No Bull Mule

I had high hopes this evening of some fun.

Maybe a ride?  But no... FH said as it was raining I had managed to plaster myself with sticky, wet mud and there was no way my finest mule saddle was going near that mud pack.

That was ok though because FH took me for a walk, I am practising that agility, obedience stuff on her so it was a good chance to show her some moves.

So off we pottered up the lane to check on the hedge growth, the neigh-bours and the weather, FH says these last two topics are what most people chat about, so it's not just us mules then?

Catanian decided she needed a walk too, she has been hiding away in her cat palace as she didn't want to get her paws wet but a little persuasion and she was ready for a hike.  That kitty cat is game!



So I tested out the hedgerows and munched on the hogweed, think this should be called 'mule weed' I like it so much, FH says I could be a giraffe in disguise in that first pic, well how rude!

Catanian started out well but then realised quite how wet it was, she was miaowing and complaining but wouldn't go home on her own, she decided the best place to hide was on the human's feet as she could make the most of her coat overhang!

Nearly home and I spied some newcomer neigh-bours.  Hey boys, how you doin'?

Well really anyone would think you'd never seen a mule before, don't stare it's rude!

Mmmm.... that grass near you looks really good to eat, don't mind if I snatch from under your wet noses do you?

Yeah, yeah Catanian I know it's wet and you're not happy and sat there all cat like and sulky but I'm like busy chatting up these boys....

Hey there boys, no wonder you are stunned by my mulificence, think you need some better ears though.

Check out my finest half-ass!

Check out my half-ass!

Nah, looks like there's no bull in this field, all about the bull-ettes I think.  FH says I'm a terrible flirt, not fussy and an embarrassment to mulettas everywhere..... whatever, I am just keeping up with the neigh-bours.  

Time for home Catanian we don't wanna be around when the real bull arrives......

It's the taking part....

….. that counts! 

Dearest Muleteers I was not to be outdone by Dragon’s expeditions and decided to order a Roller Mobile for the weekend and went off for my very own big adventure.  And what an adventure it was……

I practiced my boarding manoeuvres on Saturday to check that my trailer was fit for a Roller.  In to my trailer I hopped with a carroty treat to make it worth my while, I had the whole thing to myself!  Wow!

Sunday morning came and the humans were up early…. Must be my big day!  Even Granny Human has come to inspect my transport.

Up and in I go, wow lots of nice straw and hay and the whole thing all to myself, I don’t even have to share with The Mini, I could get used to this!

A little while later, much hay munched and some interesting sounds from outside and I ‘arrived’.  Oh my goodness there are horses everywhere, mostly bigger than me and lorries that look like palaces, I think I’d get lost in them!  OK time to get down to the important stuff and find out what this foreign grass tastes like.  Yep I’ll do this while you make me even more handsome.

Even Milo is trying to get in on the act….this is my show pups

Lots of grooming and stuff and then FH got all dressed up in some outfit with a ridiculous hat…. Hope she doesn’t try that on me!  I was also preened with a beautiful new bridle and lead rein.  I thought I’d strike some poses…..

Just a minute FH it’s time for more grass, I missed a bit over here!

What’s that we have to go in the ring and wander around a bit…. I guess I can manage that….

Look at all those minis just like me, aren’t they pretty and handsome?

I did a bit of trotting and standing (I got ants in my pants a bit, it was getting boring until FH sneaked the secret treat to me from her pocket ;-)  then a bit more trotting in circles. Do I look good or what?!

Well after more standing and walking I was given a 6^th place which meant I got an orange rosette, it kinda clashed with my hairstyle but hey I kinda liked it!  Apparently if I want to win FH has to trim my beardy hairs and make my neck more solid (I think this means I need to put on ‘condition’).  Hmmmm FH is resolute that I do not need a shave and I am not going on a 'super size me' diet (darn to that last one).  Apparently she likes me natural and I’m always number one in her eyes J

After my big trotting in a circle thing (humans are weird) I went over to say hello to someone that I’d noticed…. This is my half brother!  Isn’t he handsome too?  The humans seemed very surprised that we recognised each other, we had lots to chat about, which grass tasted best, who had made the most mess in the trailer, who had the most original companion (me ;-) and how many carroty treats we’d managed to snuffle in one day.  Great to gossip!

