MULE CROSSING: Organizing a Show
By Meredith Hodges
Organizing an equine show is certainly no easy task, and it is certain that there will be problems to deal with along the way, but these problems do not need to be monumental if the people who are organizing the show clearly know the parameters of their particular jobs. It is also important that exhibitors know these duties, so that they can contact the proper person if a problem arises.
Organization of a show begins with the show management committee who is responsible for the detailing of the show. Of this committee, there is usually a designated chairman in charge, or show manager. The duty of the show manager is to assign specific duties and delegate authority to others connected with the show. He is the coordinator of the show and will only make decisions that cannot be made by other designated show officials. It is his duty to see that other show officials are doing a thorough job with their duties. The show manager may elect to have an assistant to help him with his many different duties.
The show secretary is responsible for taking minutes of all show committee meetings and often acts as liaison to the show manager. It is the secretary’s duty to see to it that mailing lists are complete and potential exhibitors are notified of the impending show and are kept up to date. The secretary checks the public relations work done on the show by the public relations person, and in some cases, assumes this duty himself. The secretary records entries and receives funds sent in by exhibitors. Any program changes, protests, etc. are recorded by the secretary. The secretary is responsible for recording show results and mailing them to appropriate recipients, and to see that the results are released to the public in a timely fashion. The treasurer is responsible for handling and depositing funds used for the show and often aids the secretary in his duties. It is the treasurer’s duty to see to it that all expenses for the show are accounted for and paid and that a detailed report of such is given to the secretary.
Judges are selected by the show committee and are paid for their expert opinion. Judges should be briefed by the show secretary as to the duties they will be expected to perform which sometimes may include designing courses for the competitions. A set of rules should be sent to the judge well in advance of the competition to allow for any questions that might need to be answered. The judge should not be asked to interpret the rules. Rules should be made clear enough that he can make his decisions easily, which are in turn deemed final. Judges are given the power to combine, or split classes where appropriate. The judge should not socialize with exhibitors until the competition is over to preserve his objectivity and integrity. When time permits, the judge should give reasons for his decisions to give credence to his choices and to help exhibitors learn. The judge should be knowledgeable, congenial and professional about his duties.
The ring steward, or judge’s aid, has many varied duties. First and foremost, it is his duty to see to it that exhibitors adhere to the rules of the competition. It is his duty to interpret the use of the rules and not the duty of the judge. The ring steward is responsible for listening to and reporting complaints or protests. Although he has no authority in connection with the management or the judging of a competition, he should point out in a diplomatic manner any instance where rules are not being adhered to and report any violations to officials.
He needs to be available to judges, officials and exhibitors at all times. He is to supervise and record any timeouts for tack changes or equipment breakage, and to measure animals where required. He is to conduct the breaking of ties in classes and to deliver the judge’s decisions to reporting officials. The ring steward is responsible for all medication forms, reports, and testing, with the aid of the secretary and the veterinarian. He is responsible for the accuracy of competition lists of entries and their class placements as reported by the judge and is to see to it that completed lists are given to the show secretary. The ring steward should protect the interests of the exhibitors as well as the integrity of the show. The ring steward should see that the competition moves along in a timely fashion. He, with his various duties, is a key entity for the success of the show.
Scorekeepers and timers are used to record scores and times for specific classes and should be equipped with the proper tools to facilitate their jobs. Flags, stopwatches, time sheets, calculators, and writing utensils are necessary items. Scorekeepers should be prepared to keep times and scores updated continually so that championship classes can be announced quickly and easily.
The announcer is a very important component of any show. He must be able to speak clearly and audibly, to know the general rules and regulations for the show and should be creative enough to keep the spectators engaged throughout the entire show. He needs to be able to spot exhibitors and know their names from the exhibitor numbers displayed on their backs or on their animals. The announcer needs to be able to accurately pronounce the winners of each class as per the judge’s sheet 
provided by the Ring Steward. It really helps if he has that “announcer’s voice” and is an animated character!
