Mule Inspection Duty: Neighbourhood Watch

Greetings Muleteers! Yippee I'm fixed, back to work = happy muletta!  FH and I have been out on the town!  Well ok, we've been out and about on the local lanes, we decided to go and inspect the damage from the terrible weather we had earlier in the month.

The lane to my summer residence (hmmm when the sun shines!) has been terribly damaged,  there are deep holes and all of the tarmac has been torn up....  not to worry though muleteers I am the original off road vehicle.  These little rocks and gaps are nothing for a muletta like me.  My hooves have no metal shoes as they don't need them, I like to feel the gravel beneath my feet, it helps me balance and know where to put my feet.  FH never worries about me finding the right track.

This used to be a perfect lane before the rain!

FH hopped on and we had a ride up to the moor to see what was happening up there.  We practiced stops and starts and I am trying to get the hang of gates.  FH would really like me to master this as she wouldn't have to get on and off.  Of course I know what I'm doing but I do get a little distracted by the tasty hedgerows that grow next to the gates.  I'll think about trying harder with them though as FH looks a little puffed at having to get on and off - LOL!  

The view was wonderful, Dartmoor is home to sheep, cattle, ponies (short ears but they're still quite nice) and pixies!  I know lots about the pixies and occasionally we see them creeping down from the moor at night to come and share our water.  They are very nice and this muletta is not scared of them.  Occasionally when FH isn't concentrating they pop out from the hedgerows and say hello, this often makes me jump and my ears nearly touch in the middle, FH thinks I'm doing something called shying but really I'm saying hello to the secret pixies - she wouldn't understand being a two legs!

Dartmoor, home of the Pixies!

Alas it was time to go home, on the way FH was telling me that pesky dogs have been causing trouble in the local area by killing sheep.  How dare they!  These sheep live in my territory and there will be no nastiness, besides which my mini boyfriends are not that much bigger than sheep and I wouldn't want these dogs having designs on them for dinner :-(  

My friendly farmer has put up a sign to warn dog owners to make their dogs behave, I thought I would leave my own mark on the sign, a good bite out of it should put them off, this mule is on the prowl and will not take kindly to any dogs making trouble with my neighbours!

A chunk out of the sign should make my intentions clear!

Finally we were home, I was raring to go further and it seems that I may have a willing volunteer for the next ride.... FH seemed a little disgruntled, everyone is getting in on this mule riding act!  Don't worry muleteers I'll save the next ride for her :-)

Catanian climbs onboard!

Magic Cream Saves the Day!

Well muleteers I have had a very relaxed weekend... not of my choice.  I am on restricted duties, e.g. no work - boooooo!  I have a poor sore fetlock where a pesky fly has bitten me and made it all sore and gunky.  Not mulificent! So FH says that I'm not allowed to work as the mud will get in and make it more sore.


So in best British mule tradition I have been 'Keeping Calm and Carrying On Being Mulificent!'  The sun has been out again and I have made the most of it by sunbathing.  Being a female I am the queen of multi tasking so why lie in the sun and not eat?  I decided to have a little snack whilst having a lie down, if the sheep can do it, why can't I?

I also concentrated on showing off to the the boys by demonstrating how shiny I am, aren't I gorgeous muleteers?

I was not so impressed when FH decided to clean my sore foot and turned in to what FH calls a Grumpa Mule... I can't imagine what she means - ouch it hurt!  FH cleaned and bathed my foot while my favourite person MH stroked me and fed me calming treats.  It was very sore but FH put some magic cream on it, she reckons the best thing for all muley injuries is something called Sudocrem..... I am not impressed that it is normally used for nappy rash, does she not know that I am stable trained??? I was very polite though and even though it hurt I didn't kick or fidget, us mules are very stoic and don't like to show weakness, it did help when MH rubbed my ears though, he is my hero! I did swish a lot and managed to catch FH a few good swipes on the face, not too hard though.

Secretly though muleteers my foot does feel MUCH better.  This cream must be magic, it stays in one place, stops the flies and it makes my white socks look even brighter, a little bit like mule make up, I like it :-)  I wonder if it comes in pink???

To encourage FH to carry on making me better I gave her a good snuffle to ensure that there were no hard feelings.  Til next time muleteers I'll be back to work in no time, I can't stay inactive for long, that grass goes straight to my hips!

Roller's Philosophical Friday: Dreams

Greetings Muleteers!  I am sooo excited, the Olympics are nearly here and I will be flying my union jack for Team GB.  I can only imagine how hard these sportsmen and women have worked to get to represent their countries in this amazing event.  As you'll remember I am a shetland in training for racing... I can tell you it is very hard work and I'm not an elite athlete.  We all have dreams though and although my dreams are not to win an olympic gold medal I would like to gallop around Dartmoor with the wind in my hair without getting puffed! 

