Say hello to Rosy!

11 Comments

Second Hand Rose, ‘Rosy’, is a 25-year old mule. She is a cross between a female horse and a male donkey. She gets her name from her stunning coat color which is a red dun, with a distinct rosy colored dorsal stripe that matches her equally distinct leg barring. Rosy was bought by Jacquelynn Holly’s parents when she was 5. She and Jacquelynn started working together right away and Jacquelynn credits Rosy’s success to the fact that she and her family have been training and riding mules their whole lives.

Rosy has been trained both in English and western riding, but predominately is ridden sidesaddle; even on trails! She is very surefooted, level-headed, and protects her riders when out and about. This dynamic duo has ridden in some of America’s largest parades, including the San Juan Capistrano Swallows Day Parade, Boise State University parades, and multiple 4^th of July Parades. They are also a historical representative of both the Korean War and Victorian Era. Rosy has been featured in many publications such as the California Riding Magazine, A Vos Fourches (France), and Donkey Digest (Australia). To add to her list of accolades she was 2020 American Mule Association Versatility Award Grand Champion and 2020 International Sidesaddle Association Grand Champion.

Though she is still performing and trail riding, in her senior years Rosy has taken on a new role of ultimately becoming a child's mount for Jacquelynn's children, which is a natural next step given her quiet and protective nature. She has taught all three of her owner's children to ride and will have a fourth in October 2021 to take care of. She has come full circle in a family that has been dedicated to mules for generations, being trained by a young rider, and now teaching the next generation of young mule riders.