Then it was time for the important stuff.  I let lots of small people brush me endlessly and walk me and ate lots of grass and looked handsome and won the FH rosette for best behaved, all round superstar pony – no silly hats or oiled hooves needed for this award.  I like this accolade better, best of all the prize was…… a carrot!  So there we have it, when it comes to rosettes it’s the taking part that counts but I like the special Roller award for ‘all round superstar’ – much more my thing!

Time for home, my Mini had missed me, Dragon gave me the cold shoulder for leaving her (typical woman) and then decided I was her long lost, best pal (typical mule).  I shall definitely sleep well tonight J

A Family Portrait.....

FH has been trying to get a family picture for the album.... it is proving rather difficult..... you see us Muleteers are prone to fidget rather..... oops!  These pictures give you a little glimpse in to our funny little family.   MH - is busy behind the camera trying to do as he's told (we think he may have the patience of a saint ;-), he is telling FH to look like she's enjoying herself instead of looking at us minis. Surely that means she is enjoying herself?

Dragon is busy looking all lovey dovey at us minis and wondering why we're taking so long to behave? She then starts to pull a 'mule face' when we decide to stand all pretty.....

So then I decide to get bored and have a little munch... I thought this is supposed to be family dinner time?

In the meantime The Mini is getting jealous as ever... and is desperately trying to climb in to FH's pocket as he is (in his mind) Number 1 .... we are pretty sure that The Mini has invisible apron strings attached to FH.

In amongst all of this FH was getting hot and bothered, wanted to give in to The Mini's requests for attention and abandon any idea of calm and order in the Muleteer Family.... why change the habit of a lifetime?  Oh yeah and Catanian was laid a few metres away watching the proceedings in a supercilious cat way :-)

Ok so the family portrait might need a few more tries.... oh well we sure had fun!

We are looking forward to a lovely family weekend with our extended family, Granny is coming to stay (that means extra apples and cuddles :-) and we might even get to see Aunts, Uncles and Cousins - hooray! 

With all that in mind here's my quote for the day....

Family is not an important thing.  It's everything.

Michael J. Fox

The Power of Poo

Poo collection essentials!

OK so poo, plop, dung, poop, pony apples or whatever you like to call it is an odd subject to post on but boy is it important!  

There is one certainty in the Muleteer house, even more certain than the sun shining or the birds singing…. There will always be poo to pick up!  We Muleteers are always happy to keep FH’s poo bucket topped up and keep her physically exercised with all the collecting.  FH reckons we produce about 25-40 kg of poo a day between us and boy does she go on about it!

Even Catanian gets in on the act as she likes to help FH collect up the poo, generally her role is to stand on FHs feet whilst she is trying to pick up poo, her tool of choice are the ‘pink poo gloves’, on special occasions she may even bring out the ‘purple poo gloves’ – such glamour.

But we have been busy reminded FH of the benefits of poo…. Have you seen our muck heap of late?

Look at those lovely courgettes that are growing there.  Aren’t they a lovely colour?  The humans like to eat these and they grow ever so well in the ‘rotted’ section of the heap. 

We have also got some squash growing there too who are threatening to take over the whole heap like triffids!  They will be ready in the autumn, yum can’t wait, we quite like squash.

The other side of the heap is taken up with the ‘active’ stuff.  This is all our poo and bedding and greenery that needs to rot for a while.  We have one half rotting and the other half rotted. 

The rotting side is all thanks to our wiggly friends – we have billions of them.  Apparently they are otherwise known as worms.  They seem to love our presents and have a lovely time living in the heap where it's always nice and warm.

