With the hectic work schedule of spring and summer slowly tapering into fall, thoughts of relaxing mountain hunting and pack trips begin to ease their way into your mind: thoughts of cool, refreshing mountain streams, the sight of a massive bull elk, or the quiet majesty of the rugged mountain peaks. What better time to share with your mule or donkey? What better place for him to show you just what he is capable of doing? A relaxing mountain trail ride or pack trip is the perfect place for you to get to know your longears and strengthen the bond between you.
Mules are excellent mountain partners. They are a strong and durable animal. Due to the cupped shape of their hooves, they can cover the rough mountain terrain with much more surefootedness than their cousin, the horse. Mules’ superior intelligence and strong sense of survival helps him to negotiate careful placements of his feet, ensuring the safest possible ride. This is both important and comforting when looking for a relaxing ride in the mountains. The mule’s strength and endurance is sometimes unbelievable, and always incredible. He will take you through the rough mountain terrain for days, and then pack out that “elk of your dreams” with the greatest of ease. Around the campfire, he is a wonderful companion on lonesome mountain nights. His blatant curiosity can make for the most humorous of situations and his loving way can win your heart. But more than that, he can be relied upon when the going gets tough.
In the fall of 1984, Loveland, Colorado muleskinner Buddie Stockwell and farrier, Jerry Banks, along with a few friends, decided to make a hunting trip into the Rocky Mountains. Packing in, the weather was beautiful with warm temperatures, calm breeze and nary a hint of what was to come. After setting up camp and tending to their horses and mules, the hunters went about the business of tracking elk. Hunting was good, but after a few days, one evening brought with it an unpredictable storm of incredible severity. The hunters awoke the following morning to find their camp buried in more than four feet of snow, with no chance of the storm lifting.
Quickly, the hunters packed up what they could on the horses and mules. Tents and a lot of gear had to be left behind since time was of the essence. As they left the campsite, snow deepened and the terrain underneath was steep, rocky and treacherous. They had only gone a short distance when the snow became so deep, and the terrain so hazardous that the horses refused to go one step father. The horses would not blaze the trail out! Anxiety was high and the hunters were fearful of never making if off the mountain.
In the face of great danger, Buddie asked his trusted mule, Goliath to break trail for the others, and with slow, careful, deliberate steps, Goliathled them all safely down the mountain to their trucks and trailers, which were also buried in snow. In bitter cold, they freed the vehicles, loaded them up and made their way back to the lowlands to safety. The storms on the mountain worsened, and it was spring before Jerry and Buddie could return for the rest of their gear. But both men and their friends were grateful to Goliath for leading them down the mountain to safety.
There have been many stories such as this, where mules and donkeys have emerged the heroes in precarious situations. If you are the type who likes to take risks, it is comforting to know that your odds are better when paired with a mule. However, if you are one of those who prefer not to take such risks, there are other activities you can enjoy with your donkey or mule.
Why not take your longeared companion to the mountains for an enjoyable hike and picnic? He would thoroughly love just being able to serve you in such a beautiful surrounding. While you walk the trails enjoying the marvels of nature, your donkey or mule can carry the essentials for an elegant lunch. You can enjoy the lovely wildflowers or try your hand at fishing in the plentiful mountain streams. Your Longears would enjoy the peaceful solitude of such an excursion, and you can be confident of his ability to stay out of serious trouble.
If you question taking excursions such as these with your Longears because of a lack of training, there are Longears-lovers nearly everywhere now who can help you. All over the world, mules and donkeys are being revived in their use. With this revival comes a vast number of mule enthusiasts with varying abilities, but they all have one thing in common. They are all willing to lend a helping hand when they can. In this country, “Mule Fever” has spread like wildfire and we are now fortunate enough to have many competent mule trainers available to beginners in all sections of this country. Rocky Mountain man Curtis Imrie made his mark as a Champion pack burro racer for more than a decade and showed the very same burros at the National Western Stock Show during the winter.
Mule and donkey trainer from Bailey, Colorado, Dick Nichols’ love for burros and mules began when he found Dusty, a three-month-old wild burro caught in a blizzard. He took her home, cared for her and later entered her in the National Western Fall Classic Donkey and Mule Show, where both he and Dusty were awarded the title of Reserve Champion Donkey of the Show. Ever since, Dick has sought to help others enjoy Longears and horses in any way he can. In addition to breaking and training wild horses at his Medicine Bow Stables, Dick included in his program free clinics for burro owners to teach them how to handle and care for them. The program was simple enough that he could generally help owners get their burros ridden and driven by the end of the first day! Getting proper training for your donkey or mule can only enhance your relationship with them and in turn, they will enrich your life. So, consider taking the time to become acquainted with these remarkable animals by allowing them to share in your fall activities whether it be hiking, hunting, packing or picnicking. The life you enhance may be your own!
By Meredith Hodges During the last 50 years, thousands of people in this country have become afflicted with a rather unique condition. The symptoms include childlike behavior coupled with loyalty, integrity, honesty, maturity, humility and moments of overwhelming humor. Those who have this condition are among the happiest people in the world, for they are fortunate enough to experience “Mule Fever.”
“Mule Fever” begins when you gaze into the soft brown eyes of a big beautiful mule and he cocks an ear in your direction. Timidly, you request a ride, the mule complies, and the fever begins. A couple of miles down the road, a pheasant runs out of the brush and under your mule’s nose causing him to shy and unseat you. You lie in the road pained by your bruises, cussing the mule when he suddenly returns, nuzzles your face and gazes back at you with a perplexed and concerned look. Those soft brown eyes burn through to your soul, warm your heart and invite you to get up and try again. Once astride your mule again, you’d swear he is being extra-careful to avoid further mishaps. He seems sorry enough, so you forgive and forget and the bond between you strengthens and deepens. This is called “Mule Fever” and once it is contracted, one rarely recovers. Mules will remain in your heart and soul until the day you die!
The best place to witness this phenomenon is at Bishop Mule Days in Bishop, California over Memorial Day weekend each year. Thousands of mule enthusiasts gather together with their mules and donkeys to exchange stories, ideas, and even mules. The current economic troubles of the country are quickly dispelled with solutions such as: “Out of fuel, ride a mule!” and “Out of gas, ride an ass!” “And what of kicking?” asked an inquisitive bystander. A good-natured muleskinner replied, “You can’t kick while you’re working” and “You can’t work while you’re kicking!” Bishop Mule Days is a wonderful opportunity for everyone to share and enjoy a memorable weekend. Mules are the catalyst that brings people together, building new friendships and renewing old ones.
One of the most memorable cases of “Mule Fever” broke out in the city of Ogden, Utah when three dedicated mule men decided to ride their mules 600 miles to the famed Bishop Mule Days in California. Mark Romander of Meadow Brook Mules in Ogden, originated the idea to ride to Bishop two years before, but his plans were delayed. Mark had planned to make the trip alone, but a few weeks before his departure in 1983, someone let his stock out and his mule was hit by a car and killed. This tragic event quelled Mark’s plans for 1983, but made him more determined to make this ride. In 1984, his plans were again foiled by economic troubles, but his will to make the ride was strengthened. In 1985, he was more determined than ever to make his 600 mile ride with his partners, Scott Van Leeuwen, and Jerry Tindell, a Del Monte, California, horseshoer.
Mark, Scott and Jerry left Ogden on May 1, and began their long trek south through Utah to Highway 6 and across some 400 miles of desert and mountains to Bishop, California. Spring had been good that year, and grass in the desert was plentiful. They averaged about 35 miles per day, sometimes going as far as 40 or 50 miles in a day to reach water. During the nights, they camped. They reached their destination on May 19, 1985.
The three men agree that the best part of their long journey was all the wonderful people they met along the way who did everything they could to help them reach their destination. People extended their hospitality, allowing them to bed down at their ranches along the route. Others met them at strategic points with feed and water and other necessary supplies that would be difficult to carry along with them. Many new friendships were made on the trail to Bishop. Now that Bishop Mule Days is past, Mark, Scott and Jerry plan to go back and visit their newfound friends and extend their gratitude for helping to make their ride a tremendous success. For the future, they planned a 300-mile wagon ride to Bishop. We wished them the best of luck and supported them in their journey.
Ogden was fortunate to have Mark and Scott’s Meadow Brook Mule Ranch. They stood several jacks of all sizes and colors and had many different kinds of mules for sale. They were always more than willing to help anyone who wanted to know more about mules and they cooperated with other mule operations in the area to further the promotion of mules. These men are still doing all they can to educate the public about the versatility and exceptionality of mules. In addition to the 300-mile wagon ride, they sponsored an All-Mule Branding in the Tonopah and Ely, Nevada area where cowboys all rode mules to brand the cattle. Also, a hundred mules were present in the Ogden Parade on July 24th, 1986 and they hoped to have the Ogden Rodeo announced from the back of a mule. There are over 70 members of the Ogden Ass Association, all of which have contracted “Mule Fever.” There is no doubt in my mind there would be many more mule enthusiasts before long.
There are as many different kinds of mules as there are individuals to care for them. In observing the social behavior in a mule or donkey herd, you can see that the rules are simple: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you!” Each mule observes the other’s “space,” yet when closeness is needed, it’s, “You scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours.” Humans are a mule’s best-loved companion, since each mule can generally have one all to himself to train and condition. We humans would like to believe that we are the trainers, but take a moment and reflect on the qualities in ourselves that mules have been responsible for like loyalty, honesty, maturity, humility, and humor. People who think that those of us with “Mule Fever” are riding inferior animals should get off their high horse and onto a mule. False pride will tear people apart where the truest pride of mules can bring people together!
“Francis sure is PURDY, Augie!” “Still got that crush…eh, Spuds!”
“Nice to have Robin with us this time!”
“Are we going to get a trim? It looks like Dean, Augie!”
“No, Spuds, maybe a bath at this Bath House?”
“This boardwalk is kinda tricky, Augie!”
“How about a haircut at the Barbershop, Spuds?”
“No, thank you, Augie! I had one last week!”
“Ah, what have we here, Spuds?”
“Don’t ask, Augie! I think this is the Undertaker!”
“Oh, this is easy as pie, Augie!”
“Yeah, Yeah, Spuds!”
“Oats and a pat on the head is ALWAYS good, Augie!”