So it got me to thinking about dreams and sports and I found a quote by my olympic hero Jesse Owens - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesse_Owens this was a man that stood apart and followed his dreams despite widespread discrimination and unsporting behaviour - what an inspiration! 

We all have dreams.  But in order to make dreams come in to reality, it takes an awful lot of determination, dedication, self-discipline and effort.

Jesse Owens

With that in mind muleteers I'm off to work on my endurance, my speed is unquestionable as I'm sure you'll agree ;-) 

Have a lovely weekend, we hope the sun shines on the athletes in London and of course we'll be listening carefully to see how our cousins get on in Greenwich.  Good luck to all your athletes wherever in the world you are reading us from - may the hardest working dreamer win!

Highlights the Roller Way!

Greetings Muleteers!  Today I thought I'd show you my summer hair highlights that are not from a bottle!  FH says that many of my lady fans will be a little jealous of my magnificent mane, apparently it is normally very expensive to achieve such a mulificent effect in your hair, lots of chemicals, time sat in the hairdresser's chair reading magazines (sounds great!) and then scissors (does not sound great!).

Well muleteers my mane is highlighted with sun kisses and mud and I have to say it is having the desired effect on the lady in my life who seems very impressed with my handsomeness!

Just a short post for today as I am busy thinking about my next philosophical Friday....  I'm off to catch some more sun kisses, this mane is a labour of love you know, lots of hard work is put in to making it look this good.... now where is the mud for rolling in???

One Man's Trash is Another Mule's Treasure!

Greetings Muleteers!  When does rubbish become treasure?  Well when you're me everything is a potential culinary delight!  MH has been busy gardening in my honour and has been assembling a lovely pile of edible goodies for me.

I have been busy sunbathing and enjoying the lovely weather and as I am rather less prosperous in size than those naughty minis I have been allowed out on some extra grass.

Imagine my delight when I relaised that MH's trash heap was left just for me!  Who needs lovely green grass when there's a bonfire pile ripe for the munching.  FH got a little concerned as she was flapping that coniferous woods are not safe for mules - does she think I'm daft??  Anyway she watched me carefully in case I should have a funny five minutes and decide to eat something that will give me belly ache, she's such a drama queen sometimes. 

Now then I was thinking about the meaning of 'Bonfire', generally this is accepted to mean trash that is ready to be burnt.... now my mule logic interprets this as 'Trash that is ready to be engulfed by a Dragon', perfect, I am one therefore I eat :-)

I did my best to hide myself away in the Bonfire, so that FH couldn't see me when it was time to be caught for bedtime.... alas it didn't work.  I am so pleased, MH's trash is my treasure, now then I wonder if he would like to cut down some more roses for me or perhaps that elusive apple tree across the garden fence, surely they must be fit for Dragon's Bonfire???

Lazing on a Sunny Afternoon.....

Summer has arrived Muleteers!  It's finally here and us muleteers are making the most of it.   We have been dozing in the sun, enjoying the rays on ours backs whilst our slaves (humans) bring us delicacies to eat.  The humans have been at home and have been 'gardening' this generally means they have been chopping down bits of the local plant life for us muleteers to then eat...This weekend the Roller and I have been mainly confined to Muleteer HQ, FH says that the grass is growing rapidly and us Minis would eat until we popped, how rude!  A Mini has to keep his waistline healthy you know, just in case the grass should stop growing, I need reserves.  I did try to tell FH this but she just smiled and hugged me a little bit more.  I guess the hugs are a little bit of compensation...

Man Human (MH) has been very busy on the gardening front, Roller and Dragon have been helping him with his tools and we have all been watching and encouraging with neighbrays to make sure that he has been doing it to our satisfaction.  We requested Willow, Rose, Hazel and Bay and it all appeared.  I like all of the above except for Roses.  Dragon is the only one that has mastered the rose eating attack... She likes to stuff it in and then draw her lips back so that the nasty thorns don't hurt her, she is such an expert (I am secretly a little jealous, when is FH going to bring me thornless roses?)

On the subject of roses I think I have competition Muleteers!  That naughty Dragon was busy falling asleep but seems to be rather taken with MH, she was going all gooey over him, I couldn't get her attention at all - well how very dare MH! 

It's a good job that I have FH!

My other lady friend Catanian was feeling the heat a little and was trying the stretch as long as possible, her approach to keeping cool.... she really is a strange cat, does she not realise she's in the gutter?  Hmmmm

Its time for another snooze now folks, a busy weekend full of fun and sun, the perfect kind!  I will be making the most of it, the sun is here to stay for a while ;-)  I may even have to instruct FH on gardening that involves bananas, surely they must grow around here somewhere?

Roller's Philosophical Friday: Should You Care?

Greetings Muleteers! I have been busy philosophising in between my other favourite hobby - eating!

