Re: Re: Re: Mules?

["Arco Farm" <arcofarm@gulftel.com>]

Heidi,
I will have to agree somewhat with your comments.
however, most of the type mules you describe that pack dudes........how
would you ever convince these semi-drafty, semi-cold blooded critters to go
the speeds and distance required to gain the condition we desire in our
endurance animals. Those critters don't have the qualities we refer to as
'heart' or 'desire' when referring to our horses.  They mostly don't give a
hoot what you do, they are going to plod along.  If a person had enough
savvy to get such a mule to conform to a conditioning program, I bet they
would get in shape as quickly as your average Arab.
How about this scenario...
    Take an unconditioned mule of the type you describe and an average
unconditioned Arab horse.  Put a 300# dude on each and send 'em both down
the Grand Canyon and back up.... which one will be in better condition back
at the top?  There is a good chance the horse would not make it back to the
top  :)
Cindy
Rudy the mountain mule

----- Original Message -----
From: "Heidi Smith" <heidi@sagehillcmk.com>
To: "Arco Farm" <arcofarm@gulftel.com>; "Maggie Mieske"
<mmieske@netonecom.net>; "Cliff Fenneman" <cfly@concentric.net>; "Ridecamp"
<ridecamp@endurance.net>
Sent: Saturday, November 10, 2001 8:26 AM
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Mules?


>
> > *I strongly disagree that they take longer to reach condition than an
> > average Arab.
>
> I have to agree with all of your statements with the exception of the
above.
> You can't lump all mules into one category here.  And while you can't lump
> all Arabs together, either, there is less variation among Arabs as a breed
> than among mules, simply because mules have a much wider range of
ancestors.
> If you take a mule that is by a "regular" jack (vs a mammoth), and
> preferably one that is a good using animal himself (or of a good using
type)
> and breed him to an Arabian or part-Arabian mare that has the sort  of
> genetics for endurance metabolism and the build for it, you will get a
mule
> that is as easy to condition as the best Arab.  But even the "average"
Arab
> will condition more easily than the mules such as we see here in pack
> strings, etc., that are bred from any old jack and either big, cloddy
mares
> so that you get big, cloddy mules that can carry 300# of non-riding dude
and
> his gear at a 3 mph walk into hunting camp, or out of stout,
average-height
> mares so that the resulting mule is not too tall to pack but can plod
along
> nicely with a pack at that same 3 mph walk.  Just as with horses, you tend
> to get what you breed for.  And I can just about guarantee you that it
would
> take you longer to get many of these pack mules into endurance condition
> than it does the "average" Arab.   OTOH, I've had a couple of clients over
> the years who bred for good saddle mules, out of various types of good
> riding mares, and yes, their mule babies were beautiful and athletic,
> reflecting the quality of their breeding and the abilities to do the sorts
> of things well that their respective parents could do well.  I'd say
without
> a doubt that if you took the dams of the last few Tevis winners and bred
> them to GOOD jacks, on the whole you'd get mules that would condition as
> easily as ANY Arab, not just the "average" Arab.  Not all Arabs are
created
> equal, and mules represent an even broader spectrum than Arabs....
>
> Heidi
>