mulesuk

How old is he Jenny?

Ahem! Old enough to know better

We went for a hack round the village tonight which wasn't easy as we kept having to stop while he got slopped over.That made us late so we had to walk back on the pavement because although I was in my flourescent fleece I didn't want to ride on the road in dusk.It was o.k with Picasso as it meant he did not have to avoid the deadly drains.
I turned off onto my neighbours track as it meant cutting out half a mile of road and asked him for a trott.He obliged and then gave me a great canter up the track.I had't asked for it,just to speed up a bit but it was given so willingly I was pleased to take it so I stopped him at the top and let him find the choicest bit of grass he could stuff his face into
Tomorrow I'm going to practice mounting using the mounting tripod I got off someone on Muleskinners some time ago to give his back a rest when I mount as he is a bit taller than Malaga.
http://www.leg-upstools.com/about2.html

nice idee, but a bit low for great Mules

Haven't tried it yet Mano,my only thought is using it on soft groud but I think I have an idea to combat that.If it is too short I'm going to have a word with my nutty inventer friend Simon to see if he can modify it for me

Tried it this afternoon and it does make things easier but you have to have a steady mule like Picasso as puttig it away in the saddlebag is time consuming especially when your shoulder aches like mine!
I'm definately going to have to shorten the stirrups o him as he isn't sitting trot material
I tried the back bridlepath today and had to negotiate four gypsy ponies tethered on it,no room to get out of the way so just had to push our way through!
I've discovered what hard hats are for! They are for bulldozing brambles and branches out of the way so your mule doesn't get a sore shoulder or bum,yes?
As we were comming up the lane passed a field of beans there was a sudden crashing and waving of the crop I thought it might've been a fox and rubbed Picasso who was looking rather startled.Then the crashing started again and three roebucks began springing through the beans making a lovely racket.Picasso's eyes bulged and his ears stood straight up but he stood stock still and believed me when I reasurred him,then went on his way calmly

Yeah!! He actually came to the gate to greet me tonight! We had a great ride out again even if we did get back late and we got passed on the lane by a tractor with plough and he didn't even bother to lift his head from his grazing (He'd given me a great trott for 300yds so was having a treat ) I think the tractor driver was more worried than we were!

We met our first horse out riding today on the bridlepath.It was a narrow bit but as Pacco and I had just passed a bit that was slightly wider I offered to back him up as it would be good practice. He went backwards beautifully for about twenty yards at just the slightest twitch of the rein I was so pleased with him.However the girl riding the horse offered to go back a few yards herself as there was a space where she could get into the field.
Picasso followed her and then carried on walking passed without hesitation.
A bit further on we entered a field and there was a young family walking a bouncy black lab pup.Despite a lot of calling it decided it wanted to say hello to me so I asked Picasso for a stand.I don't think pup realised he was there as he kept jumping up and down and running around and under him trying to get to me,all the time my boy stood quietly They eventually manage to drag the pup off and then the one little girl who for some unknown reason was clutching a pile of rocks in her arms asked if she could stroke him."Does he bite ?" She asked nervously as she proceeded to walk up to his backside and stroke him! I pointed out that he wouldn't if she didn't but that that end wasn't the best end to approach any strange prey animal especially a mule
So Picasso stood quietly for about ten minutes being fussed over before being allowed on his way.
As we moved round the village street we kept being stopped and at one point someone pointed out that there was a low loader comming passed with a bulldozer on top.By now I knew Pacco's reaction so just moved to the verge while it crawled passed...Pacco didn't even raise his head!
We popped into my friend Claires who had just come back from Morton Show with some friends so she offered us some tea and cake in the garden.Picasso waited patiently by the kitchen door while she made the tea then he grazed quietly while I sat on hi and drank it and chatted...all the time just feet away Claires husband was banging and crashing while he worked on his combine harvester!

Had a great ride tonight,especially now I've worked out the rythm of Paco's Trott and started "squashing flies" instead of concentrating on the rise
We were a bit late as I was doing a lot of change of transitions with grazing as his treat so when we got back to the track to Cleeve prior I decided to take the bridle path near my bosses place rather than risk the road even though it was the long way round.
By the time we'd joined the bridle path that went passed the gypsy camp and behind my place it was almost dark and we still had over a mile to go.Picasso had worked out where we were so I left him to it.I have learnt to trust him to get on with the job and as soon as I saw him duck his head I kew there were low branches even if I couldn't see them so just lay flat on his back
We passed the gypsy camp but there were no horses this time as they had been taken in and I knew when we reached my fields by Paco's reaction.My problem was how to get off the bridleway and back home without going on the road as by now it was almost pitch black.I knew that somewhere passed my place a tree had fallen some years ago and broken down the fence but it had all become overgrown and I wasn't sure where it was in Daylight let alone moonlight.
Quite a way along I saw a small gap up the bank and as we were nearly on the road I "asked" Paco what he thought as he already had worked out we were passed home.He turned and stood on the bank bottom and took a mouthful of hop vine and when I asked him for a try he gave all he'd got.It was a very steep bank covered in vines and he had no breast plate on but bless him,he knew that was the way and just kept going,I was so pleased with him espeacially as the field at the top had just been ploughed making it even tougher for him!
Eventually he reached the top and turned along the field edge for home.I would've loved to let him browse as a reward but in the dark I didn't know where the ragwort was so had to push him on.He scrambled over the ploughed field in the dark and when we came to my neighbours scrubby ragwort crop I asked him to walk along the edge but by then he was heading for home so I gave him his head as long as he didn't graze and he just cut straight across the field and came out on my track rather suprising my other neighbour who was ploughing the field in the dark beside it
I've arranged to swop afternoon shifts on Sunday as I plan to take him on a fun ride which was actually the first one I took Sarah-lee on and learnt about the need for breeching when her saddle started to undress itself over her head
I'm sure he's going to be great .