“I would agree, Spuds!”
“HMMM…sheet on the boardwalk, Augie!”
“No sweat, Spuds! We’re at the WILD ASS SALOON… wanna drink, Spuds?”
“No? Well let’s just head around the corner then, Spuds!”
“Under and around a hitch rail?…that’s new, Augie!”
“Time for the oats reward again, Spuds!” “Hey, what about me, Augie?”
“Did you see the sign, Spuds? We are now leaving ASSPEN!”
“It was another GREAT ADVENTURE, Augie! So many things to see!”
“Agreed! Too bad we have to go home now, Spuds!”
“Oh, well! Jump right into the stall for more OATS, Augie!”
“Oats and a nap…sounds good, Spuds!”
To learn more about Meredith Hodges and her comprehensive all-breed equine training program, visit LuckyThreeRanch.com or call 1-800-816-7566. Check out her children’s website at JasperTheMule.com. Also, find Meredith on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.
George Washington imported the first jacks into the United States on October 26, 1785. The two jacks were a special gift to him from the King of Spain, although one died during the crossing. Royal Gift made it to become the sire of Washington’s mules at Mount Vernon. Two hundred years later, October 26th became Mule Appreciation Day as a result of mule’s increased popularity in modern times. George Washington was one of the very few in his time who recognized the value of breeding good mares to jacks for the best mules, at a time when most people were breeding mares that were unfit for horse production. The mule, being the hybrid cross between a male donkey called a jack, and a female horse called a mare, generally inherits the best characteristics from both parents. He is a stronger and more durable animal than the horse, requires less feed for good health, is more surefooted and is more resistant to parasites and disease than is the horse. He is smarter and less likely to injure himself than the horse, and if bred and trained properly, he possesses a disposition that is affectionate, humorous and more willing than that of the horse. In 1992, the American Donkey & Mule Society celebrated its 25th Anniversary in support of mules and donkeys. In 1967, inspired by “Platero,” a gentle donkey and friend owned by the Hutchins family, the A.D.M.S. was founded by Paul and Betsy Hutchins and has grown into an appreciative organization of over 4000 members. They have encouraged people internationally to start their own clubs and organizations in support of Longears. As a result, the mule has enjoyed more different working and recreational uses now than ever before!
Although his primary use has been and still is as a pack animal, the mule has become a viable saddle animal, competing in all of the same types of events as horses. He has his own shows, as well as competing against horses in other types of shows. He is a curious animal and commands attention and interest wherever he goes. Mules and donkeys have been exhibited in the opening ceremonies at the Olympic Equestrian games years ago. There was an A.D.M.S. entry in the Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena on New Year’s Day 1992 and they have been exhibited at many horse shows and events across the United States. Special interest groups have been formed to help to preserve the integrity of these wonderful animals in an effort to educate people as to their use in the world today.
The Donkey Sanctuary in Great Britain rescues abused donkeys and allows them to live out the rest of their lives in peace, comfort and good health. Some of the donkeys are used at yet another place called the Slade Centre in Great Britain in a handicapped drive and ride program, while the Donkey Protection Trust provides experts in the field to poorer countries for healthier and more economically productive use of their donkeys where lives are actually dependent upon them. Interest in these remarkable animals has spanned many miles around the world and has brought people and cultures together for a common cause.
Special people dedicated to the positive promotion of Longears have educated others about these valuable assets to our society, and have helped to dispel old rumors and unkind attitudes about them. The result of their work is apparent in the lives of many people who have had the opportunity to be exposed to mules and donkeys. Mules and donkeys have bridged gaps among people, cultures and religions. Their contributions can be found in many aspects of our lives.
In 1992, the Lucky Three Ranch in Loveland, Colorado, in keeping with the spirit of Longears, developed an apprenticeship program for students wishing to learn about the many aspects of the Longears industry. It originated as an effort to have a cultural exchange of ideas and attitudes worldwide. It was basically a program to teach the student how to train and manage mules and donkeys, but it also covered the economic, commercial and social aspects as well. We were proud to accept our first student, Ruth Elkins from Great Britain, in October of 1992. It was her wish to not only learn as much as she could about Longears, but to introduce an American Dressage Mule to her country when she returned. She had hopes of inspiring a new and interesting challenge to others in her own country. How appropriate that our first student should arrive during the very month that we have designated to appreciate mules! This now online program has since been revised and is called the TMD Equine University – open to students from the U.S. and around the world who can understand English. For those who cannot, we have our website at www.luckythreeranch.com translated into French and Spanish, and three manuals that correspond with our Training Mules and Donkeys DVD series are also translated into French, Spanish and German.
Historically, mules have been primarily responsible for helping to build this country into what it is today. They aided the cavalries in the acquisitions of land. They pulled covered wagons of settlers thousands of miles across the new frontier. They worked in the coal mines, along canals and in the Southern cotton fields, as well as other crops. Mules helped build some of our major recreational facilities, such as the Rose Bowl, and have helped provide safe access to treacherous mountain recreational areas, such as the Grand Canyon, where the use of horses is questionable… and the list goes on!
Today, the mule still makes his tangible contribution to our social growth and development. He is an animal which has evolved with the times and there seems to be no end to his capabilities and contributions. New uses are continually being discovered for this highly versatile and adaptable animal, limited only by our own imaginations. It’s only fitting that we take the time to appreciate Longears on October 26th, an animal who has contributed so much to all of our lives. Thank you, mules…and donkeys, too! Life might not be as sweet, were it not for you!
Covered in TRAINING MULES & DONKEY: A LOGICAL APPROACH TO TRAINING, TRAINING WITHOUT RESISTANCE, EQUUS REVISITED and A GUIDE TO RAISING & SHOWING MULES at www.luckythreeranchstore.com.
“Stubborn as a mule” is hardly an appropriate cliché to describe today’s mules who are sweeping the countryside with their remarkable abilities! But why now? Why haven’t mules been used successfully as saddle animals before this? My only guess is that in the past, we did not afford ourselves much leisure time out of necessity. Therefore, mules used for packing and farming had to be broke quickly to help with the work. They were generally trained by older and more experienced animals by working in teams. People did not have the time to spend training one horse, much less one mule! If an animal refused to learn under the “team” plan, he was quickly discarded for an animal that would. Today we find that to train mules successfully for a variety of uses, we must spend a lot of quality time with them to get the desired response. Mules do not profit from hasty or forced training. With this new approach to training mules, they are rapidly becoming a preferred saddle animal.
It does not seem strange to me that this phenomenon with mules is finally taking place. A mule usually inherits his strength and intelligence from the jack and his beauty and athletic ability from the mare. Of course, both the jack and the mare can contribute more and less, of each other’s major attributes varying the looks and abilities of the offspring. Still, the offspring of a given mare will exceed the abilities of that mare after adding the jack’s incredible strength and intelligence. It is no surprise, then, in the face of this evidence, that using an athletic, sport mare will produce a sport mule, and so on.
In Europe, the Equestrian Arts are revered and preserved on a majority basis. In the United States, equestrians are a minority, taking a back seat to baseball, football, and other sports of the “common man.” Still, there is a marked growth of equestrian skills and equine performance that CAN carry us into the future with added equestrian interest. The spectators of Equestrian Sports must be considered. It is the spectator who pays to support us and it is the nature of the spectator to want to be entertained. In order to preserve their interest, we must keep them abreast of new developments in our industry, new events, new people, and new animals that now include mules! Since mules are now successfully competing with and against horses, it only stands to reason that they can be an asset to the industry as new talent. A complete list of uses and accomplishments of the mule is still not possible since the mule has not been tested completely, but that which has been tested is positive, including testing as an embryo transplant recipient. The mule has many redeeming qualities that make him attractive to Equestrians: he is durable, intelligent, extremely surefooted and less expensive to maintain than are horses. An added bonus is the affectionate, mischievous nature of the mule when treated kindly and fairly.
Sometimes we humans fall into the belief that one breed is better than another (with mules at the bottom, of course?!!!) when we should actually be looking at the whole picture a lot more realistically! It really isn’t that one breed is better than another. Rather, there are individuals within every breed who will excel. Whether that individual is a Warm Blood or a mule, shouldn’t he have the support of the entire equine industry and not just the support of his own breed?! If we had not integrated baseball, or football, for example, do you think it would have grown into the industry that it is today?! Probably not! Together we stand, divided we fall. Bickering over such trivialities in or own industry creates dissention and separation of resources. Better to use all the resources we have available to us in a positive and favorable manner for the support and preservation of our entire equine industry. Let’s get our priorities straight and do it for the survival of our industry, do it to improve your own skills, and do it to improve your equine’s skills! Try to keep your personal feelings in check for the sake of the whole and appreciate the art and skill of all our equestrians in the learning process. We can all learn from each other. “Mules can make a viable contribution to equestrian events… if we only give them a chance!!!!”
Donkeys are indigenous to desert areas that are often extremely hot or extremely cold. They are tough, surefooted due to the unique shape of their hooves, resistant to parasites, and disease and can withstand wide variations in climate. They require very little to survive and actually prefer the wide variety of brush and weeds that occur naturally in the desert with one of their favorite foods being dandelions.
Donkeys possess an incredible hair coat that does not shed off completely like horses do in the summer months. In their first year, a young donkey will keep his thick hair coat throughout the summer and won’t lose most of the hair until August.
In August, he will not have the thick hair coat, but will retain some longer, wispy hair unlike the horse. This thick hair is meant to insulate the foal against extreme heat and cold until he is able to develop enough body fat to help regulate the temperature throughout his body. It will stay thick inside the ears and will protect the donkey foal from parasites, bugs and severe trauma.
In one short month, the young donkeys will begin to grow back their thicker, winter under-coat in September in preparation for the cold.
As the donkey ages into the prime of his life, he has a covering of body fat to help keep his temperature insulated and the thicker hair is no longer as long and shaggy. Of course, there are some breeds of donkeys that will grow more thick hair than others, but the shaggy hair as an adult is generally reserved for the French Poitou Donkeys.
As the donkey gets to be over 25 years of age, he will begin to grow thicker hair year round to compensate for his loss of body fat due to old age.
January
August
When we show our donkeys, we body clip them, but if this is done, it is imperative to blanket them if it gets too cold and provide a light sheet during the cool summer nights.
