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MULE CROSSING: Look Who’s Talking — Part 2

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In Part 1 of Equine Behavior: Look Who’s Talking, we discussed the evolution of man’s self discovery and how he applied this to his approach to equines. If we want to manage our equines in a healthy way and accomplish even the most basic performance with them, there is much to consider during the training process. In the not-too-distant past, the prevalent belief was that, if you had a reasonably large patch of grass with a fence around it, you could have a horse. We now know it takes much more than this! Read more at https://www.luckythreeranch.com/mule-crossing-equine-behavior-look-whostalking-part-2/

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MULE CROSSING: Look Who’s Talking — Part 1

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All of these characteristics are part of the equine whole, but they do not explain who the horse, donkey or mule is as a personality. What kind of equine handler are you? When interacting with your Longears, or any equine, are you an observer or a participant? Are you fully aware of the reasons for your equine’s behaviors? Behavior in general is most often motivated by a stimulus that elicits a certain response, yet the early years of physiological development are mostly dependent on heredity. Heredity includes not only physical characteristics, but mental, emotional and instinctive behaviors as well. We are taught that if an equine’s knees are beginning to fuse (harden), he is ready for training. Is he really ready for training just because his knees are fusing? Physical development is called maturation, and we determine the equine’s capabilities by maturation alone, with no consideration for the animal as a whole. Read more at https://www.luckythreeranch.com/mule-crossing-equine-behavior-look-whostalking-part-1/

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Winter: Blanketing Your Equine

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(Page 74) Generally speaking, equines should not need to be blanketed at all. Their natural hair coats adjust to the seasons and will insulate them from heat and cold, and will protect them from fair weather insects. If you blanket when they don’t need to be blanketed, it will interfere with their natural metabolic ability to insulate themselves. As equines age, their circulation isn’t as good and they may need to be blanketed in extremely cold weather. My standard is if they are shivering, if the temperature is below freezing or if they are over 20 years of age, they should be afforded a blanket, and in some cases, even two blankets. Rule of thumb is that the second blanket will only be needed overnight and should be removed during the day. If it is warm enough, remove both blankets during the day. They should always have adequate shelter and easy access to water in inclement weather. The water needs to be neither too hot nor too cold if you want to encourage drinking and maintain hydration. We have trace mineral salt blocks (red) available at all times so they can lick at will and maintain a good balance of salt and minerals. I do not recommend heated barns as a drastic change in temperature from the barn to the outside temperature can cause respiratory illness or chills. I leave the barn doors open unless it drops below 20 degrees. We then close the doors and allow the animals’ breath to heat the barn. We have fans in the alleyways to create a breezeway and keep the barns cool during the summertime. Clipped show equines need to be maintained very carefully and must be blanketed during cold weather. It is important to check and make sure they are staying warm under the blankets, but not sweating. Hoods and leg wraps can be optional according to temperatures. If you want your show equines to maintain the short hair during the show season without frequent body clipping, it is advisable to have them under 16 hours of light as well as blanketing. Body clipped animals will need hoods and leg wraps. Learn much more in the various sections under TRAINING.

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MULE CROSSING: Language of Longears

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Many of you know me as the foremost authority on the contemporary saddle mule, but what you may not know is how I earned such a title. Most of us who have become trainers began by riding and showing. Through our success, we gained recognition and subsequently clients who brought their animals to us for training. Our success with their animals posed a question for each of us at a critical stage in our careers and we had to make a decision whether we were going on the road to do clinics or something different. I opted for something different! Read more at https://www.luckythreeranch.com/mule-crossing-the-language-of-longears/.

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MULE CROSSING: Rock and Roll: Diary of a Rescue, Part 2

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In Part 1 of Rock and Roll: Diary of a Rescue, we learned about the discovery and rescue of Belgian draft mules, Rock and Roll, by Meredith Hodges and her team of experts. As the pair’s rehabilitation continues, the road to recovery gets tougher.  But for every health setback, there is a personality breakthrough with these courageous and now-trusting gentle giants—and always a reason to hope. Read more at https://www.luckythreeranch.com/mule-crossing-rock-and-roll-diary-of-a-rescue-part-2/

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Weight Bearing

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(Page 73): Mules and donkeys can carry proportionately more weight than a horse of the same size. However, be careful about making broad generalizations. It is commonly believed that an equine should be able to carry 10% of his body weight, but if a 1000 lb. unconditioned animal is carrying the 100 pounds as expected, it could still be very difficult for him. An equine of any type that is not in good postural condition is not going to be able to carry as much weight effectively and efficiently as one that is conditioned properly. Longears can generally carry more weight than a horse because of his unique longer, rather than bulk, muscle structure, but the same still holds true. The rider with better balance and riding ability is going to be easier for the equine to carry than rider who is not balanced. The size of the equine and the proportion of the equine to the rider will also affect balance and carrying ability. Conformational abnormalities will also have a profound effect. If he has any deviations in his bone structure (i.e. crooked legs), it can compromise how he moves and put undue stress on certain areas depending on the defect. If his gait is stilted and he cannot move smoothly and freely, the load is too heavy. Fitting saddles can become an issue as your equine changes shape with conditioning, so it is best to fit the saddle or harness when you equine is in good condition. For more about weight bearing and conditioning your equine properly for enhanced performance, check out my book, Training Mules and Donkeys.

