Hot Trip To Leatherwood!

The group coming down part of Frog Pond Pass!

Shannon and Seven, Tollie and Sadie ready to ride up the Tom Seay Trail on Sunday!

Sadie ready to ride, hanging out in her stall!

We had the trip planned for weeks and as it approached the temperatures just kept climbing! We decided to go anyway and just ride out as early as possible! Bob, June and her sister Carol all came with three short ears on Friday. It was really hot so they just cooled off by the trailer for the rest of the afternoon. I raced home from work on Friday and found Tollie and Amiee waiting with everything loaded. The mules loaded well and with a quick stop at Toaco Bell we were on our way. We arrived at 9:30 pm and it was still hot! Cooler than where we left but still very hot. We set up the mules in their stalls and then went over to set up camp next to Bob and June's place. We all hurried to get to bed because we were going to get up early to ride out before it got hot!
We were in the saddle and riding past the Leatherwood's on-line camera just before 8AM. We took it slow and steady, stopping to give the equines many breaks as we climbed the hills. The cool canopy was so nice. A light breeze would brush by us every now and then. As we climbed up Tricky Creek, a beautiful bird broke the quietness. Bob told us it was a Wood Thrush, so pretty sounding, like a flute! We climbed up to the Daniel Boone trail and took a long break at the over look with the picnic tables. Sadie and Seven both got to hop around and eat grass with their hobbles on. We talked to a few people who who rode by. It seems others also had our idea too!
We rode back going down the easy trail called Ramblin. About 3/4 of the way down the trail our group stirred up a very angry nest of bees. Bob and June got caught in the worst of it, as they were in the back. We got their horses caught and moved everyone way from the area, but then had to move again because some of the bees followed us! After two doses of Benedril each for them, we regrouped and quickly rode through the meadow to get back to the barn. Poor Bob and June. They both got stung over 10 times each! They said they felt hot and stinging all over. We sent them back to the trailer to clean up and try to recover while we took care of their horses.
By late afternoon and everyone having a nap, some snacks and a shower we headed over to the restaurant. Bev showed up to eat dinner with us too! I was so nice to see her! We all had a great meal! The food was good and Carolyn, our waitress was great, keeping all our glasses full! After dinner we all stopped at the barn and got the mules and horses out to hand-graze them for a little while. Then we headed back to camp. Being as it was too hot for a nice camp fire we took two of our box fans and made an L shape and put a lantern in between them. So we gathered around the Fan-Fire and enjoyed the evening!
The next morning the short ear riders decided to head back home. (Can't say as I blame them) so the three mules headed out for another early morning ride! We took Tom Seay trail to Rainbow up to Eagle Eye, to the look out at the top. It was very pretty and clear and only 9AM in the morning! We took some photos and then headed off to ride the rest of the loop. As we rode in we met up with Bob, June and Carol just about ready to drive out! We said our goodbyes as they headed out. We packed up, took showers and had a nice lunch in the restaurant while a big thunderstorm dumped rain and rumbled a lot. We then headed off for home! This was Amiee and Tollie's first trip to the mountains on mule back and it was fun to hear their first impressions of things like steep hills, bridges and Leatherwood. Amiee was very impressed with how well her mule did in the mountains! He did do very well, but I do not expect anything less from these wonderful long ears!

Bob and June Hogan and June's sister Carol in front of Keys Cabin!

Amiee and her mule Henry, Tollie on Sadie at one of the great overlooks!

The Flies Didn't Get The Memo

Shannon and Seven, sporting his riding fly mask.

Debbie and Jack

The memo the flies did not get was that, Debbie, her mule Jack, myself and Seven were going on an early morning trail ride at Medoc Mt. State Park! We took off on Saturday July 16th and we were in the saddle by 8:30AM. We had a good ride, ran into just a few other riders. The bugs pretty much left us alone so for this time of year the ride was really enjoyable. We rode for three hours and then headed back before it got too hot!

HORSE LOVE GONE WRONG!

The horse that has been boarding with me, I guess came into heat, as she was acting witchy over the weekend. Mom and Dad were getting ready to leave on Monday morning when Mom heard a bunch of squealing and kicking in the stalls. She looked over and the horse had Sadie pinned in the corner and was kicking her but good. Poor Sadie got scraped up and kicked a bunch! Mom called me and then got the horse into the separate paddock (Where she is going to STAY from now on). Got Sadie in the yard to eat some grass. That calmed her down (She had been pawing and was stressed). Mom washed the cuts out and put some stuff on it for me. Mom said there was blood pouring down her leg. Lisa W. came by later in the day to check on Sadie for me! Mom did a great job but I wanted a horse person to put her eyes on Sadie before I got home that evening. Thanks Lisa!!!
I washed out the cuts again that evening. There was only two that were really chunks of skin missing and one that I had to cut a little dead skin off of. She is majorly skinned up though, around her brand, stifle area and right above the hock. She also got kicked some on the other side. She will be sore and I am thinking her hock might stock up some on her left side but she doesn't seem too sore this morning. Thankfully no joints where punched.
The horse's owner was so upset that happened and told me that if I needed to keep her in lock down that would be just fine. This is the first mule I have ever owned to get this scraped up and injured like this, that has been over 12 years!
I am great full that this happened now and not the week before our Grayson trip! I am also great full that it seems to be all flesh wounds, that will heal and not joint injuries!