Understand that they now no longer have the PROTECTION of their unique hair coat. When traveling, donkeys will sit back in the trailer and can rub themselves raw during the ride, especially if they have been clipped. When unclipped, the hair coat will keep this kind of damage to a minimum.
If your donkey does get these kinds of sores, they can usually be healed fairly quickly with a daily application of Neosporin ointment (Photo below was taken one week later). Note that when you clip, there is also the consideration of sunburn.
If you clip your donkey for show and need to haul any distance at all, you should protect his precious rear end by using a blanket or sheet secured over the hind quarters. The best course of action is not to body clip your donkey at all if you do not show. Remember, he’s a desert animal and Mother Nature has already provided him the protection that he needs against the elements.
Little Jack Horner , 13 HH Sire-Supreme of the Lucky Three Ranch in Loveland, Colorado, was the last jack born at the famed Windy Valley Ranch in Healdsburg, California owned by my mother, Joyce Doty. He was foaled June 11, 1980, by the renowned Windy Valley Adam (14.2 HH) and out of Windy Valley Maude (15 HH). His ancestry can be traced back to the original breeding stock of George Washington’s farm at Mount Vernon, Virginia.
In 1984 and 1985, Little Jack Horner captured second place in the Bishop Mule Days World Show Halter class for Standard Jacks. His impeccable show record consists of first and second place standings at Halter in his home state of Colorado, and in 1986, he placed first at Halter in the American Donkey and Mule Society Registered Jacks class at the A.D.M.S. Nationals in Dallas, Texas.
In 1984, he made his debut in performance at the Colorado Classic Horse Show, placing first in Donkey Driving and Donkey Pleasure. His willing disposition held him in good stead, placing him first in Donkey Pleasure and Donkey Driving at Bishop Mule Days in 1989. Little Jack Horner (by his own enthusiastic request via running the fence) was trained in Dressage and Jumping along with his numerous offspring mules. He reached Second Level Dressage over three years and jumped four feet in exhibition at Bishop Mule Days in 1991 where he received a Specialty Award for his efforts. At Bishop Mule Days in 1993, he placed first in Donkey Pleasure, Donkey Pole Bending and Donkey Keyhole.
Although Dressage proved difficult (as it would be for any donkey), it helped to set the stage for his incredible athletic ability to jump. He soared over fences to 4’6” without a rider and worked up to 4’ with the rider on board. In keeping with traditional Dressage, Little Jack Horner worked on a Pas de Deux in Jumping with another Colorado Standard Jack, Blue Zebulon owned by Fran & Larry Howe of the Bitterroot Mule Company. Those who know the difficulty of working jacks together at all will appreciate their unique dispositions and good manners! Little Jack Horner proved himself to be not only a well-conformed breeding jack, but also a true athlete! He was inducted into the Bishop Mule Days Hall of Fame in May of 2014.
As a breeding jack, Little Jack Horner produced some of the finest saddle mules in the world. Consistently, his genetic makeup was responsible for extremely attractive heads, refined straight legs and good angles in the hip and shoulder of his offspring mules and donkeys. In addition, these mules and donkeys reflected a smooth flowing topline, with depth of girth and a good length of neck for overall balance and beauty. Little Jack Horner’s mule and donkey offspring generally grew to the mare’s (or jennet’s) height or 2 inches taller despite L.J.’s own smaller size.
Lucky Three Firestorm never lost a Halter class and was an all-around English Champion Arabian mule.
It didn’t seem to matter with what breed of mare or jennet he was bred. His superior qualities shone through in his offspring, giving the mules an appearance more like really nice looking horses (and donkeys!), only with longer ears!
Not only did Little Jack Horner seem to improve on the characteristics of the mares with which he was bred, but also with the jennets as well. At Lucky Three Ranch, we endeavored to produce a Mammoth Donkey with these same refined characteristics as Mammoth’s typically have a lot of thick bone in the joints and in their faces which I wished to refine. Little Jack Horner sired two jennets, Lucky Three Pantera and Lucky Three Serendipity , who indeed retained his refinement within a much larger frame. Pantera , as a two-year-old gray jennet, stood at 14.3 hands and Serendipity as a yearling, stood 13 hands, the very same height as her sire. Pantera matured to 15.2 hands and Serendipity matured to 14 hands. When we bred the daughters back to Blue Zebulon from the Bitterroot Mule Company, the offspring jacks did indeed retain Little Jack Horner’s refinement with no unsightly boniness in the heads and joints. His offspring were most often taller than both the mare and sire . Little Jack Horner proved time and time again that the jack is indeed responsible for the shape and thickness of bone, and not necessarily for the overall height of the offspring.
Be it donkey or mule, Little Jack Horner’s offspring always placed at the top of the Halter classes in the early shows and in the top five when they began competing in performance classes.
In January of 1989 at the National Western Stock Show in Denver, Colorado, Little Jack Horner and nine of his offspring, both mules and donkeys, made a clean sweep at the show and won everything in every class in which they were entered.
Appaloosa mule, Lucky Three Ciji never lost a Halter class, placed in the top five in the Western Performance divisions at multiple shows across the country and was a Side Saddle Champion, and Reserve Champion the following year, against horses in the International Side Saddle Organization.
Appaloosa mule, Lucky Three Eclipse won the Bishop Mule Days Champion Warm-Up Hunter class in 2000. At the Lucky Three Ranch in 2017, we still have multiple Little Jack Horner offspring from various horse breeds (Appaloosa, American Quarter Horse, Arabian, Thoroughbred and Paint) including one Warm Blood mule bred from a Trakehner mare that I acquired for the expressed purpose of doing Dressage due their their extraordinary movement. Little Jack Horner’s offspring here at the ranch are all healthy and are still being used for ranch work, even though most of them are well over twenty-five years of age, and some are thirty years and over.
When I said good night to Little Jack Horner one chilly fall evening on October 5, 2014, I noticed that he was unusually calm and serene. He stood motionless with a colorful rainbow arched over his pen showering him in a surrealistic light as the sun began to set behind the Rocky Mountains that he loved . Little Jack Horner passed away quietly that night at the age of 34 years, but his legacy remains.
He set the bar exceptionally high for Longears everywhere and because he did, the interest in mules and donkeys has increased exponentially over the past 40 years. The old myths about donkeys and mules being stubborn and hard to work with are being laid to rest because of his efforts. What he taught me will go down in history to become my legacy as well. His story and that of his offspring needed to be told, so I documented everything I learned from them to pass on to future generations. I was very blessed to be the steward of such an extraordinary individual and to be able to go forward as the keeper of his children. He was a very special donkey for a very special time!
Little Jack Horner has left quite a legacy! It does my heart good to see how the quality of mule and donkeys has improved exponentially over the years with foundation sires such as Little Jack Horner and…
Black Bart , bred by Sybil Sewell from the famed Windy Ridge Farm in Canada and owned by Don and Irma Mode of Oregon. Mules, once bred from culled mares, are now being bred from the best! Through more careful donkey selection, they have also improved substantially in conformation and have thereby produced incredible breeding jacks and jennets for the future!
When Chasity first arrived, we needed to keep her in quarantine, away from the other animals for a minimum of two weeks. Over the past 41 years, we altered our facility to an all-steel facility. Reduced maintenance costs enabled us to proceed converting from wood and wire to steel until we completed the process. This has greatly reduced the overall maintenance costs for the entire ranch, enabling us to purchase steel panels for the barn runs. It was easy to quarantine Chasity safely and still allow her company (at a distance, of course!) and an introduction to her future stable mate, Wrangler. About every five years, we do have to spray paint the panels to keep them looking new, but this is a small price to pay for a happy donkey!
Once out of quarantine, Chasity and Wrangler were stabled next to each other. All of our runs are bedded with four inches of pea gravel. This promotes good drainage and keeps things from getting muddy. This, in turn, provides a hard surface for good hoof health and will not chip their feet because of its rounded shape. Each of our donkeys is given a soccer ball for play in the smaller areas. The ground surface is also soft and comfortable enough for them to lie down without causing shoe boils or sores. They learn to come by calling them to the end of the runs and rewarding with oats.
The mini donkeys’ pens are the same way, as is the road around the sandy dressage arena where they can also be turned out in the larger dirt area when it is not in use. They really enjoy a good roll in the sand.
Donkeys are desert animals and can easily become obese when exposed to green pastures. I only take my donkeys out to pasture to play with me.
My 60’ x 180’ indoor arena is lined with steel panels. I have a 45’ Round Pen at one end with obstacles inside the side gates around the south end. The enclosed area makes for good obstacle training with minimal distractions. Round Pen work and turnout in the open area during bad weather is completely safe and NON-DESTRUCTIVE!
At first, Chasity would not come to me at the stall door, but after being chased once into the stall to be haltered, she soon gave in easily. I always halter in exactly the same way, in the same place. They love routine.
The oats reward assures that she will repeat the behavior. After only one lesson, she now comes to me every time to be haltered. For clean, dry stalls, we bore a 2’ wide x 4’ deep hole in the center, fill it with 1 ½” rock, cover it with four inches of pea gravel and put rubber mats on top. The pea gravel is held in with 2” x 6” boards bordered by angle iron.
Since we had no animals in the north stalls, we took down the panels and made a large turnout area bedded in four inches of pea gravel for Wrangler and Chasity. It was plenty large enough to romp and play…and not get muddy!
When I am out and about the barn, I reinforce Wrangler and Chasity’s will, as well as all the others, to come to me for their oats reward. We keep bulk rock, pea gravel and structural fill in bays behind the indoor arena.
When the equines are in turnout, we replenish the pea gravel as needed with the Skidsteer.
Wrangler and Chasity, our miniature donkeys Augie & Spuds, miniature mule Francis and miniature horse Mirage also have alternate access to a very large 2 ½ acre dirt pen…Large Standard donkeys one day, miniatures the next.
When it is dry, they can take turns on alternate days in the larger area to stretch their legs and buck to their hearts desire. They do not seem to miss being in the pasture with this kind of management and they really do stay very healthy. We have no incidence of colic, founder, abscesses, skin irritations, rashes or obesity.
Wrangler, Chasity, Augie and Spuds are TRULY HAPPY DONKEYS!
