Training Mules versus Horses

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Whether you are Training donkeys, mules or horses we need proper Equine Specific Foundation of Ground and Mounted Training Plans because there is not a quick one training plan fits all or quick fixing a problem. Please read; Developing Training Plans & Guidelines also Evaluations  

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Building a Solid Foundations is Everything

Horses are more forgiving than mules and donkeys. Lots of horse trainers take a bit of a rushed approach to accomplishing tasks, rather than building a solid foundation. Foundations of Ground and Mounted Training are the single, most important things you can give a mule or donkey.  Good foundations can take around six months to build and solidify.  Most horse trainers work on the “thirties” – they will have a horse train for 30, 60 or 90 days. Rarely does an owner want to pay for or wait for six months while their horse is being trained. With horses, you can often get away with such a schedule because the horse thrives on repetition. But a mule or donkey will not be bullied or bluffed into doing what he feels is not in his best interest. They are smart and more intelligent that horses.  Foundation building time is worth its weight in gold when it comes to long ears.  When attempting to move the hindquarters of the mule if you try using conventional horse principles you will not have any luck. Mules, you see, need to have this process started from the nose. No amount of looking at the rear end or using s crop or whip will be successful. In fact, a mule is most likely to give a kick or two if you don’t “speak his language” and start your communication with his nose. If you use a come-a-long or a properly adjusted rope halter, the mule will move the shoulders and the hindquarters with ease – no fight or fuss.  There is a big difference between the repeated repetitions and blind faith requests that horses can appreciate and the psyche of the mule. The mule has a great sense of self-preservation and he is smart and cunning about it. He is a thinker. He judges the wisdom of the request, then he plots his response. For him, foundation is everything.

Proving that you are a worthy and knowledgeable leader who builds from groundwork to saddle work without rushing and without setting deadlines is key and at the heart of your success in training a mule or donkey. Teaching your mule that you want him to stand quietly for tacking and mounting, be a good barn and pasture citizen and a great partner in work or under a pleasure saddle starts with groundwork. For me, that means the come-a-long, a rope halter, the mule rider’s martingale, and a pile of patience. Repetition is not as important as making good progress, then allowing the mule to “think it over.” Training all day, every day will not get you as far as training well for a few hours, then let the mule “digest” what he has learned before asking him again.

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Horses and Mules Thrive on Different Leadership Styles

I am not criticizing or bashing horse trainers! Not at all! But they are working with a different animal. They are working with an animal who thrives on repetition and being led without a ton of questions. They are training an animal that counts on you to think for him in many instances and he agrees to follow your lead. They are dealing with an animal that wants to be released as his reward and will perform consistently to get that release.  Mules get much of their intelligence and baseline talents from the donkey. Donkeys are awesome to work with – showing you that you must prove yourself as a leader. Whether you want them to pack, drive or ride, you need to create an environment that works with his sensibilities. You need to take your time and build the foundation, one step at a time from the ground up. The same is true of mules. The mule is not seeking the same “release” that is so highly successful with the horse. While a release may work for some skills, the biggest thing Mr. Mule is seeking is the belief that you and he are on the same page. No treats or whips or dozens of repetitions are going to get you far with a donkey or mule. But a clear mind, an honest intent and a reasonable way to work together will get you not only the behaviors you want but the devotion of your mule.  If you think of the typical horse clinic, you will hear about lateral flexion, helping the horse seek and find “release” and such. I’m here to tell you that you can put a mule’s nose on his side and he can still run full tilt. But give him a reason that he understands to be light in the bridle, and your mule will comply.

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Stubborn as a donkey and mule

Donkeys and Mules have an unjustified reputation for being “stubborn” this reputation has come from a common misunderstanding of the differences between the behavior of donkeys, mules and horses. Mules and Donkeys do have a great sense of self-preservation and are unwilling to do anything that might be dangerous. This sense of self-preservation combined with different body language from that of a horse leads to confusion about donkey’s or mule’s anxiety and fear levels. Once you understand the subtle body language of your donkey, and have worked to build enough trust with them so they are confident that you would not persuade them to do something that might cause them harm, you will find donkeys are quick and willing learners.

