Meredith Hodges Biography
What happens when you take an incredible strong-willed girl and introduce her to an equally strong-willed animal? Magic. Such was the beginning of the journey that would see Meredith Hodges become one of the most respected competitors, educators and advocates of “longears.” Although she was a horse-crazy girl, that first encounter with a mule would change the direction of her life.
Meredith Hodges was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the daughter of “Peanuts” creator, Charles M. Schulz, and Windy Valley Ranch founder, Joyce Doty. While working at her mother’s ranch in the early 1970s, Meredith was introduced to mules and donkeys, and developed a deep respect for these misunderstood and underappreciated equines. It was the beginning of her journey to become what many refer to as a “mule whisperer.”
In 1980, Meredith moved to Loveland, Colorado, and started the hard work to transform a ramshackle 10-acre sheep farm into Lucky Three Ranch. She began breeding and training a line of mules that would become internationally renowned for their exceptional quality and athletic ability. These mules achieved world championships in jumping, dressage and combined training, successfully competing against horses. Lucky Three Sundowner was the first mule to ever reach fourth-level dressage and Little Jack Horner was the world’s first formal jumping donkey to clear four feet in exhibition. To this day, Lucky Three Ranch remains a cornerstone in the promotion of all equines, from its state-of-the-art teaching museum, to its hands-on ranch tours, and the beautiful equine sculptures that grace its grounds.
Meredith’s years of comprehensive study have produced a new, enlightened approach to the safe management and humane training of all equines. Her award-winning books, DVDs, television shows and research have been compiled into an extensive encyclopedia of information and reference materials at the Lucky Three Ranch website, while her fans have made her one of the most popular trainers on social media, with over 250,000 fans on Facebook alone.
In 2014, Meredith launched TMD Equine University, an accredited, comprehensive online equine school. This one-year certified course featured lectures, one-on-one help and a graduation clinic, all conducted by Meredith herself. The lessons taught students how to interact with and train their own equines while preparing them for a career in equine management.
As an animal advocate, Meredith Hodges is a fearless voice for the compassionate treatment of all equines, a passion she feels today is still as fresh, inspiring and infectious as it was when she first discovered the world of donkeys, horses and mules. She has never wavered in her devotion to them and even now, in her fourth decade as a trainer, Meredith says she is still listening to them and learning.
Accomplishments and Awards
1986 – Meredith establishes the Colorado Mule & Donkey Society.
1986 – Meredith gives a presentation entitled, “Mules in Dressage” to the United States Dressage Federation in Houston, Texas. Mules are accepted nationally at non-AHSA shows and competitions. Finally got mules officially accepted into the United States Equestrian Federation in the Dressage Division in 2004.
1988 – Three of Meredith’s mules march in the Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, CA.
1991 – Lucky Three Ciji is International Side Saddle Organization All-Around Champion.
1991 – Meredith rides Little Jack Horner to jump over four feet in exhibition at Bishop Mule Days, setting the world record. Little Jack Horner becomes the world’s first Formal Jumping Donkey.
1992, 1993 – Meredith rides Lucky Three Sundowner to two World Championships at Third Level Dressage.
1992 – Lucky Three Ciji is named Reserve International Side Saddle Organization All-Around Champion.
1993 – Lucky Three Mae Bea C.T. takes first place in the Novice Division at the Abbe Ranch Horse Trials in competition with 56 horses.
1993 – Meredith rides Lucky Three Mae Bea C.T. in the Presidential Inaugural Parade in Washington, D.C.
1997 – Meredith is awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by the North American Saddle Mule Association.
1998 – Lucky Three Productions, Training Mules and Donkeys (Week 1) TV show wins Telly Award
1998 – Lucky Three Eclipse is named Bishop World Champion Warm-up Hunter.
1999 – Lucky Three Productions, Teach Your Mules Amazing Things: Trampoline commercial wins Telly Award
1999 – Lucky Three Productions, Training Mules and Donkeys (Week 9) TV show wins Telly Award
1999 – Lucky Three Productions, Training Mules and Donkeys (Week 13) TV show wins Telly Award
2000 –Meredith’s book Donkey Training wins the silver medal in the Animals category at the Independent Publisher Book Awards.
2000 – Lucky Three Productions, Teach Your Mules Amazing Things: Housekeeping commercial wins Telly Award
2001 – Hearts and Horses Therapeutic Riding Center Lifetime Sponsor award
2001 – Lucky Three Productions, Training Mules and Donkeys (Week 25) TV show wins Telly Award
2002 – Meredith’s television show, Training Mules & Donkeys, debuts on RFD-TV.
2004 – The award-winning Jasper the Mule series of children’s books is published, and a companion series of animated specials begins production.
