Karen came out again. I really enjoy her visits. She grooms, fusses over me and then takes me out to eat grass. AND I get to scratch myself on the juniper trees if I want to. Karen told Rose that I have always done that, but that I really respect electric fences, so if she wanted to fence me away from those little Pinyons, I wouldn’t bother it. Later Bob fixed that up and now I have my own little pen where they think I cannot get into trouble.

By making my fence, it closed part of the other large pen off, so those other mules have to backtrack to get to the barn. Well, it was so funny last night at feeding time. Daisy had figured it out and was standing by the barn door. I think she maybe the smartest, at least when it comes to food. Ruth and Susie and Sunday were standing by the closed gate, thinking Rose would come and open it for them because that is closer to the barn.

Rose thought they should figure out how to get to the barn themselves since apparently I am going to be here awhile. She went to that gate, shook a rope and yelled, “Shoo!” Susie and Ruth immediately galloped down the fence, made the abrupt left turn and ran to the barn. Not Sunday. Sometimes I wonder how horses survive. She just made little half circles and kept coming back to the gate. Rose gave up and led her to the left turn. I am curious whether she has learned how to do it, or how many times it will take to figure it out. Glad we have that donkey blood—we are thinkers!

Also when Karen came, I showed her the mule trick of being very lame. She was impressed. Rose told her that when Ruth Ann was very lame with high ringbone in the right front ankle, she did that lame trick by putting her leg way out from her body. Rose did know she was lame, but Ruth was not going to let her forget. Now Ruth is ok. Rose gives her turmeric capsules every day and that worked as well as Bute. I am on turmeric now too. I hope it helps me.  Also Ruth does not do the lame thing anymore. I guess we have to be sure and only use that lame trick when we really need it.

We animals can communicate, our humans just need to listen. Rose told Karen the story of her feral barn kitties. They are fairly tame, but not like house cats. The little black female showed up one day with really bad runny eyes. Rose put medicine in but the very interesting part of the story is that Lucy, the cat, showed up like clockwork twice a day for her treatments. That went on for about ten days! Now anyone who knows cats knows they don’t like stuff put in their eyes, or anywhere else probably, but Lucy knew she needed help. Then one morning, no Lucy. Next time Rose saw her, her eyes were just fine. Every now and then Lucy needs help for a day or two and she lets Rose know. I never really thought that cats were very smart, but maybe they are!

If you like animal stories, all Rose’s books are superb, but my favorite will always be MULES, MULES AND MORE MULES because Karen said it was wonderful and read it two times back to back! She said it reminded her of her mule adventures with me!lottie-1

Both Karen and I were younger here

 

 

Advertisement