LTR Training Tip #48: Preparation for Lunging
Is your equine ready to start lunging training? Ask yourself these questions before beginning.
equine training
LTR Training Tip #46: When Stage Two Leading Lessons Aren’t Working
If leading lessons aren’t working, try asking yourself these questions to figure out what’s going wrong.
LTR Training Tip #41: Turn on the Forehand
Meredith demonstrates how to teach your equine to execute a turn-on-the-forehand on the lead line.
LTR Training Tip #40: Turn on the Haunches
The turn on the haunches can be a complicated move for your equine. Learn how to approach the move in this Training Tip.
Another Augie and Spuds Adventure: Yearly Baths Are Fun! 7-13-20
“What do you suppose is happening today, Augie?”
“Yippee! It’s a 102 degrees and bath time!”
“Baths with Billy Bad Ass are really fun, Spuds!”
“Excuse me, Augie! I need the hose for Spuds now.”
“Thanks, Augie, now the left front, please”
“What a GOOD BOY! Thanks, Augie!”
“Now the right front, please!”
“You are so AWESOME, Augie!”
“Hey, Augie, why are YOU getting all the praise… and the oats?!”
“I dunno, Spuds, but this hairbrush sure feels good and it’s really getting out all that dead hair! Feels GREAT!”
“Aw, Spuds, were you feeling left out?!”
“Not really, Mom, just make sure I get some oats!”
“Okay, Spuds, let me have your leg and I’ll give you some oats!”
“Okay, Augie, now that your mane is done, let’s do the rest of you.”
“Hmmmm…this tastes pretty good on a hot day!”
“You are so adorable, Augie! Love your cutesy face!”
“Yeah, Yeah! Give it a rest, Mom! This is embarrassing!”
“Now for your teeth, Augie, smile pretty…
and the front leg…
…and now the back leg!”
“What a GOOD BOY! Wanna drink, Augie?!” “Sure, Mom, why not?!”
“Hey, Spuds, this is cool with you, me and Billy Bad Ass!”
“Yeah, Augie, not too bad and we dry pretty quickly. Here comes the Baby oil and fly spray!”
“We’re getting pretty good at the gates, eh, Augie?!”
“When you get oats for doing it right, it’s even better yet, Spuds!”
“Of course, she WOULD throw us a curve! That is one HUMUNGOUS truck, Augie! Are you sure we’re okay?”
“Of course, we are! She would never ask us to do anything that would hurt us! She LOVES US!”
“I suppose you’re right, Augie!”
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.
© 2016, 2017 Lucky Three Ranch, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Another Augie and Spuds Adventure: WE ARE NOT AFRAID! 10-5-20
“I wonder where we are off to today, Augie?”
“It’s down the road to another adventure, Spuds!”
“Hi, Guys! How are you all doing?”
“I know they want to go with us, Augie!”
“It’s another meet-the-heavy-equipment day, Spuds!”
“Yeah, first the backhoe and now the skidsteer, Spuds!”
“Oh, check this out, Spuds, SUPER FUN!”
“Hey, Augie, wait for me! Yee Haw!”
“Don’t we all look like another statue, Spuds?!”
“YUP, but it’s time to go, Augie! Whoopee!”
“You take the high road and I’ll take the low road, and I’ll get there before you, Augie!”
“You can’t be King of the Mountain without going HIGH, Spuds!”
“AND, you learn to pick your way CAREFULLY, Spuds!”
“I’d rather be jumping, Augie! It’s MUCH MORE FUN!”
“I can jump, too, Spuds, and HIGHER than you!”
“Each to his own…knock yourself out, Augie!”
“I am a true energy-conserver, Augie!”
“And maybe a bit lazy, eh Spuds! Come on! This one’s easy, Spuds!”
“I was just waiting for you to get out of the way… so I could jump!”
“Yeah! Yeah! Sure you were, Spuds!” “I’m not afraid, Augie!”
“Walking in sync is harder than people might think, eh, Spuds?!”
“Yeah…and so is posing for the pictures she wants!”
“It’s easy when you have core strength and flexibility, Spuds! Then you can BOTH get what you want!”
“Sure is smoky out here from the fires, Augie!” “Yeah, but it’s nice to be out for another adventure!”
“OH, what’s she doing now, Augie?!”
“I think we are supposed to follow, Spuds…IN SYNC!”
“Isn’t SHE being lazy now, Augie?!”
“Not really, Spuds…she’s getting older! So, we need to be cooperative…so we can have more ADVENTURES!”
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.
© 2016, 2017 Lucky Three Ranch, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
MULE CROSSING: Selecting a Trainer
By Meredith Hodges
We have our animals professionally trained primarily to allow them to perform to the best of their ability, but once we have decided to put them into training we are faced with the dilemma of selecting a trainer. With mules, selection of the trainer is of the utmost importance due to his psychological makeup. Remember that your mule cannot learn from someone he doesn’t like, and mules do have their preferences!
So, where do you begin looking for a trainer? The best place to begin would probably be at a mule show – study the animals and see who is winning the performance classes. Talk with those owners if they do not do the training themselves. They will probably be able to put you in touch with someone who does. Other good sources for trainers are the various equine publications that are popular in your area. Trainers, as in any business, will usually post ads. If no trainers are listed as such, study the ranch ads and contact the ranch owners – they should be able to help.