2005 – Lucky Three Productions, Jasper: The Story of a Mule TV show wins Telly Award
2005 – Meredith receives a commendation from the Colorado State Senate for her tireless efforts on behalf of and long history of service to the Equine Community.
2005 – Lucky Three Productions, The Making of Jasper: A Labor of Love wins Telly Award
2006-2009 – Meredith produces the award-winning documentary series, Those Magnificent Mules, aired on RFD-TV.
2006 – Mae Bea C.T. is inducted into the Bishop Mule Days Hall of Fame.
2007 – Lucky Three Productions, Those Magnificent Mules and the Lucky Three Ranch wins Telly Award
2008 – Meredith is presented with the “Best Friend of Bishop Mule Days” award at the annual Bishop Mule Days Celebration.
2008 – Lucky Three Productions, Those Magnificent Mules: Walk On: Exploring Therapeutic riding wins Telly Award
2008 – Lucky Three Productions, Those Magnificent Mules: The Bishop All Stars wins Telly Award
2008 – Lucky Three Productions, Those Magnificent Mules: The Road to Bishop wins Telly Award
2009 – Hearts and Horses Therapeutic Riding Center Legacy Donor award
2010 – Lucky Three Productions, Those Magnificent Mules: The Bishop Experience wins Telly Award
2010 – Lucky Three Productions, Jasper Goes to Bishop wins Telly Award
2010 – Lucky Three Productions, Equus Revisited wins Telly Award
2010 – The children’s film, Jasper Goes to Bishop, is a finalist at the San Diego International Children’s Film Festival and Moondance Film Festival, and wins the Silver Mixed-Media Award at the Jamfest Film Festival.
2010 – Meredith donates Port-A-Stall 14-stall barn to Hearts and Horses Therapeutic Riding Center
2012 – Lucky Three Productions, Jasper: A Precious Valentine wins Telly Award
2012 – Lucky Three Productions, Jasper: A Turkey Tale wins Telly Award
2013 – TMD Equine University is approved by the Colorado Department of Higher Education Private Occupational School Board to begin accepting students.
2013 – The new edition of Training Mules and Donkeys wins the gold medal in the Animals category at the Independent Publisher Book Awards.
2013 – Lucky Three Productions, History of the Mule documentary wins Telly Award
2014 – Little Jack Horner is accepted into Bishop Mule Days’ Donkey Hall of Fame for his career as a performance donkey.
2014 – Lucky Three Productions, The History of the Lucky Three Ranch wins Telly Award
2014 – Hearts and Horses Therapeutic Riding Stable Lasting Legacy award
2015 – Lucky Three Productions, The Long Ride Home wins Telly Award
2015 – Lucky Three Productions, Give Your Equine the Athletic Edge wins Telly Award
2017 – Death Valley Conservancy, 20-Mule Team in Rose Parade presented by Honda (Meredith sponsored rebuild of Borax Wagons)
2017 – Death Valley Conservancy, 20-Mule Team in the National Independence Day Parade in Washington D.C. (Meredith sponsored the replication of the Borax Wagons and was invited to participate)
2017 – Meredith received an award from the Boys and Girls Club of Larimer County for her numerous contributions as a “Champion for Children”
2018 – Meredith helped Tamara Merritt and Jan Pollema lead the campaign to build a new double-sized indoor arena/Exhibition Center for the Hearts and Horses Therapeutic Riding Stables that she has sponsored for more than 20 years to date.
2019 – Meredith Hodges (American Donkey & Mule Society Representative, Animal inspector & Judge, Author & Producer) was inducted into the Rocky Mountain Horse Expo Hall of Fame on February 28th in Denver along with Julie Goodnight (RFD-TV instructor), Dr. Robert Miller (Veterinarian who wrote the book on “Imprinting”), Denny Emerson (Olympic Gold medalist in Combined Training), Pat Parelli (Natural Horsemanship) and Richard Shrake’s brother, Greg Shrake, stood in for Richard (AQHA Congress Instructor/Judge).
2019 – Meredith & JASPER ride in the Bishop Mule Days parade with all three wagons completed (Meredith sponsored the replication of the Borax Wagons, finalizing the water wagon this year and was invited to participate).
2019 – Meredith received an achievement award from the Women of Influence for her work in the betterment of her community, empowerment of women and her inspiration for women internationally.
2019 – Meredith cuts the ribbon at the Hearts and Horses Donor Party for the official opening of the new indoor arena as the major contributing sponsor.
2020 – Lucky Three Productions, Rock & Roll: Diary of a Rescue Documentary wins Telly Awards. Silver in Individual Documentary, Silver in Educational Documentary and Bronze in Entertainment Documentary..
2021 – Lucky Three Productions, Creating the Jasper Carousel wins Telly Awards Bronze in Entertainment Documentary.
