Handling Skills

By Meredith Hodges

You can tell a horse what to do, but you have to ask a mule. Mules and donkeys are smart, sensitive and affectionate animals. Long stereotyped as stubborn and difficult to control, these members of the equine family are actually responsive and compliant when they’re handled properly. Their strength and natural athleticism make them well suited for virtually any equine activity or sport. And with proper training and care, they bond closely with humans and make wonderful companions.

The trick to working with these bright, inquisitive animals is to understand the ways in which they differ from horses. Mules, in particular, derive physical and psychological traits from both the horse and the donkey. Once you understand both the donkey half and the horse half, you’ll be well on your way to a successful relationship with your long-eared friend.

Mule and Donkey Basics

The modern donkey is descended from the Nubian Wild Ass of North Africa.

Domesticated around 3,000 B.C., he has served man well ever since. Donkeys are surefooted, hardy and extremely strong for their size. Like horses, they’re social animals and enjoy the company of their own kind, people and other animals. Unlike horses, in the face of perceived danger, they are inclined to freeze or hide rather than flee.

Mules inherit this powerful instinct for self-preservation from the donkey, along with their innate intelligence and a number of physical traits. Mules may be either male or female, but, with an odd number of chromosomes, they are—in all but the rarest of circumstances—unable to reproduce. Typically, a mule foal will grow to the size of its dam, although he may be up to two inches taller or two inches shorter. Both mules and horses are very strong, but the mule has smoother muscles and more endurance and strength for its size. Mules also eat less, are less susceptible to disease and typically live longer than horses. “Hybrid vigor” gives mules some advantages over their equine cousins, but only proper handling and care will enable them to reach their full potential.

 Building the Foundation

Mules and donkeys will bond most closely with the person who trains them. Work with your animal one-on-one to build that critical bond of trust between the two of you, and remember that patience, kindness and consideration are all important. Mules and donkeys can be obedient and extremely reliable when they feel you have their best interests at heart. But treat them harshly, and you’ll encounter resistance at every turn. Mules and donkeys will not do anything that they perceive is dangerous to their health.

Ideally, you’ll have the opportunity to work with your mule or donkey from the time he is born. However, regardless of your animal’s age or ability, it is critical that you begin your training as if you were working with a young animal. Work with a knowledgeable trainer or use a comprehensive training program, begin with the basics and don’t skip any steps. The training information included here pertains to both mules and donkeys. Generally speaking, it’s best to add an extra dose of patience, creativity and good humor when you work with a donkey.

Like all children, a mule foal will take after his parents to some extent. If you have a say in the matter, be careful when you select a mare for breeding. A nice, calm mare sets the example for a nice, calm baby. From the time of his birth, touch your foal and his mother often to make them both comfortable with your presence. A good time to do this is feeding time. Pick up the foal’s feet while he is unrestrained and touch, scratch and stroke him all over to discover what he does and doesn’t like. Give him time to relax and get comfortable with you. Let him choose to be with you, and you’ll find that he wants to be.

This is also a good time to introduce the concept of “reward.” Offer the dam a treat of crimped oats, and your foal will see his mother accept it from your hand and learn to do the same. A consistent system of appropriate and prompt reward is a crucial part of your foal’s life-long resistance-free training program. Mules and donkeys will work for a pleasurable payoff, and a handful of crimped oats serves the purpose well.

At the beginning of training, you should offer rewards often, although only when your animal complies with your direction. This will strengthen the bond between you and encourage good behavior. If your equine pulls away, don’t chase. Simply let go of the ropes, reins, drivelines, etc., and offer him oats until he returns. Your task is to correct and redirect. When your animal understands which behaviors result in a reward, he will want to repeat those behaviors. This is called “behavior modification.”

Mule foals are not much different than human babies when it comes to their need for attention, love, guidance and praise. Giving your foal plenty of time to be a “kid” will help him as he grows, and playtime can do double duty if you play games that give him a sense of security and build the bond between you.

Once your foal is comfortable being handled, you should be able to halter him with little trouble. Feeding time is a good time to start. Teach your foal about the halter and leading while he is still young. You’ll be using halters and lead ropes with him all his life, so the more experience he has with these, the better for both of you.

Tying your foal comes next and takes a series of brief, methodical lessons. First, halter the foal with the mare nearby. Attach a thick cotton lead rope and tie him to a stout hitching post using the safety knot. Approach him every 10 minutes and wait for him to slacken the rope before you release him. Keep lessons to no more than 30 minutes and repeat for as many days as necessary until he doesn’t pull back. Once he’s standing quietly, you can brush him with a soft brush and pick up his feet. He may struggle a bit at first, but as long as he isn’t hurting himself, he’ll be learning how to “stay cool.”

