Mule questions

[ninny]

Anybody have mules? I'm thinking of looking into them instead of horses. I would like a gaited one. Any info would be great.

 

[shortcake1806]

We had them for years and loved them. Of course the major drawback is they're sterile. So if you've got the best one in the world you're never going to have offspring.

 

[patandchickens]

You need to be a better horseman for mules than horses IMO (you are likelier to be able to get away with doing sloppy or unwise things with horses, on average, than with mules). And it can be hard to find a saddle that fits a mule well (there are exceptions, but, on average).

They are really really neat critters, physically and mentally, but IMO they are not a good idea for just anyone. Unless you have quite a lot of experience retraining problem horses (with finesse, not equipment) it'd be a real good idea to either shell out the money for a very, very well-broke mule (tho he may not stay that way for the buyer) or find someone with green mules who'll let you work with theirs for a while til you figure out how well you get along with the mule mentality.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[Chickerdoodle13]

There is a guy who bought a mule down the road from us. Supposedly this mule was supposed to be a trained trail mule...broke to ride and desensitized to the things you would find on the trail. Well the guy brought him out (I've never seen this guy ride, but he's not a beginner horseman) to a local trail and when the mule saw a bicycle he flipped out and took off running. The guy stayed on for a bit before falling off and getting hung up in the stirrup. He got bashed into the side of a tree and broke a bunch of things, including ribs. He's now out of commission for just about the whole summer.

I've seen great mules, and the owners may not have been lying about the training of this mule. However, it seems as if they take a certain type of horse person to ride them. I've heard great stories about mules, but I'm not sure I would be the right person to train or ride one at this point. The best thing to do is speak with people who already own mules and have worked with them for awhile. These are very, very intelligent animals (Not that horses aren't) but mules tend to think about things differently, as do their donkey relatives!

When you are looking for a new mount, look at both horses and mules. You may just find a horse that works for you, or vice versa. I find that horses usually find me when I am not looking!

 

[ninny]

I like horses but the more i read about mules the better they sound. As for saddles i ride bareback can't stand the things. I want a trail animal i can trust won't murder me when a tree looks at them funny. All the horses i've ridden expect one just spooked and about did you in. The one i liked stopped check everything out then continued on or didn't move till we want a different way. That's want i want. I've heard mules do this on their own with no training. I would also be looking at a pony mule i guess. Nothing bigger then 14.3. Is there a difference besides size in them.

I've ridden and shown gaited and non gaited english and western. But i've been dumped so many times im stick of horses.
You think a mule would work for me? Or should i just a get a weanling or yearling horse and break how i want?

 

[shortcake1806]

It all depends on the mule. I can honestly say I've never had a mule rare up with me. Can't say the same about the horses. Any animal can spook though. We've been on wagon trains where both horses and mules have done so. The main difference I've seen is the horses will do crazy things that could result in injury to themselves. I've never seen a mule put himself in danger. For example I've witnessed horses run over embankments, jump in rivers, or buck till they fell on their riders. I've yet to see a mule do something that would result in him injuring himself.

 

[patandchickens]

Yup, a mule will not do something stupid to get himself in trouble.

Something that will get YOU in trouble, that's more negotiable, depending how he feels about you

However if a mule does not wish to do something, he simply won't, period. At all. In any way. Until and unless you can change his wishes (which usually involves reexplaining it to him in terms that make it seem in his favor -- without anything resembling a threat involved). (Whereas horses can sometimes be buffaloed or tricked or chivvied into doing things they didn't really want to.)

Being smarter than a mule is not always easy

But they're neat critters.

If you want to ride bareback, I dunno, the smaller mules I've known have also been rather narrow and I'm not at all sure how comfy they'd be - but of course you only need to find ONE you like.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[shortcake1806]

Something that will get YOU in trouble, that's more negotiable, depending how he feels about you

So true. Luckily none of ours ever did. Although the worst I've ever been injured came from my own stupidity while riding a mule.​

 

[Kanchii]

I've always wanted a mule, especially a warmblood or tb crossed one, to do jumping with. I can remember when I was about 13, I went to this HUGE A circuit hunter jumper show. I remember this "different" looking horse catching my eye in one of the far rings and making my way over. It was a gorgeous grey mule, and he was doing the 3'9" jumpers! And get this... HE WON! It was a huge class too, and I wish I could have taken pictures of the prissy girls on their $100,000+ horses who were beaten by a mule... Priceless!

 

[Haviris]

I'm not suprised, mules are generally really good jumpers!