Maxine, the Shameless Beggar!

See what happens when I try to eat lunch in my tack room on lesson day?

Maxine has no shame. She'll eat practically anything that gets within a foot of her lips. You'd think she was starving to death.

At the end of each ride she always gets a treat or two. Usually we stick to horse treats, apples, peppermints, or bananas (her favorite). However, she does have a few guilty pleasures that she gets once in a blue moon, including french fries, Mountain Dew, and brownies. Can you blame her?

Photo: Maxine tries to grab a bite of my peanut butter and jelly sandwich. I can't lie—she definitely ended up getting a bite... or two.

Today was a Good Day

Somebody's Teething

I've been neglecting my blogging duties, I know. It's just that this summer has been so jam-packed with activities, it's been hard to find a moment when I not too occupied--or too exhausted--to write a post.

No worries. I promise to catch everyone up on the summer's adventures.

As you know, when you have a baby--though it's difficult to call a 15.1 hand mule a baby--you get to experience a lot of "firsts." One of our most exciting "firsts" this year was Madge's first camp trip to Graham Corral near Sisters, Oregon.

Shortly after arriving at the campground, I unloaded the girls and tied them in the corral. Each mule was tied to the fence, where they'd stay for the weekend. After setting up water buckets and tossing some hay to get them settled in, I wandered over and visited with friends.

An hour or two later, the camp host asked if I'm move my rig to another location, a request I was happy to oblige. I hopped in my truck and drove around the campground circle to my destination. As I passed the corral where the girls were tied, I noticed Madge kicking her heels and racing around. A very short, wet lead rope was dangling from her halter.

No need to panic, I chuckled to myself. She was still confined by the corral fence, so the most she would do is pester the other mules who were now jealous of the only longear no longer tied to the fence.

After parking the truck, I grabbed an extra lead rope and headed to the corral. Madge trotted over as soon as I entered the pen. I quickly clipped on the lead rope, thankful that I wasn't going to have to chase her around the corral. I tied her tight to the fence post and headed back through the gate. As I closed the gate, I looked up to see her standing with the new lead rope already in her mouth.

"Drop it," I hollered, taking a firm step in her direction.

Madge promptly dropped the lead from her mouth, only to pick it up again within seconds. Needless to say, we're still working on the longevity of the "drop it" command.

Knowing that I don't carry an endless supply of lead ropes in the trailer, I started to consider my options for keeping her safely tied for the duration of the camp trip. I had a few stud chains in the trailer, so I grabbed one and headed back to the corral.

Madge patiently waited as I shortened her lead line and bridged the length between the rope and halter with the stud chain. As soon as I dropped the chain, it was in her mouth. She looked at me quizzically, knowing this definitely wasn't something she could chew through. Fortunately, she was only concerned about the length of line near her mouth. The rest of the rope was safe.

"She must be teething," said my trainer when I told her about Madge's antics.

"I don't doubt that," I replied with a laugh, and sat down to relax.

Madge was a doll the rest of the trip. You'd have never guessed it was her first time in the wilderness. She followed us down the trail like a champ, ponying quietly behind Maxine. Well, there was that one time she decided to take a nap (i.e. lie down) on the trail when we stopped take a quick break, but she was just making effective use of her break time.

She also provided us with a lot of entertainment by kicking her heels in the air whenever she was left alone in the corral or tied to the trailer. The first day or two, she was probably reaching the ten foot mark. By the end of the weekend however, her kicks had lost their steam, and her heels barely cleared two feet.

Maxine was much less entertaining. She stood quietly tied when she wasn't steadily carrying me down the trail. Maxine is priceless.

At the end of the trip, I loaded my two tired mules into the trailer for a long, satisfying drive home.

Photo: Madge, Me and Max, and Travis and Micah, the wonder donkey. I was so excited that Travis came up to ride with us for the day. I'm also thankful that my trainer let him ride her mom's steadfast donkey. It's so fun to have my husband along.

Ouch.

"I'm envious of your day off right now," texted a coworker this morning. "Thought u should know."

Tee hee.

