Arrowhead Ranch: My New Mule

Yes, that’s right. I bought a mule! His name is Choctaw and he’s 8 years old and he’s originally from Oklahoma. I bought him from a couple who live in Southern New Mexico. They traveled to OK and bought him last November for the 81 year old husband. Here he is riding a fuzzy Choctaw during the winter, not long after they bought him.

They bought him because his Molly Mule became difficult to catch and ride, so they considered selling her or retiring her. But soon after they brought Choctaw home, his Molly Mule became jealous anytime he rode Choctaw and quickly became easy to catch and ride again. So, since they already had 4 mules, two of which are under 4 yrs old and will be trained to drive/pull a cart, they wanted to downsize.

I had been getting the word out that I was looking for a new equine for my husband to ride, as well as to allow my Apache mare to semi-retire due to some arthritis she has in her left shoulder. It didn’t take long before a new Facebook friend contacted me about her and her husband’s mule they were planning to put up for sale once he shed out in a few weeks.

The 81 yr old husband had only ridden Choctaw a few times since they bought him last November and he hadn’t been ridden at all since December. Choctaw’s first and previous owner was also a man. He and his wife had owned Choctaw since he was 6 months old, but decided to sell him last Fall because the husband was working long hours and didn’t have time to ride anymore.

Here’s a photo of Choctaw being ridden in OK, by his first owner.

Since I had never ridden a mule before P offered to come along with me and become my “mule mentor”. She was even a good sport when the drive became a 2 hour adventure including a 40 minute tour down graveled, washboard roads once we entered the ranch community, surrounded by flat, featureless prairie with weathered, sand-blasted signs warning us to “ssshhhhh, pronghorn antelope graze here”. Well, ok then.

When we finally arrived at Laura and Bob’s ranch out in the middle of nowhere…quite literally, my first impression of Choctaw was of a curious fellow. He and his 2 young pasture mates left behind their pasture and came up to their paddock and barn to check out us new arrivals.

Since it was important to me to be sure Choctaw was trail ready and trail savvy, I wanted to take him out on a trail ride, so Laura and Bob told me to tell P to bring her own mule and they would take us out on the ranchland that surrounded their own ranch. P saddled up her mule, while I got to know Choctaw a little better.

After Bob took Choctaw for a little spin around the round pen, I decided I was ready to hop on and ride him, too. My biggest problem was trying to manage those pesky split reins. I’ve always had two left hands when it comes to split reins, so I was glad that I brought my own one piece cotton reins. I also wasn’t very comfortable in Bob’s hard leather saddle, so I was glad that I brought my own that day, too.

So, Choctaw and I left the round pen and rode all around Laura and Bob’s house and out their front gate. Choctaw was perfect and did everything I asked. The only thing I noticed is that he was chomping at the bit a lot and kept gaping his mouth, but I chalked that up to the type of bit that he was wearing, a rust covered, twisted iron single-jointed O-ring snaffle. And I was extra careful to be as light as possible with my hands.

And I took my first ever Between the Mule Ears photo!

While Laura and Bob were saddling up, I switched out their saddle for mine and removed their reins from his bridle. And then we were ready to head out into the foothills of the Chupadera Mountains.

Choctaw reminded me a lot of Apache…slow, laid back and almost the same height. Choctaw has a flatter back and a wider barrel than Apache, and he also has a very comfortable gait, too. I was told that he’s out of a Tennessee Walker mare, but they don’t know if he’s actually gaited, because they’ve not ridden him very much and tried to get him to gait. Well, his walk is very comfortable as well as his trot. I can see me traveling long distances in just those two gaits. He also is barefoot…something that is very important to me. And I noticed immediately that he has very tough, hard feet and that traveling over rocks didn’t bother him at all. In fact, he never once tried to find a way around any rocky sections we rode. he just motored right on over and through all the rocks.

Whoohoo! I’m riding a mule!!! (Wake up Choctaw!)

Hard to believe Laura’s husband is 81 years old. He is pretty fit, although he limits his rides to under 2 hours due to arthritic hips. And they both used to be into horses, but now only ride mules.

Me and Choctaw and Paula and Jasper.

I was happy when the landscape changed from flat to deep arroyos and we were able to ride up and down steep hills and over rock steps so I could see how Choctaw handled them all. The trails I’m used to are all in the mountains and cover some varied terrain that is rarely ever flat, and that’s what I enjoy riding. So, finding an equine trail partner that not only can handle trails like that, but also enjoys them is important to me. And Choctaw did not disappoint. He took everything in stride and never balked at anything.

One of the arroyos we rode through that day.

I must admit that you just can’t help but smile every time you look through a mule’s long ears. They flop around and they seem to have a life of their own.

Getting ready to negotiate our way down into a steep arroyo with Bob in the lead.

Riding out the shallow end of the arroyo we were planning to ride up the steep slope, so Bob and Laura could see if they could spot their small herd of cattle from the top of one of the hills.

Up we go……..

Pretty soon everyone else left us behind. It was clear to see that Choctaw was out of shape as he hadn’t been ridden for the past 7 months and he’d only been pastured on flat lands. So, we just took it easy and strolled our way up the hill.

Choctaw says, “I think I can…I think I can……I think I can”

Nicely done Choctaw…we’re almost there.

Whew! I just had to give my ass a rest!

And then you just know I had to shoot another Between the Mule Ears photo!

The views were incredible up there! Even better as seen from between some beautiful black long ears!

And as usual, P was taking a picture of me taking a picture of her! haha!

I must admit that there was one moment during my ride where I got a little nervous. And that was when we got so far back behind everyone else, and the thought occurred to me, “I don’t know this equine. What if he gets nervous about being all alone with this strange human on his back and he bolts for home? Choctaw never acted nervous and he never showed any interest in catching up with our riding partners, but I still felt a little nervous. So, I called out to P to slow down, but she was was at least a football field or more in front of me, and she couldn’t hear me because the wind was blowing hard in my direction, carrying my voice behind me.

So, I did what I sometimes do when I’m nervous while riding an equine, and I laughed, sang and talked to Choctaw. And I felt better and we were both very relaxed and enjoying ourselves.

Now these are some impressive ears!!

Eventually we caught up to everyone and we took a little rest and water break….it was already over 90 degrees, and without a tree or any shade anywhere, we were all feeling a bit withered, hot and tired.

It is too much fun having long ears to look between!

We made our way back to their house, where we watered all the mules in their stock tank. Choctaw loves water. He enjoys washing his mouth out, slapping his lips in the water, splashing, and just resting his chin in the water. He was cracking me up.

Lots ‘o long ears bellying up to the bar! Check out Choctaw’s airplane ears! haha!

My plan was to go home, take a few days to think about it, then come back out and ride him again before making any decision to buy him. I knew I had time, since Bob and Laura had no plans to post him for sale anywhere yet. He had only been offered to me at this point, so I didn’t feel rushed at all to pull out my checkbook.

But….just look at that face!

Choctaw says, “Won’t you take me home with you today?”

And I felt an immediate connection to him and the longer I rode him, the closer I felt. There was nothing about him that I didn’t like, and I was actually feeling sad as we were packing up to head home. It didn’t feel right to leave Choctaw behind!

So, I didn’t!!!