 

A mule is produced when you breed a male donkey to a female horse, also known as a mare. A "hinny," meanwhile, is produced when you breed a stallion, or male horse, to a female donkey. Mules possess characteristics of both of their parents but are typically sterile and unable to reproduce. You can not breed a mule to get a mule. You have to breed a horse to a donkey to get a mule.

 

Intelligence and Temperament:

Mules:

• Mules are more intelligent, perceptive and sensitive than horses.

• They learn quickly and are adept at assessing situations.

• Mules who have handlers and trainers who are smart and respectful tend to be "obliging, kind, patient, persevering, calm, tolerant, sensible, loyal, affectionate, playful and also proud, jealous and calculating.

Hinnies:

• Hinnies are more donkey-like in temperament, in part because they are raised by donkeys.

• However, hinnies are generally quieter, less curious, more compliant and less independent and adventurous than mules.

• Hinnies prefer to avoid trouble rather than confront it.

 

Appearance

Mules have been said to have the body of the horse with extremities of a donkey, whereas hinnies have the body of a donkey and the extremities of a horse. Because a donkey mare is smaller than most horses, hinnies are generally smaller than mules. A hinny's ears are shorter than a mule's, his mane and tail are thicker and longer and his hooves are rounder. Hinnies differ from each other more than mules do, from being almost identical to a horse, to being mule-like or nearly indistinguishable from a donkey. Mules have long ears, a thin, short, possibly upright mane and a tail which in part has shortish hairs but also long hairs like a horse tail. The mule's tail can be much fuller and longer than a donkey's. Her legs, like the donkey's, are straight, and she has small, hard, straight-sided hooves.

 

Physical strength and good health.

Mules are typically stronger than horses and are much longer-lived with much longer working lives. They seldom become sick or lame, and they tolerate extremes of temperature. Mules can live on frugal food rations, have great stamina, are resilient and sure-footed. The American hinnies are said to lack hybrid vigor, and it has always been recognized that they are smaller than mules (although this may partly be due to their being carried in a smaller womb), less strong and with less stamina and hardiness.

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Donkeys and Mules are always thinking; more so when you are with him or her.   This is their self-preservation. In order to build a better relationship with your mule or donkey, you as the trainer, need to be sure you make it easy for your mule or donkey to understand what you are asking:

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• ​If you always ask the equine questions in a proper way or give it cues it can answer, you will build a trust between you and your equine. 

• If you always ask the equine questions or give it cues it can answer, you will build a trust between you and your equine. If not, you will have a horse or mule that will not respond well to your training methods. 

• The best way to help an equine find the right answer to your question or cue is to be specific and break your training session down into smaller steps. 

• If you ask your equine to do something for you and it does not respond well to your training methods; the best way to help an equine find the right answer to your question or cue is to be specific and break your training session down into smaller steps. 

• If you ask your equine a question and he gives you the wrong answer, do not get upset at him but allow it to do whatever it believes you want it to do and then correct it!  Getting angry only creates problems and the equine will become more defensive and eventually harder to train. Take a step back and think about how you can make the exercise simpler and more obvious for him. Then, ask the equine again until he answers the question correctly. Once he answers correctly, be sure to make a big deal out of it and praise him for doing it right.

• Being positive is one of the best ways to help your mule progress quicker. Negative trainers are always telling their horse or mule what not to do; don’t walk forward, don’t back up. Positive trainers concentrate on what their horse or mule is doing right. No matter what you are asking your mule to do, focus on helping him get the right answer as often as possible. If your equine makes a mistake, which he will, instead of getting angry at him, ask him again. Think about training as professional athletes do. A professional basketball player is considered great if he makes 50 percent of his baskets. How can we expect our mules to execute each command 100 percent of the time? The only way to achieve that is through practice, training and learning. In order for the basketball player to get to the 50 percent completion rate he must spend many hours each day shooting baskets. The shot must become an automatic response. The automatic response from your mule or any equine for that matter can take hours, months and years of practice just as it does for a professional athlete.

