Thanks to great teamwork, the future for the four Fish Springs wild horse families who were removed from their homes on the range by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) late last year is looking bright!
It took a village — and a coordinated bidding strategy in the BLM's online auction, which ended yesterday — to secure these cherished horses. The American Wild Horse Campaign was…
America’s iconic 20 Mule Team consists of three giant wagons, pulled by a long line of 20 mules, driven by a single man using only voice commands and a jerk line.
This 20 Mule Team will represent the American pioneering spirit in the 2017 National Independence Day Parade in Washington, DC, and will mark the 100th anniversary of the Team being in the 1917 Presidential Inauguration Parade!
But we need your help in getting the team from Death Valley, California, to Centreville, Maryland, where they will be hosted at the Grove Creek Mule Farm.
Schedule of events
Friday, June 30: Sponsor Party at 6:30 PM
Sunday, July 2: Meet the Mules and Muleskinners Public Event from 12 noon to 4 PM at the QAC 4H Park
Tuesday, July 4: National Independence Day Parade, Washington, DC: 12 noon
Become a sponsorand be a part of history! Contact Donna Stutzman at 410-707-1406.
Four individuals to ride in wagons at the National Independence Day Parade in Washington, DC*
Invitation for 10 to Sponsor Party at the Muleskinner Club
Full page ad in Souvenir Program
PR Package** at Meet the Mules and
Muleskinners Public Event
Autographed Limited Edition Lithograph “Print” of 100th Anniversary of 20 Mule Team in Washington, DC
Muleskinner Gift Basket
Muleskinner $5,000
Two individuals to ride in wagons at the National Independence Day Parade in Washington, DC*
Invitation for 6 to Sponsor Party at the Muleskinner Club
1/2 page ad in Souvenir Program
PR Package** at Meet the Mules and Muleskinners Public Event
Limited Edition Lithograph “Print” of 100th Anniversary of 20 Mule Team in Washington, DC
Muleskinner Gift Basket
Kick Ass $1,000
Invitation for 4 to Sponsor Party at the Muleskinner Club
1/4 page ad in Souvenir Program
PR Package** at Meet the Mules and Muleskinners Public Event
Digital Commemorative “Photograph” of 100th Anniversary of 20 Mule Team in Washington, DC
Muleskinner Gift Basket
Bad Ass $500
Invitation for 2 to Sponsor Party at the Muleskinner Club
Recognition in Souvenir Program
Digital Commemorative “Photograph” of 100th
Anniversary 20 Mule Team in Washington, DC
Smart Ass $250
Invitation for 2 to Sponsor Party at theMuleskinner Club
Recognition in Souvenir Program
Wise Ass $100
Recognition in Souvenir Program
Due to a lack of space in wagons, seats may only be available to the highest contributing sponsors. P R Package to include signage and a booth with your marketing and PR materials for your business at both.
The Jered Harrison Memorial Fund is a 501(c)(3), organization, which was started by the Harrison family in honor of Jered Harrison who lost his life in a tragic farming accident at the young age of 26. Jered was a mule enthusiast and the memorial fund was established to ensure that Jered’s passion for the mule would live on. The family hosts Harrison Mule Days in Woodbine, Maryland each year to celebrate the mule and mule people in honor of Jered. The Jered Harrison Memorial Fund also provides college and trade school scholarships.
Who says dressage is just for horses? We know better! Watch some amazing mules and riders show what they can do, including Lucky Three Sundowner and Buckeye!
We feel pretty blessed here at Lucky Three Ranch and want to share our good wishes for safe and happy holidays with you and your family. Merry Christmas!
Update:The Bureau of Land Management responded to public outcry on Wednesday, saying that the department has no current plans to kill the horses and will continue caring for any horses that are not sold at auction. The department has not yet formally replied to the advisory board’s proposal, but will do so at its next meeting, Reuters reported.
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Please take the time to make your voice heard and stop this tragic decision. The American Wild Horse Preservation Campaign has information to contact your Senators and Representatives.
