My weekend
- Thread starter Muley Gil
- Start date
Are the mule and donkey just pets you enjoy having around the place? Are they related? What’s the back story?
OP
Well, I've owned Betty Boop (mule) since 1999. I bought her at a sale near Oxford, Alabama. She was about 9 years old then. She came out of Georgia and was trained to work and to ride. I brought her up to Virginia when I retired in 2001. When I went overseas in 2002, she was boarded with a neighbor who had about 20 some horses.
When I got back to the States 5 years later, I moved her onto my land. Equines are herd animals and Betty must have been lonely for her horse buddies, 'cause she found a weak spot in the fence and went exploring. My land, at 2500', sits at the base of a 3500' mountain and of course she headed uphill. The land had been graded with a road to the top and she followed the road mostly. Betty had a good head start and covered ground faster. I got to the top and her tracks were going west. Did I mention that this occurred just before dusk? I decided I better head down before it got dark.
Around 9:30 PM, I took a strong light and decided to walk along the road, hoping she had come down off the mountain. A couple of boys in a pick-up and asked what I was a lookin' fer. I told them, "A mule." and one of them said, 'My uncle has one in his back yard that just come up." I went back to the house and got my truck and followed them to the uncle's house. Sure enough, Betty was out back. Uncle Jeff followed me back to my house, just over a 1/2 mile, so that I wouldn't get run over. Back at the house, I closed a few gates and let Betty loose. Uncle Jeff then carried me back to get my truck.
The next day, I went up on the ridge, fixed the fence and then walked the perimeter to make sure I hadn't missed any other weak spots. I only have 20 acres, but the house sits in a holler, with ridges on both sides. One spot, that leads down to the creek, is so steep I had to hang onto the fence in order not to slide into the water. After that chore was done, I called the man that had boarded Betty and asked if he had or knew of any body that had a donkey for sale. The next day he brought me Jake, who was about a year old. At first, Betty didn't want anything to do with this long eared stranger. He would walk up to her and she would cock a leg. Betty never did kick him though. Two days later, they seldom left each others side.
So, that is the back story. They are just pasture pets now. Yesterday, after going to town and eating lunch, the oldest grand daughter, the one that was taking the pictures, asked if she could go pet Betty and Jake. I told her sure. I went inside and went back outside just in time to see her running towards the front of the house. She hadn't fastened the gate good and Betty got out (again). I took the truck, where Betty's halter and lead rope happened to be, and went after them. Long story short, I was able to catch Betty and take her back to the pasture. Of course, I told Sara that everything was OK and that this mishap wasn't the first time Betty had gotten loose.
Ain't life in the country grand? I wouldn't trade it for anything!
When I got back to the States 5 years later, I moved her onto my land. Equines are herd animals and Betty must have been lonely for her horse buddies, 'cause she found a weak spot in the fence and went exploring. My land, at 2500', sits at the base of a 3500' mountain and of course she headed uphill. The land had been graded with a road to the top and she followed the road mostly. Betty had a good head start and covered ground faster. I got to the top and her tracks were going west. Did I mention that this occurred just before dusk? I decided I better head down before it got dark.
Around 9:30 PM, I took a strong light and decided to walk along the road, hoping she had come down off the mountain. A couple of boys in a pick-up and asked what I was a lookin' fer. I told them, "A mule." and one of them said, 'My uncle has one in his back yard that just come up." I went back to the house and got my truck and followed them to the uncle's house. Sure enough, Betty was out back. Uncle Jeff followed me back to my house, just over a 1/2 mile, so that I wouldn't get run over. Back at the house, I closed a few gates and let Betty loose. Uncle Jeff then carried me back to get my truck.
The next day, I went up on the ridge, fixed the fence and then walked the perimeter to make sure I hadn't missed any other weak spots. I only have 20 acres, but the house sits in a holler, with ridges on both sides. One spot, that leads down to the creek, is so steep I had to hang onto the fence in order not to slide into the water. After that chore was done, I called the man that had boarded Betty and asked if he had or knew of any body that had a donkey for sale. The next day he brought me Jake, who was about a year old. At first, Betty didn't want anything to do with this long eared stranger. He would walk up to her and she would cock a leg. Betty never did kick him though. Two days later, they seldom left each others side.
So, that is the back story. They are just pasture pets now. Yesterday, after going to town and eating lunch, the oldest grand daughter, the one that was taking the pictures, asked if she could go pet Betty and Jake. I told her sure. I went inside and went back outside just in time to see her running towards the front of the house. She hadn't fastened the gate good and Betty got out (again). I took the truck, where Betty's halter and lead rope happened to be, and went after them. Long story short, I was able to catch Betty and take her back to the pasture. Of course, I told Sara that everything was OK and that this mishap wasn't the first time Betty had gotten loose.
Ain't life in the country grand? I wouldn't trade it for anything!
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OP
Glad you clarified who was who
I haven't made it due to the family showing up. Maybe tomorrow. Maybe.
Ole Joe Clark
Absent Comrade
When are you coming back to Oxford? Great story by the way.
Have a blessed day,
Leon
Have a blessed day,
Leon
I have seen Betty and she is a lot bigger than she looks in the photos. Also she loves licorice. You do not want to be the person who hands her the last piece of licorice. She doesn't like the concept of "no more licorice" and you will get thoroughly searched.
yaktamer
Member
I took the kids target shooting up on the Mogollon Rim. Beautiful day in the forest. On the was back we stopped in Strawberry (pop. about 1000). Lots of folks there have horse, donkeys, mules and/or goats. Kids got excited when they saw a few llamas in one of the corrals and made me stop to take pictures. But one of the highlights of the day was the zebra in someone's backyard. When I first spotted it I thought it would turn out to be a mule painted up to look like one, but it was the real deal.
OP