It was a gorgeous day. The first full-on fabulous day in months. The trail show we were scheduled compete in this weekend was cancelled, leaving me with two days off from work. Two days to spend however I please.

Needless to say, I headed down to the barn for some riding with friends.

The crew tacked up, grabbed a few babies (including Madge) to tow along, and headed down the road. We walked, we trotted, we loped, we laughed, we took photos, we soaked up the sun... It couldn't have been a nicer day.

As we were on our way home, I suddenly found myself lying on the ground. Maxine had slipped on a spot of smooth tar and fell to the asphalt. As she was down, I quickly rolled off to the side so she could clamor to her feet. I sat up, unhurt, still holding a mule in each hand.

Madge, who had been a pill during our warm up, stood quietly as I got to my feet. I walked Maxine for a bit, checking for signs of lameness, but she was fine. Other than a sore elbow, I'm none the worse for wear.

A few minutes up the road, we came to a retaining wall--a perfect mounting block--and I was back in the saddle and headed home.

Back at the barn, I checked Maxine's legs again. Other than a few tar stains that I'll have to shave off before the next show, she's fine. After a dose of Bute to ward off any lingering soreness and a long graze in the sun, I took her back to her stall for dinner.

"I hope that never happens to me," said a barn friend, after we returned. While I never wish to fall, I do find that these experiences often have a silver lining. In fact, I learned two lessons today:

1. Maxine needs to be shod with borium shoes for safety on the road, where we do a lot of riding.
2. Even after a fall, a sunny day at the barn is better than a day at the office. I like my job, but I love my girls!
   

Photo: Maxine's road rash.

What I Did This Weekend

Who Says You Need to Grow Up?

Mom sent me the photo on the left today. I opened the e-mail while I was riding Maxine after drill practice. Naturally, I had to send her a reply.

Photo: The photo on the left was taken the year all of the grand kids--EXCEPT ME--received bouncy horses for Christmas. I had to wait 32 years for my "horse." Fortunately, she's not bouncy at all.

Happy Birthday, Madge!

Today, Madge entered the terrible twos. People have been warning me about this since before she was born--often with a sparkle in their eye. Well, I hate to tell them this, but I can't wait!

These past two years have been full of adventure, patience, and personal growth. Doing my best to raise a respectable, young mule has given me so much knowledge that I wouldn't have gained from reliable old Maxine.

Lesson's I've learned with Madge:

1. Don't be the one to start a fight. If I act nonchalant, Madge will follow me though just about anything. I simply expect her to do everything as calmly as Maxine. Is she always perfect? Absolutely not. But I get a lot more out of her if I just expect the best. Plus, I've found that I have a lot more fun dealing with problems spots than I expected. I've always been a puzzle gal. I just didn't realize how well it would translate!
2. Remain calm. Things will go wrong--I guarantee it. Whether you're dealing with an escapee at the park (Baby's Birthday Escape) or a leg over the trailer divider as the result of a tantrum, you'll only make it worse if you panic. Fortunately, this is the one lesson that comes natural to me.
   
3. Never forget she's a baby. With her height and good disposition, I often have to remind myself that Madge is still a baby. That means no ground-tieing in the open and keeping an eye on her, no matter how relaxed she is on a given day. I haven't seen her kick at anyone in about a year, but that doesn't mean don't keep an eye on her hind legs.
   
4. Don't romanticize training. A lot of us equine folks dream about doing it all. Unfortunately, that's just not a sane reality for most of us. There are things I'm very skilled at and things I'm clueless about. The key is knowing which is which, and when to call in the expert. I'm lucky to have a real-life guardian angel who tells it like it is, bringing me down to earth when I'm about to get a little too big for my britches.
5. Call for backup. If Madge does something really naughty or starts repeating a bad habit I can't quite fix in a couple of lessons, I call in the expert. Sometimes I just need a tip to handle the issue, other times I need to hand over the lead rope (Damn!). Either way, I end up with a new skill and a better mule in the end.
   

Thanks for keeping me on my toes, my dear.