Catanian and I have been having a good chat about being different.... have you ever been the odd one out, the one that takes the road less travelled, the one that follows a life less ordinary?  Have you ever been bothered what others think?  Well Catanian and I were chatting about this and how sometimes you can care too much about what others think of you.

Us muleteers are all quite using to being a little on the 'different' side, we are proud of our differences and enjoy the life less ordinary.  Sometimes others think we are a little strange and wonder why FH has us, why Catanian's best friend is a mini mule and why we enjoy banana peels? Along the way I have learnt something very important, those people that are always there will never care about such silly things and those that care don't count.... here is a lovely quote that a very good friend of ours was kind enough to share - thanks Wise Human!

Those who matter don't mind, and those who mind don't matter

Have a lovely weekend Muleteers, the sun is on the way here in the UK!  I will be busy sunning myself and of course I'm in training for the Pony-lympics which is much more my level than three day eventing, I wonder if there is a gold medal for looking good???

Moooo-ve Over Neighbours...

Greetings Moo-leteers!  Callie here, Oh My Mule, the neighbours are causing havoc at the moment!

Imagine my dismay at being awoken by a rowdy bunch of young cattle.  This gang of boys do not have good manners, they are noisy, a little smelly, stare at me very rudely and... well they have the most disgusting toilet habits.

So I thought I'd better go and tell them who's boss in this neighbourhood.  Off I strutted to the top of the field to put these bovine boys in their place, no job is too big for this cowgirl.


I made sure my mulificent ears were looking particularly fine and faced them all down, one mule lady against rather a lot of bovine boys - no problemo!

And would you believe it those naughty boys didn't hang around long... they all sloped off across the field, as if they would be scared of little old me??? ;-)  

'Til next time muleteers, I'm mooo-ving on up!

Ro-Land's Grooming Masterclass

Greetings Muleteers!  Prettiest pony in the whole wide world here :-) Well I am after acting as number one model for a grooming masterclass!  Dragon has been telling you about her moment of glory carrying our new friend Happy Human out for a ride.  Never mind, us minis had just as much fun teaching our friend all about grooming!

Obviously being preened and made shiny is something that I enjoy a lot muleteers.  My dashing mane and silky coat are just so pretty that everyone wants to get involved..

So FH handed me over to our new pal and we went to the Pony Parlour ready for a good brush and pamper.... here I go walking nicely on the lead rein.  I do rather like the look of those pink boots, mmmm might have to investigate those later!

Now then muleteers where does one start when grooming such an amazingly handsome pony as myself, it would seem that my new friend is a little uncertain too, I think she was rather awestruck by my mulificent mane! Not to worry muleteers my new friend soon knew what to do and found a use for her brush!

I whispered in FHs ear that this was great fun, two groomers at once, how perfect can a pony's day get?

It wasn't all grooming though, we even had time for a little cuddle which is always great!  And how nice is this that someone can cuddle me at the right height.... I am liking this muleteers, someone on my level :-)

And finally we had a good chat and Happy Human told me all her best secrets, including her nickname for Uncle Human - hehehe I will tease him with that next time I see him ;-)

Once I had been primped and preened it was time for a relaxing bite to eat.  But wait what's this?  I have been ousted from the grooming masterclass by The Mini!  Wait I can't believe it, FH is using him for the foot picking demonstration..... muleteers this is unbelievable!  This is the mule that always used to run away from everyone and would not tolerate anyone but FH touching his feet for many years, how mules can change.  Apparently I'm too wriggly and can't stand very well on three feet (it's so unnatural!) so FH asked The Mini nicely and demonstrated how to give us pedicures, after all it's not just about the glamour of the brushing, daily foot care is essential too!

I'm sure you can see that the brushing was definitely worth it Muleteers.  It's hard to improve on such stunning natural good looks as mine but a little brushing can work wonders!  Until next time muleteers, hope you have someone that gives your mane a brush and cleans between your toes!!

The Next Generation of Mule Riders!

Greetings Muleteers!  Wow another busy weekend!  This weekend I have been busy educating the next generation of mule riders :-)  I was very proud to be trusted with a very precious cargo - a small person!  Imagine my delight when I was togged up in my finest cowmule gear ready to show off with my newest rider - we shall call her Happy Human. 

Uncle Human visited and brought with him our very special guest HH.  I knew something was going on when FH dressed me up in my finest gear but did something odd with the stirrups, unless we were off racing they're not normally this short?!

And there was my new rider looking fine in my favourite colour pink - I knew that we would get on!  She was a little shorter than I'm used to but that's no problem, MH can lift her up I'm sure, anyway she'll be lighter than FH.

So preparations were made and I stood very still for my small rider to be lowered in to position, hehe if this was FH I wouldn't stand quite so still, I know how I need to behave with a small person onboard!