To assist on the arena floor during class changes, there should be a ground crew available. It is the duty of the ground crew to see to it that the arena is in good repair, dragged and fluffed when necessary, and that the obstacles for specific classes are placed and removed when needed. In over-fences classes, the ground crew may be asked to reset jumps. In gymkhana classes, they are required to reset poles, flags, barrels, etc. It is the responsibility of the ground crew to see to it that obstacles and such are stored properly after the competition and that donated articles are returned to their owners. The ground crew can also be asked to assist in the stabling area hauling manure, delivering bedding, finding stall assignments, or any other related duties. Keeping warm-up arenas ready and working are also the responsibility of the ground crew. There may be a stable manager, but he is usually responsible for receiving stabling forms and arranging stabling assignments, bedding requests and other related clerical duties. The stable manager also oversees the maintenance and work of the ground crew in the stable area.
Parking Attendants and Stable Managers should be used when necessary to assist exhibitors in loading and unloading, and in the parking of their trucks and trailers. They can make the difference when it comes to traffic congestion at the show. Parking attendants may also be requested to take note of the owner’s vehicles, so that they may be notified quickly in the event of an emergency with their vehicles. This can help prevent theft or vandalism. The Stable Manager sees that each animal is efficiently unloaded from the trailer and is escorted to his respective stall. If the show is providing hay, he will make sure each exhibitor has as much hay as they need and that any other needs are provided. Newt Elsdon was the model Stable Manager and Show Committee member for the Bishop Mule Days Celebration for many years.
Last, but certainly not least, are the show veterinarian and farrier whose expertise are to be used for emergency show situations. An exhibitor should not expect to use their services for regular maintenance at the show unless pre-arranged. Veterinarians and farriers should be booked well in advance of the show to allow for their busy schedules. Alternates should also be booked and at the show, their areas should be clearly marked and they should be easy to locate.
Organizing a show is a tremendous job, but when duties are outlined clearly, things will run as smoothly as can be expected for any such event. There are probably some things I have forgotten to mention–there is so much to consider, but I hope I have outlined a general idea of what duties to expect from what show committee members. Our mule and donkey shows are constantly improving thanks to conscientious and enthusiastic organizers in our show committees. Hats off to you all!
To learn more about Meredith Hodges and her comprehensive all-breed equine training program, visit LuckyThreeRanch.com, MEREDITH HODGES PUBLIC FIGURE Facebook page, or call 1-800-816-7566. Check out her children’s website at JasperTheMule.com. Also, find Meredith on Pinterest, Instagram, MeWe, YouTube and Twitter.
Covered in TRAINING MULES & DONKEY: A LOGICAL APPROACH TO TRAINING, TRAINING WITHOUT RESISTANCE, EQUUS REVISITED and A GUIDE TO RAISING & SHOWING MULES at www.luckythreeranchstore.com.
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By Meredith Hodges
The gift we have found with Longears is one that needs to be shared with others that they might also experience the joy and pleasure of these animals. In this hustle-and-bustle world, it is easy to miss out on the things that are really important like love, sharing and simple pleasures derived from personal growth. Mule and donkey shows are the vehicle we can use to bring these things to light and revitalize the appreciation of Longears. The show ring is a place where mules and donkeys can exhibit the results of experiments in a new realm of performance. Challenges are made and met with both humor and enthusiasm.
transportation, inopportune geographical locations and the fear of politics. We must remember, however, that this intimidation was born of the horse show formats. There are literally millions of horses being shown all over the world and out of necessity the shows were divided and specialized according to ability and breeding. This is the only fair way to progress and still accommodate the growing numbers of equines and their owners. In the midst of this overwhelming competitive spirit, we sometimes lose sight of the true benefits of showing. Showing should be an opportunity to test your equestrian skills and to share new ideas and concepts with others. It should be fun and enlightening.
Because mule and donkey showing is relatively new, there is much to be gained by participation. Those who feel that their animal is not of show quality can still attend shows and learn a lot about Showmanship, grooming and training skills. This development of new skills can make all the difference between show quality or not, particularly in performance events. Newcomers to showing also give the audience something extra-special. Their enthusiasm is often contagious and the audience is subtly invited to virtually join in the show. This is something that they too could manage and enjoy. Those who feel they just cannot get in enough training time can still participate in today’s donkey and mule shows as the class roster will usually include a lot of fun classes. If they do not, it is a relatively simple matter to contact show representatives and request these classes for your area. There are enough mule and donkey clubs today to sponsor all kinds of shows and one need only contact any one of then to acquire any information needed.