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Training

Whether you are Training donkeys, mules or horses there is not a quick one training plan fits all or quick fixing a problem.  When you set out to train, retrain a mule or a horse begin with an assessment and diagnostic report that are necessary to develop a training and implementation plan and start by developing a solid equine specific Foundation of Ground Training. Assuming your equine already knows something will only leave gaps in its education. Break down tasks into their simplest form, ask only for a little improvement each training session and reward every effort your equine gives. Build successively from one training goal to another. If you are consistent, fair, and logical in your methods, your equine will gradually learn that under your apparent cool exterior lays a person who has his best interests at heart.  Whenever possible, take time to observe, read, listen, and ask questions about horses, mules and donkeys. Your equine will be your best instructor if you take time to open a respectful dialogue.  When starting halter training I begin by using a rope come along halter before using a horse training rope halter!  The “ come along halter” gets ahold of the pressure points on their pole and nose and the waxed rope quickly releases pressure when you let up, rewarding the mule. ​

Once the ground training is completed you will need to transfer the ground training into the saddle!​

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​Comparison Chart Horses and Mules​​

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Communicating with Donkeys, Mules or Horses

In trying to communicate with donkeys and mules or horses, the first thing to understand is that they want to please you. Underneath what may appear to be an unfeeling character is a willing and intelligent creature. I have had experience with draft and light horses and mules. I can say with confidence that after communication and trust have been established, most horse or mules are some of the hardest working and devoted souls I have ever dealt with. The mule inherits this quality and it makes him a reliable, dependable, and loyal fellow.  Most people who are interested in farming, driving, or riding are familiar with the horse, so their observations on the mule tend to draw comparisons to the horse. The donkey is taken into consideration as far as the mule's physical values go, yet the mule or the donkey is expected to think and act like a horse. When it does not, it is labeled as stubborn or recalcitrant. Herein lies most, if not all, the difficulties that trouble mule handlers.  In addition to inheriting the donkey's penchant for hard work and loyalty, the mule acquires the donkey's attitude of extreme caution. While horses instinctively react, donkeys appear to evaluate a situation for themselves and then act. The key to working through difficult situations is directly linked to how much trust a mule or horse for that matter has in his handler. This trust is gained through patient and systematic methods of training. Whenever a mule or some horses refuse to obey, it is because he has not understood you or he does not trust you in what you are asking of him.

 

​We should never force a horse or mule or donkey to obey us!   

If you try, any compliance will be short lived with mules, donkeys and horses such as the Arabian. The best methods are based on explaining to the horse or mule or donkey what you want. If you use a method of restraint, like a twitch or a hobble, it must be approached with the idea that you are explaining to the equine that you want him to stand still, not that you are forcing him to submit.  Some Handlers often try to "dominate" a horse, donkey or mule to compel it to do what they wish. Horses may be driven or pushed into an impulsive state of energy. When a whip is applied to the horse, he will instinctively spring into motion (although sometimes not in the desired direction). When a whip is applied to a mule or donkey, his instinct is to remain where he is until he is sure of the situation. If you continue to whip the mule or donkey, he becomes more resolute and may drop to the ground in a heap of defiance.  The key to handle, train and work with the equine is to understand your equine:

 

• ​Is it willing worker?  Will it things its way or not at all? 

• Most equine communicate with body language and express themselves with movement.

• When handling all equine particularly mules, cooperation is the better part of valor. 

• Some horses [Arabians] and especially mules take a long time to forget, if they ever do; so it is poor business to make a mistake in training a mule.