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MULE CROSSING: FINE-TUNING THE RIDER

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No training series would be complete without examining the principles and philosophy behind the training program. My philosophy is based on the principle that I am not, in fact, “training” donkeys and mules. Rather, I am cultivating relationships with them by assigning meaning to my body language that they can understand while I learn what they are trying to indicate to me with their body language.  Read more at https://www.luckythreeranch.com/mule-crossing-rock-and-roll-diary-of-a-rescue-part-1/

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MEREDITH HODGES & MULE APPRECIATION DAY

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MEREDITH HODGES – LUCKY THREE RANCH
• Story of Rock & Roll
• Use Support Teams
• Function & Good Posture
• Creates good behavior
• Remote Longears Coach
• Longears bring out the best in people
• Yes, there is No Mule Appreciation Day by Deb Kidwell
• Breaking down training steps
Mule Talk is an Every Cowgirl’s Dream production – www.EveryCowgirlsDream.Com
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MULE CROSSING: From Mules to Riches

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Long before the Founding Fathers drafted our constitution, America began as a religious nation under God, and the mule has his roots in religion just as does the country he has helped to build. The mule of today’s ancestor is the donkey, mentioned in the Bible numerous times as an animal respected by God and blessed by Jesus Christ. The donkey was even chosen to bring Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem and, later, acted as the mount Jesus himself used for his ride into the city of Jerusalem.  Read more at https://www.luckythreeranch.com/mule-crossing-from-mules-to-riches/

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Insect Control

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(Page 76) First and foremost, a regular grooming schedule at least every other week and preferably every week is essential for the hygiene of your equines. In order to keep flies and other insects under control, all stalls, runs and pens need to be kept free of manure and debris daily. Barns need to be cleaned periodically with disinfectant. Fields and pastures need to be harrowed in the spring and fall and between hay cuttings. We use fly masks without ears on the animals that are sensitive around their faces and we spray with Tri-Tech 14 once a week for insects that pester your equine. Regular grooming once a week to remove excess hair, mud, etc. will eliminate places on the animal, including legs that would be subject to their laying eggs. We worm our equines in January, March, May, July and September with Farnam Ivermectin and then break the cycle with Strongid in November to prevent internal worms and parasites. Using Johnson’s baby oil in the manes and tails helps keep the flies at bay and will also keep other animals from chewing on them. Keep all tack and equipment clean so it does not attract flies to your tack room and grooming area. Spray the tack room when you leave with a household flying insect spray for any residual flies.

I have found that there are several things that can control insects and other skin irritants…at least around your own farm:

1) Feeding the right kinds of feed for mules and donkeys

2) Keeping all stalls, pens and sheds free of manure (clean every day!)

3) Keep manure collection piles well away from the house and barns (we have ours hauled away weekly)

4) Keeping water sources clean

5) Clean any manure from shed or stall walls daily

6) Good grooming practices at least once a week (If certain body areas begin to get sores, scabs, or bumps, use Neosporin or if they are severe…Panalog, also called Animax or Dermalone by prescription from your vet)

7) Use Tri-Tech 14 by Farnam fly spray weekly for bugs and insects that can pester your equine. This seems to be the best and longest lasting (herbal remedies do not work as well!)

8) Do not clip the hair inside the ears!

9) Do not clip the hair on the legs unless you absolutely must for showing!

10) Use fly masks for those mules and donkeys that have sensitive skin. Farnam Super Masks will usually fit most animals. You can find them in most tack and vet stores and they are also available at www.statelinetack.com. Just make sure when you put them on that they will come off easily.

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Longears Music Videos: Learner’s Permit: Miniature Donkeys Augie and Spuds

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What’s New With Roll? Augie & Spuds

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Rock and Roll: Rock and Roll, 17 and 16-year old draft mules team came to us on December 5, 2010. They had been rescued from an auction in Kiowa, Colorado roughly a year before that by some friends of mine. They offered the mules to me as a last resort when their efforts to rehabilitate them failed.

Rock had an old fracture on the face of his pelvis opposite the ball joint in the right hipand had severe founder and rotation in his hind feet. Getting those shod was a real challenge since his could not stand on the bad leg. Roll had side bones in his right hind foot and it is a constant challenge to keep that foot balanced. Both mules had been seriously foundered and had muscle atrophy throughout their bodies. As therapy progressed, even more problems surfaced so we were making progress with one step forward and two steps backwards, but nevertheless, we have been gaining ground with their health.

