Walking

Had a great weekend - hope you did too.

Saturday I did this practice walk with the pack saddle on. Woman's getting better at putting it on - and I like to keep it from getting too easy by doing lots of stepping sideways back and forth. I still hunch up my hiney when that breechen goes... well... it's just a weird feeling.

Sunday I accompanied Girlchild and Bubba to the arena and met a new horse - the beautiful black thoroughbred Elaina. She instantly became my friend. I told her she could borrow my pack saddle anytime she wanted.

Here's a little video of me - Woman got some new video software. I think she might need to keep practicing, but I'll try not to hurt her feelings.

Bonus question:

What's the title of the song? I think it might be my new theme song....

Ground Driving on a Sunny Saturday

Yesterday we tried a new thing - a bosal.

I liked it because it was pretty much like the halter. Also because I could pretty much do whatever I wanted. Woman walked behind me and pulled my head this way and that, and for a while I cooperated nicely - it was a beautiful day to be out for a stroll, and a change of scenery is always pleasant, as long as it's not too scary. Everybody was very proud of me. After a while, I started to feel sorry for Bubba and Dan being left alone in the corral, and they were making such a fuss that I worried about them. I wanted to go back so they could stop all that annoying whinny noise and running back and forth. (I wish I could teach them to bray - it would be so much more melodic, but they don't seem interested.) Anyway, Woman and I argued about that for a while. I didn't win, but I didn't loose either. I invented a really useful technique, in which I tuck my nose into my chest and turn myself around and around in tight little circles. I'm very bendy, and when I curve around in a C shape it's really hard for anybody to get me out of it! That's great! And if they do manage to get my head straightened out I can just curl around the other way and keep circling! Man says I was like a rolypoly bug. I think that's a handy trick to know, so I'll work on perfecting it.

Maybe someday I could travel around and teach workshops like those clinicians do. Wonder if I could copyright the "rolypoly maneuver"....

Junie

My Goodness!

My internet hero - the blogging mule Fenway Barthalomule mentioned me today in his blog (can you imagine??) - even posted a picture of me and Girlchild which made me feel:

1. Intensely proud (imagine someone famous like Fenway linking to little-ol me!

2. Intensely summer-sick (Human family and I all love that photo, but in today's howling wind and pelting snow, It's hard to believe there was actually green grass like that - and with all my fur I look like a different burro, now!)

3. Intensely embarrassed - I haven't posted on my weblog since the fall! (seems like I can keep up with facebook OR the blog, but I really struggle with both. Woman tells me that the whole thing with the full time day job, two kids and keeping animals fed limits her online-ability. I think she should just loan me her computer! I would try not to track mud in the house too much.

Well, it's an honor. And I should try to catch you up - I might actually get a reader or two, what with the link-love I've been bestowed!

So - since I'm asked to tell readers ten things they might not know about me, I'll combine that with the winter update and write another numbered list... events since September:

1. Bigstupiddog's leg healed up just fine. She's surprisingly durable.

2. Deer tore the biting white string down, so I took Bubba and Dan for a walkabout around the neighborhood. It was fun, but we've since been confined to the panel corral, since the ground is too frozen to re-set the fence posts.

3. I've decided I like the shed after all. I used to feel claustrophobic in there, but it's surprising how a brisk wind at -20 can make one appreciate the cozier places.

4. Girlchild got a steer. I guess that's not really about me, but I keep thinking about Fenway's "no bovine" post, and so far I've just looked at him through the fence.

5. I've done my best to forget everything I learned over the summer about blankets, pack saddles, etc. The kids are still welcome to climb on my back, and I gladly put my head into a halter, but I feign terror at the approach of a saddle like I did when I was "wild". Ha ha! Don't tell the humans I'm faking. It gets me lots more attention if we get to do that whole "desensitizing" thing again, which involves lots of petting and ear scratches.

6. Woman bought me a harness. It was an impulse buy on ebay and it's made for ponies, so we're not sure how it will fit, and since I'm feigning feral regression and it's been not much above zero lately, the wear-ability hasn't been pursued as yet. It has a collar, which looks pretty little to go over my ample and well-eared head, if you ask me. (Which no one has.)

7. I'm out of updates! So I'll finish with some pics of my favorite winter activity: Dog chasing while kid carrying. (dog chasing is fun on it's own, but it's much more fun with a kid on your back. You can pretend you are defending your human from savage wolves, and it's great when the kids bounce around laughing when I go fast and make quick turns.)

Now for the link love!!

