"Jasmine" -- Beautiful, glossy, big-boned sweetheart of a gaited mule! Her dam was a Tennessee Walking Horse mare and of course, her sire was a gaited jack. She has been shown some, trail ridden quite a bit on many camping trips, including Tennessee, Texas, and Kentucky, and she's a wonderful size, stout enough for any large man to ride, yet gentle enough for a small child to feel safe on. Jasmine gets along great in the pasture, stall or trailer alongside other horses or mules, never any trouble She has always behaved herself like the gentle mule that she is, and she has been turned out to pasture for 3 or 4 months without being handled, brought up, saddled and she went right back to work, just as gentle as the last time she was ridden. Since mules have a longer life span than horses, she can certainly offer someone a lifetime of joy. She's very surefooted and agile, athletic. We showed her in June of 2014 at a gaited horse show, and Ruth, who was 14 years old at the time and just learning to ride and how to train horses, worked her for the month prior to get her ready. When she entered the arena for her first class, a man in the audience started complaining that this was a horse show and mules didn't belong there. There were about 8 horses in that first class, and as Ruth put Jasmine to work on the rail, she went to performing that perfect, even, four beat gait with her head nodding along and ears flopping like an old time walking horse. When the announcer called out their name for second place, the man who had been complaining stood up, clapped as loud as he could and cheered them on to their red ribon. Everywhere Jasmine goes, she wins a few fan with her sweet personality, big ol' ears that she doesn't mind being scratched, and large, adoring eyes. She loves being petted, groomed and bathed. Pretty much a lifetime kind of mule. $6500
Ruth and Jasmine at the boat launch obstacle. She was instructed to pick up the pitcher from the barrel, walk into the water, unreel the pitcher into the water, fill it full, lift it back to the saddle and pour it out. Silly Jasmine, who has ridden into Lake Rayburn many times, decided that she didn't want to wet her tootsies in Lake Waco! Ruth persisted and got the job done.
Riding past the cacti at Reynolds Creek in Waco, Texas.
Last obstacle of the day was an "in hand" obstacle -- side pass over this log. Ruth had never worked Jasmine on this before, and she wasn't quite sure how to communicate this command to the mule. The judge was very patient and helpful. These kind folk at Texas Trail Club were a joy to compete with.
Ruth receives her instructions on the Gold Rush Ride, right after Cheyenne finished. Jasmine had never seen a white bathtub in the middle of a pasture before, either, but they both did great!
Lunch on the trails at Reynolds Creek in Waco, Texas. Wild grapes!
Cheyenne is competing on Sophie and Ruth is competing on Jasmine.
Moonlight ride with electric hula hoops! Great memories during our camping trip in Waco, Texas in Septembmer, 2015. Ruth on Jasmine, and Cheyenne on Sophie.
A couple of the obstacles along the trail during our Texas Trail Club Challenge camping weekend at Reynolds Creek in Waco, Texas in September, 2015.
Fun day! The theme of this competition was "Gold Rush", and on an earlier obstacle, the girls were instructed to proceed down the trail at a trot/gait, and as they came around a bend, a robber yelled "HALT! Give me all of your gold!" They had to execute consistent gait and a good, even halt, then stand quietly while they were being 'robbed'. Later, down the trail, they were told that the robber had been captured and hung, and they should retrieve their stolen gold from his pockets. The judges were in uniform and the competition was as cute as it was educational. Great training day. Great competition day. Great camaraderie. Thank you to TTCC for this photographic memento.
TTCC Champs!! Congratulations to Cheyenne on her first place win with Sophie, and Ruth on her second place win with Jasmine. And Ruth just trained Jasmine to side pass only ONE WEEK AGO!
Cheyenne, on Sophie and Ruth, on Jasmine, goofing off along the trail at the TTRC in Waco. They're trying to push the trees apart.
Gimmee a big ol' smooch, puh-LEEEEEEEEZE?
Click on arrow ABOVE to see several of our horses carrying the United States flag (for practice for parades, shows, desensitization, etc.).
Ruth (14 years old) rode Jasmine in the NWHA Texas Jubilee horse show in good sized classes and consistently won 2nd place in the pleasure classes, ahead of several horses. Here, she is warming up for one of her classes.
Clic kon embedded arrow ABOVE to see Jasmine's beautiful gaiting and gentle disposition.
Kathryn rides Jasmine at home on March 13, 2014.
Kathryn lopes Jasmine on 3/15/14.
Liz is playing around on Jasmine on the sand pile on 4/04/14.
Ruth rides Jasmine through the obstacle course on 4/18/14.
Liz rides jasmine through the sand pile on 5/6/14.
Hideous long-eared creature!
