Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

Paddi,

Have you had any experience with mules?  Thay can be very different 
than horses. Most people either love them or hate them!   I have had 
some experience with them... having raised two pony mules, one of each 
sex.

I always thought that mules being horrible about having their feet 
picked up was just an old wives tale... but after my second mule was 
born, I changed my mind!  This molly was handled daily from birth, and 
acted like a cougar was at her throat if you touched her feet!  Gods! 
The bawling, squalling, kicking, rearing, throwing herself on the 
floor..... Get the picture!? *grin*  ( We named her Wicked Wanda the 
Jumping Mule, after she jumped OVER the stall front into the arms of my 
VERY surprised farrier when she was four days old)

The john I raised was a dream..... a beautiful black bay gaited mule!  
His ears were so small, he didn't even look like a mule. He too was 
handled from birth, and went on to become a very nice cart mule.  (No 
wonder, he had leg action like a hackney!)  He was out of the same jack 
as the molly, but a black and chrome pony mare named Psycho Cindi.  Go 
figure!  ( The molly was out of a sweet little red bay pony mare who 
was a bit on the timid side)

There is a local trainer near here who is a died in the wool "mule man" 
 He has broke many many mules, and does very well with them.  I took a 
little Arab mare to him several years ago for training.... he said he'd 
give it a go, but that he really didn't care much for horses. *grin* 
She turned out very well, and he said he was surprised at how well he 
got along with her... So I guess there can be converts both ways!

Personally, I doubt there's much difference between a molly or john 
from a mare or a  gelding.  And please, I don't mean to imply stupidity 
here, but some people don't realize that just because mules are sterile 
doesn't mean they don't have cycles and sex-drive.  You've still got 
hormones to deal with.

Hope this helps

Julie

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We are talking about all the tools we can use to keep our horses safe and
alive at the rides. Training/conditioning is one of the best tools
available. It makes us better horseman and women, it benefits our horses
and could quite possibly be the key to preventing most crashes.
~ Lisa Salas - The Odd Farm

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