Anyone have a riding mule?
- Thread starter Sparks
- Start date
mingiz
Horse Poor
I have a friend that had a few. They are very sure footed and she said very smooth. There temperments are different than horses. Mules aren't as forgiving as a horse. They take a little longer to train, but once they have it they don't forget. They say it takes a lot of patience in training. You can't force a mule to do anything you have to ask them. I see a lot of them when we go to the mountains riding. Even when there riders are drunk and riding them around like idiots the mules seem to take care of them...They also say it's hard to find a good broke mule and if you do have plenty of ching with ya.
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saddlesore
Guest
I've never owned one, but would actually like to. All the long ears (mules & donkeys) are hardier than horses: hardier stomachs and digestive systems; better feet; and they live longer than horses.
I saw several mules at the Old Dominion endurance ride - they do well. And some of them can jump! I've heard they used to be allowed to compete in dressage and x/country, until they started winning, so now they're banned. That's just hearsay, though, don't know if it's true.
Like Ming says, they are considered more difficult to train, but in many ways are smarter than horses. Just remember that they may easily live to be 40+!
Also something to consider, it is harder to find decent fitting tack for them.
I saw several mules at the Old Dominion endurance ride - they do well. And some of them can jump! I've heard they used to be allowed to compete in dressage and x/country, until they started winning, so now they're banned. That's just hearsay, though, don't know if it's true.
Like Ming says, they are considered more difficult to train, but in many ways are smarter than horses. Just remember that they may easily live to be 40+!
Also something to consider, it is harder to find decent fitting tack for them.
K
KizerSoSay
Guest
There are also several different types of mules. Plantation mules, logging mules, riding mules, cart mules etc. All different sizes, from itty bitty to big mo fo's.saddlesore said:
I know people who have coon hunted with mules. They jump like deer.
flarenuphope
laura+flare= gone
they dont really have a lot of withers so the saddle kinda slider forward... My cousent in nc rides a mule on trails in the mountians. Hes a bigginer rider, and i only hear good things about them. But i will see on friday or saterday because im going down there to there house for a graduation, and hopefully i get to ride one! 
I only rode a donkey befor, with out a saddle that is HARD! When you squeze your knees to keep your balance you slid FORWARD, and the one i rode was hard to stop from troting, or stoping for the matter, so i would have to jump off, then get back on and he would walk. but they dont spook!
I only rode a donkey befor, with out a saddle that is HARD! When you squeze your knees to keep your balance you slid FORWARD, and the one i rode was hard to stop from troting, or stoping for the matter, so i would have to jump off, then get back on and he would walk. but they dont spook!
mingiz
Horse Poor
KizerSoSay said:There are also several different types of mules. Plantation mules, logging mules, riding mules, cart mules etc. All different sizes, from itty bitty to big mo fo's.
I know people who have coon hunted with mules. They jump like deer.
We had one at the farm that every day he would be on the other side of the fence. We caught him one day. He would walk up to the fence and he would rear up and leap over it and look at us as to say don't fence me in...He was a trip but was afriad that he would make it to the road so she got rid of him. His name was cool also. he was Ozzie Ozmule...he was trained to coon hunt.
K
KizerSoSay
Guest
When they take them hunting, they drape a jacket over a fence(or whatever they happen to come across that is in the way) and the mules just walk right up and pop over it from a stand still. They are very sure footed to be runnin' all over creation in the dark chasing dogs.mingiz said:
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saddlesore
Guest
flarenuphope said:
Right - that's what I meant about it being hard to find good fitting tack. I'd still like one, though. In some parts of the world they are used more than horses for work, and since that is what people have, they end up riding them rather than horses.
