My adventure started Friday morning. I got out of work at 4:30AM (I usually get out at 5:30am) I got home, fed the critters and decided I had time to take a 2 hr. nap. I was already packed up and ready to go for the most part. After my nap, I decided I would take my truck and trailer out back to the garage and check the fluids and tires. I am notoriously bad about doing that and thought for once I'd be a good girl. It's a bit of a pain to take the trailer out back since there isn't a lot of room to turn around with my boarders trailer out there. And it's up a short steep hill to the garage that makes backing out even more awkward. But it's certainly do-able. I checked everything. I did have a couple tires low on air. I took care of that. I got back in the truck, start backing down the hill and.......NO BRAKES!!! AAAGGGHHHHH. I pump them...nothing, except the trailer brakes which was only slowing me down on that steep hill. Ok, I'm heading right for my boarders trailer.......AAAHHHH. I tramp the emergency brake, stay on the regular brake to keep engaging the trailer brakes and grind slowly to a halt. Now, I'm mostly worried about the heart attack I'm about to have. I put the truck in gear, pull back up to the garage and do what most of us ladies do. (I say most!) I go and get my husband. Now, he's not a mechanic, I know there’s most likely nothing he can do. But, I still feel compelled to at least vent about the problem to him. As expected, he said, "what do you want me to do, call your mechanic." And that is what I did. My mechanic told me it sounded like a break line went. Fred managed to carefully back the trailer down the entire driveway and up into the front yard. He then helped me get unhooked and without the trailer I had just enough brakes to slowly drive it to the garage. It was the break line and they had it fixed within an hour. PHEW! All I could think was that I could have been out on the road with my horse and mule in the trailer when that happened. Someone is watching over me!
I went home, hitched up, loaded Rosemarie and Emma Jane and I was off. Barbara, who is leasing Marie, was busy this weekend. So, I had another friend, Heather, ride Marie. Heather’s horse unexpectedly had a baby 2 months ago so she is without a horse to ride right now. Heather has another horse but had already told her friend Catherine she could ride him in the competition. I had told Heather I would be at the Fairgrounds at 9:30 am. I tried calling her on her cell phone with no luck. You can’t get a cell phone signal in Waterford. I knew she would be wondering where I was since I now would not get there until about noon time. Margaret had the day off from work and was also planning to get there early. I was a real special ride for both of us since Marie nearly died just one year ago from Purpura which she got as a reaction to her Strangles vaccine. Margaret’s horse Promise nearly died last fall from a tumor on his intestines and complications from removing it. And Promise is 25 years old.
This was the first time I would be camping out with Emma Jane. The ride is held at the Waterford Fairgrounds. There are stalls but they are the open cattle type. You have to rig up something for the front of the stall if you want to turn them loose in the stalls. I just brought along some rope. I knew Marie would stay in that. I was just praying Emma Jane would too. The rope looked like electrobraid fencing and Emma Jane wouldn't go near it! YEAH! I hung her water bucket close to the rope and later noticed her "scratching her lip" on the far edge of the bucket. After watching her do this a few times I realized she was thirsty and trying to pull the bucket away from the rope. Poor girl! I immediately moved the bucket away from the rope and she took a big drink! The sides of the stalls are quite low and for a moment when I first put Marie and Emma Jane in the stalls, Emma Jane considered jumping into Marie's stall. There was a bit of a tense moment. But then she settled right down.
Pre-ride vetting was set for 3:00 PM. We all started lining up by 2:30 PM. The vet was late to arrive. While waiting, everyone was asking me tons of questions about Emma Jane and mules in general. It’s so rare to see anyone with a mule here in New England. Especially Maine. Many questions I could answer, some I could not since Emma Jane and Bonnie’s mule Blossom are really the only mules I know. Many of the horses would sniff curiously at her. They could tell she was not another horse.
Well, unfortunately Emma Jane did NOT like the lay judge. The lay judge was Vicki Austin and seemed to be just a little bit nervous about Emma Jane. She kind of snuck up slowly and far too cautiously and put Emma Jane right on high alert. Emma Jane did pitch quite a fit. Of course I was in the front of the line so everyone was watching. I finally had to do the "circle game" with her. I give her the choice of trotting around me in circles without a rest or quietly doing what is being asked of her. Emma Jane know how that works between us and that I am willing to watch her do circles longer then she is willing to actually do them. So, she then decided to tolerate the Vicky touching her. Everyone got such a laugh at Emma Jane's expression. Ears at half mast with crinkled up mouth and nose. It was very obvious what Emma Jane thought of the whole thing but she stood quietly like a good girl. The vet judge was Craig Dowd. He was also watching all this and when it was his turn to examine Emma Jane he didn't look too excited about it. But he walked right up confidently, got right down to business and Emma Jane was perfect for him. And she then did a nice trot out. Marie being the old pro that she is, vetted in easily. Though she did rush forward when finishing the trot out and nearly took Heather off her feet! Heather had to haul her back and then repeat her straight line trot out.
After vetting in, we settled the horses and mule back in their stalls and headed down to Melby’s for supper. When we got back we got our chairs and hung out in the barn until it was time for bed. Emma Jane was very good about camping. She was quiet and well behaved. She didn't pace, paw, chew wood or bray. (much to everyone's relief) I was able to get a good night sleep which I wasn't expecting.
It was hot and muggy Saturday. The air got dryer later in the day but it stayed hot. After feeding Marie, Emma Jane and Maddy I went down to the kitchen and had my usual pre-ride oatmeal and coffee. I chatted with some of the other riders for a bit. The riders meeting was at 7:30. The ride was to start at 8:15. Our group was going out near the end. We got tacked up and all the equines were being very good. There was a bit of confusion with the starting order. Heather and I were supposed to be going out together. Margaret and Catherine were to start just before us. Somehow, the numbers got mixed up and had split Heather and I. Marie started getting upset as I headed off without her so thankfully at the last minute ride management decided to let the 4 of us go together.