And then we were off, MH decided that he needed to walk by my side to stop HH sliding off but that was just silly so I refused to walk until he brought up the rear! I am totally trustworthy you know muleteers.  Onwards muleteers, off we go!

We had a lovely walk out together, I showed HH all the lovely sights and we visited with the local cows, I also gave the big humans a good power walk, they needed the exercise after eating far too much lunch.  And of course muleteers I was extremely well behaved and looked after my passenger very well.

I demonstrated the pleasures of hedgerow picnicking to my new mule rider and showed her what's best to munch, she was very happy to stop and let me eat.  Muleteers I did have some real jealousy about those boots though, how cute are they in pink, I wonder if they make them big enough for me?

 

I also taught my new rider the importance of posing!  I think that she's a nautral, she'll make a model mule rider in no time at all :-)

After a lovely time eventually we had to go home, there were lots more jobs to be done and grass to be eaten.... after all you can't be a mule rider without the other stable chores that go with it!

Even Uncle Human forgave me for making him walk fast, it seems a nice day was had by all, I was very pleased that he brought us our special guest, I hope she can come and play again soon?

After all the jobs were done my new friend came back and showed me how much fun she had ... this much!!

Well muleteers I'm off for a rest today, it's been a busy weekend.  It's always important to show the next generation of mule riders the joys of us long ears - who knows.... we may have the next Calamity Jane right here!

Roller's Philosophical Friday: Rain

Dearest Muleteers,  it's gone and done it again, another day of constant rain.... my hair is all frizzy and I long for some sun to dry me out.  I spent the day voluntarily tucked up safe and warm indoors and only ventured out when there was a break in the rain.  I had plenty of time for philosophising and it got me thinking about rain. Us British ponies do like to complain about it, it's a nation-wide obsession (ok this year has been exceptional...)

So I was thinking that rain is good, yes muleteers I've convinced myself the rain butt is half full and that we really should be celebrating.  I even found a very apt quote so here we go..

And when it rains on your parade, look up rather than down. Without the rain there would be no rainbow.

Gilbert K. Chesterton

Our Granny Human (GH) would also put it another way.  Find the positive out of the negative!

So my list of good things about rain are:

1/. The Mini can have fun without his bug rug on as the flies can't bite him - he enjoys being able to roll and scratch

2/. The rain makes the grass grow - yum!

3/. A little indoor time lets us muleteers catch up on the gossip and enjoy spending time together.

4/. The rain makes FHs hair go frizzy and that makes us laugh (don't tell her though...)

5/. We have enough rain at the moment, some mule friends in far away places don't so we are grateful!

6/. When it rains a lot you appreciate the sunshine that bit more :-)

7/. Lots of rain means lots of time for philosophising!

 

So there we have it muleteers, rain = good!  We hope you all have a lovely weekend and maybe we might see a rainbow and the elusive sun!

It's All in the Ears!

Greetings Muleteers!  Yesterday I was called a pony, well really! Are there not a pair of real giveaways.... It really is all in the ears! 

FH and Dragon have been out together and I have to say I was a little jealous....

But FH made it all better by giving me a good old ear rub. 

My mulificent ears are not only good for hearing the tiniest of noises (I can hear FH in the house when she gets up and if she's not quick enough to appear I will brayneigh to show her my discontent).  In the wild my cousins can hear their pals over many kilometers in the desert. 

My ears are also designed as heat exchangers.  My donkey cousins use their amazing ears to cool down in the desert.  I have inherited this and my ears are also good for cooling me down when it gets hot (hmmm no sign of that though).

Me and Dragon also use our ears to communicate with each other.... we lay them back on our heads and make grumpy faces at each other, this is like a lover's argument really as it never comes to anything but it does mean that we know what the other is thinking without actually having to be mean to each other.  This does leave us with a little problem though muleteers...... 

Where are Roller's Ears?

What on earth do we do about Roller's ears?  His are a little, errm well, on the short side?  It is not very easy for us to tell what Roller's thinking as we often can't see his ears under all the fluff.  Roller is pretty easy going and *we think* he rarely gets grumpy (guess we wouldn't know?) but Dragon and I think we might investigate some ear extensions for him!

Finally but most importantly my ears are so sensitive to touch and FH knows just where to scratch to send this mini mule a bit squiffy.  If FH rubs my ears in just the right place I am unable to think coherently and my eyes start to twitch.  It is heaven!  I also like to have my forehead scratched too, we mules don't have forelocks like horses so this bit can get bitten by the flies and it makes me itchy... FH knows just the place to scratch.

 

So next time you see mulificent donkey or mule ears remember they have a purpose - hearing, cooling, communicating but most of all they are just perfect for a good old scratch!

Ears to you all!  Have a lovely day :-)