Time and money are a great hindrance to showing today. Economic problems are quite prevalent these days, but as they say…”where there’s a will, there’s a way!” With careful planning and setting of priorities, one can determine the number of shows to attend in a season. Those of us who sponsor and work on shows are sensitive to the needs of our exhibitors and are willing to help in every way we possibly can. Most donkey and mule shows are not all that expensive and can be managed fairly easily. At most of the larger shows, those who wish can tie up to their trailers and save the stall fees. This is true in a lot of regions. Entering fewer classes will also save money and still provide you with the important learning and social benefits of showing. There are so many different sizes, colors, and abilities in mules and donkeys that we really need as many to participate as possibly can to properly represent our longears breeds.
ast, but certainly not least, a word about politics. In the mule and donkey industry, we are promoting donkeys and mules. As individual animals meet new challenges and succeed, we should all feel a little warmth and joy for that individual who has obviously worked long and hard, and who stands as a representative of his breed. We can all be proud of his contribution to a greater cause. When in competition, compete against yourself and learn to derive joy and pleasure from your own improvements. There is a lot that showing has to offer besides ribbons and trophies. Showing gives you the opportunity to test your skills and to measure successes. It affords one the opportunity to assess different skills, make personal choices and to expand social interaction and education among those of similar interests. But most of all, showing gives each of us the opportunity to do our part in support of our beloved donkeys and mules!
Why does Dressage training lend itself so well to training mules? In order to answer this question, we need to have a clear understanding of what Dressage really means and how it pertains to the mule’s mental and physical development in relationship to our own expectations. When most of us think of Dressage, we picture in our minds those elegant Lipizzaner stallions of the Spanish Riding School in Vienna, Austria.
I have found that my mules will exhibit resistant behavior when they are confused or frightened, but never out of “stubbornness.” Often, we take it for granted that, since a young mule can walk, trot, canter, back up, etc. by himself, he should be able to do all these things with us astride. What many people don’t realize is that mules are born with as diverse postures as humans, and there are few mules that will exhibit good equine posture without being constantly reminded. People compensate continually for deficiencies in their own body structure, and posture will vary from person to person and situation to situation. For example, a straight-backed chair will cause most of us to sit up straight, which is healthy for the spine and neck. On the other hand, the sinking comfort of a plush couch will produce a collapsed posture, which can eventually produce sore back and neck muscles. In a similar way, a mule will have to sacrifice his good posture to accommodate an unbalanced and inexperienced rider.
By taking the time to condition and strengthen their muscles, we allow our mules to engage in physical exercise that is not taxing and painful, thus, keeping their mental attitude fresh and happy. By conditioning your mule in a carefully sequenced pattern of exercises, you will more often avoid the possibility of throwing him off balance and into the confusion and fear that will lead to resistance and disobedience. With your own posture in mind, you can develop the rider and mule as one unit. The process is slow but thorough, and mutually satisfying.
Equipment use plays an important part in the breaking saddle used, but many trainers today will agree that the less complicated equipment is used in the beginning, the better. The Western saddle may certainly be used for breaking but, from the mule’s standpoint, the Western saddle is heavier and there is quite a lot of leather between you and your mule, which can cause a certain amount of interference in communication. If the mule cannot “feel” his rider well, often times a leg or rein aid can come as a surprise and produce a response that is predisposed to resistance. For this reason, I prefer to start training in an all-purpose—or Dressage—saddle. However, I would recommend training in a Western saddle for the less-experienced rider, or if you are training a more easily excitable animal.
