look like she's having a blast. Imagine her and Eve in 5 years!!!!!!!! Wooo hooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Have a great day everyone!!!!!!!!

This week's rides with Jeanie

I have been feeling a bit down here lately and I thank God every day for the blessings I have in my life. One big blessing is having a wonderful friend like Jeanie. She allows me to ride her personal mule whenever we get together. Her mule is a blast to ride. BIG mule. She just bulldozes through whatever you ask. Be careful what you ask!! We took a few pictures Thursday when we rode and Jeanie got some shots of me that were very different from most pose and shoot deals. I also got a picture of the bridge in the background. That is how close we ride to the highway and no one ever knows we are out there. Very nice relaxing rides. Every once in a while we'll get a little wild on our rides but we feel like we need either Bill or Tom to guide us. If they fall into a hole we won't go that way. But the guys are much more adventuresome. When we rode last Sunday the trail was muddy and slippery but Thursday's ride was great. Of course there were a few mud holes but the mules just plodded right through. Hope you all have a great weekend and those of you that ride I hope you get a chance to ride. We're suppose to go to a fun show on Sunday and that's my birthday. We'll see.

Next cowgirl in our family

Kiara's mom has said she can ride mules when she gets big enough. I am encouraging her to bring her out to meet the mules and get use to those big ole' ears. I have an 18 year old jenny donkey that I will start teaching her to lead animals with. The jenny is very respectful and will not get into your space unless asked. She's a great teacher with my young mules and I believe she will help the young kids to feel safe around equine. Lot of teaching to be done there but I've already started 3 other granddaughters. Don't have any grandsons that are interested in riding.

I babysit Kiara every Tuesday so her mom can get a break and earn a few more dollars and I can let Kiara know about her crazy mule loving Noni. Please pray for Kiara. he he he

If you look closely you'll see her new teeth on the bottom. She is 7 months old. She is a beautiful girl. Can't you just see her in those bling bling blouses in the lead line???????????

Mocassin's debut

This was Mocassin's debut. She had a big class to contend with but she was a very good girl. She is one of twins that were born while we were at the Iowa Horse Fair in April. The mare was 357 days gestation and we just knew she would foal while we were gone. Well she did and she had twins. The other foal was stillborn and quite a bit smaller than Mocassin. At birth she was the smallest colt we've had at 35". She was fun to get started. Bill is having a hard time chosing between her and Jane.

This is a recent picture of Jane. She has such a wonderful personality and is very respectful. She is a full sister to Angel. The mix between our jack and their mother is a good one. We've had three colts from this mix and they are exceptional mules. Very loving animals.

Sooooo..... which one do you like better?

Greystone's Crystal Angel

AKA "Angel" won the 3 year old futurity at the IDMS State Show. Sue White of Rockn S Mules trained and showed her this year. We foaled and raised this mule out of our jack Greystone and a Scotch Bar Time mare. It has been a joy watching her grow. She won the weanling futurity in 2006 and the three year old futurity this year. I don't think that happens very often so we are very proud of her and she will end up being my primary mount once we get ourselves on the same page. In the one picture of just Sue and Angel you can see the two of them were having a discussion over who the boss was.

We went to 24th annual Clark County Mule Festival in Kahoka, MO this last weekend. Pictures to be coming in the future but we had a blast and were exhausted when we got home.

I am babysitting my granddaughter today so I'll check back later when she gives me some extra time. She is 7 months old and beginning to move around some. Gotta keep a close eye one her. She will be my next COWGIRL!!!!!! Yee haw.

55# weight loss in one year

These pictures were taken at the same time of the year. The one with Rosie and I crossing the bridge was last year (2008) at the IDMS State Show and Futurities. The other picture is at the IDMS show this year. I have lost 55# but didn't really notice it that much until I compared these pics.

I am doing some ground work with my three year old and will not be riding her again this year. Rosie and I have some serious trail riding to do. We will have a horse and mule fun show in Ottumwa on 10/04 and we'll go to the Tim Christopher Biannual All Mule Ride in Decorah on Oct. 10. Then Jeanie and I will be going to Eminence, MO the last week in October. That's about it execpt just fun little rides here and there. Winter will be here before we are ever ready for it!!

Training mules

Training mules is not for sissies!!!

