While walking round Fort Walk here at the Sanctuary in Ireland I found a bench to sit on beside a group of four mules. Talk about being in the right place at the right time...

I was sat taking in the stunning scenery you get to see along the walk, when I heard voices in the distance. Over the hill came Willie and Noel, two of the grooms, to let out the mules to take them back to the farm to be weighed. The gate opened and the mules trotted up the track ahead of the grooms. At the top, they pawed the ground, had a quick roll in the grass before galloping off towards the farm. Notice I use the word 'gallop' - very much the horse side of their character I saw rather than the donkey!

As they ran off into the distance, I sat back down again to write my blog ... no sooner had I started, did I hear the sound of hooves. The mules were on their way back ... Red, Jacob, Bowser and Bonnie.

Willie and Noel told me that during the winter months the mules are stabled in their warm and comfortable stable and surroundings until the weather turns warmer and the grass can be grazed. They are then joined by some of the resident donkeys where they graze happily alongside each other.