November 30, 2018

November 27, 2018

mule and family notes, mmxviii-xi-xxvii


Cora and PJ and PJ and Malcolm and CĂș

November 26, 2018

mule notes, mmxviii-xi-xxvi


Today we had our best ride yet. Beautiful day, crisp and clear.

November 24, 2018

trail notes, mmxviii-xi-xxiv















a trip to doeskin ranch nature preserve with Bren 

November 23, 2018

mule notes, mmxviii-xi-xxiii

Cora Uptownmule got to try on her new foul-weather blanket today

November 21, 2018

ranch notes, mmxviii-xi-xxi

Cora Graymolly and the Gang of Bays
ha good band name

trail notes, mmxviii-xi-xxi

November 20, 2018

trail notes, mmxviii-xi-xx


mule notes, mxviii-xi-xx


We worked on standing still at the mounting block today, and I got on her a couple times and rode at a walk from one end of the arena to the other and back and called it good.

snippets, 11-20-2018

Boy Scouts in a war zone (Mail & Guardian).

November 19, 2018

mule notes, mmxviii-xi-xix

Cora got a hoof trim today. She doesn't like having her feet messed with but she was pretty good for the farrier. Her back right hoof seems to be twisting inward a little - the farrier thinks that might indicate a hock or hip or back issue on her left side. I haven't really noticed her favoring it, but we'll have to keep an eye on that.
After her trim we grazed for awhile and then went for a nice trail walk. I'm trying to get her more comfortable visiting the back part of the ranch before we do any riding back there - she's super wary, and I don't need her bolting out from underneath me. (In the top picture she's reacting to a bird flitting around in the junipers.)

November 16, 2018

mule notes, mmxviii-xi-xvi

72 degrees, clear, light breeze, beautiful.
I turned Cora out this afternoon and hung out with her while she grazed.
Mule meditation. Listening. Breathing.

November 15, 2018

a nice visit, mmxviii-xi-xv






Malcolm had to go to the doctor this morning and later we walked to the park.

November 14, 2018

trail notes, mmxviii-xi-xiv

mule notes, mmxviii-xi-xiv

I knocked off the mud clods but we're going to go easy on the grooming for a while; apparently if you brush too often you're removing water-repelling oils. I measured her today to order a turnout blanket so we'll have one but we're not planning to use it except in the very worst winter conditions.

She's already pretty fluffy.

November 13, 2018