I can't believe Fenway got www.hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com. and not me! She's probably worth a double mention - that's one of the funniest blogs of all time.

We love to read Gurney Journey for his well written collection of thoughts about art, illustration, science and such.

No Tech Magazine is great if one is into ... low tech. We love it.

Daily Art Muse inspires with contemporary craft and art.

Leo at Zen Habits inspires us to do more with less

Bearded Roman discusses art in the classical tradition

How many was I supposed to do? Woman loves art blogs, so a couple more:

William Wray has a take on realism that is great to keep an eye on

You will never get tired of seeing the landscape work of Marc Hanson

We could go on and on, but this is my longest post ever, I think, so I better wrap it up.

Sorry for slacking! I'll try to do better! Thanks, Fenway!

I didn't do it!

If you've seen the Bigstupiddog limping around packing a brightly bandaged leg - please know that even though I threaten to stomp the silly beast flat on a regular basis, I DID NOT cause that injury.  Seriously!
And Dan didn't really mean to either - we were all up at the fence and kind of excited because Woman was carrying halters around and we knew some action was going to happen.  (Turned out it was only Feet Guy coming, but you never know.) Anyway, Bubba was being his usual crabby self and he bit Dan and Dan tried to scoot out of his way and Bigstupiddog was bouncing around everybody's feet like she always does...
*sigh*
I guess it wasn't really broken, but needed lots of stitches and re-assembly of skin.... and Woman was annoyed to have to go to the doctor when she had Feet Guy on the way...

Well,  I just wanted to clear that up.  Burros are sworn enemies of dogs, and even if we aren't really serious we have to put up a show of flattening ears and rushing stomping once in a while - I think Bigstupid kind of likes the game.... and I've never actually connected with my hoofs, just as she's never actually laid a tooth on my friends or I.  (Heaven help her sorry hide if she ever does, though!)

So to recap - BSD will be okay, Dan's sorry, Bubba could care less and I was just an innocent bystander.  But I sure hope she keeps out of the way a little better in the future.

Feet Guy Again

Feet guy came again, and I was very good.
I used to really, really (reallyreally) hate to have my feet worked on. I mean, it's just kind of unnatural to let other creatures handle your feet. I need my feet, and I need them under me at all times. What would happen if something bad became of one of my feet? (Shudder...)It used to be SO hard to let anybody touch them, and I just sort... well....I had a big fit. You know what I mean? Do you ever have big fits about things?
So they got long, and ugly, and kind of uncomfortable, but I had such big fits that nobody wanted to trim them.
But - these new humans kind of tricked me, I guess - they rubbed my legs nicely, and then pet my feet nicely, and then I just let them pick up a foot (just for a second!) and they kept bugging me and I slowly got used to it - sometimes they even gave me cookies if I was good (don't tell!)
So the first couple of times Feet Guy came I was really nervous, and I argued with him a little, but he was really patient, and just sort of wore me down, and in the end, it didn't really hurt, and they felt better when he was done - lighter, and comfier.
BUT! TODAY!
I stood at the trailer tied up just like the horses, and I even picked my feet up when he pinched my leg, and I didn't once (NOT ONCE!) yank a foot away from him, or hop around or lean on him to make him let go, or nip his behind or ANYTHING. My humans were very proud, but I acted like it was just an every day thing. It's worth almost anything to show up the horses, you know.
So- yes. Once again - the six year old un-broke burro was better behaved than the three-times-her-age horses. Go figure. (Rolling eyes) Sigh - what do you expect?

Why would I need a bit?

The woman keeps talking about a bit. The horses might indeed need bits, since they can be unreasonable, but why would a steady and willing steed such as myself need anything more than this nice wide purple halter? So I go eat grass when I want to.... it's the just reward for being such a kind and sweet companion. If you see the Woman, tell her The Burro's fine just the way she is. No additional training necessary.

And more water!

Add this to the list of things humans do that don't make any sense. I like dust and sand in my coat. That's why I roll at every opportunity. I don't even shake when I get up, like the horses do. The more dirt I can keep in my hair, the better. But, after watching all the horses get their baths, I obliged the humans their fun, and I showed them that even under this extreme form of torment, the patient and long-suffering burro won't exhibit any of that silliness that the tromping, snorting, wild eyed horses were carrying on with. Burros suffer with dignity, as is fitting.
Lori certainly did give me an enthusiastic welcome! Galloping up and down the fence, braying exuberant greetings - made me feel a little shy, she was so boisterous. Isn't she lovely, though? Clear that she takes after her father.