The heap is also home to grass snakes, slow worms, toads, at least three blackbirds and a multitude of other critters, whoever would have known poo could be this important?

Our poo is also good for making friends….. strange you may say but true we promise.  Every Spring and Autumn we have a ‘Mule’s Gold’ giveaway where the local gardeners come and take away the rotted half (after it’s finished giving its courgettes and squash).  These lovely folk enjoy viewing the ‘producers’ as any fussy customer should and they are always pleased to know that just good natural ingredients goes in to this heap.   They go away smiling with bags of Mule’s Gold which is nicely rotted and makes their garden grow, they always seem to come back for more so it must be good stuff.

So there you have it, the old English saying ‘Where there’s muck there’s brass (meaning money to those not from British background J)’ might not be entirely true but in this house ‘Where there’s poo there’s power’ just might be.

Miaow! FH come back here, you’ve missed a bit!

Mule Agility

Greetings Muleteers!  Well what fun I had this weekend.  I knew something was up when a mule mobile arrived and I was shown inside.  Yes, yes, been there, seen that, done that, where are we going, when are we going?  Well the humans kept me waiting for another day..... sigh!

Eventually after much faffing around on their part we were ready for the off.  I entered my mule mobile straight away, the flight mule attendant brought my in transit snack of a carrot and off we set.

Gosh MH you do drive like an old lady.... actually that's fine as it means I can balance easy and eat my hay, this is great, if I travel I gets hay not straw - yippee!

Here we are.... woohoo, have you seen all that grass, my goodness me, I have come for a Dragon sized picnic.

 

Well it seems that FH had other ideas.... she appears to think that we are here for a training day?  Apparently she thinks she is training me to do Horse Mule Agility with a group of other equnes and their humans, I think I am training her to do Mule Human Agility.  Whatever, I'm sure we'll figure out who's in charge.

 

 

After lots of showing off to my new fans (they was amazed at my mulificent, good looks and willingness to show my human up ;-) it was time to tackle some obstacles.

 

First up was the curtain thingy, I went through no problems, I was so quick the photo does not show my prowess... Here I am mostly concerned with the grass not the curtain, looks tasty!

 

 

Next up was the hoopy thing, yep I went through and over that quick too and the camera thing didn't catch me..... errmmm FH look at the grass..... come to think of it there is a theme here in these pics??

 

Then off to 'Scarey Corner', why is this scarey?  That's right FH you lead the way and I'll follow like a good muletta should, someone has even left me a helpful sign for directions :-)

 

 

Me and FH is rebels though and decided to go the wrong way round this one way system, just in case you didn't get my best side on camera!

 

 

Then on to some other obstacles, first I had to walk across a wooden bridge and through some barrels and over a tarpaulin, I was so speedy the camera didn't catch me, needless to say I was teaching FH some real agility tricks, in between there was a bit of grass munching - yum!  It was even better because our trainer insisted that me eating grass was good as it kept my brain happy.  I like this trainer she gets my need for feed!

 

Next up is the podium, I think this should be renamed Mule Mound.  I gots my little, itty, bitty muley hooves up there as quick as I could, no place I'd rather be than up high!  FH was well pleased with me. 

 

 

In the spirit of fairness I wanted to give my back hooves a chance too, but then the urge to eat got too much..... it's ok though mules can multi task!

 

 

Then there was some of that ground worky stuff where I had to go backwards, bend round poles and trot next to FH (she's slow but I tried my best not to overtake, it would not have been sporting).

 

 

The human was definitely getting better with this agility thing, we'll have her jumping through hoops in no time.

 

Just one last thing FH, how about the grass eating obstacle?  Can we tackle that now?  If I can just get my head down another couple inches I'll complete that task.

 

It was time to go way too quickly but alas I had eaten enough grass to brag to the minis about, had taught FH some moves, had conquered every obstacle put in front of me and made loads of new equine and human friends - not bad for a day's fun.

So when are we coming again FH?? That was quite fun, although I'm ready for a snooze now!