The idea of creating a mule museum is already old. When the association “Interessengemeinschaft für das Maultier” (IGM) was founded 30 years ago, some members wished to realize this idea at some point. They started to collect everything about the mule and they could present small exhibitions in other museums in Switzerland.
In 2007 the working group “Museum” was formed, in 2012 the association “Mule Museum Switzerland” was founded. Its task was to push the idea of a mule museum forward.
Already in 2012, a permanent exhibition was opened within the Open-Air Museum Ballenberg, which still exists today. It shows the history of the muleteers in Switzerland and a small sust (goods handling and resting place for the muleteers).
The search for a proper location and a building for an own mule museum was started. The association found a matching barn in Turtmann, a village in the Canton of Valais. It would be the ideal location, as this is where the large mule and horse markets in the canton of Valais used to be held, and it was the starting point of the mule trails into the southern side valleys and into Italy. Unfortunately the project could not be started until now for various reasons. It has been put on hold until further notice.
When it was founded in 2017, the Swiss Mule Museum Foundation was given an old barn and stable in the Valais mountain village of Törbel by three families. The barn is already 350 years old and stands in the middle of the historic village center. It is registered in the Swiss list of villages worthy of national protection.
Törbel is a real stroke of luck. It was the village with the most mules at that time; it was famous for its muleteers, who showed good handling in dealing with the animals; the artist Helen Güdel still lives here, who wrote and illustrated the children’s book about the mule “Apollo”. She also has her small Hosennen-Museum; the people of Törbel donated many objects to the museum, which were formerly used in the work with the mules; the political community and the inhabitants are fully behind the project and help everywhere; with the association and open-air museum “Urchigs Terbil” we could agree that our museum would be integrated into its tour.
The foundation started looking for sponsors. It was not easy, but little by little money came in. Not only from Switzerland, but also from abroad: Loveland Longears Museum & Sculpture Park, Meredith Hodges.
The foundation engaged the young architect Thomas Juon and various craftsmen from Törbel and the surrounding area to renovate the barn. In October 2019 the renovation plans were drawn up and fortunately the craftsmen were able to start work despite the Corona crisis. Everyone was very motivated and did a good job.
Spring 2020
At the end of May we (Ursi, Elke, Josefine and Mariette, members of the Foundation) met for the first time with Beat Gugger in Törbel, the exhibition expert who had already helped with the exhibition at Ballenberg. He will again develop an exhibition concept.
On a short tour of the village, Beat was able to get a first impression of this mountain village high above the Visper valley. He was already impressed by the narrow road and the steep slopes just behind the crash barriers during the bus ride here. He immediately realized that up here one could only work with mules.
During a stopover in the barn, we got an idea of the progress of the renovation work and the future exhibition rooms. During the tours, the historical building (stable barn) will be shown on the one hand, and the mule and its history in the mountain region will be presented on the other.
Erich Wyss, village historian and one of the guides, accompanied us on to the baking house, where he explained how rye bread (a Valais specialty) was baked for the whole village at that time. We were all very impressed by Erich’s enormous knowledge.
In the late afternoon we had to go to the civil defense facility. The community had provided us with a room there as an intermediate depot. The numerous museum material, which had been stored in several barns until now, was collected by the volunteers Erich Wyss, Ludwig Petrig, Othmar Zuber and Thomas Juon and delivered to the intermediate depot. Elke, Ursi, Beat, Josefine and Mariette sorted the things according to origin. We were simply overwhelmed by the crowd that gathered there. Already that evening we started with the inventory. This meant that every single object had to be taken in hand, marked with an inventory number on a label, photographed and recorded in an Excel spreadsheet with details such as name, size, material, origin.
The next day, the entire Board of the Foundation met with the architect and the carpenter to inspect the construction site. The two explained the progress of the work and drew attention to new problem areas, and the next steps were discussed. In the evening, the Foundation Board discussed with the people from “Urchigs Terbil” what the future cooperation should look like in concrete terms.
The inventory could not be completed in full, so after two weeks Josefine and Mariette travelled to Törbel again for three days. In the meantime, the foundation has already received new objects from the village as gifts.
We were only allowed to use the intermediate depot for a few weeks. Therefore all material had to be transported to Turtmann, where the foundation rented an old airplane hangar as a depot. Many objects that were donated to the foundation by the IGM and private persons are already stored there.
Before the exhibition, the objects must be cleaned, greased and prepared for the return transport to Törbel. Especially the leather objects are in dire need of it, as they were exposed to dry air and dust in the barns for years. For this cleaning action we need support from volunteers and members of the IGM.
Summer 2020
An old building often turns out to be a bag of wonders, as is our barn. Instead of renewing only a small part of the brickwork as planned, the foundation had to be renewed on three sides. It also turned out that a lot of earth had been washed up in front of the entrance, so that the lower beams rotted and had to be replaced. The budget had to be adjusted several times, resulting in additional costs of several 10’000 Swiss francs. The major renovation work could now be completed. The wooden walls still had wide gaps, which we filled ourselves with a special stuffing tape.
Meanwhile Beat has created an exhibition concept. The upper floor, where the hay was once stored, will be the actual exhibition space. One part will tell the story of the mules in the Valais mountain villages, with Törbel as a representative. The other part shows the mules in use as an all-round means of transport in the surrounding valleys and the wider surroundings.
Autumn 2020
The inventory of all museum objects from Törbel and Turtmann is now complete. The data of the Excel spreadsheet have been fed into the database of the Association of Museums of Valais. Unfortunately, some errors occurred. So now all data sets have to be rechecked and then activated individually.
The opening ceremony, which was initially planned for the end of this October, has been postponed to spring 2021. The reason for this is, as is now the case everywhere, the coronavirus. But now the Foundation is giving us more time for the preparations.
A lot of people tell me they have problems when their jennets or molly mules are in heat. And, they expect the behaviors of their gelding to change drastically when they are castrated. In my experience, it really doesn’t make much difference if you have a fair and equitable management and training program. When their bodies are managed in a healthy way and they are consistently taught good manners, they will be willing and able to perform well regardless. I always approach training in a fair and equitable manner that does not throw too much at them all at once so as to avoid anxiety. Wrangler and Chasity both appreciate this (as did my jack, stallion and other females). It wasn’t until AFTER this lesson that I realized that Chasity was in heat and Wrangler was EXCITED about it! This program is a slow, logical and sequential approach that the equines truly appreciate and respond to positively no matter their mood. The results are miraculous!
Today, we were to begin with an interview about donkeys. Wrangler watched intently while Robbie wired me with the microphone. Then we went to the center of the Round Pen where I set him up and asked Wrangler to stand quietly while we did the interview, and he did what he was told. Such a good boy!
After the interview, Wrangler did his exercises of five rotations at walk, trot and even a little bit of canter. He is getting really good about stretching his spine from head to tail and his flexibility is greatly improved.
Since Wrangler had previously bolted with the lunge line in the dressage arena, I thought another lesson might be in order. I asked for the halt. Then we went to the open arena where I tied the end of the lunge line to the his bit with four inches to spare that I ran under his chin and snapped to the bit ring on the other side. This would prevent the bit from being pulled through his mouth.
I first lunged him to the right at walk and trot, halted him and changed the line to the other side. I gave a slight pull on the lunge line as his outside front leg was in suspension as a cue to keep him on the arc of the circle.
Wrangler did very well, so I stopped him and he stood quietly while I rolled up the lunge line. He followed me when I put away the line and stood still again while I prepared to mount.
Once mounted, the reward was in order followed by a rein back. He was offering more steps in each new lesson with only very slight squeeze/releases from my little fingers.
We did a very well-balanced turn on the haunches and made our way into the Hourglass Pattern. Wrangler proceeded forward with an energized working walk.
Wrangler remained erect in his body carriage as we made our way through the pattern, bending his body appropriately through his rib cage to the arcs of the turns and moving in good posture on straight lines.
Wrangler remained soft in his response to my hands, seat and legs. Donkeys are notorious for leaning against pressure, so it was imperative that I kept myself relaxed and “giving” to his movement.
Wrangler’s internal pendulum kept him moving through the Hourglass Pattern in a very nice balance, first through the pattern one way, across the diagonal and again in the opposite direction. My inside leg at the girth on the turns helped him to stay erect while my outside leg was well back to support the bend and encourage impulsion.
Wrangler obediently executed a square halt followed by a nice rein back with the lightest of cues from my fingertips. When you are patient and spend the time to train your equine this way, it makes a world of difference in their gaits and produces an incredibly smooth ride!
Wrangler stood quietly during the dismount and went through the gate perfectly! It was truly a resistance-free lesson! That is what you will get when you spend time on accuracy and wait for speed to come later.
Wrangler and Chasity both stood stock still while I got Chasity untied, then we all walked happily in sync together back to the Tack Barn! Leading them together is never a problem! The boundaries to good behavior have been established from the very beginning. They both know clearly what is expected!
There are differences in jacks, geldings and jennets, but I have found them all to have their individual redeeming qualities. Wrangler is carefully surveying the environment while Chasity walks obediently at my shoulder. Wrangler is much more playful while Chasity is sedate. My jack, Little Jack Horner, was always an energetic, enthusiastic, fully-charged male with extraordinary ability! What they ALL have in common is their exceptional intelligence, energy conservation and strong sense of self-preservation. What has produced the most success in the management and training of all my equines has been a logical, sequential and equitable approach, executed with a polite attitude, good manners, kindness, consideration, respect and a fair reward system. If I want the best from them, I have to set a good example myself. Chasity and Wrangler politely go through the gate into the area where each will not be interrupted and will patiently wait their turn.
Wrangler is now light in the bridle in the Round Pen and ready to begin work in the Hourglass Pattern in the open arena. Since I have to use both the Round Pen and the open arena, I tie Chasity in the obstacle area so she will not need to be moved until it is her turn. Then Wrangler and I proceed to the Round Pen for his warm-up exercises where he will lunge five rotations in each direction at walk, trot and canter in both directions with a reverse in between. Too much shuffling around can cause anxiety. I prefer that they both remain calm and obedient, so I set them up for success.
Wrangler politely accepts my adjustment on his bridle, “Elbow Pull,” saddle placement and girth, then proceeds forward at the walk in good equine posture. His “Elbow Pull” remains loose and is only there as a reminder in the Round Pen and as a support should he need it when I add my extra weight under saddle in the open arena.
