The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Pets & Working Animals => Horses, ponies, donkeys & mules => Topic started by: Rosemary on March 31, 2014, 04:51:05 pm
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http://www.worldhorsewelfare.org/rehoming/horse-profile.php?id=422437 (http://www.worldhorsewelfare.org/rehoming/horse-profile.php?id=422437)
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Bruce says you've not to post stuff like this ;) :innocent:
He's gorgeous ! :love:
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I would love a mule!
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So many lovely horse and ponies looking for homes on that site :love: I would also love a mule.
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I have a mule, She's the most amazing animal. But an uncastrated jack mule is a whole different story. Although they are infertile they are still entire and as such are at best a nuisance and at worst dangerous. I wouldn't entertain him unless he were "done".
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our mule wasn't the easiest girl either when she came, kicking and rearing but now she is very very loving and affectionate, and very very strong. completely different to ponies.
did you break your mule landroveroy? we are just starting ours so wondering how easy it will be...
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No I didn't break her. I bought her from some travellers as "ride and drive". She was actually raced round Appleby (as they do) pulling a cart and was still shod when I got her. Apperently she had been pretty roughly treated but she is the sweetest most obliging animal - maybe just appreciates that I don't shout at her, hit her, or generally push her around. In a way I've been very lucky as mules are notorious for taking advantage if they can. I am a complete novice rider, but she just patiently stands there while I fiddle about with her bridle and saddle, then waits while I get on and then calmly walks round the field.
So, if you are starting breaking your's from scratch there are some excellent articles by Vicki Abbott (think that's how she's spelt). If you google her name, or calkinsart (who do the website) she has a real understanding of mules and explains a lot about how they think.
It is said that you have to train a mule the way you should train a horse. You tell a horse, but you negotiate with a mule. But you've probably found that out already!
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thanks that's really helpful, will seek that out. ours is only 12.2hh (Dartmoor x) so the kids will have to ride her :roflanim: but we have a cart already :innocent:
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My Mule wasn't Broke he was started,but having seen the results of a lot of Mules (and Horses) yes I'd say a lot have been broken ;)
(http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y190/jinglejoys/Malaga%20with%20James/MalagaatJames021.jpg) (http://s5.photobucket.com/user/jinglejoys/media/Malaga%20with%20James/MalagaatJames021.jpg.html)
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Why the rope round the potential rider's waist?
Is it to stop Malaga escaping? :roflanim: (from the look on his face, it looks like he's just waiting for the right moment!)
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Rope isn't round the waist that would be dangerous and James didn't do dangerous.It was looped and tucked under the belt :) It can then be part of another excersize which is the one rein stop and dismount with the equine turning and coming towards you rather than turning its back end and kicking you in the face.
Malaga was quite relaxed hence the expression on his face as he'd been through all the preflight checks before reaching this moment (Unlike trainer number1 who'd had him ten weeks and couldn't get a foot in the stirrup saddled let alone mount bareback.This was James in the first week
(http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y190/jinglejoys/Malaga%20with%20James/MalagaatJames023.jpg) (http://s5.photobucket.com/user/jinglejoys/media/Malaga%20with%20James/MalagaatJames023.jpg.html)
;D
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Presume trainer no 1 was frightened of mules? Doesn't a mule just have an instinctive knack of working someone out!
I had a similar experience with a new farrier. Ebony was quite chilled out with my last one and happy to have her feet trimmed. But he left and we had to get another one. Should have really suspected something when the new one let on that he had years of experience (since he was 15) but now spent a lot of his time repairing and selling transit vans.
Anyway, he trimmed the donkeys' feet quite happily and when he came to Ebony she wasn't having any of it. By this time I was beginning to suspect his qualifications and experience, as the donkeys' feet were looking a bit uneven and he mentioned that he'd never done a mule before. Well, I decided that he definitely wasn't practising on mine! So I said that her feet weren't too bad so I'd leave them this time.
Needless to say we'll get someone in with proper qualifications and experience next time. Even if it does cost 50% more.
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Even blacksmiths with all their fancy qualifycations don't often know how to do mules and donkeys.The one at the yard I work at certainly didn't he was most surprise when he was forced to sit in a talk at some seminar or other and found out from the donkey sanctuary fella that they were different....glad I didn't ask him to do mine ;)