Dawn has had a lifelong love of mules and when the ranch hands found one with stringhalt (a neurological disorder where the one or both of the animal’s back legs suddenly lifts up almost to its belly for not apparent reason). She was purchased so that she would not have to endure a life of pulling plows or chasing cows, which seemed to make her stringhalt worse. We didn’t have a name for her so we brought her to the front of our house and said different names to her. The first time Tina Jo said Anabelle, she threw her huge ears forward and looked right at her. We kept saying names and then Dawn said Anabelle again. Same reaction. So, Anabelle became our resident mule and has taught us all about the natural superiority of mules to both horses and donkeys. She is ridden occasionally to get her out on the beach and to keep her muscles in shape, but generally she’s in her glory keeping her herdmates in order.