The Old Folks Home

[superchemicalgirl]

This reminded me of something a friend of mine told me. She is in charge of the animal barn during our fair, so she has to deal with all kinds of situations. One year, there was a mini mule that someone had brought, and it had been left pretty much alone during the whole fair (feeding and cleaning of stalls for all animals is done by the fair volunteers). When the time came for the animals to go home, the owner of the mule sent her 20-ish son and a friend of his to bring the mule home. It's always a Sunday afternoon when the animals go home, and my friend had come straight from a church service, so she was still in her "Sunday go to meetin' clothes." It was clear to her that neither of these guys were horse people, and that mule was pretty wild. The pen (stall) wasn't all that big, and these guys were chasing her all over it, but at the same time were too afraid to get close enough to risk her kicking them. After watching this fiasco for a few minutes, my friend (who is a horse person pretty much from birth) took pity on them, and waded into the fray. She cornered the mule, and when she put her hands on the animal, the mule reared up. She wrapped one arm around the mule's neck in a sort of half-Nelson and said, "hand me her halter and lead". They did, and she wrestled the halter onto the mule's head with her free hand. Since they now had a "handle" on the mule, the guys were able to take it from there, but they couldn't resist teasing her about giving them lessons in "mule wrestling". She told me, "I didn't think about it at the time, but I reckon I did look pretty funny holding that animal up with me in a dress!"


BTW, the mule in this story is now MY mule, Betsy.

What a cutie!

 

[Bunnylady]

Mini mules are rare. Jacks will not always breed horse mares. I have never seen one in person. She is a cutie.

I have a friend on another forum who breeds mini mules; she says with her jack, the opposite is true. He will not even look at a jenny! But it is true that most animals prefer their own species. My friend says she sometimes has to go through some pretty elaborate deceptions to get some mares to accept the jack, and others don't seem to care. I understand that mares are more likely to reject a mule foal than one that has 100% horse DNA, too.

I'd always heard that mules are smart, and it's certainly true with Betsy. She reads me so well, she seems psychic. One time I was lunging her, and I thought, "another half circle, and I'll stop her". The moment I thought that, she stopped. I wasn't aware of any change in my body language, but she'd obviously seen it, and responded. I learned to be very careful to "watch my language" lest I give her cues before I gave her cues!

 

[superchemicalgirl]

So what does one do with a mule, mini or otherwise?

[NOT that I need more animals, but you know, just for my own education]

 

[Arielle]

Bunnylady-- what a pretty girl. Love her color. THat those two boys couldn't corral such a small girl is even funnier! I'm not sure how that youngester got away with not knowing how to handle her; my kids are out with my horses more than I want to think about. Fortunately they all grew up together.

SCG-- in case you did not know it, if you want milk from the goat, she will need to be milked at least once a day. A definite time commitment, either AM or PM and on schedule. I know you get up before the crack of dawn already. If you decide to go for it, late Dec breeding will be easiest on you, or who ever gets to play mid-wife. I use heat lamps strung up in the barn. ONly the too tiny or weak babies come in the house to sleep next to me.

 

[superchemicalgirl]

Bunnylady-- what a pretty girl. Love her color. THat those two boys couldn't corral such a small girl is even funnier! I'm not sure how that youngester got away with not knowing how to handle her; my kids are out with my horses more than I want to think about. Fortunately they all grew up together.

SCG-- in case you did not know it, if you want milk from the goat, she will need to be milked at least once a day. A definite time commitment, either AM or PM and on schedule. I know you get up before the crack of dawn already. If you decide to go for it, late Dec breeding will be easiest on you, or who ever gets to play mid-wife. I use heat lamps strung up in the barn. ONly the too tiny or weak babies come in the house to sleep next to me.

I've actually read every 12 hours for milking, but I figured if I kept the kid with her I could get away with once daily. I'm thinking about getting rid of my news junkie 430 am habit - it's becoming another stressor in my life. That would give me an extra 40 minutes in the morning

 

[Arielle]

YOu can milk once or twice or three times. THe more times you milk the more total volume per day in milk. I know of a woman who only has time for one milking a day, so that's what happens on her farm.

Unless you are listening to PBS or similar talk shows, you won't be missing much. I like hearing the weather but after that the news seems to have little value other than to GRAB our attention. I find my stress level goes up listening to the news. I would love to have Walter Cronkite back--such a soothing, calming voice. At least I get to hear him in movies once in while set during that era.

 

[Bunnylady]

Well, Hubby had a good day. The sailing club at Lake Waccamaw had a race today. He was tempted to enter the 49er, but the high temperature forecast for today was only in the low 70's. Hubby and DS thought that a little cool for going swimming.

(For those who don't get the joke, a 49er capsizes a lot - especially when Hubby's sailing it!) So, Hubs volunteered to help out on the committee boat, because they can always use help there. Since he was the only one who brought a camera, he got to be the official photographer, too. He spent the whole afternoon "messing about in boats", so he's a happy camper!

I get to go mini shopping tomorrow!

Well, it isn't me doing the shopping, it's my friend, but I get to tag along. All the pleasure, but none of the pain (in the wallet, that is)! There's a farm near here that has several miniature foals for sale, and my friend has decided to buy 2, or 3, she hasn't decided (mini fanciers say they are like potato chips). Anyway, I'm going to have fun, and won't have any more mouths to feed at the end of the day! Am I enabling? You betcha!

 

[sourland]

lady, is that shopping venture a good idea? You might just happen to find another mini mule. "Just sayin'."

 

[Bunnylady]

Not a prob, Sour. I just spent over $300 getting shots and Coggins pulled (a required blood test) so my 3 minis can go to the fair in a couple of weeks. As horses go, they are cheap to feed, but the Vet and farrier costs are the same! So I will go, pet the little rascals and exclaim over how cute they are, then drive away (well, we are using my trailer, so there will be a couple leaving with me, sorta).

But they will be all hers (except for when she needs me to help her with them, of course.

 

[sourland]

I'm thinking there's going to be a cute little palomino filly that you just can't resist.