Once you have accumulated a few names, call and make appointments to visit the various trainers. The interview with the trainer is as important to you as it is to him. You will have an opportunity to discuss finance, goals and general care. An appointment will also give you the chance to see his facility and allow you to draw your own conclusions before you make a commitment. There are many good horse trainers available today, but they are not necessarily qualified to train mules. The mule trainer must be a person of extraordinary patience and be well versed in technique… and just as a precaution, you might ask if he’s ever trained a donkey. The mule trainer must know how to appeal to the donkey half of the mule as well as the horse half of the mule to be successful.
When you visit the trainer’s facility, there are several ways to get the information you require. First, pay attention to the general condition of the facility. Is it clean, free of debris with safe fencing? Check to see that water and mineral salt blocks are available to the stock. Does the trainer have a good working area available to him? In bad weather, an indoor arena is essential. If he does not have access to an indoor arena, he may not be able to work your mule as often as needed for a good sound training program. Next, check the general condition of his stock. Are they well fed? Are there any obtrusive scars or bruises on the animals, and what is the condition of their feet? Are they properly trimmed or shod? The condition of a trainer’s animals can tell you a lot about the trainer.
As a consideration to yourself and your mule, do not be afraid to ask the trainer if he will ride for you. You might want to mention the fact that you wish to see him ride at the time you make your appointment. The trainer can then be sure to allot the time necessary to ride for you. As he rides, watch the way he handles the animals. Are his hands light, yet firm? Does he ask for collection and cause the animal to travel smoothly and fluidly? Do his animals move away from leg pressure? Do the animals bend through their circles? Vertical flexion, impulsion, and lateral bend are all the elements of proper shape and any truly good trainer will know and practice these techniques. Beware of the person who claims to be a trainer, but only “rides” your animal. He could conceivably do immeasurable damage.
After touring the facility and watching the trainer at work, it is time for discussion. You have had a chance to determine the overall character of the trainer. If he is the least bit short-tempered or gruff, he is not trainer for your mule. If he seems patient and even-tempered, it is now time to discuss your goals and the way they will be financed. Be realistic about your expectations. An animal can be taught the basics in 60-90 days, but unless you are an experienced rider, the training cannot be maintained. Remember, training is primarily teaching the animal to respond to cues in a habitual manner and it takes time to build good habits. If you haven’t the finances for any more than 60-90 days and you are not experienced, ask the trainer if he would be willing to spend time in the last month, or so, teaching you how to ride your mule correctly. Any good trainer would insist that you do!
When you discuss your goals with the trainer, be concise and to the point. Ask him to clarify terms so that you understand exactly what he will be doing with your mule. Ask the trainer for a copy of the contract to take home with you and to study. To avoid any misunderstandings, ask the trainer about terms concerning the veterinarian, the horseshoer, hauling expenses, and any showing that you wish him to do. To clarify these responsibilities in advance will help to assure a good rapport with your prospective trainer.
If you are still unsure about a trainer after visiting his facility and talking with him, ask for references. While at home, you can check these references and go over the contract to see if he will, in fact, fit your needs.
Following these guidelines will enable you to locate the right trainer for your mule. Granted, it takes a little time to visit and discuss these things, but it is time well spent. The right trainer can produce a happy, healthy and well-mannered mule… but more than that, he can produce a satisfied owner!
To learn more about Meredith Hodges and her comprehensive all-breed equine training program, visit LuckyThreeRanch.com, MEREDITH HODGES PUBLIC FIGURE Facebook page, or call 1-800-816-7566. Check out her children’s website at JasperTheMule.com. Also, find Meredith on Pinterest, Instagram, MeWe, YouTube and Twitter.
Covered in TRAINING MULES & DONKEY: A LOGICAL APPROACH TO TRAINING, TRAINING WITHOUT RESISTANCE and EQUUS REVISITED at www.luckythreeranchstore.com.
© 1986, 1991, 2015, 2016, 2024 Lucky Three Ranch, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
LTR Training Tip #4: Communication and Equines
Meredith gets a lot of letters and emails from people with training questions about their equines. Here, she talks about how to best communicate with your equine.
What’s New with Roll? Going for a Walk
Roll missed his exercises last week, so we thought we had better get out there today. Both of us were a bit tired of the arena, so we opted for a walk down the hayfield road. It was a rainy day and Roll had rolled in the mud, so we just did the hairbrush and shedding blade routine without the vacuum cleaner this time. Then we were ready to go.
Although he missed his exercises last week, he was still a bit better on the right hind foot. He did not want to put full weight on it, but I was sure he would do better after his walk in his core muscle building gear: the snaffle bridle with the dropped noseband, his surcingle and the “Elbow Pull” to make sure that the topline and abs would be engaged during the workout.
In the spring, we only turn out in dirt areas while the grass is growing. The equines will get turned out on grass on June 1st. This helps to maintain a nice stand of grass in all the turnout areas that will last all summer and into the fall. We never graze the equines on the hayfield pastures.
Contrary to popular belief, horse manure (or any manure that is not processed) will contain weed seeds and will contaminate the weed-free hayfields that we have managed to grow on 112 of our 127 ½ acres. There is an obvious size difference between us, but Roll is a gentleman and though he REALLY wanted to eat the grass, he still stuck to the routine as best that he could.
He did try to drag me off the road and over to the grass, but I just planted my feet, pulled on the lead rope as his right foot was coming forward and redirected him back down the road.
He was so good that I decided to let him have a bite and we then continued on down the road. We walked about a half mile out and back.
On the way back, Roll was breathing a bit hard, so I know he put his heart and soul into his exercise yet again. What a great guy! When he got back, he was fully weighting the right hind.