When you can easily halter and tie your foal, untie him and ask him to follow. If he refuses, just tie him up again, wait 10 minutes, untie him and ask him again. When he follows for a few steps, praise him, so he knows he’s doing well. There’s no need to jerk or pull him or hit his rump. Keep your voice calm and use simple commands. Be patient, work with him and reward him when he does what you ask.

When he walks when you say, “walk” and stops when you say, “whoa,” you’re ready to do more. Always hold the lead in your left hand while standing on his left side (the “near side”), and use your right hand to keep him in proper position with his head even with your shoulder or just slightly in front and not too close to or far from you. Your foal should stop when you verbally say “Whoa” and he feels the resistance of a slight drag on the lead rope—not a pulling backwards once he has already passed you When he stops he should stand straight and still on a loose lead and receive his reward.

Until now, you’ve kept your foal in a confined area such as a corral or paddock. Now you can move to a larger area, keeping in mind that this might affect his behavior. Use a calm reassuring voice to let him know that everything’s okay as you introduce him to simple obstacles. Use a lead line to guide him through the course. If he gets frightened, put yourself between the obstacle and your mule. Give him plenty of time to investigate each new object, encouraging him to move forward and praising him with a reward when he touches the obstacle with his nose. This is a time for positive interaction between the two of you. Take your foal with you often to discover new things together. Teach him to trust your judgment now and he’ll trust you always.

Once your mule or donkey will stand calmly when tied and willingly follows you over and around different obstacles, you can introduce him to the trailer. If you’ve built a trusting relationship with him, he should load with little resistance. Never rush. It will only take longer. If he refuses to cooperate with a reward as an inducement, you may need to make gentle use of a lunge line or whip in conjunction with a reward.

Mules are typically a year or more behind horses in their overall development. Even at two years of age, your mule is still a rambunctious youngster, not inclined to be easily restrained. He’s more susceptible to physical and psychological injury at this stage, so proceed with caution—only the simplest lessons are appropriate at this point.

Fundamentals of Resistance-Free Training

During these early lessons, some discipline may be required. If your youngster gets a little bold and jumps or nips at you or kicks, you must correct the behavior so it doesn’t become a bad habit. With the flat of your hand, give him a brisk slap on the side of mouth if he bites or on the rump if he kicks, and in a strong voice say, “No.” Then continue to play with him so he knows that everything is okay. When an older animal bites, slap him on the side of the mouth, say, “No!” very loudly then raise and turn your hand around like a stop sign. He will raise his head, begin to turn to the side and be ready to leave or simply will back up. Immediately take a step toward him, tell him, “Good boy,” and reward him for giving you your space. Be consistent and use only the word “no” to correct him. Correcting kicking through training is covered in DVD number two of my resistance-free training series, Training Mules and Donkeys.

It’s very important to understand that negative behaviors on your part, such as yelling and hitting, when used in isolation, don’t work with mules and donkeys. Abusive behavior will shut the animal down, pushing him into a freeze response and severing the connection between you. If there is any opportunity to do so, he will simply leave you standing alone.

In rare cases when negative reinforcement is required, always immediately follow the negative correction with verbal praise and a reward when the animal responds to the correction. He may test you again, but a raised hand and verbal, “No!” should curb the behavior. He should back off and wait for the reward.

Set the stage for success to encourage good behavior. Just as you’ve established a feeding schedule, also design a training routine. Set up a workstation where you start each lesson. Each day you train, bring your animal here first. Tie him, then groom him and tack up. At the end of each lesson, return to the workstation to un-tack and groom.

Ideally, you’ll have a round pen, arena and obstacle course to work in, but whatever facilities you have, be sure that the training and grooming areas are clean and safe. The familiarity will keep him calm and receptive.

Also get in the habit of covering everything your mule or donkey has previously learned before going on to something new. A quick review will boost his confidence and prepare him to go on to the next level.

Athletic Conditioning Makes the Mule

Training begins by building a positive relationship with your animal, establishing a consistent reward system, and maintaining a safe, comfortable environment. Another often-overlooked but critical component is the need to physically condition your mule or donkey, so he can safely do whatever you ask of him. This is probably the toughest part of training. Our inclination is to rush through the basics to get to the “fun stuff,” but without thorough athletic conditioning, your animal simply won’t have the physical capacity to properly do what you ask. On the contrary, he’ll be more prone to injury and more likely to develop behavioral problems.

The work to develop muscles, tendons and ligaments over a good frame (proper equine posture) doesn’t start in the round pen—it begins on the lead line. Showmanship work on the lead line helps develop strength and balance on the flat ground, in a controlled situation. Leading over obstacles adds coordination to strength and balance. Take your time at this stage of training before moving your animal to the round pen to learn balance at all three gaits on the circle.