As in any exercise program, it is not advisable to drill and repeat every day. With a mule, as with any athlete, muscles need to be exercised and then allowed rest for a day or two between workouts to avoid serious injury. In between Dressage days, you can take your mule for a simple trail ride or just let him rest. The time-off and a variety of activities will keep him fresh and attentive. Three times a week is usually sufficient, with Dressage training for his proper development and conditioning, two days of simple hacking or trail riding and two days of rest. This also takes the pressure off of you. If you’re not into riding on a particular day, you won’t feel like you have to because your mule will retain his learning without the added stress of drilling day after day. Try to think of your mule’s training in terms of yourself: Would you care to be drilled to exhaustion day after day? How would you feel mentally and physically if you were? Dressage—whether it is basic or the most advanced—is a French word for training. It is thoughtful, considerate and kind, and will produce a mule that is mentally and physically capable of doing anything you might like to do with a relaxed and willing attitude. It may take a little longer, but the result speaks for itself.
By Meredith Hodges
Mules can be lovely, obedient and secure Side Saddle mounts when they are brought along correctly as has been exhibited nationally by Crystal Elzer and her mule, Final Legacy. I also fondly remember Ann Hathaway and her Dressage mule, Baby Huey, exhibiting Side Saddle in the Bishop Mule Days parade years ago. I judged the A.D.M.S. Nationals in Austin, Minnesota, and again, I witnessed a sprinkle of elegant Side Saddle riders on mules. In the state of Colorado, there was a surge of Longears Side Saddle riders beginning in 1983. The Side Saddle class for mules at the National Western Stock Show in Denver, Colorado previously had no less than 10 entries in the Side Saddle Class since its beginning in 1983 when an entire mule division was brought back after a long absence from the show.
Generally speaking, people are quite impressed with the ladies who ride aside, and a common question often arises, “You sure look elegant, but how on earth can you stay on that way?!”
My daughter, Dena and I truly enjoyed riding aside both in shows and in parades. Dena was thrilled to be able to finally best seasoned Side Saddle rider, Crystal Elzer in the Bishop Mule Days Side Saddle class. Crystal was a practiced Side Saddle competitor from California at Bishop Mule Days that had bested her for the previous three years.
The training of your equine for Side Saddle should be accomplished fairly easily if your animal has a good foundation to start, and those trained in Dressage will convert the most easily. The absence of the leg on the right side gives problems most often during the left lead canter and during the leg yield left. Though many ladies will use a whip as a substitute for the right leg, it is not necessary. The animal at the higher levels of training (1st Level Dressage and above) have learned to follow your seat, and will do quite nicely staying under your seat as you move through the patterns. If your animal needs additional support, it can come through supportive indications through the reins. To achieve the left and right lead canter, for example, a slight push with your seat and a squeeze/release on the indicating directional rein will tell your animal the correct lead to take. It’s that simple!
There are quite a few existing Side Saddle organizations today that are available to those of you who might be interested in taking lessons and participating in shows and award programs. You can check your local area for one near you or you can contact the International Side Saddle Organization, 75 Lamington Rd., Branchburg, New Jersey, 08876-3314, (706) 871-ISSO (4776), 
If you think you might be interested in learning to ride aside, contact one of these organizations to find out what people you should contact in your area to help you and others that share your interest. The feeling of elegance and accomplishment is unmatched. Our world could use a little more whimsy and romance to help the modern woman to enjoy her dignity and elegance in this fast-paced world. Hats off to the lovely ladies who ride aside!
In order to perform the shoulder-in properly, it is important to understand its purpose. The shoulder-in causes the equine to engage his hindquarters so that they carry the bulk of his weight, giving him more freedom and suppleness in his shoulders and front quarters. A strong base must be established to carry this weight forward while the shoulders remain light and free to proceed forward while tracking laterally.
Begin by walking your equine around the perimeter of the arena. When you reach the corner before the long side, make a ten-meter (30-foot) circle. As you close your circle at the start of the long side of the arena, maintain the bend that you had for the circle, using steady pressure on your inside rein. At the same time, nudge your equine with alternate leg pressure in synchronization with his hind legs as they each go forward. Squeeze your outside rein at the same time that you squeeze with your outside leg, and then release the outside rein. Ride the hindquarters straight forward from your seat and legs, as you offset the shoulders with your hands. Be careful that your inside rein is not so tight that your animal bends only his neck to the inside. As you squeeze with the outside aids, feel your equine rock his balance back to the hindquarters, giving you the sensation of pedaling backward on a bicycle. Simultaneously, you should feel the front quarters begin to lighten and become supple.
