Muuli and Tiina in the indoor riding arena!

When I broke my knee in January and got to the surgery in February I had to get someone to ride Muuli during my sick leave. I was off from work for 3 weeks but doctor said that I should not ride for 6 weeks. Muuli had just got brand new shoes under her so it would be a shame to let  her stand in the pen for 6 weeks.

Luckily my friends Tiina ja Sonja were able to ride Muuli! Sonja had ridden her a few times last summer and Tiina had only lunged her but hasnät been riding her until now.

Tiina is very talented rider so she could also teach Muuli some new things in riding and dressage!

After my surgery she took Muuli to "her" barn where they have inside riding arena. Muuli has been in arenas before but not so many times. We don't have inside riding arena at our barn. Muuli has always been okay in strange places and arenas but off course new place and quite new handler is exciting!

Me and my husband drove to the arena to see Tiina riding. I got some great pictures and my husband took video.


All the action was accidentally left outside the video. When we arrived Tiina was already riding Muuli. But when she had got on, Muuli spooked something and bolted but Tiina managed to stay on! And when she was loading Muuli to the trailer after riding Muuli took off and was running in the road! And I didn't have the camera with me. It happened because Muuli refused to go inside the trailer and the yard and the road was covered with ice. Tiina could't hold on in the icy yard.

After that Muuli walked happily in the trailer lead by my husband and they left back at home.

If you are western spirited person you might notice our nose band. And I know you are thinking "poor mule, what an abuse". But feel no sorry, noseband is loose as it should be and it also has the place in Muuli's tack! We don't use noseband to shut her mouth and she is totally capable to pull her tongue out if she feels to. Luckily she doesn't do that anymore.

Please notice too that we don't use spurs or whip with her, so maybe nose band is not that bad?

Muuli is wearing new pad in these pictures. I bought her used Reinsman Tacky too pad and it rises the saddle from the front. Now arter a few weeks the pad seems to fit her fine! Saddle is not sliding forward anymore (off course we are also using britchen) and sweat marks are better than before.

Sweat marks