Wrangler trots obediently upon the verbal command and after five rotations transitions to canter. He is now up to three rotations at canter in each direction. I will add one more rotation in each direction with each new lesson.
I slow him to a walk, do a well balanced reverse and he then proceeds once more at the walk for five rotations.
Wrangler picks up the trot promptly upon request. After five rotations, he canters for three more rotations. I will add one more next time. His overall balance at canter is slowly improving with each new lesson!
Improvement comes rapidly when you don’t try to get too much too quickly. Wrangler is eager and ready to be ridden!
I ask Wrangler to come through the gate and he turns back to me to receive his reward. Then I mount and give him another reward from his back. I truly appreciated his well-practiced good manners!
Once mounted, I ask for the familiar rein back and we then proceed forward into the Hourglass Pattern. Wrangler stays light in the bridle and takes gentle directional nudges from my calves in sync with the direct rein cues.
Wrangler remains upright in his balance, bends through his rib cage through the arcs in the pattern, and halts squarely and promptly upon command.
Preparing your equine with PLENTY of groundwork, the right kinds of exercise and use of the “Elbow Pull” to help build his core strength adequately in good posture to support a rider BEFORE you get on makes all the difference in the world! You are building a new HABITUAL way of moving.
Wrangler is strong in his balance, light in the bridle and promptly responsive to the cues from my seat, legs and hands. He halts squarely and reins back easily when asked.
When their balance is not constantly interrupted, they only need a weekly workout and can practice their posture efficiently in turnout each day on their own! If you WANT to work more, you can, but always be ready to leave one day of rest between 30-40 minute workout days. I always want my equines to ENJOY being with me and not get sour!
Wrangler has now completed his preparation for efficiently carrying a rider while staying in good equine posture with adequate core strength. Doing these kinds of logical and sequential exercises in a consistent manner makes all the difference in an equine’s physical development and mental attitude. Groundwork needn’t be boring for either you or your donkey. Doing these exercises the same way, every time, creates an unbreakable bond and deep understanding of what is expected between you. Before mounting your donkey in the Round Pen, there is one more interim step that needs to be done to keep your donkey standing still and his attention on you as you mount him. In the grooming area, I will mount the donkey and have him take oats from both sides of his body as we stand there. Then we will go to the Round Pen, do the preparatory lunging he has done before and mount in the same fashion. This will set up your donkey for success!
By now, your donkey should know his verbal commands and will not be compelled to just take off at the trot. He will walk leisurely along the perimeter of the Round Pen until you ask for the trot. He will remain in good posture and keep the “Elbow Pull” loose throughout his workout. He will have a rounded topline and overall balance that can easily support the added weight of a rider. Wrangler is doing beautifully!
After five rotations at walk and five rotations at trot, I ask Wrangler to slow to a walk. I then turn away from him in the opposite direction he is traveling and step in front of him to encourage him to reverse.
Then I send him to the rail for five more rotations at walk and then five at the trot. Wrangler is relaxed and moving freely forward. He is obviously strong in his balance and ready to be ridden.
I ask Wrangler to “Whoa,” reward him for his stellar performance and ask him to stand four-square with equal weight over all four feet in preparation for mounting. I do not want to throw him off balance as I pull my weight into the saddle. Most equines will move if they feel a loss of balance. I politely mount and settle my seat easily in the saddle. I do not rudely plop myself down on his back.
As soon as I was mounted, I balanced myself in the saddle and offered rewards for standing still from both sides. My first move while mounted was the rein back. This would get his attention off bolting and put his mind on a task he can easily do. He is then rewarded again and happy with his accomplishment.
We walked for two rotations tracking to the left and then did an “S” turn through the middle of the Round Pen to change directions. I paid special attention while bending his body through the “S” turn to keep Wrangler’s body erect. I encouraged him to bend through his rib cage to make the turn smooth, forward and fluid.
We did two more rotations at the walk, then I asked for a balanced and correctly executed reverse. It is important to pay attention to the minute details while working slowly. This will promote accuracy later when you speed things up.
I walked Wrangler into a smooth and balanced halt. I made sure my own body was over the center of balance and that my hands and legs were even on both sides. I waited quietly for a few second to allow him to settle.
Then I asked Wrangler for a rein back with a pull/release action on both reins, but added a little more alternate pressure from one side to the other in sync with the front legs that were coming backwards. Wrangler did very well for his first riding session, so I thought it best to quit while we were ahead. It is easier for your donkey to learn when you keep lessons short and productive. Drilling for hours never really works…they just get tired and can’t really listen or perform well.
Although Chasity waits calmly while she is tied and Wrangler is working, he has to play with the artificial flowers in the planter when it is his turn to be tied. Next time, I will remove the temptation of the flowers! After Chasity finished her workout, we all made our way back to the work station. It was another successful and enjoyable training session for all of us!
After having a week off, Chasity returned to her lessons happy, refreshed and ready to go to work. I decided to go back to the Hourglass Pattern and do more leading exercises followed by lunging on the lunge line and ground driving in the open arena. She had two weeks of lessons in the Round Pen and I was curious to see how she would do on the single line, and then the drive lines, with lots of space around her. This can often be a whole new challenge! She seemed very relaxed as she fell into the familiar leading pattern.
As we negotiated the Hourglass Pattern, she easily matched me step for step, even over the ground rails. I asked her for a downward stretch and she was completely cooperative with that as well. The exercises she has been doing for the past four months have really changed her body shape and her strength. The thick crest on her neck is greatly reduced and is no longer hard, but soft and pliable to the touch. It won’t be long before it is completely gone. She is moving symmetrically, is much more agile and is in great athletic condition!
She was in good posture and stepped over the dressage arena fence gracefully without losing her balance at all as we went to retrieve the lunge line. She then stepped over it again as we re-entered the arena to begin lunging on the lunge line.
I started her on a short line to give her clear directions about what Iwanted. I made sure to give a short squeeze/ release on the lunge line each time her outside leg came forward into suspension like I had during Round Pen lessons. This caused her outside front leg to come toward me and keep her on the arc of the circle around me without getting into a pulling match. Pulling this way would not interfere with her balance and cause her to bolt.
As she circled, with each rotation, I let out the line a little bit more. I continued with the squeeze/release cue in sync with the outside front leg coming into suspension. Then before she got bored, I asked her to “Whoa.”
I gave Chasity her oats reward and waited for her to finish chewing before I retied the lunge line so we could go in the opposite direction. I tied the lunge line to the snaffle bit on the side I pull from and then left enough excess to go under her chin and snap to the ring on the other side. This keeps the bit from sliding through her mouth.
Again, I started her on a short line and let it out as she was compliant and stayed on the circle around me, always giving the squeeze/release cues in sync with that outside front leg. The I asked for a “Whoa” and a stretch down for her reward.
Chasity waited patiently as I put on the drive lines, always sporting a relaxed and happy face! We began ground driving at a pretty good clip. She was enjoying the open space! I stayed in sync with her back legs, but I was having to take very big steps to keep up with her!
Then as sometimes happens…she bolted. I knew she wasn’t really scared. She just felt GOOD! So rather than engage in a pulling match, I just let go. She took off, first at a very fast trot, then a lope….
…and finally she went into a full-fledged gallop! She stayed strong in her new-found good equine posture throughout! She galloped to the fence and made a nice 90-degree angle turn into a trot tracking right! She was clearly enjoying herself while I just waited on the sidelines for this moment to pass.
It was clear to me that she needed to just run and have a good time for a little bit. I watched as she traveled around the perimeter of the dressage arena. I was impressed with her improved way of going. She carried her head a bit high and was not as flexed at the poll as I would have liked, but what more could I have expected considering the short time she had been worked in the “Elbow Pull.” Enhanced grace would come later!
I was impressed with her form as she jumped over the dressage arena fence! As she executed THAT move, there was more flexion over her entire top line. This was a great improvement to the sway back she had when she first got here! She evntually slowed down and began to make her way toward me.
Since she had obviously decided to go back to work, I walked toward her and gave her a reward for returning to me!
I gathered the drive lines and instead of walking behind her, I kept them short and walked beside her for more control. I did not want another runaway! She did give a half-hearted pull, but when she discovered that I had more control, she decided to comply as I concurrently led/ground drove her back into the Hourglass Pattern
I proceeded this way over the ground rails and then toward the next corner cone. As I did, I gradually made my way more toward the hind qaurters while making sure I still had her attention. She was a little strong in the bridle, but did as I asked. We did have to circle the cone to keep this control.
As she came around the cone, she got more tractable and straightened out so I could ground drive her from her hip. We were definitely making progress!
We turned around the next cone and headed back toward the ground rails in the center of the Hourglass Pattern. At the point where we would nromally halt and square up when leading, when ground driving, we halt and normally do a rein back instead. This time, however, I would be content with the halt. I made a mental note that next time, I would use an assistant at her head with a lead rope to help her to be totally successful in the ground driving before we went solo again. I would hate to perpetuate any bad habits. One occurence like this is acceptable, but to allow it to continue would be a major mistake! Longears learn EXACTLY what you teach them!
Chasity is eager to go to the Round Pen and continue her lessons. Being polite, considerate, respectful and consistent in one’s approach will create a happy and willing partner. Most resistant behaviors arise from anxiety in the animal as a result of an unpredictable approach. Equines love the company of their own kind during training whenever possible. It gives them confidence, and a more experienced animal can show them how things are done with a compliant attitude. Breaking training down into very small steps assures that your equine will NEVER be over-faced with any tasks. It is paramount that you train your equine how to lunge on a lunge line for the first few times in the Round Pen.
Lunging in the “Elbow Pull” is critical to helping Chasity maintain her good posture and balance throughout her workout. It allows full range of motion, but will prevent any hollowing of the back and neck, and give her something to lean on when she has weak moments and cannot sustain her own good posture and self-carriage for a few strides at a time. Consistent work in the “Elbow Pull” will actually change the equine’s habitual way of moving. Chasity is becoming more and more comfortable in her new and more correct equine posture! This is most evident when she is at rest with equal weight placed over all four feet underneath her body. This is true whether at work or in turnout.