Take your time and don’t try too hard. Be content at first with two or three steps of shoulder-in and then straighten him down the long side of the arena. After a few accurate steps of shoulder-in, as he straightens his body, you will feel him surge forward with more energy. Collect and slow your equine’s gait through the short side of the arena and then repeat the exercise on the next long side. As your equine begins to understand the concept of rocking his balance to the hindquarters, the surge of energy that you feel when he straightens will become more and more powerful.
down the long sides. To add variation, ask him to lengthen across the diagonals (from corner to corner) as well. Your equine’s first impulse will probably be to shift his weight to the forehand and just speed up. For this reason, do not push him too hard too soon. At first, just ask for a little more energy—be aware that your rhythm and cadence will not be lost as his stride increases. He will just be spending more time in suspension. Keep the forehand light and free while you ride the hindquarters. Let your hand open slightly with the foreleg going forward on the same side, and close as the leg comes back. This will help you to determine how far you can let that stride go before the balance begins to shift forward. It will also allow you to check the balance with your hands before it begins to shift. If he has too much difficulty, you should go back and practice lengthening over ground rails again to gain more strength and coordination.
As your equine gains strength in the hindquarters and is better able to carry your weight, his lengthened gaits will continue to improve until, perhaps a year or so later, he will be able to fully extend his stride at the walk, trot and canter. I caution you, however, that if your animal begins to rush, ask for less.
Massage History
United States. Familiar French terms to describe four broad categories of massage (effleurage, petrissage, tapotement and frictions) were made popular by Johann Mezger. In the 20th century, their work was developed further by their students, and eventually found its way into regular medicine and the alternatives of health and healing. Swedish massage is a popular genre of classic Western massage. It includes Swedish movements, several forms of hydrotherapy, heat lamps, diathermy and colonic irrigation. Swedish massage is still offered at health clubs, some YMCAs, resorts and private clinics, although its heyday was between the 1920s and the 1940s.
When we ride our animals daily and ask them for repeated movements in Jumping, Reining or Dressage, we demand a lot of their muscular and skeletal systems. This can shorten muscle fibers, restricting range of motion and putting undue stress on muscles and joints. Unforeseen problems can result such as lameness, arthritis, disk degeneration, or worse—a ruptured disk. These crippling dysfunctions do not always wait for the animal to age before they appear. Simple massage can prevent various injuries throughout your animal’s lifetime. Don’t wait for obvious injury to occur—preventive massage increases the length of the muscle fibers, taking pressure off the joints.
When the muscles are allowed to contract and expand to their full length, they are able to absorb important nutrients that reduce fatigue. Massage also increases blood flow, which helps the body flush harmful toxins, such as lactic acid, that build up from normal use. Massage aids in reprogramming the nervous system to break patterns that can cause atrophy or knotted tissue. The following information is an introduction to some of the basic techniques of massage, which will enable you to identify areas of discomfort in your equine. It is not intended to replace the care of a licensed massage therapist or veterinarian. If you are unsure as to the severity of an injury, consult your vet!
Palpate along the neck, beginning behind the ears and working your way back to the shoulder. Be sure to check the entire neck from poll to shoulder. Is one side more sensitive than the other? Ribs are a very sensitive area. Check each rib and between the ribs. If your donkey is nippy while being cinched or refuses to change leads, it could be from soreness in this area.
The neck is a good place to begin your massage, making small circles with your fingertips. Imagine your circles as eyes, searching out lumps and bumps under the skin that are knots in the muscle fibers. Start behind the ears and work your way back to the shoulders. If your animal is heavy in the bridle, if he tips his head to one side, or if he has difficulty bending through the neck, he is exhibiting stiffness in this area.