 

In the latter stages of training a horse, you can play roughly and energetically on him a little if he deliberately pulls something nasty; he will straighten out. But don’t ever try the same tactics on a mule. The mules may not only become difficult to handle, but he will hate you for life. I make it a rule in training mules that the only punishment for bad behavior will be assignment of “extra duty.” A mule understands that sort of correction and will accept it. As a general rule, mules are considerably smarter than horses. “I have known a few smart horses and a few mules that were not overly bright.” a mule has a stronger sense of self-preservation than a horse but so do Arabians!  “Even when frightened; “a mule will rarely do anything to injure himself. He will not founder himself by overeating or over drinking, as a horse will. If hung up in a packsaddle wreck or caught in wire, he will almost never fight and injure himself, as a horse will. A smoothing word will calm a mule until you can get him untangled.” We should dismiss the popular notion that mules are naturally stubborn or some horses for that matter.  Most trainers are convinced mishandling is what makes a renegade equine. Methods that are effective with a horse do not always work on mules. A horse forgives and forgets. A mule doesn’t. “When a mule resents something and resists, “from then on you can expect a fight. 

You cannot make as many mistakes with a mule as you can in training a horse. You must be especially persistent. You must quietly ease a mule through all of the initial steps of training until he accepts it. Then you’ll have no trouble.

Some abused horses can usually be reclaimed. Kind treatment and time will restore the average horse’s trust and confidence in his handler. Some horses may never forget former mistreatment, but some are willing to forgive. A mule or Arabian, however, will seldom forget a bad experience and he will never forgive the person who gave it to him. Not only that, but he draws no distinction between the individual who roughed him up and any other person. He does not separate good guys from bad guys. The mule sees all humans as either friends or enemies.  People familiar with mules will tell you that mules dislike dogs. Why should this be so? It’s not that the two are natural enemies. But it’s a good example of the mule’s strictly black and white view of the world. Sometimes the dog heels the mule, nipping at him. The dog may be in earnest or he may be just playing, but that makes no difference to the mule. From then on he looks on all dogs as enemies.” From then on all dogs had better stay clear of that mule. Most horses will resist a dog that harasses them, kicking backwards. A mule takes the offensive. Chased by a dog a mule will adroitly maneuver to reverse positions. He becomes the chaser with the dog as his quarry. “The dog then best be mighty fleet and good at dodging or the mule, striking accurately from behind, will break the dog’s spine.” 

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To a horseman’s eye, the average mule hardly looks like a speedster.

Appearance is deceiving. Mules cannot only run, they have a niftier, shiftier change of pace than an all- pro running back.  I used to think that a mule couldn’t run as fast as a horse. They may appear to be slow, but on a mountain trail a string of leggy 1200-pound pack mules will out walk most saddle horses. Pound for pound, a mule is stronger and more durable than a horse. He is an easy keeper, able to thrive on less feed than a horse. A mule is much more surefooted than a horse. He has smaller hooves with a deeper cup, and a mule usually can go barefoot much longer than a horse.  A mule handles a bog better than a horse. A mule never plunges. He places his feet more deliberately. A mule seems to roll his weight from leg to leg without sinking deeply. He can extract his hooves from a sticky mud hole more easily than a horse can. 

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Normally, mules do not buddy up as horses do.

They frequently kick and bite one another for no apparent reason. They seem to recognize no sexual difference among themselves. A male will not hesitate to attack a female. A mule’s attitude towards horses is different. “A mule has strong affection for a horse.  A mare in particular is the mother image. A mule, whether 2 years old or 20, will pick out a certain mare and attach himself to her. Take that mare out of the herd for a spell and the mule will run around braying and crying its head off for days.  If no mare is present, a mule will adopt a gelding as its mother. This mother fixation in mules is so strong that the mare can be meaner than sin to the mule and the mule will accept such punishment without resistance. That is why mules can be turned lose in camp at night. If the horses are picketed, the mules are tied to the mother’s apron string. They will still be there in the morning.

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Excellent memory and intelligence

Mules and Donkeys have excellent memories and great ability to learn. Studies found that they can learn and problem-solve at the same pace as dolphins and dogs. These factors mean that they remember good and bad experiences for a long time. Negative or painful experiences affect their behavior, sometimes for years so being a careful and considerate handler is vital.