Photo: Madge makes it clear that she's simply too hot with a blanket on. She's quite the Woolly Mammoth. I can't wait to clip her in two weeks.

Proud Mule Mommy!

"I've decided to let some of the youth riders at the barn ride Maxine in the show," I said casually, over dinner.

"Won't that affect her training," asked Dad.

"Maybe, but I think it would be fun to see someone else learn from her," I replied. "At least a youth rider would have the chance to win high point with her. My age group is too competitive."

My dad had a point, but I was more amused by the fact that the man who was skeptic when I bought Maxine after only seven months of riding ("That's a big commitment,") is now showing concern for her well-being.

Fortunately, we didn't have to worry. For the past few months, Blyth and Fianna have been riding Maxine during lessons and Maxine loves every minute of it. The girls ride only during supervised lessons, so I know they're all getting proper instruction, and I don't have to worry about their safety.

This past weekend, the girls had the chance to put Maxine to the test during a local trail clinic. Maxine politely carried them for six hours on Saturday--three hours each. At the end of the day, I took a go at the obstacles with Max and I was impressed with how well they'd tuned her up on the course.

The last day of the clinic offered a practice show. I watched as Blyth, and then Fianna, skillfully steered Maxine through the course.

"She's doing a good job on that gate," said the stranger standing next to me. "Hardly anyone's made it through that gate all day."

"Really," I asked.

"Yep," he replied. "That's a nice little mule."

"Thanks," I beamed. "She's mine. I'm very proud of them both."

Proud, indeed. The scores for the practice show were posted today--Blyth received the highest score from her judge and Fianna received the second highest score from her judge. I can't wait to see how they do in the official trail show next month. Look out youth riders, Maxine's in the house!

Photo: Fianna, Maxine, and Blyth getting ready for their clinic sessions.

A Little Drizzle Won't Dampen My Spirits!

I'd love to say that today was a beautiful day for riding. Alas, the rain continues to plague my barn visits. At least the temperature has finally reached the 50s. so I don't have to bundle up.

The advantage to this wet weather is that when I don't feel like riding in the rain, I get to think of other things to do with my girls.

Lately, I've been going on casual walks with my trainer. Each week we choose an equine and head down the road. Madge is my usual suspect. Since I typically ride Maxine on Saturdays, it makes sense to focus my Friday time on Madge. Today, however, I decided to take Max to practice long lining.

If you've ever driven an equine before, you've probably realized know that it's one of the best way to find the holes in your reining technique. When you're driving, you get to see your animal from ear to tail, and any bend in their body is much easier to see that when riding.

While followed Maxine down the road, I realized that she doesn't walk perfectly straight. Instead, her nose bends slightly to the right, which means that her barrel sticks out to the left. To fix her bend, I had to be firmer with my outside rein. This has long been a weakness of mine.

As we walked, I experimented with rein pressure, doing my best to keep Maxine in between the yellow lines on the road. I can't say that we were completely successful, but we showed major improvement by the end of our walk. I'm excited to translate what I learned today to riding.

After Maxine got a treat, I worked with Madge. We lunged for a while, stood quietly at the mounting block, practiced bridling, and snapped through a few showmanship moves. I'm happy to report that she's entered a mouthy phase (yeah, that's sarcasm), but I know that won't last long. Probably about as long as her kicking phase. *roll eyes*

By the end of the day, I was tired, soaked to the knees, and pleasantly satisfied with the work we'd done. The rain may have dampened my hair, but it didn't dampen my spirits.

Photo: Muddy boots = a productive day!

Even Oregonians Have Their Limits!

A few weeks ago, a friend wished that she had a covered arena at her barn. While I don't deny that a covered arena would be fabulous, I replied that we're better off without one because it keeps us from getting soft.

I have friends who are fair-weather riders, and that's fine for them. As an Oregonian, however, I've learned to adapt. If I didn't, I'd be grounded for up to six months each year!

