A few days after I bought my mule, Choctaw, I took him to his first event hosted by our local Mule and Donkey Association.
Thankfully, Apache’s saddle, breast collar and headstall fit him pretty good. He has a nice curve to his back and a a rise to his withers, so a wide FQH bars horse saddle fits.
This is our local Equestrian Park that is only 10 miles from my house. It’s a beautiful facility with a huge sand arena, covered bleachers, restrooms, picnic area, mounting ramps, an obstacle course, lots of trailer parking, water spigots, a manure bin, and a trail system with about 5 miles of trails.
The first activity for the day was a Poker Ride on the Equestrian Park’s trails. I soon discovered that Choctaw likes to lead and can be quite forward when he’s in front. He really seems to enjoy leading.
He only spooked once at something on the ground, at the very beginning of our ride, but it was more of a spook in place kind of spook with a sideways hairy eyeball glance.
This is the President of our local Mule and Donkey Association, Allen. He is a mule guy through and through. He not only rides them, he drives them, too. He is also one of our local farriers, too.
Here is a photo I took a couple years ago of Allen and his 2 sons driving their mules through our local Sonic Drive-thru!
Anyway, back to the Poker Ride………
Along the trail there were posts set up with packets full of color-coordinated envelopes attached to each one. Inside each envelope was a playing card, and we had to take one in the same color as the rest of our envelopes. I quickly discovered that my mule wasn’t fond of suspicious looking posts and wouldn’t let me get close enough to grab my envelopes. But neither would any of the other 4 mules in our little group. Thankfully, one of the gals, Kim, was riding a very short little mule less than 14 hh tall, and she would hop down at each post and hand us each our envelopes.
But!!! there was one post that Choctaw allowed me to close enough to to reach!! (And that may have been my winning card! More on that later. haha!)
Our little group of long ears out on the trail.
Kim, Mandy, Allen, Me and Paula
Choctaw was perfect on the trails. I could not have been happier.
At the end of the Poker Ride, some of us went over to the Obstacle Course to play until lunch time.
That’s Choctaw and I in the background, on the steps.
Checking out the Obstacle Course and the views of South Mountain from between the mule’s ears.
After we played for a while, everyone gathered together for a potluck lunch and BBQ.
There was lots of delicious food!
And I won the Poker Ride!!!!
(And I don’t even know how to play Poker!)
While we humans enjoyed our lunch, our long ears enjoyed theirs. Choctaw and his buddy Jasper are joined at the hip…quite literally!
After lunch there were Arena Games, like Pole Bending and Barrel Racing…..
As most anyone knows, who knows me, I’m not excited about playing or working in an arena. Arenas bore me to tears. My heart is true for trail riding. So, Choctaw and I mostly stood around and watched.
A few times we left the arena and went on a walk-about around the parking lot, just exploring all the goings-on. I learned that Choctaw loves to explore and is very curious about everything and everyone. He especially likes to meet and greet other equines and was quite mesmerized with little donkeys.
But eventually we got talked into entering the arena……….
Since Choctaw and I don’t know each other all that well, I only asked him to walk the barrels at first.
He was a little suspicious of those bright white barrels, but did as I asked…….
I was very proud of him as he was so cooperative and willing……….
So then I asked him to trot…and he did….…
Until we got about halfway to the second barrel and he decided this was all a very weird situation and he didn’t want any part of it.
And he trotted us right back to the gate!
I quickly realized that a 3-piece snaffle is probably not enough bit for him, because when he wants to go somewhere, it’s next to impossible to get him to stop or turn that neck of his when he locks it in place. He’s a strong mule for sure!
Someone at the gate told me to not let him get away with running back to the gate and to make him go back out there, but I decided that was not a good idea because he and I were completely new to one another and I was trying to create trust with him, and so far, he had done everything I had asked. And he was at this huge event with all these new sights, sounds and activities and he had taken it all in stride. I felt that forcing him to walk around a few barrels was really rather pointless.
So, we hung around at the arena for a while watching some of the other games and events, like Mule Coon Jumping……..
And then I asked Paula if she’d like to join me for another trail ride……….Choctaw was happy to be on the trail again, too.
He really likes to lead…..
And when he wants to, that mule of mine can sure step out!
Oh My! Such long ears you have, Choctaw!
Paula and Jasper had to hurry to keep up with us.
I’ve come to realize that when Choctaw is in the lead, his ears are always up and forward, but when he’s not leading, his ears are usually flopping and relaxed. (Reminds me a lot of my friend, KD’s mare, Dixie)
Choctaw seems to enjoy trails just as much as I do, and is always curious about what’s around the next bend in the trail.
Poor Jasper! Paula said that he really had to kick it up a notch to keep up with Choctaw. I think Jasper is used to the slow-poke pace of my Apache mare.
Those trails at our Equestrian Park are very nice and well groomed.
After our trail ride, we went back to the Obstacle Course to play around a little more, before we packed up to head home.
Choctaw was happy to step up and cross the bridge.
But he didn’t care for the pool noodle car wash at all. And the only way I could convince him to go through it was to follow Jasper. We made it through twice, but didn’t get any photos because we had to follow right behind Jasper.
I think the steps make for a good looking photo, don’t you?
And I think Choctaw looks very handsome posing on those steps, don’t you?
At the end of the event, everyone was given a little gift and a goodie. Cute, huh?
It was yummy, too!
Life is Good!!!