Long floppy ears that begin to swivel 360 degrees when she gets warmed up and starts that head shaking running walk. Just hideous!
The worst part is that when you turn her out to pasture for a year and decide one day that you want to ride her again, she meets you at the gate, puts her head in the halter and stands quietly while you saddle. What fun is that? And then, when you are hoping for a little challenge, to add a little spice to your day, you mount up hoping for some resistance, some bucking, twisting, turning, something to get your heart rate up and let you know that you're ALIVE!!
But, sadly, this mule is just one big disappointment. Jasmine steps right off like you just rode her yesterday. She deprives you of that longing for excitement and adventure, that rush from the adrenaline fix you were hoping to have.
Clop, clop, clop, clop . . . Steady, easy, giving you a boring feeling of security.
Jasmine is a cheap hussy, too! Some people buy a mule for $800 and then spend $650 per month with s trainer for the next two years hoping to get it consistent and dependably safe. This sweet girl has already had several years of professional training, camping, trail riding in the mountains, winning pretty good at horse shows, play days and she would not satisfy someone looking for a project, because she is just flat ruined for that category. Way too safe, gentle and predictable. Her price does not begin to reflect the many lessons she has been taught and good times she has provided. She is definitely not a math scholar!
And those ears . . . she must have fallen on her head when she was born, because she looooooves to have her big ol' leathery furry ears scratched. She lowers her head, closes her eyes and heaves a big sigh of contentment as you stick your arm halfway down inside her ears to rub her itchy spots.
Hideous creature!!
Victor wanted a photo of himself on a mule with his big hat.
Hannah, 8 years old, takes her first ride on a mule!
Ruth, all smiles after winning reserve over several good horses in a pleasure class.
Standing in the lineup, waiting for the judge's decision, June, 2014.
Jasmine and JJ back at the stalls, getting ready to be tacked up for their classes at the Texas Jubilee in June, 2014.
Joshua, who much prefers to be a good distance from hooved farm animals, rode Jasmine just for the experience. Good job, Joshua!
I love this photo. Ruth and Jasmine really bonded and because of their special bond, as well as all of their hard work which produced a perfect, consistent gait, they were hard to beat at the Texas Jubilee Horse Show in June, 2014.
Sweet.
Not petite!
A real treat.
Pretty darned neat.
Healthy feet.
Smooth street!
Easy on your seat.
Fun to meet!
With a bray, she will greet.
Capturing your heart, an easy feat.
A sweeter mule, you'll never meet.
"I love this girl!", she'll make you tweet.
And she makes me goofy, if you couldn't tell. In a good way, of course.
I rode Jasmine through the countryside in Tennessee in September, 2013.
Liz was bringing in Jasmine and JJ from the bottom pasture to the barn so that they could have breakfast and then saddle up for a ride.
Lillie thought that Jasmine was swell!
Feels so good!
This feels good, too! Running and playing, total freedom with her buddies in Otober, 2014.
Click on embedded arrow ABOVE to see our camping trip and trail riding at Big South Fork, Kentucky in October, 2013.
Big South Fork, Kentucky camping trip in October, 2013, in the stanchions where they had to live in between trail rides.
Riding through the camping area in Big South Fork, Kentucky and Tennessee.
Cute Halloween obstacles were set up at the some camping grounds that we rode through. This little Frankenstein was gyrating around because of the fan in it, which was blowing it in the wind.
No need to round up the cattle -- they put themselves in this pen!
Jasmine gets along GREAT in the pasture with other horses, cattle, goats, etc.
Barry just had to try out a gaited mule while we were camping with him in Big South Fork, where we were camping at TruWest Campground in Jamestown, TN in October, 2013.
Liz took Jasmine splashing through the waves and swimming in the lake, even though it was a bit cold in Lake Rayburn, Texas on our New Year's camping trip in January, 2014.
Picket line! Jasmine and our other 9 horses spent the week on a picket line during our New Year's camping trip at Lake Rayburn and the Angelina Forest, Texas, 2014.
Bad Liz!! She is feeding Jasmine a graham cracker by holding it between her teeth.
Riding around at camp in the Angelina Forest, January, 2014.
Using a horse trailer as a makeshift obstacle course, Liz practices with Jasmine.
Ruth takes a turn on Jasmine at home in January, 2014.
Cheyenne switches off and takes a turn on Jasmine, as well.
Jasmine learning to step onto concrete at our campsite at the Trinity River, Texas on 2/9/14.
Click on embedded arrow ABOVE to see Jasmine riding in Tennessee in September, 2013.
Cloud 9 Walkers
P. O. Box 878
Hardin, Texas 77561-0878
(55 minutes east of Houston)
281-726-4545
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Walkers)