Besides, there are some major advantages to working in inclement weather:

1. When winter comes, you won't find me hiding in my warm house, longing for summer riding. I may long for summer riding, but it will be from the top of a damp mule.
2. My girls know that they're expected to be polite in rain, snow, or hail. Besides, their ears are so big, they can flatten them out to create tiny umbrellas for their faces.
3. If a rain storm hits while I'm on a trail ride, I don't feel the need to hightail it back to the dry trailer. My fellow rainy-day riders and I just pull out our rain coats and keep on truckin'
4. Group lessons are always smaller during inclement weather. I've learned some of my best lessons on rainy days because no one else bothered to show up.

Of course, both of my girls are sacked out to umbrellas, cause let's face it--even I have my limits!

Photo: Maxine and I take a lesson in rain, wind, and hail. I think this is why the one-handed rein hold was invented.

Remember the Hula Hoop

Yesterday, I took a hula hoop out to the barn to see how Maxine would react to it. I got the idea last month while watching the Wind Rider Challenge at the NW Horse Fair and Expo in Albany.

It was hilarious to watch the horses react to the hula hoop. Some took it in stride, while others picked up their skirts and ran. Many horses entered the hoop quietly, but were spooked when the hoop popped up between their legs as a hoof stepped on the side.

The hula hoop they used had a rattle in it, so it sounded like a rattlesnake. Makes sense that many of the horses were spooked by it. No intelligent horse is going to ignore a rattler in the dirt, even if it is purple.

Always looking for something new and fun to try with Maxine, I bought my own hula hoop to see how she would react. Maxine wasn’t having it at first. Like the other horses, she stepped in the hoop just fine, but retreated when it rattled due to the nudge of a hoof. Knowing that she's usually okay with these kinds of things after she can "kill" them (it's the donkey half of her brain), I dragged the hoop with my foot so that she could walk behind and "hunt" it. After about ten minutes, she was walking quietly, albeit cautiously, through the hoop.

Once in the saddle, I again asked her to ride through the hoop. She wouldn’t have it. Moving back to square one, I stationed her nose on the hoop and kept her centered on the obstacle as she tried to move away. To a non-riding onlooker it probably looked like we were practicing dance moves.

That's when it hit me--"Hey, I'm actually good at this!"

I remembered my first trail show when Maxine refused nearly every obstacle. There were so few tools in my toolbox that if smart old Maxine decided something was unsafe, I didn't have a chance against her. The experienced wranglers at my barn seemed to get their animals through every challenge so easily. I envied their quiet, persuasive skills, wondering if I'd ever reach their level of experience.

Over the years, I've slowly added tools to my tool box, and yesterday was the first time I realized how far I've come in this regard. My arms and legs were each working independently and naturally to keep Maxine's nose centered on that obstacle. In less than five minutes, Maxine gave in and walked though the hoop. As a reward for both of us, we left the hoop for another day and took a long ride up the road with friends.

The interesting thing about riding is that each time we try a new discipline, obstacle, or skill, we often start from square one. It can be frustrating to be great at one thing but terrible at another. I sometimes think I'll never master a new skill. From now on, when I feel frustration tingling on the back of my neck, I'll remember the hula hoop.

Photo: Max eyes the hula hoop with caution. She's still not convinced that it won't eat her up.

Poor Baby!

Baby Madge had a rough day yesterday--she was drugged, stabbed, and now she's missing two teeth! No, she didn't go on a trip to South America. The friendly neighborhood vet came round for her first dental visit.

I was very proud of my little girl. Madge stood quietly as the vet gave her a shot of tranquilizer. Her eyes drooped as her nose dropped slowly to the ground. "Is there anything cuter than a dopey baby?" I though, as she looked at me with doughy eyes.

The vet skillfully floated her molars and pulled her two wolf teeth.* Then, I learned how to properly administer a vaccination. There's no better time to learn how to give you mule a shot than when she's is happily hopped up on drugs.

The best part? I got to keep the teeth!

Okay, before you call me crazy, let me tell you a story. Mules have opened up a whole new chapter of my family history. After I bought Maxine, relatives started telling me about their history with mules.

