Lacey is beautiful, full of personality, and very athletic–for a mule, that is. Her owners plan on showing their cherished mule when she is ready, but they face an obstacle that all owners of female mules or mares go through–heat cycles.

A female mule, or “molly,” in estrus (otherwise known as heat) can make working, showing, or competing more difficult. Mules can compete in many of the same sports as horses, such as cutting, roping, or dressage. But both mares and mules experience frequent heat cycles through the spring and summer, which is also the season for competitive equine sports.

That is why Lacey’s owners, Suzy and Eddie Epler of St. Maries, Idaho, decided to have her undergo a laparoscopic ovariectomy, a technically advanced and minimally invasive surgery to remove her ovaries.

“You can’t breed a mule and we wanted to get rid of the heat cycles,” Suzy Epler said. “She is our pride and joy and we want to keep her for a lifetime

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