Along For The Ride...

Photo: Kira Burdeshaw
Yet another installment of our Alabama journey. Be prepared for more pics AND a video! Pull up *still* another round of tasty beverage and enjoy the visual fun!

I had just walked away from happy delirium. Half-way through our stay with equine-super-couple Joe and Cindy, I had tripped over a crazy mirage cloaked as phantom colored draft horse sisters, and their kin, amongst a beautiful landscape. Oh, I had it bad for those two, alright, and even bothered to ask Joe how much for the pair, already trained to drive.

Now I should probably let you know that I already had an inkling that those two would be priced high on the budget, and I was right--though they were oddly not expensive as I thought they could be, for their beauty, quality, and training. But where was I to put two gargantuan animals while I was still stationed--somewhere back there--in a city, and without the carriage part of my horse and carriage plans?  It was impossible, any way you looked at it.

Reluctantly, I left that pasture. There were more horses, donkeys, and mules to look at, but my heart hung on the hook of that paddock, the one with kind white horses.

And yet, we eventually drove to the next set-up...which would be more of Kira's cup of tea, though I definitely had fun meeting our next group of souls. See, this was where a large group of mules and donkeys were pastured, including a mule that Kira had considered for her teenage son. Did I mention that Kira may have a wee stalker-like obsession interest in mules? As in--they probably would engrave such a thing on her headstone: "here lies Kira: she loved mules and converted people towards owning mules, when she could."  I say this in all seriousness, and with the confidence that I am currently far enough away from her, writing this, that she cannot rightfully slap me upside the head!

But neither here nor there...

We immediately greeted the group of equines, and these guys were a bit pushier than the various groups--they DEFINITELY wanted us to pet them. In fact, all pictures of this section were disregarded in an effort to not get stepped on, as each large equine vied for a position amongst us!  Of the more notable animals was one that looked like a horse, but was actually a hinny--the result of a stallion father and donkey mother (mules have a donkey father and mare mother). As such, he looked very much like a horse, but I could see his tough mule hooves.

For Kira's part, she tried gentling the mule she was considering, but because Joe and Cindy had just gotten the mule themselves, the animal was rather skittish. We settled for petting the friendly lot amongst us, then moved on.

Eventually, we found ourselves off a hilly curve of main road, and from there, a small gangly group of little bandits made their way down. I decided to call them the "circus group" because they seemed too little to be for anything other than "show," though they did have quite the personality...

The miniature donkey and pony. Notice the defined spot pattern on the little horse...

We then traveled to a pen in which an older mare and a stallion were housed. I was surprised and impressed to see that the stallion, obviously magnificent and spirited, was quite obedient with Joe and Cindy, and even us. Either that horse was well trained, or my non-horse beliefs about stallions were dead wrong. 

One hot to trot male horse...

Actually, all of the Bullard stallions were undeniably respectful to their owners. I would have a grand display of this when we returned back to the farm. Kira had suggested that Joe harness up a LARGE horse and wagon for me to get a feel for this horse and wagon thing. Joe picked a beautiful black Percheron mare--Mary--an Amish raised horse, as our driving horse:

Photo: Kira Burdeshaw

In the pasture nearby, a hot-blooded, if goofy, young 2 year old black Percheron, who pranced and preened at the sight of the female. Yet when Joe got into the pen (and asked Kira and I to do the same), the horse was sweet as a pup.  You can see the animal's obedience HERE:

In the meantime, we harnessed Mary up in cross-ties in the barn. It was a far more complicated job than when I had to do this for my first riding lesson. Of course, the horse we were using, then, probably only came up to my knee!

Joe quickly showed what to do--I had never seen a hames harness up close, but Joe rather expertly detailed it as he went along. He eventually let me hold onto the giant mare while he fetched the wagon we would be using. I won't lie, there is some part of me still a bit awkward around these large animals, worrying a younger girl's worry about getting stepped on. Clearly, this was imagined, since Mary was amazingly docile, but even Kira had to remind me, curtly, to bring on the confidence...it was so obvious that I was lacking:

Two dark haired lasses, contemplating each other with uncertainty...

Photos Below: Kira Burdeshaw

Once we got outside, Joe backed Mary up into the wagon...



And we were OFF!


To Be Continued....