 

Gentle and calm

Mules and Donkeys show less obvious signs of fear than horses. For example, when they find something scary they will generally move away a short distance before turning to observe whatever it is that is worrying them. Perhaps due to their territorial ancestry, donkeys and mules tend to have a heightened defense response and so, when feeling threatened, they will stand their ground more than horses, which make them appear calmer and less fearful than horses in the same situation. However, it is important to remember that donkeys and mules are just as fearful as horses but the signs they show aren’t as easy to observe, especially to the untrained eye.

 

Donkeys and Mules have a reason for everything they do.

Their behaviors are controlled and influenced by a wide range of factors. Misunderstanding of their true nature and behavior leads to the incorrect but common belief that donkeys and mules are stubborn.

 

Spooky Mules, Donkeys and/or Horses

It is not the mule's nature to panic and flee, as may be observed when a mule or donkey is spooked. They will walk or trot (or, in an extremely frightening situation, canter) a short distance, stop, and evaluate conditions before going farther. A spooked horse may bolt uncontrollably over a great distance, causing harm to him in the process. What puzzles many donkey and mule handlers is that in any given situation the mule may act like either the donkey or the horse. The mule handler must recognize and appeal to both the horse and the donkey temperament resident within the mule.  A mule's or donkey's attitude to his work is one of partnership with his handler. While well-trained horses obey without question, mules and donkeys are more tasks oriented. They seem to be concerned with the overall job, rather than with isolated cues. Once you have taught a job to a mule or donkey he will continue to perform the task almost unaided and in clockwork fashion. If you interfere with his task by continually giving cues, he will be offended and may resist.  A mule or donkey is hard mouthed when; it does not understand, you have lost its trust and/or you have pushed it past the limits of its training level.

 

Should there be differences between training horses, donkeys and mules?

You can tell a horse what to do, but have to ask a donkey and negotiate with a mule. Wouldn't we be more successful if we negotiated with all equine?  I work on the basis that if you negotiate with all three you get happier animals and safer training. Anyone who says a mule is stubborn has just been out smarted by one and the same can be said about a lot of our equine friends. Some people hate working with mules and donkeys as they tend to have less of a flight mechanism and although mules tend to be more skeptical and require more trust in the handler before committing themselves. I love working with mules and donkeys as well as horses, they all have huge potential given the correct training. I strongly feel that the equine come first; that it is all about the equine!  There is an old saying; "If you can train a horse, you can train a horse; if you can train a mule or donkey you can train any equine"!

 

Using one method would make your work easier to follow if you did?

Methods are very good and easy to follow for humans, but I feel that sometimes the subtleties of the original trainer's skill can be lost in the translation of a method. This can lead to problems with owners that apply the wrong method to particular equine problem. I do not believe "one size fits all" when it comes to equine training and because of the uniqueness of every equine human relationship I believe it is safer and better for the horse, donkey or mule if solutions are individual. I also use a number of similar training procedures that help in a variety of training situations. I like to think of these as tools in a tool kit that I have at my disposal for use depending on the problem I am working with. If you have lots of different tools you are usually never stuck with a problem, you cannot fix

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A Horse Saddle Does Not Fit A Mule

• What we’re talking about here is so important, I’m going to say it again: A horse saddle does not fit a mule and I am going to tell you exactly why.

• The mule bone structure is different from the horse bone structure. Yes, a mule is part horse. Yes, they look similar. But a mule is also part donkey and the donkey’s bone structure is fundamentally different than a horse’s. The mule gets his bone structure, or skeletal structure, from the donkey. While what you and I see on the outside may look like the same shape and sizing as a horse, underneath the skin, everything is different

• If you want to throw a horse saddle up on a mule, you might as well throw a camel saddle up there. As you situate that saddle, you may ‘feel like’ it fits, but soon you’ll find that you are needing to make all sorts of adjustments to hold the saddle in place, and even then, you will find it moves around.

