April 2010
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Dear Friends

Dear Friends:

Only weeks away, Bishop Mule Days promises to be as exciting as ever. Nowhere else will you find more proof that "mules can do and donkeys, too"! From high-stakes competition to hilarious spectacle, Mule Days teaches, entertains and amazes.

Jasper and I will return this year to celebrate the release of "Jasper Goes To Bishop" on DVD. We'll also ride in the famous Bishop Mule Days Parade with the elegant Priefert team, visit old friends and make new ones. If you're attending the show this year, be sure to stop by Bonnie Shields's booth and say hello.

During my years as a competitor, I always returned from Bishop inspired by the competition and ready to work harder. This is a great time of year to set new training goals. Make them realistic and remember that both you and your equine might be in need of extra conditioning after a long winter. Take your time, and pay close attention to your own posture and movement. Your equine will imitate you, and you don't want him picking up any bad habits.

Also keep in mind the following:

  • Your equine's feeding and maintenance routine sets the stage for success.
  • When your equine's body is comfortable, he will relax and be more receptive to training.
  • Consistency builds good communication, which builds trust and confidence.
In any training endeavor the right equipment and an effective process are key, but attitude is equally important. Keep in mind that the experience should be fun for both of you. Relax, enjoy the journey and be amazed by what your mule can do!

Sincerely,

Meredith

For more information about Mule Celebration Days in Bishop, California, May 25-30, please visit www.MuleDays.org.



It's Official "Jasper goes to Bishop" is a hit!

Kids love "Jasper Goes To Bishop," our super new DVD for kids. This amazing blend of animation and live-action not only salutes rural life and Bishop Mule Days, it also delivers a powerful, positive message about what we can achieve with big dreams, persistence and a little help from our friends.

The "Jasper Goes to Bishop" DVD, complete with fun special features is on sale now. Collect the whole series, written by Meredith and illustrated by Tennessee Mule Artist Bonnie Shields. Five delightful tales of adventure, two DVDs, a music CD and coloring book, each designed to help develop young minds and build character. To order, please visit www.Jasperthe Mule.comor call 800-816-7566.




Time to Tour the Lucky Three

If your summer travel plans include Northern Colorado, consider booking a tour of Meredith's Lucky Three Ranch and Longears Sculpture Park. Located in Loveland, near the Rocky Mountain Foothills, Lucky Three Ranch is a truly unique destination. Meredith's champion mules never fail to impress and entertain, and her outstanding collection of longears sculpture is beyond compare. To book a tour please visit the "Tour" page at www.LuckyThreeRanch.com or call (800) 816-7566.

Greetings from ADMS

Hello to everyone with long ears and short.

Hello all! Spring is here! With it comes new foals, spring green grass, flowers, pollen and mold!

Let's discuss the bad and get it out of the way. Pollen and mold can ruin a lovely day in the barn or even at home. A spring cleaning is always a good idea. Sweep out cobwebs. Don't let old shavings or bedding sit around rotting. Add old hay to your compost or manure heap, but never use it for anything other than compost if it is dusty or moldy.

Question: What are the pros and cons of spaying a molly? We have a two-year-old molly that is very obvious when she is in heat. Even when we are working her, she squats and pees, makes "baby mouth" and it is very inconvenient, not to mention unsightly. We hope to show her under saddle, and her cycles may interfere with show dates and other plans!

Answer: I have had a lot of experience with molly mules in heat and also with animals who have been spayed. Spaying does not seem to help at all and, in some cases, has made things worse. The best course of action is to lighten up on the week they are in heat and lower your expectations. If you are sensitive to the fact that they really cannot control this (any more than a human woman can) and put less pressure on them at that time, they will be more apt to give you the best they can.

