Meredith Hodges has been dedicated to the positive promotion of longears for more than 30 years.

Her commitment to quality breeding, resistance-free training, and proper care and maintenance has helped foster nothing short of a renaissance for these wonderfully gifted and versatile animals. She’s opened our eyes and minds to the potential of these animals, introduced her own mules into elite events such as dressage and combined training, and raised the bar for longears everywhere. She’s been an advocate, an educator and, via her unique, correspondence training course, a personal coach. No one is more committed to these animals or to the people who love them as much as she does.

“ Mule Fever” takes hold
Of course, Meredith wasn't always devoted to longears. Like many young girls, she loved horses growing up. She primarily rode Arabians and excelled as both a rider and a trainer. In 1973, Meredith’s mother Joyce Doty asked Meredith to help train the mules and donkeys on her 1,000-acre, Windy Valley Ranch in Healdsburg, California. Joyce kept 60 broodmares, 7 jacks, 6 jennets, and the ranch produced an average of 25 mules per year. Her mule stock was widely considered to be the best available. Meredith agreed to help out, but she had no idea what to expect. She was familiar with the stereotype—the common assumption that mules are stubborn, stupid and mean, and donkeys are worse. But was it true? She began work as an assistant trainer and discovered almost immediately that, in fact, longears were amazingly sociable, curious and sensitive animals. She quickly realized that she had as much to learn from these animals, as she had to teach them, and inside of three months, she had herself a classic case of “mule fever”—a condition from which she’s never recovered.

A place of her own
In 1980, Meredith moved to Loveland, Colorado, where she bought an old, 10-acre sheep farm and christened it Lucky Three Ranch. Following in her mother’s footsteps, she began breeding a line of mules of exceptional quality and athletic ability, selecting only high-quality mares and donkeys for her program and producing several World Champions. Meredith rode one of her stars, Lucky Three Sundowner, in two World Championships at Third Level Dressage. In 1984, Sundowner became the World Champion Reining Mule at Bishop Mule Days in Bishop, California, and in 1986, Meredith successfully introduced mules to the world of dressage and jumping. In subsequent years, her champion, Mae Bea C.T., took first and second place finishes at the Abbe Ranch Horse Trials. Meredith also rode Mae Bea C.T. sidesaddle in Bill Clinton's 1993 Inaugural Parade in Washington, D.C. Her champion jack Little Jack Horner has also enjoyed success in the ring. 1n 1990, he jumped nearly four feet in exhibition at Bishop Mule Days, becoming the only formal jumping donkey in the world.

Patience makes perfect
As a trainer increasingly in demand, Meredith set about developing a training program specific to mules and donkeys. She knew that old-school methods might “break” a mule but would never produce a trustworthy animal. She’d also come to appreciate the mule’s powerful sense of self-preservation, and she knew that, above all, she had to develop a bond of trust with the animal before it would respond. Methodical instruction delivered with patience, understanding and positive reinforcement proved the most effective way to reach these smart, sensitive animals.

Meredith worked for more than a decade to develop and refine her training techniques. During that time she met and showed under famed horse trainer Richard Shrake. He affirmed her techniques and mentored her as she developed the first comprehensive, resistance-free mule and donkey training program.

Training the trainers
In order to share her expertise with a growing number of longears enthusiasts, Meredith produced a 10-tape training series titled, Training Mules and Donkeys. She’s also written several books on training, and her television program, Training Mules and Donkeys, has found an ideal home on RFD-TV (Dishnet Satellite Ch. 9409 and Direct TV Ch. 379, check local listings for times.)

Training Mules and Donkeys is unlike any other equine training program in that it is truly a correspondence course. Students who use her videotapes and books are welcome to call or e-mail Meredith with any questions they might have, and unless she’s out of town, Meredith makes a point of responding within 24 hours. Her accessibility only enhances the program’s effectiveness and helps ensure success.

Longears for little ones
In addition to her ongoing work as a trainer, Meredith is also taking her message on mules to kids, with her popular series of children’s books and programs starring Jasper the Mule. She has published three books: Jasper: The Story of a Mule, Jasper: A Christmas Caper and Jasper: a Precious Valentine, and Jasper: A Fabulous Fourth is scheduled to be released later this year. She’s also produced a half-hour, animated adaptation of Jasper: The Story of a Mule, now available on DVD, and more shows are in the works. Be sure to visit www.jasperthemule.com for more information and fun, interactive activities for the kids.

Speaking out
In addition to her work as trainer and author, Meredith is a dedicated longears advocate. She is a long-time supporter of the American Donkey and Mule Society. Her column, “Mule Crossing,” has appeared in the ADMS’s bimonthly publication, The Brayer, for years. As an advocate and philanthropist, Meredith also supports numerous equine causes, such as the BLM equine adoption program and the fight to end horse slaughter for the foreign meat market. She also takes an active interest in non-profit therapeutic riding programs such as Hearts & Horses in Loveland, Colorado. The center has recently incorporated mules into the program, and in 2005, Hearts & Horses named its resident mule Katie, “Horse of the Year.”

An eye for art
Meredith has also turned an eye toward longears art in recent years. She’s collected literally thousands of pieces over the years including several bronze sculptures. With plans to establish a Longears Sculpture Park at Lucky Three Ranch and open it to the public, she has recently commissioned three life-size bronze representations of her biggest stars, Sundowner, Mae Bea C.T. and Little Jack Horner. Meredith regularly gives tours of her 130-acre ranch, where she lives with 19 mules, 2 donkeys, several horses and a healthy assortment of cats and dogs. If you’re passing through and would like to visit, please call (970) 663-0066 to make an appointment.

A mule’s best friend
An unwavering commitment to education, an insatiable appetite for new challenges and an abiding affection for her favorite animals continue to define Meredith’s work. It’s a job she loves, and it’s all in the hope that more people—perhaps even you—will come to appreciate longears as much as she has. Just beware. Mule fever is tough to kick!