On September 9, the BLM Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board voted to recommend the killing of as many as 45,000 captured wild horses and burros in government holding pens as an “emergency” measure. The agency wants to clear the holding pens so that it can round up 40,000 more wild horses and burros from their homes on the range.
The danger is imminent, but can only become reality if Congress and the Administration authorize this mass killing.
Take a Stand Today! Tell Congress and the Administration NO killing or sterilization of America’s mustangs and burros.
Our innocent and iconic wild horses and burros should not pay the ultimate price for the BLM’s continued mismanagement. Please send your emails today!
Everyone loves learning to drive and miniature donkeys, Spuds & Augie are no different! Watch their progress as Meredith puts them through their paces.
HUGE congratulations to Sadie who has won the prestigious PATH Intl. Equine of the Year Award for Region 10 (CO, UT, WY, AZ, NM) and is also up for the International Equine of the Year award! We are so proud of Sadie who’s been one of our four-legged therapists since 2006! Next time you’re at Hearts And Horses, be sure to give her an extra pat!
Therapeutic riding has a long history of helping veterans with traumatic injuries, so when Meredith Hodges decided to focus an episode of her television documentary series on hippotherapy, she knew she had to include a Wounded Warrior. If you’ve seen the “Walk On” episode of Those Magnificent Mules, you may remember Army technician Natasha McKinnon, then 24 years old, who had lost her left leg below the knee following an IED explosion in Afghanistan. Under the supervision of riding instructor Mary Jo Beckman, herself a retired Navy Commander, Natasha was working to improve her physical movement with therapeutic riding. In the program, they used Army caisson horses and Natasha bonded with one equine in particular, named Mini. She describes Mini as “a big, white, comfy couch” who watched over her like a big sister.
Now 33 years old, Natasha has finally reached a place she can describe as her “new normal.” When we spoke, she had just picked up her diploma from North Carolina State University, where she’d recently graduated with a degree in animal sciences. Although school took a little longer due to some challenges, her determination and love of animals kept her pushing forward to achieve her goal. Armed with her new degree, Natasha is looking forward to working as a veterinary technologist, seeking more hands-on experience after concentrating on her studies in school. She says she would also like to work with veterans’ groups that use animals for emotional therapy and healing.
Today, Natasha can reflect back on her injury, acknowledging that it “lit more of a fire under me.” Like many returning soldiers, she says there have been mental and emotional ups and downs. At the same time, however, she says: “It puts things more in perspective; for me to really not take things for granted. I have to be more mindful of my physical well-being than ever before. I’ve been dealt this hand but I can still manage it.” New advancements in prosthetic equipment have also improved her outlook and her confidence, as she can acquire different legs for different purposes, such as walking and running. The technology is evolving, she says, and so is she.
It’s always great to hear from people who have used our training materials successfully with their equines, so we loved getting an email recently from Becky of Becky’s Homestead, showing off a video of her formerly hard-to-catch mules, Emma and Charlie. Using Meredith’s methods, the mules now come to the gate and exit quietly, and turn to Becky to await further instructions—no chasing required.
Becky writes: “I love your method because you don’t have to be a tough, roping cowboy to train your problem mule. I also really like that you say people need to train their own mule so they develop a relationship. I have seen it countless times, where someone sends their horse or mule out to a trainer and the animal is perfect for the rough, tough cowboy or cowgirl trainer—then it goes home to the middle-aged woman and acts the same old way. Bottom line, there is no short cut to developing a good relationship with your animal.”
One of the keys to Becky’s success was that she did not try to modify or rush the exercises, and did them exactly as laid out in the training program. Although it can be tempting to quickly move to more advanced lessons, like riding, your equine needs to build those skills—and muscles—on the solid foundation provided by beginning training. And as Becky experienced, these methods can produce amazing results!
The following is a guest post from Hearts and Horses, the Loveland, CO-based equine therapy center.
