Toby: Mule, Gardener, Escape Artist...

From Jim: This morning found Toby in the front yard, selectively destroying all of the emerging plants. His sense of landscaping is pretty much limited to eating it. He's been asking to be let our in the front with Juan and Chad for the past few days and finally took matters into his own hooves. We love our Toby boy. He's a Kiger mule and strikingly beautiful. His primitive markings are truly outstanding. He's also full of personality. When he arrived he was a wildy mule-never had been taught anything. He came with Tango and Tawney. They're curly mules. All three had been rescued after being abandoned and left to fend on their own. Because of their lack of training, they were deemed unadoptable. Toby decided, in his best mule-like way, that if no one would train him, he'd do it himself. He found a way through the fence and in with the Backyard Bunch. He let it be known that the mule was open for business and in need of lots of pets and attention. His level of trust was a real surprise! He's a young guy and still has a lot to learn, but there's no doubt that he's willing and gentle of mind and spirit. I think that's from the Kiger side of the equation. One of the joys of the sanctuary is the opportunities that critters like Toby offer. This little mule has fulfilled his need to be a pet by his own determination and through his own efforts. Where that need to be with our kind comes from I'll never know or understand, but I sure enjoy it. Toby may wreak havoc with the yard and show no respect for the fences, but he lets us know that he loves us and that he's home. That's more than enough. We really do love our Toby boy.