• Why? Because the mule is not a horse. Because the mule does not have a horse skeletal structure. Because the mule is uniquely different from a horse, from the inside all the way to the outside, for instance, in the way the mule walks.

 

Should You Give Your Mule Or Donkey Treats?

Now, let’s talk about the treat situation. A woman told me how she loved to give her horse carrots. The problem was that one time she reached up to pet his nose and he thought her finger was a carrot. She now has half an index finger where he bit it off. The crushing power of a horse’s or mule’s jaw is intense. Our little body parts are no match.  Any behavior that encourages mouthing is totally unacceptable. The mule should have a quiet mouth at all times when in our vicinity or doing anything with us. Folks seem to always want to give treats to mules and horses – I cringe when I see it. They are not dogs. Training for a horse or mule does not need to involve a treat. The praise verbally or rubbing for a job well done during the training itself is a reward and the treat does not reinforce the lesson. In fact, it may well undermine your good intentions by making the mule “demand” the treat; eventually Mr. Mule won’t perform the task without a treat. Remember, they are smart!  There are times when offering a treat does foster training and communication. But these times are limited and should be done only with a clear understanding of the goal. For example, if you can’t get a mule to approach you, you can entice him to come closer with a treat. But when he reaches a reasonable distance (3-4 feet from you), you should either drop the treat, so he can pick it up OR hold it out at full arms length in an open and flat hand, so he can’t grab your fingers.  Giving treats is a hot topic among equine trainers. Some insist that no treats should ever be given by hand. At the other extreme, some say that the equine should be trained to be gentle enough to take a treat from a child. I am somewhere in between, I guess. But generally, I am not a treat person; I think you can see why.

 

Training your mule or donkey

“It would take a book to tell you what you need to do but I will briefly provide some information. There are a couple of issues here. The first issue is that mules have a fright and flight response built into them; there is absolutely nothing you can do to take it out of them. All equine use it to escape from what they perceive as a problem. The second issue is foundation training. Mules and donkeys need to have at least six months of training, about four to six hours per week; it is critical to train every week. Don’t overdo your training and don’t train every day. It’s easy to want to keep working and move up the training schedule, but mules don’t work like that. 

 

Always Start with an Evaluation [click to read more] and use the information to develop a Mule Specific Level one Foundation of Ground Training Plan for your mule.  Before riding you will likely have to train your mule for at least six months of foundation training. Foundation Training is learning to communicate with your mule or donkey through your hands, through the lead rope, and then the halter. You want your communication to be crisp and clean. It is imperative that we start with Custom Made four knots 3/16-inch stiff premium rope, which will teach your mule how to go forward and backward, to go to the left or to the right – to go where you tell him to go and stop when you tell him to stop. Using the Custom Made four knot 3/16 inch stiff rope halter allows me to draw a clear line between comfortable and uncomfortable for the mule or donkey. It’s simple. Mr. Mule will always opt for comfort when given the choice.

Remember that mules and donkeys care more about their nose than they do their mouth. As we bump the rope, it communicates to the nose first, underneath the chin second, and behind the pole third. It gives the mule the opportunity to go with the easiest touch: the nose.  There are three simple commands: Ask, Tell, Demand. First, I’ll bump, which means I’m asking. Next, I will bump-bump, which is telling. Then, if the mule hasn’t yet done what I asked, I am going to rapid fire my lead rope – bump, bump, bump – which puts a lot of discomfort on the donkey’s nose, that’s demanding. The palm of my hand is always pointing down. By pointing down I can roll my wrist, which is what I mean when I say bump.  After your mule understands ask, tell, demand, the next step is teaching him to walk straight, move in circles, and make figure eights. The steps are similar for each movement.

Mules and donkeys need to have at least six months of training, about four to six hours per week; it is critical to train every week.

 

Don't overdo your training and don't train every day. It's easy to want to keep working and move up the training schedule, but mules don't work like that.