Chasity is now holding her own self-carriage in good posture for more and more strides during each new lesson. It takes a lot of time to stretch and rebuild the elements that support the skeletal frame such that the body becomes strong and movement becomes more flexible and habitual.
At walk and trot, Chasity and Wrangler maintain an erect body carriage and bend through their rib cages to the arc of the Round Pen circle. Wrangler can be a bit lazy and will carry his head too low, so I add the bridle reins to prevent him from becoming a “peanut roller!” Chasity carries her head higher, so she won’t need them.
After being warmed up with her familiar lunging of five rotations in each direction, I add the lunge line. I always keep it loose, dragging on the ground. Then I give an occasional “squeeze-release” as the outside front foot comes forward. This is her cue to stay on the circle later in the open arena and not pull on the lunge line.
My end goal is always to keep Chasity as light in the bridle as possible to get the desired response. Using all this gear in the beginning allows me to do minimal pulling on the lines and later the reins. The animal is in control of the adjustment of the tension. They learn quickly what I am asking with the lightest cue from my fingers.
Chasity is now comfortable and relaxed, knows what my cues mean. With the slightest pressure on the lines, she executes a lovely reverse and continues on in a really nice posture.
Being cognizant of how you do certain moves, like going through gates, will assure that the equine responds at all times with very SLIGHT pressure on the reins or lines, or even on the lead rope…no more BOLTING! You will never need to PULL on a lunge line again in any open areas. Loss of balance is the number one reason for resistance and bad behaviors. Building this precise foundation will carry through to Chasity’s under saddle work. Building core strength that symmetrically supports the skeletal frame makes everything you want to do a lot easier for your equine. When he is strong, balanced and comfortable in his body, he is better ABLE to be a willing and compliant companion!
Mules and donkeys are very gregarious and affectionate animals and have a need to really bond with their owners. It is important to know the steps involved in this bonding process to get the best from your mule or donkey, and even horses. Routine management and our training process called Behavior Modification (Reward System Training) will make your time together safe and enjoyable.
When mules and donkeys are treated with patience and kindness, they can be as capable as horses in all kinds of equine activities. The fun you can have with your mule, or donkey, is only limited by your own imagination and your approach to training. Mules can do…and donkeys, too!
Since mules and donkeys bond to the person who trains them, we encourage owners to do the training themselves with the help of our resistance free video training series that provides a solid base for any equine activity.
This series will help you get the best from your equine whether he is large or small, a donkey, mule, or even a horse. It is designed like grade school is for children.
Although we begin our DVD series with Foal Training, no matter how old, you should always begin training with imprinting and move forward from there with attention to feed as well. This will insure a positive introduction and will help to build a good relationship with your equine. Our methods are meant to be done in a sequence and taking shortcuts or changing our method in some way will not yield the same results. After many years of training for other people, I have found that equines, especially mules and donkeys, bond to the person who trains them. When they go away to other people, they do not get the benefit of this bonding and can become resistant over time when they return home. After all, you wouldn’t ask someone else to go out and make a friend for you, would you? This is the primary reason I put my entire training program in books and videos, in a natural order like grade school is for children, for people to use as a resistance-free correspondence training course instead of doing clinics and seminars. People are encouraged to use the series and to contact me via mail, email or telephone for answers to any questions. This way your questions can be answered promptly.
No matter how old or how well trained the equine, they still need time doing the simplest of things to get to know you before they will learn to trust and have confidence in you. The exercises that you do should build the body slowly, sequentially and in good equine posture. No human or equine is born in good posture. It is something that needs to be taught and practiced repetitively if it is to become a natural way of moving the body. When the body is in good posture, all internal organs can function properly and the skeletal frame will be supported correctly. Just as our children need routine, ongoing learning and the right kind of exercise while they are growing up, so do equines. They need boundaries for their behavior clearly outlined to minimize anxious behaviors and inappropriate behavior, and the exercises that you do together need to build their strength and coordination in good equine posture. The time spent together during leading training and going forward builds a good solid relationship with your equine and fosters his confidence and trust in you because you actually help him to feel physically better. A carefully planned routine and an appropriate feeding program is critical to healthy development.
Most equines never experience core muscle strength and this becomes even more important as they age. We do leading training for a full year to not only get them to learn to lead and to develop a good relationship with them, but also to develop good posture and core muscle strength in preparation to carry a rider.
Leading lessons for postural strength and balance need only be done for 15-20 minutes once a week to be certain that they aren’t fighting balance problems later when you mount and ride. Even an older equine with previous training would still need this for optimum performance and longevity. During the time you do the leading training strengthening exercises, you should NOT ride the animal as this will inhibit the success of the preliminary exercises. If you ride while you do these exercises, it will not result in the same proper muscle conditioning, habitual behavior and new way of moving. The lessons need to be routine and done in good posture to acquire the correct results. Hold the lead rope in your LEFT hand, keep his head at your shoulder, match your steps with his front legs, point in the direction of travel with your right hand and look where you are going while you track straight lines, gradual arcs and square him up with equal weight over all four feet EVERY TIME you stop. We are building NEW habits in their way of moving and the only way that can change is through routine, consistency in the routine and correctness in the execution of the exercises. Since this also requires that you be in good posture as well, you will also reap the benefits from this regimen. Along with feeding correctly (as described below), these exercises will help equines to drop fat rolls and to begin to take on a more correct shape and become strong in good posture.
Today’s general horse training techniques do not generally work well with mules and donkeys. Most horse training techniques used today speed up the training process so people can ride or drive sooner and it makes the trainers’ techniques more attractive, but most of these techniques do not adequately prepare the equine physically in good posture for the added stress of a rider on his back. Mules and donkeys have a very strong sense of self preservation and need work that builds their bodies properly so they will feel good in their new and correct posture, or you won’t get the kind of results you might expect. Forming a good relationship with your equine begins with a consistent maintenance routine and appropriate groundwork. Most equines don’t usually get the well-structured and extended groundwork training on the lead rope that paves the way to good balance, core muscle conditioning and a willing attitude. This is essential if he is truly expected to be physically and mentally prepared for future equine activities. With donkeys and mules, this is critically important.
The equine should be at least four years of age when the rider is finally introduced to insure that there is no undue stress on his body at the earlier stages of development. Equines generally run through the bit and exhibit other bad behaviors because they become anxious, lose their balance and don’t really have complete physical control of their bodies. They are unable to physically comply with your wishes without losing their balance, which makes them nervous and causes resistance. Changing bits or rushing through groundwork training so you can ride or drive sooner NEVER really works. Training is more than just teaching the equine to do “movements.” You should be creating an environment for success and conditioning his muscles to do movements easily and with minimal stress. This produces an equine with a happy and healthy working attitude. In order to get your mule to be soft and submissive in the snaffle bit, you need to be prepared to spend six months on flatwork leading training (also known as Showmanship training for strength in good posture) and another six months leading through obstacles (turning fear into curiosity and then adding coordination to his strength and balance) before moving to the round pen work in DVD #2. Longears and horses do much better in a number of ways when you are patient enough to do this: a calmer attitude because they know what to expect, development of symmetrical muscle strength in good equine posture, a better response to verbal commands, better balance, better coordination and the ability to perform correctly.
The information about equine management and training materials that we offer are listed below.
The book, Donkey Training is basically the same as DVD’s #9 and #10 without the benefit of the moving pictures (and has bonus information that the DVDs do not have) and illustrates the things that are different about training donkeys as opposed to horses and mules. Donkeys often do things in a different order and sometimes, they don’t need to learn to lunge at all until much later in their training…after they are already going well under saddle, or in harness. This DVD is designed to be used in conjunction with DVD #1 through DVD #8 when training donkeys.
The book, A Guide to Raising & Showing Mules has a lot of valuable general information that complements the resistance free DVD training series with more about breeding, mare and foal care, and general mulemanship and maintenance issues. It is the perfect complement to the video series and a must-have for beginners and 4-H projects.
In DVD #1: Foal Training, you will not only be imprinting your animal and training for the simple tasks such as tying and leading, but you will also learn how to be prompt and appropriate with your rewards. The exercises will start your equine on a program that will begin to strengthen his muscles and promote coordination. Imprinting is not just something you do with a foal and then it’s done. Imprinting is the way you touch and handle your animal every time you are with him throughout his entire life. As you learn how he likes to be touched, you can use this to help him to stay calm and accepting. How you touch him will determine whether, or not, he develops confidence and trust in you! When your equine is approached with patience and kindness, and is rewarded for standing quietly, it will be easier to handle him for such things as deworming and doctoring and he will be more willing to stand still to be mounted. The leading exercises in this DVD will start your equine on a program that will begin to strengthen his muscles and promote balance and coordination.
In DVD #2: Preparing for Performance: Groundwork, you will begin your lunging and ground driving lessons. The exercises will increase in their demand and begin to develop more bulk muscle in preparation for work in harness and riding. Equines will be introduced to the snaffle bit and other tack in this DVD. We use English bridles with a noseband and drop noseband over a mild snaffle bit right from the beginning, so they never even try to get their tongue over the bit. This teaches them to accept the bit easily and to form the good habit of taking contact with the bit instead of avoiding it and allowing bad habits to start. It is easier to prevent a bad habit than it is to try to break it later.
You will see how putting the animal in the correct frame (or posture) from the beginning in the round pen with what we call the “elbow pull” enables him to build his muscles correctly and symmetrically throughout his body You will learn how your body language affects his movement in the round pen and on the drivelines. Your equine may begin to be aggressive for his reward and you will learn how to set limits to these aggressive behaviors to set the stage for a polite and well-mannered equine. If biting, or kicking, has been a problem in DVD #1, you will learn how to correct these behaviors in DVD #2.
DVD #3: Preparing for Performance: Driving, provides all the information you need to safely train your equine to drive. It covers carts and carriages, hitching training, Reinsmanship, Pleasure Driving, Obstacle Driving, working in harness, lateral exercises, obstacles, driven dressage and driving rules. You can begin this DVD after you have completed the foundation work in DVD’s #1 and #2.
DVD #4: Basic Foundation for Saddle. If you don’t wish to drive, you can go straight to DVD #4 and begin your equine’s riding training in a natural and non-stressful manner that eliminates adverse behaviors such as bucking or running off. We address both the needs of the rider and the equine as a team focusing on the right approach, good balance and coordination of both equine and rider. You can begin this DVD after you have completed DVD’s #1 and #2.