Last week, Meredith Hodges came out to Hearts & Horses for an incredible day of professional development for the Hearts & Horses staff. During the day, Meredith demonstrated training and equine handling techniques, using Allie and Sadie, the two mules that she donated to Hearts & Horses. Hearts & Horses staff spent time in the classroom and in the arena with Meredith as she shared her training tools that aid in effectively communicating with equines while developing their balance and working toward conditioning, so they can perform to the best of their ability as equine therapists and in any other career.
<p”>While Hearts & Horses focuses on equines as Therapeutic Partners, Meredith’s training techniques are invaluable for horsemen and horsewomen of all backgrounds.
Meredith and Lucky Three Ranch have been long time supporter of Hearts & Horses and all of our diverse programs. We so value her support and guidance and look forward to our continued partnership and friendship in the future! Thank you Meredith!
<p”>Click here for more information about Lucky Three Ranch including tours, training and education opportunities.
In 2007, when Meredith Hodges decided to film a television documentary about therapeutic riding, she headed to Loveland, Colorado-based therapeutic riding center, Hearts and Horses. There, she met five-year-old Sarah Foley and her mother, Diane. Sarah was born with generalized body weakness, making it difficult for her to perform tasks that required any sort of physical stamina or strength. Luckily, Diane is a physical therapist, and began looking for creative ways to help strengthen her daughter’s body. A pony ride at a friend’s birthday party immediately captured Sarah’s attention, and she began hippotherapy when she was two years old. By the time we interviewed her, Sarah had moved from hippotherapy, where the horse was being used as a modality to assist with her low tone, to therapeutic riding, where she was developing riding skills, controlling the horse independently of her volunteers.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XCGykqxYOIQ
Today, Sarah is twelve years old. We caught up with her and Diane to talk about how their lives have changed since that original interview. Even now, Diane notes that riding plays an important part in Sarah’s life. “She is still riding once a week,” said Diane. “She’s kept it up pretty much the entire time.” After a period of vast improvement, in which she was showing no signs of disability or physical deficits, Sarah ended up developing arthritis. Diane termed it “A little bump in the road, so she got more active in horseback riding, and has now overcome that also.”
When we speak on the phone, Sarah sounds like any bright, happy and enthusiastic preteen. “I’m feeling really good,” she says. “I love horseback riding, and I swim a lot, and I like playing with my dog.” She dreams of becoming either a teacher or an actress on Broadway some day. Sarah still does her riding at Hearts and Horses, and is now paired with a speckled gray horse named Boomer, that she describes as a very big challenge—but one that’s very close to her heart. “If Boomer went up for sale at Hearts and Horses, ever, I would buy him just like that,” she says. In general, Sarah describes horseback riding as an empowering experience: “I feel like we have a connection kind of. I can do anything when I’m on a horse. “
Sarah eventually moved from needing the assistance of two sidewalkers and a leader to only a leader. With the increased strength and confidence, Sarah’s instructor began to incorporate preliminary vaulting moves to strengthen her core and sense of independence. She was thankful for the assistance of the side walkers though, as it showed her she was capable of amazing things even in her first days of riding. “It made me feel more confident in myself, that I could ride on my own,” she recalled. “As [I used] the side walkers less and less and less, I started to get more confident … and finally I’m to the point where I am right now.” Equine therapy is more than just physical rehabilitation, as it also focuses on training people to be better riders and gain confidence, regardless of their starting capabilities. “I’m a really good rider now because of horse therapy and what they did for me,” says Sarah, also pointing to the inspiration of her parents: “My parents had a big part in it, making me not quit horseback riding and keep going with it—not that I would want to quit, but they would not have let me quit, that’s for sure.”
At the age of twelve, Sarah has accomplished a great deal in her life already, but describes it with an air of humility, simply saying, “It’s been a long road.” As advice for other people in her position, she stresses the benefits of positive thinking and optimism. “I think that anything can be overcome,” she says. “Maybe not always physically, but overcome mentally,” adding that physical transformations are sometimes possible too, like her success with arthritis. “I think people can do anything if they really, really want to,“ she says, and it’s clear that Sarah’s unflinching belief in that statement, along with her equine therapy, will help her accomplish anything she truly desires.