 

A few examples for a Training Plan are as follow:

 

• Let’s start with walking straight. Pick a straight line, maybe from one side of the pen to the other or from the gate to the big Mesquite tree across the yard. Using the Come-A-Long rope, start walking the line, not allowing the mule to look to the right or to the left. If he looks to the left, bump his nose. If the mule pulls back a little, keep moving forward and give his nose a bump. ’Ole Fluffy doesn’t like to be uncomfortable, so he moves forward.  We do everything in 3s, 6s, 9s and 12s, that is imperative for foundation. The first day, lead the mule to the tree and back to the gate three times. You’re done for the day. The next day, do the same thing three times, two days later, three times. Train with your mule four-six hours a week. Next week, if the foundation is correct, walk from the gate to the tree six times four-five days.  The following week it’s nine times in a straight line, and the week after that it’s twelve times. Now that the mule has walked a straight line well for four weeks, you can move on to circles, clockwise and counterclockwise for four weeks. 

 

Your ability to communicate with your mule and putting in six months of proper training will help you when you’re riding, packing, or just brushing your mule.   I would suggest that you also use a Training Plan for: a the Problem Mule, Building a New Foundation.

• Halter Training

A fully adjustable rope halter is your second phase of training. I don’t usually introduce the halter into my training process until the third month. It’s a refined way to teach the mule how to go left, go right, backup, and stop. A properly adjusted rope halter of the nose, two fingers up from the nostril. When you ask your mule to go left or right, stop, or backup, you put pressure on the knots on the halter with the lead rope.Let’s start with training your mule to back up. Start by putting constant pressure on the halter with the lead rope pointing to your chest. The mule will get uncomfortable and try to figure out how to get the pressure off his nose. He will stick his nose up, move it to the left and right, but the pressure will still be there. When he drops his head, I will remove the pressure; that’s the mules first step to an understanding that when both knots are on the nose and a small amount of pressure is there, the mule needs to back up. When he drops his head, you relax the lead rope for five seconds, then put the pressure back on the lead rope. The mule will drop his head again, thinking the pressure will stop. It doesn’t; you keep the pressure on the lead rope. The mule moves a foot backwards – immediately release the pressure on the lead rope for five seconds. After five seconds, put pressure back on the lead rope. When the mule moves two of his feet, release the pressure for five seconds. The mule understands that as soon as he feels a slight amount of pressure on his nose with the right and left knot from the halter, he needs to go backwards. As he goes backwards, the knots release, he gets back to his comfort zone. You’re taking the mule’s thoughts of comfortable, uncomfortable, and you are teaching him that if he responds correctly to the halter, you will release him.

 

Training To Ride

You’ve worked with your mule or donkey for six months. You’re done! You did it! You never have to do foundation training again! Wrong! Everybody thinks once Mr. Mule is trained, he will stay trained in every situation. That just isn’t so. A new situation can create some new problems. You will want to take a few minutes in a new place to remind your mule of his foundation training. I always bring my Come-A-Long rope and a rope halter so Mr. Mule and I can do a quick tune-up to remind him of his foundation training. If your foundation training is correct, then in just a matter of minutes the mule gets a hold of it.  With mules, it’s a simple tune-up: Do you remember? Do you remember? Do you remember? Don’t climb on a mule when he’s upset, take care of it on the ground first. Make sure everything’s right, do your tune-up. Do some of the ground foundation you did for six months. Walk your mule in a straight line several times, not letting him turn his head to the left or to the right. Have him walk a figure eight, both directions, until he does it. Double check that the tack is properly adjusted. Okay, now climb on. As your mule progresses, the more he gets to understanding things, the quicker the tune-up gets done.

I’m Here to Help

 

If you are having some problems with your mule, I hope this advice helps you. Just remember, it all starts by building a foundation with your mule.  As always, you can send me an email, including photos and videos about questions you have about mules and donkeys.

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You may want to read the following article:

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Horses, Donkeys, and Mules: Is There A Difference?

By Annemaria Duran / August 16, 2021

https://bestfarmanimals.com/horses-donkeys-and-mules-is-there-a-difference/

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