MAGNOLIA, Ark.— Ironic is perhaps the best way to describe how Ashley Moss became the rider of Southern Arkansas University’s official mascot, Molly B.
It is ironic both because SAU is not where Moss began her college career and because her discovery of the University was made totally by chance.
After attending college in Louisiana for a couple of years and realizing her choice was not what she had hoped for, Moss, a native of Sarepta, La., decided perhaps college was not for her. While she weighed her options and her future, she decided to take a day to ride along with her mother, Tracy Teutsch, a log trucker, to deliver materials to Deltic Timber Corporation. After the stop, the two continued down U.S. Highway 82 towards Magnolia and a billboard at a busy intersection captured Moss’ attention.
“I fell in love with the picture of the mascot, the bucking Mulerider, and I just couldn’t help but think, ‘how… cool is that?’ ” Moss, now 23, said. “A bucking horse is my favorite iconic picture.”
So SAU’s namesake, the Muleriders—a one-of-a-kind name created from a true story of young men forced to ride mules to football games when no other transportation was available— was what prompted Moss to register for college. The day she registered was so late in August that it was the last day students could sign up for classes.
And as the old cliché goes—the rest is history.
For the past four years, Moss, an accomplished rider who bonded immediately with the agricultural roots of SAU, has been an ambassador for the University and a friend to a mule named Molly B. Now a senior with a major in agriculture science, Moss is seriously considering keeping her role as the Mulerider while she works toward a master’s degree in agriculture.
Over the years, she and Molly B, now 16-years-old, (which is considered middle aged for a mule), have had their share of ups and downs. When they first met, Molly B. was uncertain whether she wanted to give Moss the chance to tame her. But Molly B. didn’t realize who she was dealing with as Moss has a long history in training and developing horses and is the owner of her own business, Ranch & Extreme Performance Horses, where she offers this professional skill.
“She would bite and buck; she was just terribly mean,” Moss said. “I’m still the only one who can touch her ears.”
But through two to three hours a day of devoted attention during those first six to nine months, Moss won the trust of Molly B. and her behavior changed. These days Molly B. is no longer irritated when Moss has to pick up each of her legs to wrap them with the blue and gold colors of SAU. Although the wraps are meant to encourage school spirit, they are also on Molly B.’s legs for the practical reason that they offer protection when she travels at a fast speed.
Another item Moss uses for almost every outing, be it parade or football game, is glitter to make Molly B. shine. Moss spreads the glitter on Molly B.’s backside and then sprays hairspray to ensure it stays in place for the event.
“I bet I use three gallons of glitter a year,” Moss said.
The personality of Molly B. is something Moss has really come to admire as her partner over the past four years. When the two first met, Molly B. would hesitate when it came to jumping into a trailer to take her to an event. Now she jumps in on her own. She also has learned when it is time to run down the sidelines at football games.
“When she hears the touchdown, she gets ready to go by stomping her feet,” Moss said. “Her personality is so co complex and hilarious.”
Moss said most memories of being the Mulerider are funny, especially in retrospect. Like their first year when Molly B.’s eating schedule wasn’t quite adjusted for game time. Understandably, the football coaches did not look kindly on the distractions left behind by the mascot. But that was years ago, and it hasn’t happened on Moss’ watch since.
Besides the humor she provides, riding Molly has brought Moss some other unexpected blessings too.
“When the little girls come up to me and say that they want to grow up and go to school so they can ride Molly B., that definitely makes it all worth it,” Moss said.
Although the list of those who’ve come before her in Muleriding history is long and colorful, the story of Moss and Molly B. is unique because of the consecutive years they have been a team.
The pair added another colorful page to the history books this past weekend at the 19th annual Pea Ridge Mule Jump in Northwest Arkansas. Although Molly B. has never competed in a mule jump, she received the title of reserve champion in her division, which is the equivalent to second place. Molly B. secured her win in this category by jumping various heights ranging from 32 to 52 inches. But even Molly B. has her limits and has to put her hooves down at some point. And that point was just shy of the height requirement to win the first prize award.
“She would not jump 54 inches,” said Dr. Corbet Lamkin, vice president of Academic Affairs, who along with his wife Verna, traveled to the mule jumping competition to support the SAU team. “Ashley does an excellent job handling Molly B. I can assure you that a mule has its own disposition.”
Moss said she was extremely proud of Molly B.’s performance in the pole jumping contest, especially considering the other activities they competed in such as a flag race, pole bending and carrying a flag for the opening ceremony. And Moss has to admit that she got a kick out of Molly B.’s ability to make fans wherever she goes.
“At first everyone was looking at us funny because I was wearing the full uniform,” Moss said. “They were looking at us like ‘here is this little girl with her little mule,’ but by the end, Molly was the crowd favorite and everyone was cheering her over the jump. It was great. It was too much fun.”
And as Molly B. celebrates a decade being the representative for such a proud tradition at SAU this month, Moss can say without a doubt that she made the right choice for herself by choosing SAU.
“We are the only Muleriders in the world, and I love to be different,” she said.