Just days before he passed away, I showed my great uncle a photo of me and Maxine. His eyes lit up and he told me stories about driving mules in the plum fields near Salem, Oregon. It was my last visit with him and the one I'll remember most.

When my grandfather was diagnosed with cancer, the story he always asked me to tell was the one about how I found Maxine--the mule that no one else wanted.

A few years ago, my mom gave me a small wooden barrel. Inside, I found a large mule tooth wrapped in ancient tin foil, accompanied by this note:

"This tooth belonged to Kit, our young mare that we had when we lived in Molalla on a farm. It was her baby tooth. I found it in her box that she ate oats out of in 1916. That's when we lived there, called Russelville."

Nearly a century later, I get to add a new tooth and note to the barrel.

*For my non-equine friends: Wolf teeth are small premolars. Like wisdom teeth in humans, wolf teeth are unnecessary and can interfere with the bit (sometimes causing pain), so many owners have the teeth removed.

Photo: Madge is ready for her dental work.

I Miss My Girls

December has always been a hard month for me to get out to see my girls. With the hustle of the holidays and dreary damp weather, I'm lucky get to the barn once or twice during the last few week's of the month.

Typically, things go back to normal after the new year. As long as the footing is good and it's not pouring, you'll find me back at the barn at least twice a week.

Not this year.

In early January, I headed out to the barn for an evening visit with Maxine and Madge. I delivered grain, gave them hugs, and simply adored them while they quietly munched on their dinner.

I hopped in the car with a warm heart and called Travis on the way home, as I always do. It was a lovely evening... until I coughed.

Then I coughed again... and again... and again.

Three barnless weeks later, I'm finally gettin better. A trip to the doctor confirmed that I'm likely suffering from an acute allergy attack brought on by a mix of alfalfa, sawdust, and the light covering of mold brought on by the damp Oregon winter.

Now, I've always had an allergy to the dust I encounter at the barn. I'm used to the three days of sniffling and sneezing after a show, but this has been unreal. My voice has been gone for a week, and my sides ache from coughing.

Of course, there is a silver lining to my ailment--I haven't longed to see my girls this badly in a long time. It's funny how we sometimes get into routines--arrive, tack up, ride, untack, leave--and forget the euphoria we once felt while doing the very same activities. That's exactly what I've been doing the past few months.

This weekend my routine is going to be different--arrive, hug, stroll, smile, tack up, gush, ride/lunge, love, untack, brush, pause, share cookies, put up, hug, repeat.

I love my girls.

Photo: Madge and Maxine standing happily in the trailer. This year, Madge will move back to the second stall, cause she'll soon be heavier than Maxine!

Top Ten Reasons 2010 Was a Great Year...

Last year, I created my first top ten list in response to the media's bashing of 2009. Things must be looking up, cause the paper isn't so dire this morning.

Still, I thought I'd keep the tradition alive.

1. Travis graduated from Lane Community College with honors.
2. Baby Madge earned THREE Reserve Champion wins at two shows, and Maxine earned a Championship win at the trail show. As a result, I got to add a vest and a jacket to my growing collection of show clothes.
3. Thanks to my friend Emily, Maxine and I got past a big obstacle--the tippy bridge.
4. Travis got a job!
5. By organizing the Tree of Joy at work, I got to help a coworker provide gifts for more than 60 local kids.
6. I won my first top ribbons in Dressage--both English and Western--with Maxine.
7. I found a pair of fantastic English dress boots that fit my "man calves"--right out of the box!
8. My list of riding buddies expanded and I did more horsey campouts than ever.
9. Travis worked at two horse/mule/donkey shows--as an announcer and scribe--so that I could afford to show my girls.
10. Win or lose (not 'til 2011), the Oregon Ducks are in the championship! Yeah, I'm a fan.
    

And now, here are my goals for 2011:

1. To take Madge on her first camp trip, which means her first overnight stay in a campground corral.
2. Canter on Maxine--bareback.
3. Get Madge trained well enough that I can drive her without a header.
4. Go for a trail ride at least once a month--rain or shine!
   

Now, it's your turn to create your own lists!

Photo: Riding on a crisp winter day.