MULEY

By Monty Marks and Frank Pryor

Kelly Billingsley was born in Boston, but when opportunity knocked, Kelly and her family moved to Virginia to her grandfather's small farm. For Kelly, it was a dream come true, but in her wildest dreams, she could never imagine a friendship with a mule named "Muley" would miraculously teach him to interact with Kelly in ways she or anyone else c

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lime Press LLC
• Release date: Apr 21, 2021
• ISBN: 9781954304871

Book preview

EBOOK_CVR_Muley-The_Mule_That_Thought_He_Was_a_Racehorse_Monty_Marks-front.jpg

The Mule That Thought He

Was a Racehorse

Monty Marks

ILLUSTRATED BY Frank Pryor

Muley: The Mule That Thought He Was A Racehorse

by Monty Marks

This book is written to provide information and motivation to readers. Its purpose isn’t to render any type of psychological, legal, or professional advice of any kind. The content is the sole opinion and expression of the author, and not necessarily that of the publisher.

Copyright © 2021 by Monty Marks

Illustrated by Frank Pryor

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, transmitted, or distributed in any form by any means, including, but not limited to, recording, photocopying, or taking screenshots of parts of the book, without prior written permission from the author or the publisher. Brief quotations for noncommercial purposes, such as book reviews, permitted by Fair Use of the U.S. Copyright Law, are allowed without written permissions, as long as such quotations do not cause damage to the book’s commercial value. For permissions, write to the publisher, whose address is stated below.

First Published, 2019

Printed in the United States of America.

ISBN: 978-1-954304-87-1 (E-book)

ISBN: 978-1-954304-88-8 (Paperback)

Published by Lime Press LLC

425 West Washington Street Suite 4

Suffolk, VA 23434 US

https://www.lime-press.com/

Table of Contents

Chapter One

What on Earth? Why That’s Not a Horse.

Chapter Two

We’re Home, Muley. We’re Really Home.

Chapter Three

I’ll Be Known as Muley, the Magnificent.

Chapter Four

Wow! Professional Racehorses as Neighbors.

Chapter Five

What Did You Say, Muley?

Chapter Six

Is Someone in There with You, Kelly?

Chapter Seven

Muley, No Running, and I Mean It!

Chapter Eight

Are We Going to Die?

Chapter Nine

Don’t I Know You from Somewhere?

Chapter Ten

What on Earth Is Wrong with Muley?

Chapter Eleven

This Is It. I Know I Can Win This Race.

Chapter Twelve

I’m Called to Be a Racehorse, and a Racehorse I Am.

Chapter Thirteen

This Is Going to Be Big, I Mean Real Big.

Chapter Fourteen

Okay, Kelly, Here’s the Secret Strategy.

Chapter Fifteen

I Can’t Stay on, Muley, Stop!

Chapter Sixteen

You Heard Me, Beat It, Pretty Boys.

Chapter Seventeen

A Collective Gasp Went up from the Crowd.

Chapter Eighteen

She’s Dead, Isn’t She, Kelly?

Chapter Nineteen

That Sounds Awful Dangerous to Me.

Chapter Twenty

Winning Isn’t Everything.

Chapter Twenty-One

They’re Off.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Move over, You Big Nag.

Chapter Twenty-Three

I Think I’m Dying, Kelly.

About the Author

Chapter One

What on Earth? Why That’s Not a Horse.

Kelly Billings loved to go visit her Grandpa on his farm near Pennington Gap, Virginia. She visited a couple weeks in the summer ever since she was four. Kelly’s mom and dad took her in June, and all them would spend a week, sometimes two. Then, when Kelly turned seven, her mom and dad would return to Boston to their jobs, and Kelly stayed with her grandpa for a couple more weeks.

Kelly felt at home on the farm and would beg to stay longer. Life in Boston didn’t feel like home to Kelly. Even though she had been born in Boston, she didn’t like the fast pace of city life after experiencing country living. She loved the freedom, peace, quiet, and beauty of the country on her grandpa’s small farm.

She would never forget the first time she got to spend the entire summer on the farm. Kelly had just turned eight. Her grandpa had bought a couple of mares at a Tennessee auction. They were older but gentle and good for riding around the farm. He picked them out of a herd of horse, mules, and donkeys that were together in a pasture at an estate sale. What he did not know was that one of horses he had bought, Millie, was going to have a colt.

At least, that was what he came to believe as she got bigger and bigger. Finally, Earl, Kelly’s grandpa, had the vet come out to the farm and check her, and he determined that she was indeed pregnant all right. The vet was somewhat concerned with the pregnancy; something did not seem quite right with Millie.

When the time for the fold had come, it was early June. The quiet windless afternoon was suddenly broken with several loud whinnies from Millie in the barn.

Kelly, come on, it is time. Millie is ready to have her colt, Grandpa said, grabbing his hat off the hanger near the back door.

Okay, Grandpa, I’m coming, Kelly said, as she scurried toward the back door.

Both ran out the door toward the barn. The screen door squeaking before it banged then closed behind them.

Millie was lying on the hay that they had prepared for her earlier.

Should I go call the vet for you, Grandpa? Kelly offered.

No, honey, there is no time, said Earl, as he surveyed the situation. We are going to have to help Millie the best we can. You pet her neck and talk to her real gentle like to calm her. I’ll see if I can help her get her colt out.