2022 – Lucky Three Productions, Completed documentary, Lucky Three Ranch Hay Production.
Training Mules and Donkeys
Meredith’s landmark mule and donkey training has garnered much attention not only for its resistance-free and humane approach, but also for its proven results. She started out with traditional training techniques, as most trainers do, but quickly realized that there were flaws in this way of teaching: the owners needed training and conditioning just as much as their animals, and behavior modification was the key to the partnership. Rather than go on the road teaching clinics (where there was no one-on-one time), Meredith decided that she would instead document the training of her own animals in a filmed series for television that would show real trials that occurred along the way. Allowing her audience to see the process she used to teach her animals also allowed them to see the bond that developed through learning without using gimmicks or tricks. The result was the award-winning television series, Training Mules and Donkeys, which has aired on RFD-TV, the Discovery Channel and the Outdoor Life Network. A more-detailed version of the series is now available as a training set on DVD.
Meredith is also the author of the definitive training guides, Training Mules and Donkeys: A Logical Approach to Longears, Training Without Resistance: From Foal to Advanced Levels, Equine Management and Donkey Training, Donkey Training, A Guide to Raising & Showing Mules, and Equus Revisited: A Complete Approach to Athletic Conditioning.
“A well-illustrated and comprehensive book on the training of mules and donkeys by an exceptionally well-qualified author.”
—Dr. Robert Miller on Training Mules and Donkeys
Those Magnificent Mules
Mules have been called rebellious, stubborn, difficult, trouble makers. they’re also brave, affectionate and unconditionally loyal to those they love. Welcome to the challenging, complex, often misunderstood and always fascinating world of “longears,” as seen through the eyes of Meredith Hodges, the world’s leading authority on mules and donkeys. This is a world that she understands like no one else.
This 13-episode documentary series explores Meredith’s own personal and professional trials taking her from novice to champion, while discovering these magnificent animals and their vast capabilities. Experience the unique go-for- broke competitions at world-class events, complete with exclusive behind-the-scenes interviews and footage. As a long-time, passionate supporter of the healing power of equines, Meredith also takes us on an uplifting journey into the world of Therapeutic Riding for children, adults and wounded warriors with mental, physical or emotional challenges.
This award-winning series is a rousing adventure full of surprises, humor and inspiration that you won’t forget!
Jasper the Mule
Meredith Hodges believes that children are the key to dispelling myths and preconceived notions. She developed the character of a young mule named Jasper to help children understand how truly intelligent and gentle mules and donkeys are. Jasper and his friend, Moxie the dog, have a series of adventures packed with excitement, adventure and mysteries, plus plenty of fun and interesting facts about mules and donkeys tailored just for kids.
All of the Jasper the Mule books and DVDs are designed to help children understand how to be kind to animals. e series teaches patience and acceptance and celebrates traditional family values, while using plain language and simple concepts to explore more complex issues. Both the books and DVDs are suitable for all ages.
“A timeless and whimsical story with vibrant illustrations to be enjoyed by kids and families alike.”
—Buckaroo Reviews, Western Horseman
“An adventure-filled story geared towards children that the entire family can enjoy!
—Growing Up With Horses
“A story that every family member can enjoy and learn from.”
—Horse Sense
“As a mom, I love that each episode highlights the strong friendships between the characters.”
—My Rural Mommy
“Jasper the Mule was a HUGE hit in my home!”
—Rural Mama Sandbox
Tours
Located just forty miles north of Denver and nestled near the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, Lucky Three Ranch is a state-of-the-art, 127-acre working ranch and organic hay farm. It is also home to internationally recognized trainer Meredith Hodges and her champion equines.
Our tours are perfect for seniors, children and anyone with an interest in animals. If you are an equestrian, we have even more for you! All tours are interactive and customized for each group.
Come meet the saddle mules, and the minis, including the newest addition, saddle mule Billy Bad Ass. Experience the beautiful life-size bronze sculptures of the Loveland Longears Museum and Sculpture Park that commemorate many of the record-breaking feats of the Lucky Three champions. For the kids, visit Jasper’s Bunkhouse and see the diorama of Jasper’s Happy Valley Ranch.
The ranch is handicapped-accessible and we provide tour carts for our guests who have mobility issues, or who might not otherwise be able to make the trek around the property.
Lucky Three Ranch is a working ranch and not open to the public, except for scheduled tours. Tours are available Tuesday through Thursday by appointment only, and all tours begin at 10:00 a.m. The tour season runs from April through October.
Visit our tour site to book a tour!
Contact
Mailing Address:
Lucky Three Ranch
PO Box 272490
Fort Collins, CO 80527
Phone: 800-816-7566
For logos or graphics, please send us an email or call us at 970-663-0066.