Ribs are a very sensitive area and can refer pain in many directions. Make sure to check each rib and the area in between them. Keep in mind that they span from the back to the belly; this is a large area of sensitivity due to the lack of muscle cover. Include the back when working on the ribs, using your fingertips to feel each vertebra and compare each side for symmetry. If you keep this area relaxed and flexible, your equine will bend more easily throughout his body.
your hand to let you know that it feels good. If he moves away, he is telling you that you are exerting more pressure than he can comfortably endure, and you should go back to using your fingertips. When massaging the hips, the lower back and the last few ribs should be included. Soreness in this area can result from athletic movements like jumping, collection, sliding stops and rollbacks.
A raised head and perked ears may indicate sensitivity. He is asking for lighter pressure, so learn to pay attention to the things your animal tells you about his body. This animal is still concerned about the pressure. Sometimes you will assume that your pressure is so light it can do nothing, but less is best.
The front legs are a good place to begin your passive range-of-motion exercises. Be prepared to let go and get out of your animal’s way. Shake the limb under the animal and then move the limb forward and back, always being aware of his limitations. Each time you work with your animal, his range will increase.
Massage therapy should never be harmful. For the sake of safety and comfort, do not attempt massage therapy for rashes, boils, open wounds, severe pain, high fevers, cancers, blood clots, severe rheumatoid arthritis, swollen glands, broken bones, direct trauma or if there is any chance of spreading a lymph or circulatory disease, such as blood poisoning. Avoid direct pressure on the trachea.
Each time you ride, take the time to quickly go over your animal and assess his sensitive areas: check his range of motion to detect stiffness in the joints. Paying this kind of attention to his body will enhance his athletic performance and provide him with a wonderfully relaxing reward. Stretching the front leg forward is a great movement to make sure that the girth is not pinching your equine after he is saddled. Give your equine the preventive care that he deserves to make your way to a mutually satisfying relationship.
Before most of us learn anything about horses, mules and donkeys, we tend to initially perceive them as large, strong and durable animals that can safely carry us anywhere we want to go and can participate in any number of equine events. This is essentially true. However, there can be a number of pitfalls along the way if you do not educate yourself and practice good maintenance, feeding and training practices.
Let’s take this one step at a time. First, make sure that your equine is stabled in a place where he has adequate shelter from the elements, plenty of room to exercise himself when you are not there, clean water and a good feeding schedule. When an equine is nervous or high strung, it can usually be attributed to this very elemental beginning. Many show horses are kept in 12-foot by 12-foot stalls with limited turnout during the day, usually only an hour or two. Think about this for a minute. The equine is a grazing animal and his natural health is enhanced by what he eats and the fact that he is moving with his head down most of every day of his life. The only time his head is truly raised is when he is on alert.
Muscles in the equine’s body, like our own, are structured in distinctive layers and are supported by ligaments and tendons. These muscles need to be strengthened in a specific order for optimum performance. Whether he is a foal or an older animal, his athletic conditioning needs this taken into consideration. The first exercises should be passive and easy to facilitate the strengthening of the core muscles closest to the bone. This is done with exercises on the lead line. It is not as important that he learns to negotiate obstacles on the lead line as it is how he negotiates the obstacles on the lead line.
For instance, when approaching a bridge, walk with your equine’s head at your shoulder as if you were in a showmanship class. Stop at the foot of the bridge and encourage your equine to stretch his nose down and investigate the bridge in order to allay any fears he might have. When your animal has indicated he is not afraid by once again raising his head level with his withers, you can proceed. Face the bridge straight on, looking straight ahead and, while keeping his head at your shoulder, take the first step straight forward and onto the bridge, making sure he follows and places one front foot on the bridge itself. Next, ask him to place the other front foot onto the bridge, stop, square up his four feet (as in Showmanship) and reward. Continue forward in a straight line. Once all four of his feet are on the bridge, stop, square up and give him a reward. Then continue across the bridge maintaining your own good posture, hesitate at the last step, and then step off carefully, in good balance and with a coordinated effort. Ask him to place his two front feet on the ground while leaving the back feet on the bridge, stop, square up and reward. Your equine will learn to follow your lead and execute the task in the same balanced and coordinated manner and will be able to halt on command at any location.