The following is an excerpt from a post by The Donkey Sanctuary.
Luminiţa (which means ‘little light’) has cerebral palsy and learning difficulties. When she was brought to the Don Orione orphanage she had signs of being institutionalized, including being extremely withdrawn, banging her head and pulling her hair out. She was unable to walk but has since had an operation and access to a physiotherapy programme, including donkey riding therapy three times a week through our Romanian project, to combat her leg stiffness and increase her leg and core strength.
Her physiotherapist Carmelia is thrilled with her progress, Luminiţa can now walk with support and is gaining the strength to stand and climb. Her character has also grown and she has become a happy, inquisitive little girl who clearly loves her time with the four donkeys, Boss, Claudio, Ioan and Sile. She also benefits from learning about caring for the donkeys, grooming them and understanding how important it is for them to be happy.
Carmelia added “It can be difficult for these children to learn to empathise and relate with others but each moment with the donkeys is a simple and rewarding interaction. The donkey’s needs and movements aren’t complicated like those of humans. Movements or affection can be taken at face value and the children learn that they are safe to form positive relationships that are rewarding for the children and the donkeys.
“In addition, the donkey riding therapy provides enormous physical benefits for Luminiţa as she builds her balance and stretches during her sessions. Her legs can be very stiff but riding therapy helps to loosen her muscles and make her more comfortable.”
For more information, check out The Donkey Sanctuary’s original post here, or learn more about Therapeutic Riding from our page.
Mules and donkeys have a way of bringing folks together no matter where you are from. Here are our friends from Criadero Villa Luz in Colombia riding in the Cabalgata feria de las flores parade on their lovely Paso Fino mules, with friends from the British Mule Society. There were 8,333 horses and 1,600 mules in the parade–wow!
Remember last month when Spuds and Augie tried on the smallest harness we had—and it was still a bit too big for them? Well, lucky for these little guys, their new harnesses have now arrived! Check out the adorable photos below, as they get the first fitting of their new gear…
These boys are doing GREAT! Totally resistance free!
Hey everybody—it’s Spuds here with an update! SO, yesterday Meredith gave us some really neat hats to keep our heads warm and they even have holes for our ears. After we got our hats on, we went outside in the snow and did some holiday errands.
1. Check mail for note from Santa — DONE!
2. Play trick on Meredith by hiding in statues — DONE!
3. Grab a little lunch — DONE!
4. Relax in the Ga-Zee-Bow — DONE!
5. Be thankful for all our mule, donkey, horse & human friends — DONE!
We had a big adventure when we went outside and everything was covered in white, really cold stuff—Meredith said it was snow. I was pretty worried and not sure how to walk in it—this SNOW stuff came all the way up to our bellies! It was pretty fun once we got used to it. And the best thing about snow is you never have to look for your crimped oats!
Join Jasper the Mule and all his friends for a Thanksgiving dinner not to be forgotten! When a mishap with a truckload of turkeys turns into a real live mystery, Jasper and his pal Moxie the Dog are hot on the trail of adventure. Sure to be a hit with mule and animal lovers of all ages, this heartwarming story features new, original music by the Grammy-winning Riders in the Sky, and features all the fun and hijinks we’ve come to expect from Jasper and his crew!
Check out A Turkey Tale, and all of Jasper’s other adventures–in both books and DVDs–in his online store!
Today we had a crazy adventure when we got to go the hay field with Meredith. It was a pretty nice day, but then we came across a raging river. Augie was a little scared to cross it but Meredith was patient. I went first and after Augie got himself together and made it across, we got to do something really neat! We got to get in the tour cart! Meredith said we had a lesson in trust, but all I know is Augie and I had fun! Holy Guacamole–what a day!
When Jasper and his human family head up to Bald Mountain for a picnic to celebrate Valentine’s Day, Jasper gets a crash course in love. Jasper’s latest adventure features music by Grammy-winning group Riders In The Sky and is appropriate for all ages. Click here to find out more and don’t forget all the other neat books and videos in Jasper’s store!
Jasper: A Turkey Tale is now available on DVD!
