28th February 2015

Catching, simplified.

This past week, I’ve mostly been working on liberty stuff with the mule – hanging out with him, being friends, and asking him to walk with me around the paddock....

27th February 2015

Catching: a time line of events

Although I’m always dealing with varying degrees of a sore back (I have lordosis in my lower spine and mild scoliosis in my upper spine, because I am a very...

25th February 2015

The mule and his therapist, part 3

Saturday was the mule’s final session with Stacey. As with last week, it took place at liberty in the field and the mule was very eager to take part (although...

20th February 2015

I will be very glad when this catching problem is something we can look back on and laugh at.

Well, the mule’s catchability did not last the week. The last two times I caught him, Iris had already been taken out of the field; and as he was reluctant...

18th February 2015

The mule and his therapist, part 2

Marty’s second session with Stacey took place in his field, at liberty. I was glad that I wouldn’t have to try and catch him (it’s sad to admit, but I...

16th February 2015

The art of catching

My theories about catching the mule have evolved over time. I used to believe that, if I set out to catch him, I had to catch him – no matter how long...

12th February 2015

The mule and his therapist

On Sunday we had a visit from Stacey Bevan, a healer and animal communicator who specialises in horses. I’d come across her name on a local Facebook group, where the...

11th February 2015

The mule wears saddles now. Saddles are cool.

I am very proud of my mule today: he wore his saddle and girth for the first time! Walked around with it like he’d been doing it his whole life....

9th February 2015

A sunny stroll on the common

It was a beautiful afternoon, warm and sunny, and I ambled out to the field to see if the mule could be persuaded to come out for a walk with...

6th February 2015

Time to crack out the tiny victory flag

The mule was easy to catch today, but I rather suspect that was because I don’t usually work him on Fridays and he thought it was going to be a...