Christmas Break 2011/2012

I returned home late Monday night and got up early Tuesday morning to put Navarre in the stall just before the big rain came! It was a cold, wet, rainy day so I took some naps and got a lot of things done in the house! Wednesday I had planned on riding, but it was still cold, and a nice stiff wind came in, too! So the mules got another day off and lots of extra hay to stay warm!

Thursday it was nice, and I was going stir crazy! So Seven, Sadie, Jesse, and I headed over to the track to work with Lawson. Seven worked with several race horses until he was tired. Sadie was ridden by Katie, and Jesse got to watch all the goings on from the outside of the round pen!

Friday was another big day! I dropped Levi off at the vet to be neutered. Then, Seven and I headed for Peppertree Farm for an Open House free lesson. We got there and checked out the nice barns and indoor arena. We found my friend Reed taking her lesson.

Reed and her horse Fortune

There was a huge hill covered in grass near the arena, and you know me! I never saw a hill I did not like to climb, so up we went! It was a nice view of the facilities and we sure had a lot of horses looking up to see what Seven was doing up there! (It was a lot bigger than it looks in the photo!)

Soon it was time to warm up for our lesson. Bill Garvey gave me a great lesson in jumping. I learned to trust Seven more, and he gave me some great things to work on, plus it was great fun! Bill even thanked me for bringing him such a well-broke mule!

Shannon needs to work on her crest release!

We rushed home, I put Seven out for a rest, and then I went to pick up Levi. He did well with his surgery, but they had to do a large incision because he is a Cryptorchid. He has to wear his special collar for two weeks so that he doesn't rub out the stitches, and to let things heal! He was so tired, I just gave him a little to eat and a pain pill, and he was soon asleep on his bed!


I went out and tacked up all three mules again and took off to ride with Lawson at the track! Lawson rode Jesse in the round pen for me. He did really well for a mule that has not been ridden in a long time! We got home about 8:30 and Levi was still fast asleep!

Saturday I went back over to the track in the morning and we rode with the race horses. Seven was tired (hmm, not sure why... hehehe...). Katie rode Sadie around the track a few times and then we went for a short walk. Then Lawson rode Jesse for me. Jesse was twice as good as the night before, and Lawson even rode him out into the outdoor ring to use him to do some distraction training for another horse. While Seven rested, Sadie Mae was ridden by me to help out!

It got to be 12:30 and I told Lawson that the mules had to leave for their next appointment! I loaded them on the trailer and got to my house right at 1PM to meet Patty for a trail ride! Patty has corgis and a photography business at the dog shows. She used to have her own horses but has not ridden in years. She helped me get the mules unloaded and Jesse untacked. Then poor Seven and Sadie, who thought they were home and done for the day, got to go on a trail ride. We took a nice relaxing ride for about 2 1/2 hours!

Patty and Sadie Mae at the lake behind my farm.

Later that night, I met up with my mule-riding friend Debbie and we went into town for a nice New Year's Eve dinner at Chili's! It was nice to catch up with Debbie since we've both been so busy that we haven't even seen each other in over a month!

Sunday, Seven was really starting to wonder when I would go back to work, because he needed a break! But, I had been invited to ride with the Guys from Pilot. I rode with them all last winter and had a great time! They ride smart, but also fast! Since it was going to be a warm day and fast riding, I decided to take Seven because, even though he was tired, he was more in shape than Sadie Mae. We had another great ride. Rode for about 4 1/2 hours and got to do some really fun riding! We took a short break at a nice overlook, and on the way out, we spotted a SNAKE! It is unusual to see a Black Rat Snake in a tree, but it looked like he was just trying to get some sun! He did not even move till someone touched him with a stick! He was right at elbow height, while sitting on a 15.1 hand mule! We had a great ride. What a good way to spend New Year's Day! HAPPY NEW YEAR!