Babe D. Mule

Unregisterable - but we still love her!



          Babe is definitely everything that her name implies - she is "D. Mule". Born in the spring of 1978, she found her first owner to be a young man by the name of Bobby Yowell. Everywhere that Bobby went, Babe wasn't far behind. The two were literally unseparable. Babe would even call to Bobby from the pasture, asking for an extra helping of feed...or maybe an occasional carrot. I met Bobby and Babe about this time, and became good friends with both of them.

           But, as they say, all good things must come to an end, so things changed. Once Bobby got a little older, he went off to the service, leaving Babe worrying over his absence. She was happy all over again once he got back home safe and sound...especially once they got to go riding again.

          One day Bobby grew up, married and moved away. Babe stayed at his mothers' house, being treated as any normal princess would, with good food and lots of tender loving care. I'd drop by occasionally and give her a treat of apples and carrots, but it just wasn't the same. Bobby'd stop by and see her Sunday before and after church service, but she was ready to go and do stuff....missing the boy she had spent time with so long ago.

          In the fall of 2001 I got a phone call from Bobby Yowell. He told me that his mother was changing her place around, and that she wouldn't have room for Babe anymore. He asked if I'd buy her so he'd know she was going to a good home...somewhere she would be taken care of in her old age. (Bobby had even tried to keep her in his huge backyard, but the neighbors threw a fit) I tried to explain to him that I really didn't have room for another animal, especially one that I'd have to feed all winter....but he insisted. He said that if I didn't take her, that he was gonna call the vet and have her put to sleep...that way he would make sure that no one would ever mistreated her.

          What could I do? Here was a man asking me to take his best friend in the world, and give her a good home. If I didn't, the world would be minus one incredible animal. What did I do?

           Well, after much sweet talking, debating, and more or less groveling, Buttons finally allowed me to go and pick Babe up...on ONE CONDITION...he had to approve of her once she got to the place, or she was not allowed to stay.

           Needless to say, she stole his heart away the second that she stepped out of the trailer. Not only that, but my daughter Chrissy remembered Babe being around when she was younger, and was all excited about Babe coming to live with us. When Babe got to the ranch, Chrissy loved and petted her, and Babe loved and rubbed Chrissy back as if she was saying "Hey kid! I remember you!"

          So, as Babe D. Mule gets older and older, she does less and less at the ranch. Her main jobs include: watching over the babies, teaching them to have manners when eating, visiting with the guests here at the ranch, and laying down to play dead so that the kids (and people) can scratch her belly...which she happens to LOVE. She'll lay there smiling while the littlest of kids loves and pets on her, then she grunts when you scratch a good spot. If you stop and walk away before she's ready for you to, she'll roll over on her back like a dog, and grunt a few times more as if to say "Hey, I'm not through yet! I need more scratching!" (She's especially fond of the handicapped children, and she seems to be even more gentle with them)

           For those of you who have never seen a mule with true character, you should stop by the Rockin B Ranch. If nothing else, just to get a glass of tea and watch Babe D. Mule go thru her antics.