Polly the melon loving mule. She was my traveling companion on my 14 month wagon journey across America. (Black Hills, SD)
She loves melons and cheat grass but turns her muzzle up at plums. She pulled a 2000 pound wagon 2,500 miles across America. She’s the star and equine power (she considers the term “horse” power degrading) behind the Lost Sea Expedition TV series.
Meet mule Polly.
Polly getting harnessed in the Badlands of South Dakota. Being a mule, she was ideally suited to the heat. And she was patient. Very patient…….
You’ll learn more about Polly in future posts. For now her 6 Word Memoir would read:
Pulled wagon across America. Still Ramblin’!
Polly and I have been traveling together going on ten years. She’s stuck with me through crazy-hard filming conditions and still meets me at the gate.
Polly on a looooooooong stretch of Montana dirt road during her cross-country trek. She pulled all the gear used in the filming of the Lost Sea Expedition series in our yellow wagon.A mule for all seasons. Polly was as good in the cold as she was in the heat. Here, she wonders if we really need to document all four seasons on the Great Plains. Her patience lead to stunning photos. (Black Hills, South Dakota)Polly was a hit with folks we met on our voyage. This one day, I’d been staying with Janice Red Willow. Janice is a Lakota elder on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. I’d been napping in the wagon and when I got up, I saw this scene out my front door. I was moved to tears. (Hisle, SD)
Polly is active as ever. At 20-ish (a lady mule never reveals her age) she won third place in the World Championship Coon jump in Raleigh, NC. She kept the orange ribbon and traded the $75 check for some mule chow. She regularly attends Benson Mule Days (4th weekend in September / Benson, NC). Last June she spent a month visiting Colorado as part of the Lost Sea Expedition fund raiser.
While in Denver, Polly even visited the headquarters of Rocky Mountain PBS.
Polly believes that life needs to be lived well below the posted speed limit. Waaaaaay slower….. (Fort Collins, CO)
Hi Chuck. Thanks for the lovely comment. Polly was amazing on that trip. A real test of endurance. And she still likes me! She’s doing great. Currently enjoying a fine spring on our farm and doing light chainsaw and packing duty on our farm. Happy Adventuring Chuck! Bernie
Hi Val. Great guess on Polly’s breeding. I’m not certain what exactly she is but she sure looks like a lot of Belgian mules. Thing is, she’s only 14.2 hands – too small for a Belgian unless her sire was tiny. I’m guessing her mom was a Haflinger – sort of like a mini-Belgian. She’s also got that great draft mule temperament to match. I’ll be sure to tell Polly you think she’s beautiful! Happy Adventuring. Bernie / LostSeaExpedition.com / RiverEarth.com
Beautiful Mule she was a trooper on that long haul
Hi Chuck. Thanks for the lovely comment. Polly was amazing on that trip. A real test of endurance. And she still likes me! She’s doing great. Currently enjoying a fine spring on our farm and doing light chainsaw and packing duty on our farm. Happy Adventuring Chuck! Bernie
LOVED watching y’all’s adventure! I love Mule Polly!! 😀
Thanks Janis! I’ll be sure to tell Polly. She’s grazing right outside the cabin window this very moment. Happy Adventuring. Bernie
Polly is beautiful! What mix of horse/donkey is she? She looks like she has some Belgian in her background.
Hi Val. Great guess on Polly’s breeding. I’m not certain what exactly she is but she sure looks like a lot of Belgian mules. Thing is, she’s only 14.2 hands – too small for a Belgian unless her sire was tiny. I’m guessing her mom was a Haflinger – sort of like a mini-Belgian. She’s also got that great draft mule temperament to match. I’ll be sure to tell Polly you think she’s beautiful! Happy Adventuring. Bernie / LostSeaExpedition.com / RiverEarth.com