I had my first and I could only hope last wreck with Angel. As I was just throwing my leg over she stepped away and I stuck her with the spurs hard at the top of her rib cage and rolled right down them like a practiced bull rider. She screamed and lunged forward taking the front of my pelvis into the horn then bucked once and off I went. Down on my knees and then I did have sense enough to tuck and roll. When the dust all settled my hubby had ran to catch the mule so she didn't hurt her mouth with the bit and make all this worse - well he told me to "lay still - assess the damages". The heck with that - my pants came down - underwear down and I'm yelling for hubby to see what's wrong as I felt someone had put kerosene on my private parts and lit them on fire. To make a long story short, I have a nice black bruise on my private parts, a skid mark on my head, and sore places everywhere. But I have learned from the experience!!

Angel is having a training session on standing quietly tied. That is definately not her favorite thing to do but I can't ride her right now. Hubby will ride her later for me and we'll get back to riding again when I get healed.

Pictures of Angel

Check out www.jrajphoto.smugmug.com under the first IDMS gallery then go to "Backdrop" and on the 4th page are pics of my 3 year old I am now riding and her trainer Sue White. Sue did an absolutely wonderful job on my mule and we are having the time of our lives. As one of my followers puts it "I will not be able to take pics riding this mule as it takes two hands right now to be sure you can keep them in check." Thanks Val for all your encouragement and knowing you are starting your own helps me to be able to mount this three year old and ride her with "some" confidence and every ride increases that confidence. She did a gigantic leap over a water crossing yesterday. Yee haw. Lived to tell about it though.

This is a whole new chapter in my life and my husband has been so helpful and encouraging as he wants this mule and I to succeed to get a legacy started for our jack. By the way he is one wonderful guy too and I had a talk with him to tell him what his big beautiful daughter is doing and he seemed to smile about that but I was also rubbing his ears!!!

Riding Angel

I rode Angel again today. She is sweet!!!! She lopes a wonderfully smooth lope and she loves to do it. She can really cover ground and it's just an easy lope for her. She is so gangly right now and sometimes she gets her legs all tangled up. She launched us over a small water crossing today. Gonna have to work on that but I just couldn't do it again today. She was our first mule colt and a beauty at that. She won the 2006 weanling molly futurity and many other classes her weanling and yearling years. We didn't show her at 2. She went to Sue White of Rockn S Mules last fall and got 30 days of basic ground work and taught to respect some. See we wanted this colt so bad that we spoiled her rotten. Sue did a great job taking this out of her but she still tries with Bill and I and we must be firm with her. It's kinda like having a teenager back in the homestead. Lotta work but I believe she'll be way worth it and probably be my last ride. If I'm still riding after she's gone I hope somebody takes over Sue White's job cause I'll need another mule like hers. Of course she is three and some things startle her but she just spins and walks really fast. Sue has taught her a couple different ways to stop her and they have always worked for me. This is one awesome mule and you haven't heard the last of her. She is just getting started and she has siblings that are every bit as good just not as big. If you want to see show photos go to www.jrajphoto.smugmug.com and check out the 3 year old futurity western pleasure and 3 year old trail she's the big brown mule with a light face and her rider is wearing a neon pink top with a black and neon pink blanket. I am in the women's western pleasure and the very first picture is me. There are other pics further back of me and some in mulemanship, barrels, poles, pylon alley, egg and spoon. In the speed events I have on a bright orange sweatshirt. I haven't picked out pictures yet for a CD but I do have to. Also check out the awards catergory to see more pics of Sue and Angel with the saddle on her and me holding the buckle. This is just the beginning for our babies. I am so excited for those who have Greystone babies. They are FUN to ride.

Whew I lived through it!!