Physical loss of balance is the biggest problem in underdeveloped animals and the most common cause of bad behavior. When you pace your training to fully develop muscles, tendons and ligaments over an aligned frame, your mule or donkey will feel good all over and be more willing to comply. Stretching is also important for the conditioned athlete—young or old. Make sure you incorporate appropriate stretches throughout your training program to protect your animal from injury. It takes years for an equine to grow and develop properly. Give him the benefit of patience, kindness, and proper care, and you’ll both reap the rewards. 

Taking Training to the Next Level

When you think of mules and donkeys, activities such as driving, packing and trail riding probably come to mind. But these days, mules, in particular, perform in an amazing variety of events including reining, roping, pleasure classes, endurance events, hunter classes, jumping and even dressage and combined training. In fact, in 2004, the United States Equestrian Federation voted to allow mules into sanctioned dressage competition.

Better breeding, better training and renewed interest have boosted the popularity of long-eared equines as pets and performance animals. By selecting your mare carefully, you can help determine your mule’s athletic potential. By choosing and adhering to a comprehensive, sequential training program, you can help him reach that potential in a way that keeps him healthy and happy.

Regardless of how you plan to use your mule, basic showmanship training lays the foundation for all future training. For showmanship, your mule or donkey must learn to follow your shoulder at a walk and a trot, stand squarely and quietly, and do a turn-on-the-haunches. Each time you lead your mule, do it as if you were in a showmanship class. The walk from the barn or pasture is a good place to start.

After you and your mule master showmanship, you can begin to vary your training routine. For example, you might practice showmanship one day, rest the next, look at obstacles the next day, rest for a day, go for a trail walk, rest and then add lunging and so on. Your mule needs time to think, so keep it fun for both of you. Keep your expectations reasonable and remember that short, frequent lessons (20-40 minutes) with a day’s rest in between are better than long, repetitive drills. Also, understand that disobedience is an honest response to YOU and what you’re asking. If you’re not getting the response you want, ask a different way.

Training for Saddle 

Keeping in mind the simple principle that you must persuade rather than force your mule or donkey to comply, we move to the round pen and to lunging. This is where he learns more voice commands and continues to develop his muscles, balance and rhythm through walk, trot and canter on the circle.

Begin by lunging your mule first in the bridle and then in the bridle and saddle for ten-minute intervals. Then add the elbow pull to put him in proper frame and correctly develop his muscles. Follow your trainer’s instructions as you practice at all three gaits and through the reverse. When you and your mule have perfected your lunging technique, you’re ready for ground driving in the round pen.

Ground driving builds your mule’s confidence and teaches him the fundamentals of riding without the stress of a rider. Here, the animal learns verbal and rein cues that set the stage for more advanced resistance-free training. If your goal is to ride your mule or donkey, keep in mind that these animals mature more slowly than horses. A mule might not be physically or mentally ready to carry a rider until he’s four years old. When your mule is physically prepared, comfortable with the saddle and bridle, and proficient in ground driving, then you’re ready to ride.

Again, think like a mule and give your animal plenty of time to adjust to new sensations and directions. Always wear a helmet and work with an assistant until you’re confident your mule can calmly walk, trot and lope with you on board, first in the round pen and then in the open arena. As your mule advances, remember to work on your own “horsemanship” and the accuracy of your movements. 

Training for Driving

Driving your mule or donkey can be great fun, but driving is very different from riding and the details are paramount. Driving can be hazardous for you and your animal, not to mention whatever or whomever is in your path. Choose a good mule candidate—one who will stay fairly calm in the face of new situations. If you’re inexperienced, be sure to work with a trainer before setting off on your own.

Of course, before you tack up, you’ll need to desensitize your animal to the sound and feel of the harness, blinders and other equipment. Take your time here and follow your trainer’s instructions carefully. In general, too much desensitization can make your mule bored and disinterested. Instead, use the introductory techniques you used in leading training and play to his natural curiosity and sense of adventure to bolster his confidence.

Once he’s comfortable with the equipment, practice lunging and ground driving your mule in harness. Eventually, you can add a PVC pole to mimic the shaft, then a drag (such as an old tire) for weight, then a travois of two poles and a crosspiece. Clear verbal commands are essential here. Used in combination with the lines and a suitable driving whip, they will be your primary means of communication. Take your time and remember that every animal is different. Safety should always be your primary concern. The rest will come in time.

Making friends

This is only an overview of resistance-free training fundamentals for mules and donkeys. If you’re serious about working with one of these smart, strong animals, you’ll need to invest in a complete training program. Any equine training program worth its salt will address not only the exercises required for performance, but also the physical, mental and emotional well-being of the animal.

Even abused or neglected animals can be rehabilitated using resistance-free training methods that include methodical conditioning. With love and patience, mistreated mules and donkeys can learn to trust again and injured animals can recover and thrive. Training a mule or donkey is like making a friend—it’s something no one else can do for you, and the experience teaches you as much about yourself as it does about your mule. Remember to keep it fun and enjoy the journey.

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.

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