Our resistance-free video training series is designed to begin with Videos #1 and #8 (feeding and maintenance, advanced showmanship) and take the training in sequence, whether you are training a foal, just getting acquainted with an older animal that has been previously trained or rehabilitating an abused animal. This will guarantee that you will be doing the right kinds of things in their proper order to insure that you get the best from the animal, making your time with him both safe and enjoyable. Even molly mules who are in heat will exhibit less aggressive behaviors during their cycle if they have the benefit of this training. You will just need to use good judgment and lower your expectations of mollies and jennets during these times.

Hi Meredith:

My family and I love your fantastic [Jasper the Mule] website. It is amazing (better than Disney and Cartoon Network combined). Thank you for sharing the games and especially the scenery maker; my daughters love to color the black and white ones. (Any chance of making more in the future?) Oh, the music is fantastic, too.

Sincerely,

Jane's family

Fort Hood, TX

Note: Watch the Jasper the Mule web site for new activities for new games and updates coming soon!

Check the Events Calendar at www.luckythreeranch.com. If you know of an event that is not on our list, please let us know.
Meredith's 10-video, correspondence training series, Training Mules and Donkeys: A Logical Approach to Longears, gives you everything you need to train your equine for versatility without resistance. Taken in sequential order this series will help you master basic through advanced levels, including jumping, driving, dressage, reining, Western riding, pleasure and trail.

Like grade-school for equines, Training Mules and Donkeys offers a logical step-by-step approach. With this series you can develop a relationship with your equine based on trust and mutual respect and build a sound physical and mental foundation for all types of performance. And, as always, Meredith is available to answer your questions by phone or e-mail. For more information about this award-winning series, please visit www.LuckyThreeRanch.com or call 800-816- 7566.
"Jasper and Friends," by Tennessee Mule Artist Bonnie Shields, is now available for only $59.95. This hand-painted figurine captures the special bond of friendship between Jasper the Mule and his pals Kylie and Moxie-a perfect companion to the series. To take advantage of this limited offer, visit www.JasperTheMule.com or call 800-816-7566.

Wyoming resident Diana Schmid with her granddaughter, Aideen, aboard SaMule. After a disastrous experience with a trainer, Diana successfully rehabilitated SaMule using Meredith's video training series. With many months of patient work, she has built this beautiful mule's strength, confidence and trust and made him the happy, trustworthy companion he is today.

SEND US YOUR PICTURES!!!

We want to know what you and your long-eared friends are up to.

Please submit your 300dpi jpeg file and a little information about yourself to newsl etter@luckythreeranch.com.
Hi everyone:

Here's what I've been up to: Starting the first week of January, I tackled the coloring book for the Na'aina Kai botanical garden, on the northern island of Hawaii. This incredible garden was founded and built by [Meredith's mother] Joyce Doty and her husband Ed, over the span of many years, and it not only contains the array of tropical and rare plants you would associate with such an establishment, but THIS garden also holds over 100 life-size bronzes done by many of the leading artists working today.

The coloring book will consist of over 50 illustrations of some of these sculptures in their natural settings in the garden, along with smaller illustrations of flowers and plants and critturs native to the Hawaiian Islands. Also, there are games and puzzles in the book for children, so there is something in there for most every age to enjoy and learn from. The whole project took me somewhere around 8 weeks to complete, and I understand it is in the hands of the garden personnel and the printers now.

I no sooner got all those drawing off to Hawaii than the phone rang and it was my dear old friends at Leanin Tree, the publisher of greeting cards I have been associated with for over 25 years now. They really blew me over with their request for 10 new card designs from BS!!

I set to them immediately, and I am proud to say they were all done and into Leanin Tree by the end of March. So, you fans of this great company, ole BS will be front and center in the 2011 catalog with some pretty funny stuff. They even let me do some donkey and mule pieces. YAHHH!

I am right now getting my act together to set up my booth at the Small Farmer's Journal spring auction at Madras, OR April 14-17. It will be my spring "coming out", so to speak. Get me in the groove for Bishop. No rest for the wicked, you know.

Keep Your Traces Tight. Bonnie

Be sure to check out Jasper's new and improved website! Visit www.jasperthemule.com.


Lucky Three Ranch

phone: 800.816.7566