Friday Farm Fun- George the magical burro

George is a burro we inherited when we purchased a bull. The old man who sold the bull to us told my husband the burro and bull were buddies. He said whenever George was separated from the bull he'd open gates and go through fences to get back with him. We thought the man was just working my husband's sympathies.

We brought George home and put him in the field with the horses and he never got out or tried to buddy up with the bull. I think the old man was feeding the bull better than the horses and that's why George would find a way into that pasture. And poor George had hooves that curled up and had been hacked off with a saw. Our horse shoer took one look at his hooves and said, "This is going to be a work in progress."  He was right. It took over a year of the shoer coming out on a regular basis and whittling away at George's hooves so the little burro now walks right and has the proper size and shape of hooves.

Our grandchildren love George and he loves them. They climb all over him, ride him, and brush him. They love his long ears and fuzzy face. When my daughter brought her horses to our property in Princeton we went riding. Zane, her five-year-old son, rode George with just the halter and lead rope. There was no way the little burro was going to let the horses out of his sight. Zane would get worried when the little equine took off across country, but George always found the best route to catch up.

When my friend and photo journalist, Danita Cahill, came to take pictures for my diary in Farm and Ranch magazine, George was in rare form.  George followed me when I rode Bud and gave her several candid shots of him picking up the saddle blanket and playing with the tack.

Remember, I told you the person we acquired George from said he couldn't be kept in a pasture? Well, he stays in if it suits his purpose. He has never gotten out of any pasture he's in with the other horses. But, if I go riding with Bud and don't let George follow, he eventually shows up. Half way through a ride, he'll arrive trotting behind Bud. I'm not even sure how he gets out because I've yet to find any holes in the fence or the gate open.

George has given our family hours of entertainment from his echoing bray to his mischievous nature. There have been many times when I've suggested we change his name to Houdini, but you know, George fits him just fine.