As we prepare for our move, the foremost concern in our minds was to find good homes for the farm animals.
My husband Mike found a home for Oreo, the goat he called Devil Goat because she'd bedevil us by weaseling her way through the electric fence. Mike met a couple at the chicken swap who took Oreo, and he asked if they were in the market for a class B mini-horse and mule. They were.
It was important for us to keep mother and offspring together, so not only did we give Macy and Sourdough to the couple, we included a stipend so Sourdough could get her hooves trimmed. Mike knew how to trim horse hooves but had no experience with mule hooves, didn't want to cause damage, and just about all of the mule farriers we contacted were out of business. Happily, a mule farrier lives next door to Macy and Sourdough's new home. So the mule can get a mani-pedi anytime she needs one.
The Genesis of a Mule
A mule is a hybrid between a female horse and a male donkey. (A cross between a male horse and a female donkey is called a hinny, which comes into play later.) Sourdough was sired by a mini-donkey named Little Joe, who summered at our farm for a couple of years. If Little Joe were an animated cartoon character, he'd have the deep baritone voice of Lou Rawls. In this photo, taken at the end of their pasturing, Joe looks like he's singing "You're Gonna Miss My Love" to Macy.
Macy and Sourdough now live on 19 acres with several other horses, a sheep, Oreo the reformed Devil Goat, a llama, and a hinny. A large buckskin-colored horse refused to let Macy and Sourdough become part of the herd. So the owners found a new home for the buckskin. They tell us that Oreo is the sweetest goat imaginable. And their grandkids regularly take the minis for walks.
A Happy Ending for All
Mike had plans of training Macy and Sourdough to harness, but the plan never came to fruition. The fact that we were able to successfully breed a horse and donkey is an accomplishment in itself. I haven't decided if I want to see Macy and Sourdough before we leave. If they're happy in their new home and are well taken care of, that's all that matters. And finally, a big thank you to Lynn Moore at Acres for Life for her encouragement and advice during the placement process.
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My husband Mike found a home for Oreo, the goat he called Devil Goat because she'd bedevil us by weaseling her way through the electric fence. Mike met a couple at the chicken swap who took Oreo, and he asked if they were in the market for a class B mini-horse and mule. They were.
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| Macy and Sourdough, 2006. Sourdough was about 12 hours old. |
The Genesis of a Mule
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| The proud parents, Little Joe and Macy May. |
Macy and Sourdough now live on 19 acres with several other horses, a sheep, Oreo the reformed Devil Goat, a llama, and a hinny. A large buckskin-colored horse refused to let Macy and Sourdough become part of the herd. So the owners found a new home for the buckskin. They tell us that Oreo is the sweetest goat imaginable. And their grandkids regularly take the minis for walks.
A Happy Ending for All
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| New horizons lie ahead for Sourdough and Macy. |
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The iCow Goes "Moooo"
Everyone Needs an "Awww" Moment
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