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Web Exclusive - March 2010
Rescued Mules on the Move: The Winter of 2010 Mule Train
By Ruth Reynolds |
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The old molly mule jumped off the webpage, pulled my heartstrings
straight to herself, and held me there.
It was hard to imagine an old mule in a state of such
horrible neglect could be helped anywhere but out of this world and
the miseries she had undoubtedly suffered.
I came to know such determinations are best left to those
with much more experience.
I learned of Ginny’s having be rescued from neglect when this e-mail
crossed my screen on December 21, 2009:
“There are several mules in a IHR in Indiana if anyone is
interested. They are actually taking offers.. This poor mule was
brought in looking like this but I'm sure shes much better now.”
These weblinks were listed:
Despite knowing my circumstance would not
permit my personally taking on one of the animals in need, I found
myself compelled to contact Indiana Horse Rescue (IHR) about Ginny
and then to present her specific case to the discussion group from
whence the e-mail had come to me.
It turned out Ginny is a very sweet,
old mule with 8 teeth.
By December 21, 2009, she had gained a
good bit of weight in the care of IHR, indicating she had the health
and will to survive her ordeals.
Discussion in an online group about the three mules in need at
various facilities overseen by Indiana Horse Rescue quickly shifted
from “how can people do this to an animal,” to “how can we improve
the circumstance for these mules.”
A member from Wyoming, Lee Blake, shared the
story again of a relay transport event,
“The Great Cotton Train of 2008,” in
which a donkey in need was rehomed from California to Missouri by
subscribers to the mule discussion group.
Lee’s sharing that story was what it
took to get the momentum rolling.
Several discussion group members applied to
the IHR to adopt the mules in need. Others offered funds to help
with the transportation expenses. A transportation relay plan to get
the three mules to their adoptive homes developed quickly.
Debbie Dokter offered a home to Ginny
and Josie, (formerly Jenny).
Ollie, would grow up with other mules
with Anthony and Cathy McAllister.
At the end of a three weeks’ wait for
applications to be approved and for the winter weather to break, a
modern Mule Train
departed with the mules from Indiana on
January 15, 2010.
The 2010 Winter Mule Train Departs
The
paperwork necessary to legally move the
mules through five states included proof of ownership, an interstate
health certificate, and current negative Coggins Test result for
each.
The three mules were gathered together from
several IHR farms and eventually a veterinarian in the Evansville,
Ind., area who would work on mules was found.
The twentyfour hour Coggins reports
came through while the mules waited at a private farm. Ollie settled in quickly with a long-yearling molly in his new home with the McAllisters. With days of play and lessons from his pasture mate ahead of him, Ollie had landed in a good place.
The McAllisters headed out for Sikeston, Mo.,
with the two mollie mules in an enclosed trailer for this coldest
leg of their journey to Texas. They rendezvoused with Cindy and Curt
Price, of Cuba, Mo., at
Lamberts Cafe in Sikeston where the
mules were blanketed and transferred to the Price’s trailer for the
next leg of their journey. After breakfast for people and snacks and
water for the mules the two couples headed separate directions.
The Prices met Ann Wright, of Conway, Ark.,
and her father, Ron, at the Arkansas Visitor Center west of Memphis
on I-40.
The mules were transferred to Wright's
trailer and continued their journey to Benton, Arkansas.
Sheron Hollis and her husband, Robert,
of New Boston, Texas, met Ann and Ron for the first time in Benton
and visited awhile as the mules ate more soaked beet pulp snacks.
When it was time to load up for the fourth leg
of their journey, Ginny applied her brakes.
The team loaded Josie into the front
position this time and eventually Ginny followed her new buddy.
Sheron and Robert headed out from
Benton to the Bar-50 ranch in Bismarck, Arkansas.
At the Bar 50 Ranch the mules were unloaded,
bedded down in covered stalls for the night, and fed after a good
roll.
As a cold rain set in over the Ouachita
Mountains of western Arkansas, Sheron and Robert prepared their camp
for the night.
At dawn Ginny’s vocalizations let everyone
know it was time for breakfast when she saw Sheron appear near the
barn.
These mules had everyone hopping to
accommodate their comforts as smart mules will try to do.
After breakfast, Sheron and Robert broke camp,
loaded up the mules and headed out for Texas.
With Robert at the wheel, Sheron busied
herself with updates to the mule discussion group from her laptop.
Monday morning, Ginny, anxious for whatever the day presented, was a
sharp contrast to the evasive Josie who
expressed to everyone she liked it just dandy in Bivins and
there was no need to transport her further.
She followed her buddy eventually and loaded on Donna
Bryant’s trailer for the last and longest leg of the trip.
Donna arrived at the home of Debbie Dokter in Comfort, Texas, with
Ginny and Josie on January 18, 2010.
The women unloaded the mollies from the trailer for the last
time.
Ginny, to Donna’s
relief, stepped off the trailer with vigor.
With their feet on solid ground, both mules rolled and
investigated their surroundings.
Debbie & Donna, were joined by Internet discussion group members,
Lois and John Carroll who had driven in from west Texas to meet the
two mules and friends. With the mules settled in for the night, the
friends enjoyed a meal prepared by Debbie and a lovely visit.
The three mules’ journey, initiated by Indiana Horse Rescue’s taking
them in and posting information about them on their website had
resulted in getting all three into new homes.
Nine people shared in escorting the mules through five states
and more than 1300 miles.
A global community of 880 mule lovers followed the adoptions and the
journey anxiously on the Internet.
United in purpose --to see these mules make their ways to
forever homes, unlikely to be the victims of neglect or abuse
again--old friends reunited and new friendships were born throughout
the mules’ journey from Indiana to Texas.
When I solicited comments from the escorts as to why they chose
involvement with these mules, the comments boiled down to, “Why did
they do this,”
some will
ask?
Why do any of us
help others ever?
Why do
some seem to help others never?
The answer to that question is as individual as the
participants.
The common
thread in their reasons was that they all love mules and believe
they should be in places where they are understood and appreciated.
Additionally amongst the comments from those who participated this
common thread became evident, “I participated because THIS time
things came together so I could.“
What has become apparent to me is that what appears
insurmountable is not when forces join together…for the love of
mules.
About the author
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