Dakota’s Story!
This is an update from All About Equine Rescue.
All About Equine Animal Rescue, Inc.
Dakota
Dakota is a tribal mustang originally from the Dakotas. We first met him in the fall of 2021 when we picked him up from a distressed sanctuary.
He’s a little guy, mid-teens, and we were told he’d been ridden in the past. This handsome gelding was fearful of humans in general, but he really did not like it when anyone approached him from the side or behind too quickly. He also had painful heel cracks that closely approached his coronet bands. Dakota’s basic care had been neglected for some time.
Once at AAE, his hoof and dental care needs were met, and he received vaccines, deworming, and a microchip. During an exam, his concerns for people approaching from the left side and behind were discovered. He cannot see out of his left eye because the lens is detached.
Dakota is a very sweet, social guy. He seeks attention and enjoys grooming and interaction. He’s good with the vet and farrier. He loads fairly well, and travels fine. Dakota was introduced to a saddle, and he handled it well. He thoroughly enjoys his time in the pasture with his herdmates. However, he has a pull back issue when trying to remove him from his herd. When he’s brought in with one of his herdmates, he does very well. When handled and once removed from herd, he does well. Removing him alone is still a work in progress.
While we’ve loved spending time with the darling Dakota, we’d love it even more if he could find his forever person! If you think Dakota sounds like a match made in heaven, please visit his bio to learn more and submit an adoption inquiry.
Can’t adopt but want to help Dakota? Tell your friends, family, co-workers, and other horse people in your life about him!
Thank you for your support helping horses each and every day!
Your donations, volunteering, adopting, and social media shares & likes allow us to make this work possible!
Proving through our fertility control program on Nevada’s Virginia Range that humane, in-the-wild management works,
UPDATE – There are still more horses to pull. (7 or 8, I believe).
We are starting off 2023 with a huge and tragic call for help.
![Help us select our Official 2023 American Wild Horse Campaign member card. [[Shows each of 3 options: Option 1 shows a brown mustang looking head on into the camera and says "2023 Member" Option 2 shows a dozen mustangs grazing in the field in the sunset and says "Giving Them A Voice" and Option 3 has a big "2023" in the background and shows a brown and a white stallion running towards the camera]] VOTE NOW!](https://ci6.googleusercontent.com/proxy/TDefxCKzc8F7mD9RLczZqddhMNEDDB1pa0ETZ7tMnWyEZ9HZT5n7Fg-51G_vWQmUUxgOylfz69zp5vto4fHk19WHaUHnE_vFNClpoTDyZJ-Wy50A3WvBWIDkVkRLsl-iORIGAo24zagTAFvXSmUrl0YN1GFP5JLsNIpdBBY=s0-d-e1-ft#https://prod.cdn.everyaction.com/images/van/EA/EA002/1/67303/images/AWHC-MembershipCardVote1%20%281%29.png)
Mules and donkeys are wonderful animals. They’re strong, intelligent and what a sense of humor! But training a mule or donkey is different from training a horse. They require love patience, understanding and a good reward system. Negative reinforcement should be used sparingly and only to define behavioral limits. The result is an animal that is relaxed, submissive, obedient, dependable and happy with his work.
long ago when there was virtually nothing published on this subject. Those of us who were training needed to use educational resources published on horse training and modify those techniques to better suit our Longears. This still left a lot of room for trial and error…and frustration for both the trainer and the animal.
increased interest has come an increase in the numbers of animals that need to be trained each year. The few trainers who are competent with Longears could not possibly train even most of the animals that need it, even if it were geographically possible
home and become a problem within as little as three months. It is important to take an active part in the training of your Longears. The more you can be a part of the training, the better for both you and your animal. Even if your mule or donkey is with a competent trainer, you need to plan on spending at least two days a week with your animal and the trainer so that your animal learns to trust you as well as the trainer. Being present and interactive with your animal at feeding time will solidify the trust he gains.
series proves that this was a great way to reach people and help them to reach new levels of communication with their animals. People who never before had the courage nor confidence to even attempt such a thing are discovering the self satisfaction and elation of training their own mules and donkeys. Most people tell me it is the best part of their day when they can work with their animals. They are quite surprised at how easy it is to establish a routine that fits with their other weekly activities…thanks to the intelligence and forgiveness of these wonderful animals.
At first, you might think there just isn’t enough time to spend with your animal to accomplish all this, but somehow we all manage to make time for these things when we have children. We learn to experience and grow with our children, as we can also do with our animals by being realistic with our expectations at each stage of growth and training. We give ourselves the time to do this without the pressure of being hurried. There are few times in this world when we are really able to “stop and smell the roses.” Longears can afford us this very special time if you only let them. Look upon the time with your donkey or mule as you would look upon the time you spend with your child. Some days will be for learning and some for just plain fun. When there are learning days, try to make them fun and stress-free. Someday you’ll find yourself saying: “I can’t believe he has turned out to be so good. I never really felt like I was ‘training’ him!”
Mules played an important role in our country during the Reconstruction Period: they patiently worked the fields, packed necessary artillery for the army, and served as a durable riding and driving animal in the westward movement. With the coming of the industrial age, their uses were minimized and they were faced with the possibility of extinction in the march of progress. Today, through the persistent determination of mule enthusiasts, mules are once again emerging as a conceivable asset to our economy and a unique form of athletic achievement and entertainment.
They will generally follow you around until you leave the field, begging for attention or simply observing you closely from a safe distance. Mules have a genuine desire to make friends with those other than their own species. Also, they are a very sensitive animal and can read your intentions through the tone of your voice and your body language.
Still, the most important thing to remember is to praise the mule with caressing and scratching when he does what you desire and back it up with the food reward. Mules love this kind of attention and will do their best to get it. If they are rewarded immediately when they are behaving as desired, the desired behavior will eventually become the norm. If bad behavior is ignored or gently reprimanded, it will fade to a minimum. The result is a pleasant, affectionate, and dependable animal.