Pixie investigating a new tractor part

Pixie Dust is a small mule who, at the tender age of six weeks, no,that is not a mistake,
I mean weeks and not months, was taken to the auction with her Arabian mama.
Mama was purchased but the new owner did not want a baby mule so she was left hog-tied.
Two women bought her and took her to one’s home where she was raised as a spoiled pet.
Children in the home called her Pixie Dust after Tinkerbelle's wings. She was allowed to get away with a lot of things because she was little and cute. She was rewarded for bad behavior with Fruit Loops cereal. As she grew, her cute but inappropriate ways weren't so cute anymore, the kids were growing up, and money was tight. She was offered to us because we had a mule and maybe could take another. We drove down to meet her and found that she hadn't even been taught to lead. We thought that she needed to have structure and guidance and a lot of behavior modification. Our work was going to be cut out for us.

This month Pixie turns four. She has been here almost a year. She is often a lady but sometimes forgets and tests us to see what she can get away with. The answer always is, not much! When she arrived, it was pretty obvious that she and our other mule, Shepard, recognized each other as similar equines. She regularly tries to bully her uncle Shep but has had little success. She has latched onto Locksley, the youngest horse here, as her boyfriend. There is a stand of oak trees on a small hill in one of the pastures where they play chase whenever the mood strikes them. They are a lot of fun to watch because they are so obviously enjoying themselves.

Pixie is a true guardian of the herd. She is the first one to notice something odd or out of place and the first to investigate. This has gotten her into trouble with Charley, the alpha, who will shove her out of anything he perceives as danger. Recently one of our worker’s dogs - which were not supposed to be at the job site anyway – got into a pasture where Pixie was and he ran for his life to get away from her. He hasn’t gone into any of the horse pastures since then. Go Pixie!

Pixie will revert to the scared little mule that was left tied up at the auction when anyone tries to hold on to her legs to work with her hooves. We work with her on this but have not had much success yet. Patience is the key and time will tell. In the meantime, she has found her niche and tries to behave and do what we ask most of the time. Cookies help. Fruit Loops are a thing of the past.

 

Pixie Dust and Locksley with Larry and the Gator

Trying to keep warm on a sunny but cold winter day with Shep, Twizzle, and Aurora