Sweet Millie, it’s going to be okay. Shhh, shhh. Just try to relax, we’re going to help you, Kelly said, as she stroked her neck, holding her head in her lap and talking softly in her ear.

There, I’ve got him, he’s free. What on earth? Why, this isn’t a horse at all, he’s a mule! Grandpa shouted in surprise.

Sure enough, instead of a colt, Millie had a little red, floppy-eared mule, laying right there in the yellow hay.

Oh, look, Millie, you did it. Isn’t he the cutest little guy you have ever seen? Kelly said, as she helped Millie hold her head up to look at her newborn. Millie looked with satisfaction as her eyes, and the little mule’s eyes met. Then Millie gave a long sigh as her head got heavy in Kelly’s arms, and she slowly laid her head down on Kelly’s lap.

Is she okay, Grandpa? Kelly said with concern in her voice. Are you going to rest now? Kelly asked, as she stared down at Millie.

Earl’s eyes began to well up as he thought how to say his next words.

Kelly, Millie is gone, Grandpa said in a whisper.

No! No! She can’t be. She just can’t be, Grandpa, Kelly shouted, as she hugged Millie’s neck, and her tears fell on Millie’s soft red mane.

I’m sorry, Kelly, I guess it was like the vet said. Something wasn’t quite right, and Millie was probably too old to have a colt. But, sweetie, she left us someone to remember her by. Look at him, Kelly.

Kelly raised her head slowly from the neck of Millie to see the little mule staring right into Kelly’s eyes. A faint smile crossed Kelly’s lips, but she continued to cry. Although Kelly only knew Millie for a few days, her compassion and care for animals seemed more than her little heart could bare. She sobbed off and on through the night.

Kelly found comfort in the little red mule she had named Muley. She looked forward to helping Muley get a good start in life. He was very special, but just how special, Kelly was yet to find out.

After Muley was born, Kelly’s grandpa was going to give the mule to the Beesley farm to be raised with the other mules. But Kelly, using her most powerful persuasion, talked her grandpa into keeping the mule on the farm.

Okay, Kelly, you can keep him, but he is going to be your responsibility to feed, train, and care for when you’re here.

That summer, Kelly worked really hard taking care of the little guy. She fed him with a bottle until he was able to eat solid food. She tried to get her grandpa to let him sleep in the house. Not succeeding, she tried for the back porch, but her grandpa said that animals belonged in the barn. So, Kelly made up a nice stall, decorations and all, in the barn. Kelly loved that little mule. They had some great fun together that first summer. Muley would follow Kelly everywhere. He acted more like a dog than a mule, and Kelly loved him. Kelly stayed until the end of August that year. Muley was nearly three months old and doing quite well on his own now.

Although it was difficult being away from her parents that first summer, it helped to build a bond and the love between Kelly and her grandpa, as well as with Muley. It was that summer that her grandpa had shared with her about things of God, how everything was in His hands and in His timing. He told Kelly that if Jesus knew when every sparrow fell to the ground, He certainly knew that it was Millie’s time to die and the sweet little red mule’s time to be born. Her grandpa told Kelly that not all death was bad, that Jesus Christ had died on the cross to give all who would believe in Him eternal life. Kelly did not understand everything he had told her at the time, but she realized one thing: it was an important thing for her to learn more about this Jesus if He cared enough to die for her. It was that first eventful summer that Kelly and her grandpa started attending the little Baptist church just up the road. Earl had been a longtime Christian and church attender and was even a deacon in the church he did attend back Pennsylvania. But that was before Kelly’s grandma had died and before he had moved to Virginia. One Saturday night, Earl told Kelly, I think it’s time for me to get back in church, and it’s time for you to start. We’re going to church in the morning as well as Sunday school. So, get your clothes ready for tomorrow. That was the start of their every Sunday commitment. That was where Kelly first met Sally, who would become her dearest friend.

The next year when Kelly came back to the farm in June, she was surprised to see how much Muley had grown. He had turned into a handsome mule, big in stature, and still very red in color. In fact, everyone who saw him commented on his color being redder than any rust-colored mule they had ever seen.

Kelly was so happy to see Muley again. But to say Muley was happy to see Kelly would be an understatement. The moment Kelly got out of the car in the yard, Muley stared intently, and his ears stood straight up. Then he jumped out of his frozen position and started hee-hawing and hee-hawing running around the barnyard and kicking the air with his back feet. No one had seen Muley act like that ever before, and there was no doubt about it; it was because of his excitement to see his friend Kelly! It was a great reunion!

Chapter Two

We’re Home, Muley. We’re Really Home.

A couple of years went by, and Kelly spent every summer with Grandpa Earl and Muley on the farm. She loved every minute of it. Kelly was now eleven, and Muley was three. Kelly noticed that year that Grandpa Earl wasn’t as spry as he had been. When she got home, she told her dad, Martin, about it. Martin called his dad on the phone, and after a long conversation, Martin turned to Kelly and Susan, Kelly’s mother. I’ve got a big question for you both to consider.

What, Daddy, what is it? Kelly blurted out.

"Well, Kelly, you know Grandpa, he doesn’t like to admit to anything when it comes to his