Cindy Ross on Emma Jane
Margaret on Promise took the lead right off and set the pace. He did great and set a perfect pace. Emma Jane and I stayed behind them most of the ride. Marie hung back a bit with Emma Jane then decided she wanted to keep up with Promise. Then Marie and Maddy switched back and forth behind Promise most of the ride. Emma Jane was WONDERFUL the whole ride. Quiet and steady on the trail. Madddy did quite a few impressive spook and spins. Catherine did a great job of staying on and keeping him going. We got to the hold in good time. Emma Jane was a complete and perfect lady at the hold. Didn't even so much as twitch for the P&R or the vet check. She pulsed right down to 45 in less the 10 min. Trotted ok. (reluctant going away from Marie, very energetic going toward Marie!) Marie vetted out fine as well as Promise and Maddy and we were good to go. My only worry was that Emma Jane had not taken a drink yet.
We headed out on the second half of the ride on only a few minutes late out of the hold. At one point on the trail, there was a spot where a culvert was being replaced. Half was done and passable for the horses. But, the man working on it was actually in the ditch working on the culvert. Marie, Promise and Maddy all stopped dead and refused to move. After all, there really WAS a booger in the ditch. Emma Jane had been behind the horses the whole ride. While the horses were snorting and whirling around, Emma Jane suddenly marched out around them, without me asking, walked right through then stopped dead on the other side and waited for the horses. You could just tell she was saying "come on you stupid horses, we have a ride to finish!" I was SOOOOOO proud of my mule!!!!! I had been sponging Emma Jane along the ride but from the ground. I wasn’t sure what she would do if I launched a sponge from a string off her from the saddle. I’ve seen people get hurt doing that for the first time at a ride. Since I was on the ground already sponging Emma Jane, I was also sponging Marie. I could do a better job from the ground anyway. Emma Jane was being very good about being sponged so, at the last water stop, I finally sponged her from the saddle. She eyeballed the sponge as it hit the water and I dragged it back but didn’t do anything. After a couple of throws, she ignored it completely. I was also feeding her greens (tree leaves) from the saddle occasionally. The first couple times I leaned forward and stuck my hand out beside her face kind of freaked her out. I had to really pull her head around so she would look at what was in my hand. Once she figured out what I was doing, she was pretty happy about that! Hahahaha. Greens (grass, tree leaves, etc.) are good for helping to keep their gut sounds good and help hydrate them. Greens are also loaded with the electrolytes that they need replaced from sweating. About 20 miles into the ride, Emma Jane started drinking.
Catherine on Maddy and Heather on Marie
We finished in good shape. Heather’s knees were really hurting her from riding a horse that is as wide as Marie. Marie is like sitting on a 55 gallon barrel! We really put lots of water on Emma Jane and Marie to cool them down. Emma Jane was wonderful for the P&R. She was also perfect for the vet. But still didn't want the lay judge, Vicki, touching her. She didn't pitch a fit. She really tried to be a good girl. I don't know if this is common for the more "shy" mules but I know with Emma Jane, if she isn't happy about being touched but is trying to behave, just before she just can't "stay with you" any longer, she will twitch and cringe and then scoot away. She was doing this when the vet was trying to touch her in the girth area. Emma Jane was not at all sore. But, the judge took off 2 points for girth soreness. I even ran my hands all over the girth area to show her that Emma Jane wasn't sore but that didn't help. Oh well. Emma Jane was also a bit dehydrated. And she did do her "trot outs after a ride are stupid" routine. But, we finally managed and got it done. I had to trot out Marie since Heather’s knees were hurting too much for her to do it. Marie did great.
I was so pleased with Emma Jane. She was so much more relaxed on this second ride and very well behaved over all. She has come such a long way in just 8 months from the mule I brought home that couldn't be saddled, bridled, ridden or touched in most places. I never dreamed she would change so much in such a short time. I got most of my stuff packed up between the hands on and trot out. So, once that was done, we headed right down for the meal. They served a chicken stew that was full of beans. The stew was fine but the beans of course were nasty! (I hate beans!)
We all came down for the award ceremony. They started handing out the awards and Emma Jane placed 7th. They had given out awards up to 2nd place and Marie’s name had not been called. Hummmmmm. Then they realized they had messed up and had to take back all the ribbons and start again. Emma Jane was still 7th place. She had a score of 94.5. And 2 point of that were for the "sensitive girth area" that she didn't really have. So, she did great. Ribbons were passed out from 6th place up. They called out 5th, 4th, 3rd and still no Rosemarie. Then 2nd…….not Marie. To my total amazement, and delight…. Marie won Grand Champion of the ride!!!!! I have waited 7 long years for this day when Marie finally won the “big one”!
Crooked River 30 ME 5/27/06 13/S-F
Judges: Dr. G Dowd - Vickie Austin
J1. Morning Star Wakita / Wright, Caliegh
J2. SA Mr Madazsin / Daggett, Catherine
1. Marie / Bonneau, Heather (score 98.50)
2. Thunder / Veinneau, Mindy
3. LWF Paljoe Promise / Farnum, Margaret
4. BW Warrior / Brone, Ruth Bither
4. DLA Cassidy / Hatch, Janice Conley
6. Thunder / Stygles, Amanda
6. Stonewall Sally / Hoyt, Colleen
8. KA Shiloh / Niedoroda, Susan
9. Misu Koran / Navoy, Cory
9. Emma Jane / Ross, Cynthia (score 94.50)
11. S/B Mighty Country / Burgess, Robert