When you finally mount your equine and start riding, the only thing left for him to do is to get used to your shifting weight on his back and the new leg cues he will feel on his sides. Because he has learned to carry his own body in good, strong equine posture and has already learned what rein cues mean through ground driving, he will be better able to do all the different moves that you ask of him under saddle without being generally overwhelmed by too many things happening all at once. As you progress under saddle, you will be better able to perfect your own riding skills and your equine will become lighter in the bridle and more responsive to your cues. You both will not have to deal with the weakness, awkwardness, confusion and disobedience that originate from a lack of preparation for the tasks.
In DVD #5: Intermediate Saddle Training, we help the rider fine tune his own skills and begin to cultivate a harmonious rapport between equine and owner with fun, safe and simple exercises that will enhance your riding experience whether it is for show, or pleasure. You can begin this DVD after you have completed DVD’s #1 and #2 and #4.
DVD #6: Advanced Saddle Training will begin to prepare the rider for specific disciplines and help them to make choices about what they might enjoy more. It demonstrates how the simple elements of Dressage are the basis for all equine disciplines including Gymkhana, Reining, Cutting, English and Western pleasure, Trail, or even simply weekend trail riding. This kind of training is not just for show, but to keep both of you safe and happy during your time together. You can begin this DVD after you have completed DVD’s #1 and #2, #4 and #5.
DVD #7: Jumping gives the owner the opportunity to learn the fundamentals of jumping and condition their equine in a safe and methodical manner and… how to ride, build and evaluate jump courses. It covers exercises to prepare your equine to carry him safely over any obstacle, multi-level terrain or jumps. You can begin this DVD after you have completed DVD’s #1 and #2, #4, #5 and #6.
DVD #8: Management, Fitting & Grooming. Of course, your equine needs to be fed and maintained properly to get the best response from him during training and this is done in DVD #8. We also offer grooming tips and more advanced lessons in showmanship at the end of this video.
DVD’s #9 and #10 cover techniques that are specific to donkeys and these two DVDs are designed to be used in conjunction with the other video tapes.
DVD #9: Keys to Training the Donkey: Introduction and Basic Training covers groundwork technique that is specific to donkeys, how to train jacks to breed mares for mule production and how to measure your animal for athletic potential and should be used in conjunction with DVDs #1 and #2.
DVD #10: Keys to Training the Donkey: Saddle Training & Jumping covers saddle training and jumping and should be used in conjunction with DVD’s #4 through #7. You can also purchase our book, Donkey Training which is the same as DVD’s #9 and #10, but sometimes having the moving pictures can be more helpful than still shots. Also, if you want to teach your donkey to drive, you would also need DVD’s #1, #2, and #3.
Training Without Resistance (DVD’s #1 – #7) and Equine Management & Donkey Training(DVD’s #8 – #10) are exactly the same as the electronic workbooks that accompany the DVDs. These two manuals are also helpful to those who cannot afford the DVD series or for those who would like a professionally published workbook. They are both translated into French, German and Spanish, so our non-English speaking friends can read along with the DVD series in their own language.
Equus Revisited: A Complete Approach to Athletic Conditioning. This comprehensive 4-part DVD and companion manual explains WHY it is so important to spend plenty of time on groundwork and development of the core strength of your equine. It covers multiple aspects of your equine’s care in great detail with a team of experts. It has a lot of special features about various subjects and in-depth explanations about the anatomy and physiology of the equine.
Why So Many Different Books and Videos?
I do offer Packages because each of the materials covers the elements of management and training from a different perspective with a different focus:
Donkey Training book is mostly about what things are done differently with donkeys than with horses and mules during the training process at each stage
A Guide to Raising & Showing Mules book includes management (housing, fences, disease, teeth, hooves, etc.), breeding and showing information with some regard to training
10-DVD Training Mules and Donkeys DVD series is a collection of the exercises that you DO in what order with each DVD representing roughly 1 year of training (except for 8, 9 and 10…see explanations in detail above)
Training Without Resistance manual is a collection of DVD’s #1 through #7 with extra detailed information in print and available in French, German and Spanish translations.
Equine Management & Donkey Training manual is a collection of DVD’s #8 through #10 with extra detailed information in print and available in French, German and Spanish translations.
Equus Revisited manual/DVD combo addresses WHY you are doing all the things that you do in the books and videos. If you had to pick just one book, I would suggest the Equus Revisited manual AND the companion DVD.
However, buying the Horse/Mule Complete Package (at a discount rather than buying products individually) would give you all you need because basically the Donkey Training book (that is left out) is exactly the same as DVD #9 and #10 and the Equine Management and Donkey Training manual only the manual has extra information that the book does not have.
For more information and purchase of our products, you can call 1-800-816-7566 or visit our website at www.LuckyThreeRanch.com. Our website is also translated into French and Spanish for foreign convenience. Under “Training,” be sure to read archived articles posted in the “Mule Crossing” section, peruse commonly asked questions in “Ask Meredith,” get more details in our “Training Tips” and watch our new shows and past RFD-TV shows with Video on Demand. If you don’t have a computer, you can go to a library and use their computer, or ask a friend to help you out. Take time to peruse our Classified Ads section (this is a free service and an open forum, so we caution buyers to beware and check carefully). Under Resources, we post contact information for mule and donkey clubs and rescue organizations, keep you up to date about Equine Welfare in the news and heavily support Therapeutic Riding. Click our Homepage links for YouTube, Facebook and Twitter. And, don’t forget to check out our children’s website at www.JasperTheMule.com. Join the American Donkey & Mule Society(www.lovelongears.com, adms@lovelongears.com) to receive their bimonthly magazine with even more valuable information for a mere $27/yr. Learn together, enjoy the time with your equine and excel together!
Chasity fully enjoys her lessons these days and waits anxiously at the stall door! She knows when I count my blessings, I count my mules (and donkeys!) TWICE! Chasity has been working in the Hourglass Pattern and through obstacles for two months now. Her posture and core strength continue to improve with her weekly lessons. Now it is time to perfect each movement and make sure they are done correctly and in complete balance.
In addition to her weekly stretching exercises, we do abdominal flexion exercises with Chasity every day at feeding time. We ask her to tighten her abdominal muscles, raise her back and hold for sixty seconds. We do this by tickling her belly firmly at the midline underneath while she is eating from her feeder. This makes for marked improvement in her sway back (Lordosis).
We have had her left hind hip adjusted twice and she is now better able to swing through the hip joint and bring her foot underneath her center of balance with each stride. Instead of simply lowering her head and neck, she is now lowering her head and neck and arching across her entire spine. Her stiffness has greatly subsided.
At every halt in the Hourglass Pattern, we stop, square up, reward, arch the spine and reward again. Chasity really enjoys this exercise!
Her movement around the cones continues to progress with the small circles at each cone. She is much more flexible, stays upright and bends to the arc of the turn through her rib cage.
Because of the overweighted crest on her neck, she has more difficulty bedding to the right, so we do a neck stretch to the right, before transversing around the cone to the right. This simple pause allows her to rebalance and keep her upright balance while bending though her rib cage on the circle around the cone.
With the stiffness in her left hip gone, she can now reach underneath, lift her her body efficiently and reach upward and forward with her front legs, adding some increased suspension to her gait.
Both hind legs are now reaching well underneath her body and provide the support she needs for her athletic performance to be much more precise and executed correctly.
When her lesson was over, we decided to make a couple of visitations with her new friends, first with Billy Bad Ass, a 26-year-old mule and then with our 10-year-old mini donkeys, Augie and Spuds. When movements are consistently done the same way whether in the training pattern or just going from one place to another, when halts are always squared up and when good behavior is consistently rewarded, there is no anxiety. Standing still and waiting patiently become the norm and this makes for a mutually satisfying relationship between you and your equine!
When Chasity first arrived, her hooves were inordinately long in front with Borium shoes and her back feet were worn unevenly and at the wrong angles. Because her body was in such bad posture and her hooves so out of balance, we knew it would take quite a while and lots of frequent trims to get her hooves balanced and aligned properly. This would have to be done in conjunction with getting her body into good posture with the core strength to support that good equine posture. This would be Chasity’s challenges!
Chasity is now standing quietly and picking up her feet easily, but she still wasn’t sure about standing still without being tied up. A small challenge for her would be to learn to stand quietly in the alleyway of the barn while our farrier, Dean Geesen works on her instead of being at her work station in the Tack Barn. Because she stood still, she was rewarded with her favorite crimped oats. The misshapen hoof is beginning to rotate into a more balanced position, but we still have a lot of work ahead before the hoof will be correct.
Dean is a therapeutic corrective farrier that is familiar with Longears. This is a critical element in your Longears’ welfare. Longears have angles and hoof construction that is quite different from a horse and it takes a knowledgeable farrier to keep from doing them harm. Chasity feels the difference in the balance of her feet, however slight, and it affects her whole body!
Chasity’s hind feet appear as if they have been done like a farrier would do a horse. Her rear hooves are not as upright as they should be with insufficient heels. Dean leaves the heels, rasps the front feet and rolls the toes a bit to promote more proper action and healthy growth. As long as I have had donkeys, I have never had to put shoes on them. It is my experience that when they are in good postural balance in their body, they generally wear their feet evenly and vice versa. When fed properly, the hooves remain hard and balanced. They don’t even need to be trimmed all that often if they are not consistently standing on soft ground, or in mud. We use pea gravel in our runs and driveways. In the runs, we put about four inches down. It drains well, is hard enough to promote hard hooves, is rounded and does not chip the feet and is soft enough for the equines to lie down comfortably.
Chasity is tolerates yielding her back feet much better after having a chiropractic adjustment in her pelvis and hip joints yesterday. This is a dramatic beginning for her toward MUCH better balance and posture. She had to be a very sore and uncomfortable animal when she first arrived. She is now feeling some relief and is much more cooperative.
The front hoof on the opposite side reveals the compromised imbalance that she had when she came to us. However, the first trim put her on the road to recovery and her feet are beginning to grow in the correct direction. She has gained a lot more heel in the rear in the past eight weeks.
Chasity has learned to be sent into her stall and then to turn and square up for her reward! Her gait has improved substantially in the past two days with chiropractic work and another trim!