Halters that are too loose allow too much lag time between the time you ask by giving a tug and the time the equine receives the message. This usually results in an over-reaction from your equine and then an over-reaction from you as you try to correct the mistake. A halter that is too tight can be a distraction because it can create sore spots—the equivalent to a headache and no one likes to perform with a headache! The lead line typically should be a length that you can easily handle and that will give your equine some room to move away, but that can be reorganized easily, usually about six to eight feet long.
This is when it can be beneficial to know the basics of equine massage therapy. There is a lot that you, as your equine’s trainer, can do without a professional equine masseuse, but you should always consult with a professional for lessons on how you can do your part. Make sure that the equine masseuse you decide to use is a person who knows equines and has at least 500 hours experience with equine massage therapy. Once you learn some massage techniques, you can often alleviate minor soreness exhibited by your equine. When your equine senses that your goal is to make him comfortable as well as successful in his work, he will be much more willing and able to comply.
The ideal mule should have a head that is slightly longer than that of a horse, but proportionate to the size of the mule’s body. The features should be prominent and give an overall pleasant appearance. The ears should have length and be nicely shaped, and the eyes should be large, soft and kind, reflecting the mule’s health and intelligence. The forehead should be broad, tapering to a small and delicate muzzle, with a shallow mouth and well-aligned teeth, and the nostrils should be wide to allow for adequate respiration while working. Both the mare and the jack are responsible for the shaping of these characteristics, but the jack has primary responsibility where the length of the ear and the mass of bone are concerned. A jack with a longer ear will, more often than not, throw a longer ear to the mule, while the shape of the ear is determined primarily by the mare. The attractive or unattractive head of the jack can emerge in the resulting mule, so be sure to carefully consider the head on the jack to be used for breeding to produce an attractive head on your mule offspring. Standard-sized jacks and Large Standard jacks most often have a more refined head, while the head of a Mammoth jack may be less refined and possess 
thicker bone, particularly around the eyes and jaw line. In the case of saddle mule production, massive bone on an otherwise attractive head can be very unattractive, so using the smaller jacks would be better for a more refined look in your saddle mule (which is also true for the rest of the mule’s body).
The shoulders of the mule should be at a nearly 45-degree angle, with a broad collar surface. Most mares will have this angle, but donkeys have a tendency toward short, steep shoulders, so, to insure that the mule has good shoulders and hips, consider a jack with good length and a lower angle through the shoulders and hips.
The chest of the mule should be deep and prominent, broad and well developed (it should resemble a turkey’s breast), with little or no line of separation (as is seen in a horse’s chest). Since jacks are generally narrower through the chest than are mares, the mare chosen for breeding should exhibit much width and depth through the chest to compensate for the lack of it in the jack.
If a stockier mule is desired (as in the case of breeding for pack or draft mules), a stockier mare bred to a Mammoth jack will produce the desired thickness of bone in the legs of the mule. If a more refined Thoroughbred appearance is desired, the mare should be bred to a Standard or Large Standard jack in order to reduce the mass of the bone in the legs of the mule and retain refinement throughout the body. This does not affect the height of the mule, as the mare is primarily responsible for the mule’s height, while the jack is primarily responsible for the mule’s bone thickness. The forearm and stifle in the mule should be well developed and thickly covered with smooth muscle that tapers to the knee and hock in regular, well-defined lines. Again, these muscles should be thick and smooth, but not bulging, as in horses. The mare will compensate for the limited bulk muscling in the donkey jack, and the jack will contribute and maintain the smoothness of that additional bulk muscle in the mule.
The coat and hair of the mule should be soft and shiny, covering pliable skin. The coat should be soft to the touch, denoting good skin health. Length and thickness of the coat are contributed by both jack and mare. Since donkeys have a typically thick coat of hair, a mare with a thinner coat will balance this thick hair coat in the mule, making him look sleeker and more horse-like than his donkey sire.