Glad you are getting on so well with him, where is your ride on Sunday? We are off to Cheshire to a ride I know absolutely nothing about except that its 26 miles?!! Any more photos of him? How is Malaga taking the new arrival?

The ride's at Clifford Chambers just outside Stratford on avon Its not very long only a stroll about 8mls but should be a nice starter for him.I'm hoping there will be a photographer there as its hard to take photo's when you are riding.
Malaga met him over the fence yesterday and was not impressed! He's sulkinng at the bottom of the field with Blue!

We had a great ride and helped by lovely weather.By the time I'd finished work , loaded up ,and arrived at the venue it was almost two o'clock and we were last off.
Pacco stood quietly while I mounted using the trailer ramp to give me the few extra inches I needed (Bit too soft ground for my tri pod and I was a bit embarressed to try )
I decided to try a breast plate on him but although I'd clipped it on I hadn't checked it and one side had dropped down but Picasso just stood while I sorted it and we were off.
Pacco having more whoa than go carried on at his own pace.He decided he didn't like the jumps even though they were made of wheat straw complete with heads,anyone would've thought I was asking him to jump the things!However when we came to a smarter one warning us to slow down because of the photographer he stood to be slopped over and then discovered what the jumps were made of!!! (Hopefully photo to follow )
The next part of the ride moved on to a gravelly road which Picasso found hard on his feet and then there was a sign for the shorter route but as that carried on on gravel and the long route was on grass I decided to go for the grass (Mules don't do shortcuts anyway ) We did have to go through a farm and along a track with masses of black and yellow speed humps! Now everyone knows Black and yellow means danger and Pacco spent ages trying to work out how to bypass them which slowed us down.
We carried along the lane while I played "follow the rail" with him,trying to impress on him that in THIS country we ride on the left! He suddenly began to shake his head and at first I thought he was having a fly problem on his ears but I couldn't see any.Then I saw a WASP rolling around on his neck and imediately flicked it off!!Pacco showed no other reaction though from the way the wasp had acted I was sure it had stung him
From then on it was all fields and woods so we played "point to point" in fast (fast! )walk,trot and canter,using the markers as grazing points which did make him more eager to pick up speed.
We got lost once after passing two jumping points with stewards who of coarse wanted a chat and a pat.I asked him to pick up speed and seeing more jumps and a car parked at the top of the hill headed for that.There was a gate open leading out on the main road but no one in the car.I asked him to walk to the edge of the road expecting a marshal but although I called out there was no one around and I saw no pointers out on the road so there was nothing for it but to retrace our steps.A car met us halfway down the hill and I asked where the marker was...I had passed it in the corner of the field coming up where it went through a gap in the hedge but because I was looking at what I thought was the stewards car to my right at the top of the hill I had missed it but apparently I was not the only one
Having lost some time I hurried Picasso up a bit for the next stretch where we came to the refreshment stop who were waiting for me.While Pacco refused my biscuit and I had a small orange juice we watched a Vulcan Bomber flying around Wellsborne in the distance...probably looking for the lost marker!
Pacco,having been told directions,decided it was time to be off so we carried on in a trot doing more point to point.At one section I thought we'd got lost again as there were no markers but I looked down and saw hoof prints so followed them.As we turned right through a gap in the hedge I saw some pick ups and tractors collecting up the jumps (Oops must be a bit late!) However a farmer stopped us to admire Picasso and ask about him and he gave us directions and from then we upped things to trott and canter.One section was an old rail way track with hedges on both sides so I could practise transitions without being seen He gave me some lovely canters but I didn't give him such great trots...the trouble was I'd ask for a trot and sit to it thinking we would be going into Malaga's great floating on air stride....and we didn't so that meant I had to do a rising trot and I'm a bit out of practise
We came out at the end of the track into the lorry park with just my vehicle and one other there!They were very nice when I apologised for holding them up but hinted that they were giving free space to the first one to turn up on the next ride to which I said I couldn't do anythig about that as I had a load of racehorses to muck out first
The photographer had left a note with her website and said the photo's will be up soon so I will put them up as soon as I can.

Picasso's photo's are here (page 13) http://www.everybodysmile.biz/noblephotos/

Very quick reply tonight as just home (wagon blew up, sounds terminal, poor pony hacked the last five miles home)

My ride went well, 26 miles in lovely country and SUNSHINE!! We won the open challenge and got lovely rosettes and a meal out for four!

Pic looks fantastic, great photos, so pleased he's working out well for you!!!

Wow well Done
Re vehicle...think positive you probably saved a fortune in deisel hacking home and hasn't the price of second hand vehicles gone up? Sell it and get a new one I think new vehicle prices are down!