Both mules began to develop better eating habits and better hair coats almost immediately with their change in diet. Atrophied muscles and calcified joints began to move again. Rock went through several superficial issues that were problematic. The founder began to grow out and he became three-legged lame just about the time a horsefly bit him in the sheath and caused intense swelling. Because he couldn’t move, it wouldn’t go down. We got boots for his front feet since we could not nail shoes to his foundered front feet that enabled the swelling to move from the sheath to his abdomen. We hot packed his abdomen for two weeks and it went down, but he developed a sebaceous cyst that we thought was a sarcoid on front of the withers and a wart on his chin. We got the cyst removed and treated the cyst as a sarcoid which caused the wart to drop off. Rock is now able to resume his exercises and is doing much better.

We are happy to say that both mules are doing well after 10 months of physical therapy with the core muscle leading training exercises that we do here. Roll was able to graduate to moderate round pen work in the elbow pull after about four months of leading exercises. It will be another year of groundwork before the founder is completely grown out. Their respective uses will be determined as their health improves.

Augie and Spuds: Augie and Spuds are a Christmas present from me to my associate producer Cheryl Pollak. She convinced me that we really needed some mini donkeys at the Lucky Three and She was RIGHT! They were 7 months old when they arrived in the early spring and just became yearlings at the end of August. Though we have employed no more than our simple core muscle groundwork leading exercises, they have been eager and compliant to do all that we have asked proving that the goals and consistency in our program really IS the way to go with longears…and horses, too!

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LTR Training Tip #16: Great Looking Manes and Tails

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Meredith shares her secrets to getting beautiful manes and tails on your equines—including mules!

See more Training Tips

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MULE TALK! PODCAST: On Liberty Training!

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On Liberty Training! –

  • Meredith shares her knowledge and expertise on the importance of building a foundation in your mule’s training to prepare them to be able to accept new tasks and be able to perform at Liberty Training – Obstacle Liberty Training.
  • Learn how to develop that lasting partnership with your mules and give them what they need through nutrition, core strength, posture improvement, and proper schooling while using the Elbow Pull.

LISTEN NOW

Learn more on Mule Talk podcast.

For more training info: www.LuckyThreeRanch.Com and click on the Training tab.
Mule Talk is an Every Cowgirl’s Dream production – www.EveryCowgirlsDream.Com

 

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MULE TALK! PODCAST: Suitability of Mules & Donkeys for Children

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Suitability of Mules & Donkeys for Children –

  • Teach your child how to be around equines.
  • When choosing an equine for your child, do not choose a donkey jack.
  • Do not choose an equine that is an alpha figure in the herd or one with aggressive behavior.
  • Choose a mule or donkey with a quiet disposition for your child.
  • Encourage children to do tasks around the barn to learn more about their equines’ behavior traits.
  • Consider giving a homeless donkey, burro or mule a chance to be in your child’s care.
  • Donkeys tend to have less issues and tend to be more sedate rescue animals than mules.

LISTEN NOW

Learn more on Mule Talk podcast.

For more training info: www.LuckyThreeRanch.Com and click on the Training tab.
Mule Talk is an Every Cowgirl’s Dream production – www.EveryCowgirlsDream.Com
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MULE TALK! PODCAST: Equine Industry Trends

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Equine Industry Trends-

  • Today good mule trainers apply the basic techniques of Behavior Modification and reward system training in their programs.
  • Doing preparatory core strength and postural body-work can assure that your equine is using his body in the correct way, while implementing tasks with creative and fun athletic maneuvers while under saddle.
  • This and more – don’t miss this episode!

LISTEN NOW

Learn more on Mule Talk podcast.

For more training info: www.LuckyThreeRanch.Com and click on the Training tab.
Mule Talk is an Every Cowgirl’s Dream production – www.EveryCowgirlsDream.Com
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MULE TALK! PODCAST: Dr. Josie Traub-Dargatz, N.I.

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Dr. Josie Traub-Dargatz, N.I. –

  • Neonatal Isoerythrolysis (N.I.) A life-threatening condition that is more common in mule foals.
  • Learn how to prevent it.
  • Clinical signs recognized in the first few days of the foal’s life and perhaps up to 12 days of age include: a) Weakness and lethargy, b) Decrease in suckling the mare c) Rapid breathing, d) Pale or yellow discoloration of the mucous membranes. e) Red color to the urine f) In severe cases collapse and death can occur.
  • 1 in 10 mule foals is at risk for this disease.
  • How to determine if the foal is at risk for N.I.
  • Learn how N.I. can be prevented.

LISTEN NOW

Learn more on Mule Talk podcast.

For more training info: www.LuckyThreeRanch.Com and click on the Training tab.
Mule Talk is an Every Cowgirl’s Dream production – www.EveryCowgirlsDream.Com

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