Although we were working on uneven ground in Chasity’s last lesson which made getting in sync very difficult, it was clear that it was time for a chiropractic adjustment of her skeletal system. Doing chiropractic adjustments can put the practitioner in very precarious positions, so it is wise to build trust with the animal before attempting to do these kinds of adjustments to their body. After more than a month of intensive care, Chasity has learned that we have her best interest at heart and is more than willing to cooperate with anything we want to do with her. Even though she is perfect about walking in sync, it is clear that her left hip is locked up, highly immobile and chiropractic adjustment is in now desperately needed!
Chasity walked out in the driveway so our equine chiropractor, Dave McClain, could assess her condition. She had better range of motion in the right hind leg than she did with the left. She was getting better in her spine, but her abdominal muscles still needed more work. Once the left hind leg and the rest of her body is put back in alignment, there will be more of an effect on the abdominal muscles at the walk in her lessons.
Dave agreed that the fallen crest could be straightened out, but it would take some time and serious therapy. Bailey showed Dave the progress in Chasity’s Diary that had been made already since she came to us on March 29th 2020. He was pleasantly surprised at the progress we had made considering we could not use his services during the COVID-19 shutdown. But before we could go any further successfully, we really needed to have her skeleton professionally aligned!
Dave carefully palpated both hip joints…
… and the pelvic area. She was exceptionally stiff and locked up on the left side! He rocked her pelvis to the right…
…and then rocked it to the left. Chasity yielded her hind leg and he adjusted the locked up hip joint! Chasity’s eyes lit up in pleasure immediately! It must have felt REALLY good!
Dave demonstrated to me how her hip joint was not only locked up, but completely misaligned and stuck at an upward angle. Chasity gladly leaned forward to aid in her spinal adjustment!
We then asked Chasity to engage her abdominal muscles, raise her back and then hold for sixty seconds. We will do this once per day, every day. Then it was time to adjust her neck, first on the left side…
…and then on the right side. She was stiff on that side, so I asked her to stretch her neck around my body.
Then Dave did a second adjustment on that side…it was much better! Dave watched her back up. There was marked improvement in her hind quarters and she was finally able to walk easily straight backwards. She had previously been very stiff through the back-through “L” obstacle during her workouts. She will no doubt do much better the next time!
We checked Chasity’s neck again and found that it, too, was much looser and not as hard and immobile as it was before the adjustments. As she left the Tack Barn, it was evident that she was moving much more freely and smiling to herself all the way back to the barn!
Chasity is continuing to gain core strength, balance and even has a little “prance” in her step these days. The bacterial infection is almost gone and she is eagerly waiting at the stall door for her lessons each week. She gets structured leading exercises in her proper postural “gear” and in between, she has other things happening on other days like daily “soaking” of her infection, vet appointments and the farrier. Today, we will add circles at every cone to increase the intensity of her workout. Stretching is done more frequently now.
Chasity carefully walks in sync with me, no more pulling on the lead rope or charging ahead like she did in the beginning. She is happy on her way to the outdoor dressage exercise arena. Varying the location of her postural core strength leading training keeps her fresh and engaged.
On the way to the dressage arena, we stop to visit with Augie and Spuds, our delightful little mini donkeys. Chasity is intrigued. Where she is stabled, she can only hear them. Then it’s on to the dressage arena.
Since the arena is also used as a turnout area, it is a bit bumpy and the sand is deeper than the other places where Chasity has worked. It will increase the intensity of her work. Still, she is bending nicely through her rib cage while remaining erect in her body and doing her four-square stretches very well indeed!
Chasity is bending her joints well while walking in sync with me, however, I am noticing she is a bit stiff in her left hind leg, especially around the turns to the left. We added circles at every cone in the Hourglass Pattern to help to enhance her bending technique.
She steps out nicely with her right front, but as she brings the left hip forward, her gait is stilted and limited in it’s range of motion. The abdominal muscles are only moderately engaged and she stops short of reaching underneath her body to her center of gravity.
The right hind leg moves forward into it’s correct position, but she is just lifting and swinging her left hind leg forward instead of bending adequately through her joints, particularly in her hip joint.
As she steps forward with the right hind foot, the left hind has an abnormal look to the extension of the leg. It appears stuck in the hip joint and pelvic area, and is not swinging freely. Still, she is bending fairly nicely through her spine.
Another good stretch while standing four-square was in order and Chasity let me know that it felt VERY GOOD!
On straight lines with no rails, Chasity is able to reach underneath her body to the center of gravity, but going around the turns reveals some stiffness in her pelvic area while the rest of her spine bends easily.
Chasity really enjoys her stretches and does them with no problem at all. Then we begin to track in the other direction and it is clear that bending to the right is particularly difficult for her.
As we proceed around the cones to the right, her bending gets a little better and the right leg moves easily under her center of gravity. But when she approaches the rails, her pelvis appears to stiffen and inhibit her movement again.
There is plenty of “reach” in her front legs, but the rear legs do not seem to be able to consistently follow her forward movement. Her abdominal muscles are engaged and she is attempting to round her back, but her stiff pelvic area is inhibiting the ability to reach well underneath her body.
Traversing the rails is making it apparent that she should probably have a visit from our proficient equine chiropractor. Since she just arrived a short time ago, I did not think it would be prudent to expose her to chiropractic until I could loosen her stiff body a little bit and gain her trust first.
We finished traversing the rails and she had to “lean” on the “Elbow Pull” to keep her balance. She did pretty well circling to the right for the last time, but it was now clear that she would need to be adjusted with chiropractic before any further lessons could take place and be beneficial to her.
We ended the lesson with one more four-square downward stretch, then a stretch to the right…
…then she did a stretch to the left and left the arena in perfect synchonization with each other. Still, she didn’t have the “reach” behind that I thought that she should.
Just to make things a bit more interesting, we opted to investigate the lane to the small park to look at this new area. Chasity thought the steps looked particularly strange, but she was not fearful.
She navigated the steps like a champ and stood quietly while we took in the sights. She saw Robin Laws’ “Donkey Talk” to her left and J. Payne Lara’s “Love Me Tender to her right.This was a major accomplishment for Chasity since standing still was NOT something she wanted to do when she first arrived.
Then we went back up the steps, left the area and went to see the pack mules, “A Friend to Lean On” by Robin Laws. Chasity played “cute” for the camera. Then we went to see Bonnie Shields’ “Friends,” a bronze statue of Kylie, Moxie and Jasper from our children’s series. As you can see, her posture is greatly improved…the “Elbow Pull” is staying LOOSE most of the time now!
After 14 days on antibiotics, our veterinarian Greg Farrand came out to see how Chasity’s bacterial infection was doing. He was pleasantly surprised to find that the old, incredibly swollen infection in her udder and teats had gone down a significant 70%! We knew it would take quite some time to deal with something that had been wrong with her for so very long. When we first began treatment, it was as hard as a rock and as big as a grapefruit, but it was now softening into very smaller lumps and shrinking more rapidly than we had originally thought.
Greg asked me what I had been doing with her and I showed him her “diary” where I had documented in text and photographs all the workouts and everything else that we were doing with her.
He asked if we had kept up on the soaking with warm water and we showed him pictures of the rigging we had for her to hold a heated wet towel between her legs and up against her teats and udder.
We all discussed what the protocol would be going forward. I asked if we needed to change the antibiotics to another type, or if it would be okay to continue with what had been working. We decided that another 14 days of the same antibiotics would be okay.
Greg gave my Ranch Manager, Chad, and I another 14 days of EQUISOL-SOT and explained that we would give it once a day in her feed as we had been doing.
Chasity was given a handful of her favorite crimped oats for standing still and for waiting so patiently while we finished our conversation with Greg. She was very grateful!
I asked Chasity to stretch to the right and she did very well indeed…
Then I asked Chasity to stretch to the left and she did well that way, too!
Our final stretch was downward and she does this with ease, following my hand as low as I would like her to go… and she is always rewarded for her efforts!
Then we walked in sync back to the barn, quietly and obediently! Chasity knows we have her best interest at heart and is happy to comply! She is beginning to really trust us!
With the hectic work schedule of spring and summer slowly tapering into fall, thoughts of relaxing mountain hunting and pack trips begin to ease their way into your mind: thoughts of cool, refreshing mountain streams, the sight of a massive bull elk, or the quiet majesty of the rugged mountain peaks. What better time to share with your mule or donkey? What better place for him to show you just what he is capable of doing? A relaxing mountain trail ride or pack trip is the perfect place for you to get to know your longears and strengthen the bond between you.
Mules are excellent mountain partners. They are a strong and durable animal. Due to the cupped shape of their hooves, they can cover the rough mountain terrain with much more surefootedness than their cousin, the horse. Mules’ superior intelligence and strong sense of survival helps him to negotiate careful placements of his feet, ensuring the safest possible ride. This is both important and comforting when looking for a relaxing ride in the mountains. The mule’s strength and endurance is sometimes unbelievable, and always incredible. He will take you through the rough mountain terrain for days, and then pack out that “elk of your dreams” with the greatest of ease. Around the campfire, he is a wonderful companion on lonesome mountain nights. His blatant curiosity can make for the most humorous of situations and his loving way can win your heart. But more than that, he can be relied upon when the going gets tough.
In the face of great danger, Buddie asked his trusted mule, Goliath to break trail for the others, and with slow, careful, deliberate steps, Goliathled them all safely down the mountain to their trucks and trailers, which were also buried in snow. In bitter cold, they freed the vehicles, loaded them up and made their way back to the lowlands to safety. The storms on the mountain worsened, and it was spring before Jerry and Buddie could return for the rest of their gear. But both men and their friends were grateful to Goliath for leading them down the mountain to safety.
If you question taking excursions such as these with your Longears because of a lack of training, there are Longears-lovers nearly everywhere now who can help you. All over the world, mules and donkeys are being revived in their use. With this revival comes a vast number of mule enthusiasts with varying abilities, but they all have one thing in common. They are all willing to lend a helping hand when they can. In this country, “Mule Fever” has spread like wildfire and we are now fortunate enough to have many competent mule trainers available to beginners in all sections of this country. Rocky Mountain man Curtis Imrie made his mark as a Champion pack burro racer for more than a decade and showed the very same burros at the National Western Stock Show during the winter.