Email Prayer from my friend Bessie:
Father, I ask, in the precious name of Jesus, that Sadie Mae will heal just fine for the ride. Keep her wounds from becoming infected and problematic. May she also heal emotionally, Father, because these things can become rooted in a mule's mind. Thank you, Lord, that you hear our prayers and do answer them. In Jesus' Name, amen.
Judy R. emailed and said:
Oh, as for Horse Love Gone Wrong-a lot of people get involved in that too!

The next day Sadie was sore but she was still very good for my Farrier Kevin the next day. He needed to put shoes on all four feet this time for the Grayson Trip coming up on Aug. 9th.

De-Spooking Clinic

Lillian, our instructor and her monkey Child!

Tara and I attended a De-Spooking Clinic on July 3rd at Lillian's place in Rocky Mount on Sunday July 3rd. Everyone had a good time! I brought Sadie for Rob to ride and Tara brought her new mule named Jesse. I let Tara ride Seven in the first part of the clinic. This is were they do formation riding, which helps later when the spooky objects start coming out. Tara said she had never done that before and said it was great fun! The group started with a pool noodle obstacle. Seven was not sure about his new rider and really unsure about Lillian standing there holding part of the obstacle. Tara supported him so well he soon was going right next to Lillian, never mind the pool noodles.
On one of the trips through Seven did really well. I saw Tara say something to him and give him a pad on the neck! Seven lowered his head, his eye softened and he had this look of a small smile on his face, as if to say "I was good!". I guess he does that a lot but I have never seen it because I am usually on his back!
Tara's mule Jesse is really sweet and neat looking too! He is spotted and has a big white blaze, black around his eye but has huge white eye lashes. I did some work with him in the round pen and we fixed up his tack. After lunch Tara rode him around and he did great!
Lillian rode a Colonial Spanish Mustang named Ruby, that she has just started under saddle. Neat horse! She liked to play with the ball!
Several of the other participants had some neat horses too! I took a ton of photos for everyone.
Thanks Lillian, we had such a good time! It was so hot but Lillian kept us as cool as possible with lots of water and breaks!

Tara and Seven take on the Pool Noodles!

Rob and Sadie Mae taking a rest!Tara introduces Jesse to the Giant Soccer Ball!

Tara and Seven ride over the Mattresses! Check out all the 90 degree angles is Seven's back leg!

Jennifer B. and her super nice TWH Mare!

Lillian riding Ruby the Spanish Mustang!

Time for a Horse Show!

At the last minute I found out I would be able to attend the next East Coast Open Horse Show in Williamston, NC. Only problem was it was only just days away and I haven not practiced any show ring stuff in month! I decided that I would go and just have fun and make the best of it! Jennifer and her horse Deuce decided to join us! I had Judged there on April and found they had a division called Working Western and thought it would be perfect for me to show Seven in.
Saturday morning, I came out and was about to load up when I noticed the tire on the left side of my trailer was FLAT! It was not like that the day before? What happened? On close inspection I found a nail. So I called Equi-Pass to come and change it. We had to call the show and tell them we are coming but going to be late since they want everyone to be entered by 8AM. Once the guys showed up they went right to work and I was on my way to pick up Jennifer!
Our first class was a in-hand trail and then two trail classes. They have the arena set and a Judge over there for you can go and run your course any time between 9am and 4pm. So we knocked those classes out first so we could be ready for the Working Western Classes.
I decided that my toy stuffed animal Possum had not been out for a ride in a long time, so he joined us for a ride. Seven rode well in the big classes. He stayed soft in the mouth and was a little fast at first but he soon settled in! We placed 8th in the Command Class! Then we got a call back in a big Ladies Western Class! I had a great time talking to everyone and Seven was admired many times! It was a fun day, but now back to more trail riding!

A Little Visitor!!

On May 30th the mules got a new Little Visitor. Henry, my friend Beverley's son and her husband Will came out for a visit! Henry fed everyone carrots and treats. Then he helped Shannon groom Sadie Mae. He even stood on a stool to be able to reach her back with the brush. Then Henry was treated to a ride around the yard! He finished his visit with a game of kick ball with Reuben and some swinging on the porch!