Well it's been a while since I've posted. Sorry it's taken me so long but now I am trying to connect with my 3 year old who just came home from the trainer. We had our IDMS State Show and Futurities last Saturday and Sunday. We got there Wednesday evening and played a little bit in the arena. Then got about six inches of rain in a short time. I hadn't had time to scrub the floors in the living quarters and boy am I glad I didn't. We are both terrrible about just running in, grabbing what we need and going - not bothering to take off our boots. Anyhow Rosie and I played in the arena off and on Thursday. There was a young man driving a beautiful paint pony pulling a two wheeled cart around. Didn't really seem to bother Rosie much as I usually "chase" that type of stuff and make her ride right up to it - but she's also 11 years old!! Sue White of Rockn S Mules of Havelock, Iowa showed up in the afternoon. She has had my 3 year old for 90 days. I helped her tack up then I ponied my colt as Sue has a 4 horse trailer and it's usually full of mules or tack or feed and stuff. Anyhow she decided to ride my 3 year old for a while after I had ponied her quite a while. Well it was sooooo awesome to see what she had done with this wonderful mule. There were several of us playing and practicing in the arena. Ann Taylor ( not the clothing person - the mule person) had set three barrels fairly close together to practice backing through them. Well along the west rail was a manure spreader and tractor, a gator or mule or whatever they call those things. Anyhow the electricity had went out all over Appanoose county so we had no lights in the arena and it was early evening and a little dusky in the arena. Well Sue was on Angel ( my 3 year old "Greystone's Crystal Angel") and had just asked for a lope at the southwest corner of the arena where the manure spreader and such was at. When she got to the end of the 4 wheeler thingey the pony was tied to the rail with the cart still hooked up and reared up just as Angel got to that spot. She shot about 6 foot sideways and Sue's first instinct (mine as well) to grab with her legs/calves and jabbed Angel with the spurs. She kinda crow hopped about two times then did the stiff legged bucking and threw Sue faced first splat to the ground just to the right and about one mule length in front of me. Yeeeee haw!!!! Anyhow sometimes you'll have a strange fluke like that but with a "teenage" animal one needs to be ready for about anything.

Anyhow this wonderful mule won the 2006 Molly Weanling Futurity out of 19 colts. She has maintained her legacy and won the 3 year old futurity which includes western pleasure, trail, and halter. She placed first in western pleasure and trail and 5th in halter as she is so gangly. SHE WON THE 3 YEAR OLD FUTURITY WITH THE TRAINING ANG GUIDANCE OF SUE WHITE. She placed 3rd in the junior mule futurity.

So as you'll find out in the future posts that I will give a lot of credit to Sue White of Rockn S Mules (apprentice to Steve Edwards of Queen Valley Mule Ranch). She is such a wonderful friend and her training abilities are AWESOME. I cried and told her and Bill I just could not make myself ride this mule. I'm gettin' to old and my body hurts even if I haven't fallen blah, blah, blah. Sue had promised to stay Sunday evening through Tuesday afternoon and teach me how it use my mule - you know where the buttons are and how she cues her. Well we got a phone call at 5:30 ish Monday morning that Tom and Tammy King Rabideau were having problems - we gave Tom (Bill's cousin) a jack colt out of or jack "Greysone's Numero Uno" or "Uno" for short last year sometime and he had pasture bred Tom's mare. Well the call was the mare was down and trying to birth a breech baby. Our colts are generally VERY long legged so this really worried me. Took off and flew over to his house. Vet was there and trying to get the breech baby - that was already dead - positioned so we could pull them. Long process and the mare was really suffering. As the vet is inside this mare up to his neck he says "uh oh". What's that mean? He says as he's trying to get a chain on the one leg WAY down inside the mare he says he can feel another muzzle. It's twins. Well to make a long story short Sue and I pulled the two dead john and molly babies out of the mare early Monday morning and the mare died just after lunch on Wednesday. But just after Sue and I pulled the john mule out - he was first - I turned and looked at her and told her I was ready to ride my 3 year old now.

So I am now riding this WONDERFUL mule who is an absolute joy to ride. If you ever want to start a young one because you are too afraid or whatever to start your own please contact this wonderful trainer. She makes them safe and fun. Ok that's all for right now - but I have some pictures coming from this years show and I will post some as time goes by but I also want to compare with some from last year so you can see how much both me and my red mule have improved and the 55 # wt. loss. Adios.

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.

Getting ready for the big show

Boy this has been a busy week and next week will be even worse. We went to Des Moines today to pick up my layaway of my silver and black glittery rail shirt and boots. Ended up getting Bill a new pair of boots. He wears his cowboy boots all the time and I can never keep a pair we might even be able to call them "good" boots. But he truely wears his out. Anyhow by the time we left Hawkeye Tack and Western Wear we spent another $320 (counting the boots - expensive!!) with EZ All body wash, the little razors you use by hand, moisturizer for Mocassin's coat blah blah blah. Now I am exhausted and I really wanted to ride Rosie today. Maybe I'll take a quick nap then take a quick ride. Sounds good - see ya later!!!