Welcome to the Lucky 6

Most years in July, Mom hauls me over to the Big Horn 100 in Shell, WY. This year was no exception. It would be my first endurance ride of the season like it was last year. Mom conditions me enough right here at home, I felt GREAT this year. Ready to roll! I even had company this year as Monty came along for some trail riding in the rockies after.

We woke Mom up just before 3 am demanding more hay. She was kind enough to oblige. (I can make her do all sorts of stuff to spoil me once we… Continue

As a trainer myself, I love to read articles about mule/horse training. Often, in the same magazine even, I will read conflicting information from different trainers' articles. One may say "never grain your mule" while another says "give your mule a little grain or treat". Or the old shoeing/barefoot debate. Some trainers insist on britchen, some suggest cruppers. There are at least a hundred ways, it seems, to get your critter to stand for mounting, or to turn on the haunches, or even to stop w… Continue

'Twas October 18, 2009. It's never a good thing to find a blood trail when going out to pet the mules. It's worse when you see the 1-2 foot stream of blood shooting from the pastern. I took Monty into the barn for a pressure wrap & some time indoors to make sure it worked. Thank God, it did. Later that night I changed him to a standing bandage without the pressure. I used only homemade saline to clean the wound. A very deep cut from barbwire, deep.

… Continue

If I recall correctly, this happened back in late September. (Read: sometime after late July, before October. ;)
The critters had been on walkabout for a few days when D. Weed determined that thay needed to come on home. You see, he had a meeting with Mr. Porcupine the night before. He knew he needed me to help pull the quills out. It actually took Chuck & I & a few well placed ropes & hobbles & a feed bucket secured to his face, but we got the job done.
I had already pulled out… Continue

Mom loaded me into the trailer at 2:30 on Friday afternoon for the 4 1/2 hour trip to the Big Horn ridecamp. At 11:30 we rolled into camp & I finally got to get out of the trailer. You see, I had a trailer endurance ride before the actual endurance ride. About 6 miles out of Buffalo the oil pump went out on the truck. At least it wasn't a super hot day.

… Continue