Raymond the (retired) wild mule has a new friend

Raymond the mule, now living at the Corolla Wild Horse Fund’s rescue farm after a couple of legendary decades on the beaches of the northern Outer Banks, has a new roommate who might be just as stubborn as he is.

His name is Sonny and he’s a goat who showed up at a family’s farm as a stray. But the goat, it turns out “has a very, shall we say, strong personality and was a bit of a bully to their horses,” the CWHF said in a Facebook post.

Thinking Sonny and Raymond may make a dream team, the CWHF introduced the two around Thanksgiving.

Raymond — the product of a local donkey and a wild mare — had lived alone at the farm since he was removed from the beach in late September. He and a group of wild horses had been escaping onto the paved roads of Corolla due to a dilapidated fence meant to keep them on the 4×4 beaches.

It was discovered Raymond, who is at least 20 years old, suffers from laminitis, a painful foot condition, and wouldn’t have survived on the beach much longer, the fund said.

“Sonny isn’t scared of a thing, and didn’t let Raymond’s initial not-so-friendly ‘hello’ bother him in the slightest. Raymond may have actually met his match!” the fund said.

Now Raymond and Sonny are getting along “quite well.”

“We’re thrilled Raymond has a friend and thankful to Sonny’s previous family for trusting us with his care,” the fund said.