Desensitization should be humane and considerate—never abusive. When we say we want to desensitize an animal, it simply means that we want him to become accustomed to touch and handling all over his body, particularly in areas such as his head, legs and rear quarters, where he is apt to be the most sensitive. An animal that has not been politely desensitized will tend to react more violently to touch. When properly teaching your mule to become desensitized, your touch should be presented in a pleasurable way, so that your mule not only learns to tolerate it, but to actually enjoy it and look forward to it. An old-time method such as “sacking out” is a somewhat crude technique that is used to desensitize an animal by tying the mule in a corner where he cannot flee, and then flinging a tarp or large canvas all over his body, including the head. Often times, it creates more problems than it can solve because it is rarely done politely. A mule that has been “sacked” about the head can actually become more sensitive because this inconsiderate approach teaches him that humans cannot be trusted. He perceives that they will fling things over his head, blinding him and causing him anxiety for no apparent reason. The mule will stand still only because he cannot move, but if he is given the opportunity to flee or fight back, he will more than likely do so. Thus, the old “obstinate mule” myths are actually most often the result of some fault of the trainer, and not the mule. Sacking out more politely will eliminate these kinds of potential bad habits.
When his nose is finally up to the rail, run your lead around the post and come through the noseband on his halter and around the post again. Then tie him off snugly, so that his nose is tied as closely as possible to the hitch rail, making sure there is no slack. Now begin softly stroking your mule’s nose, using gentle yet firm strokes. Next, work your way up his forehead, and finally toward his ears. NOTE: Remember to use soft, gentle yet firm strokes, going with the grain of the hair and never against it. Do not “pat” your mule—it’s too threatening.
When he will tolerate this, you can then cradle the ear in your fingers and with your thumb, begin to gently rub upward on the inside of the edge of his ear. Do not go too deep into the ear at first. After he is calm with this, you can begin rubbing downward into the ear with your fingers, while cradling the ear in your opposite hand, being very careful not to go too deep. Watch his eyes and allow him to “tell” you how deep to go. If it feels good, his eyebrows will raise and flicker. If he doesn’t like it, he will simply jerk his head away and that is your cue to lighten up. Most mules love to have the insides of their ears rubbed, so find the areas inside your mule’s ear that actually give him pleasure. Each individual mule will be different.
In the next step, you will be in the same position, but you will close your hand around your mule’s ear and hold it with just enough pressure that he cannot jerk your hand loose. Do not hold too tight, grab or pull the ear—just maintain a quiet, gentle hold on the ear and go with his movement. If he pulls away, just slightly tighten your grip on the ear until he stops pulling and then lighten your grip again. Tighten only when he pulls away, and then immediately release when he stops resisting—tighten and loosen your grip as needed, and be sure to follow his movement. He will soon learn that if he doesn’t fight it, there is no discomfort. Never tightly grip his ear and do not tighten your grip any more than you need to in order to hold onto the ear—you never want to induce pain. Once your mule is tolerant of you holding his ear in this fashion, you can introduce the clippers, should you desire, using the same guidelines of tightening gently yet firmly when he pulls and releasing when he submits. However, introduce the clippers only after he has completely accepted you holding his ears.
When you return with the difficult mule, tie him as before, stand directly in front of him (with the hitch rail between you) and gently remove the bridle with both hands lifting and sliding the crown piece over both of his ears simultaneously, so there is little pressure on his ears as it slides over them. If he still holds the bit in his mouth, hesitate for a minute when the bridle is off his ears and allow HIM to drop the bit. Removing the bridle this way will help to avoid chafing the ears and will avoid the bit hitting his teeth before you remove the bridle the rest of the way. Always removing the bridle in this fashion will encourage him to drop his head and will prevent bad habits such as pulling away or flinging his head.
When your mule gets used to having his ears handled and being bridled while snubbed and haltered, you can then begin dropping the halter and loosely tying him while he is being bridled. Sometimes it takes a couple of weeks before you can drop the halter—this will vary depending on the individual mule, so just be patient. Your quiet, gentle perseverance will eventually win out and your mule’s ears will be desensitized and quite manageable. After you have mastered his outer ear and inner ear, you may find that your mule actually enjoys having his inner ear stroked or scratched, and bridling becomes easy. Integrating washing his face and cleaning his nostrils and ears during the grooming process should further help him to accept having his ears handled. Handling your mule’s ears can actually become a truly pleasurable experience for your Longears.
