“The passion that Meredith Hodges feels for the equines that she has fought for all her adult life is still as fresh, inspiring and infectious as it was when she first discovered the world of horses, donkeys and mules. She has never wavered in her devotion to them and in her mission to carve a lasting and honored place for them in our world. They are lucky to have her as their champion, but Meredith actually sees it a bit differently. She feels honored and privileged to be a part of their world.”
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Ground Breaking – Raising the Barn
Hearts and Horses broke ground on a new arena where they will continue to change lives through therapeutic riding. The new arena will be called Lucky Hearts, as much of the funding for the arena was given by Lucky Three Ranch.
MULE CROSSING: Fitting Tack Equipment
By Meredith Hodges Whether riding or driving, the comfort and fit of your tack and equipment is an important consideration if you wish to get the best performance from your equine. Any piece of equipment that does not correctly fit your equine can cause less than optimum performance. Consider, for instance, the bridle, which is such an important communication device. Do not select a harsh bit for control. Control comes from logical and sequential practices during training and not from force. The bit should be comfortable and be fitted correctly ...
Another Augie and Spuds Adventure: Big Turnout With Little Friends: 11-20-20
“It’s another adventure, Spuds, but where is THIS?!” “Looks like a GREAT BIG dirt pen, Augie!” “Who is this, Augie?! OH! It’s a pretty girl!” “It’s Francis, Augie!!! The love of my life!” “Hmmm...what’s this?! Tastes pretty good!” “Better look out, Spuds! She’s got a boyfriend over there!” “Hey, Augie! Let’s run away...maybe she’ll follow!” “Oh look, Spuds, it’s Mom with more OATS!” “Coming, Augie! Wouldn’t want to miss the oats!” “Look, Augie! She’s sneaking past Mirage to come and see ME!" ...
MULE CROSSING: Understanding the Use of Cruppers and Breeching
By Meredith Hodges
- The purpose of tack and equipment has always been to give man comfort and leverage against the equine’s resistance during training, but I believe that the equine is “talking” with his resistance, and this is a cue to find another alternative to achieve harmony when something isn’t working.
- Trail Riding and Jumping are two activities where it is positively essential to do core postural training with your equine to solidify his symmetrical balance when in motion, or even standing still.
- The animal with deliberate foot placement ...
MULE CROSSING: The Round Pen
By Meredith Hodges The Round Pen originated as a useful training aid for Western trainers who were trying to “break” the wild mustangs that were brought in off the range.
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- There has been spirited debate between English and Western trainers as to the real value of the Round Pen as a training aid, since it can produce undue stress on the fragile joints of the equine-in-training.
- Do not BEGIN training your equine in the Round Pen, because an unbalanced and inexperienced equine in uncontrolled flight, in ...
MULE CROSSING: Jumping Mules
By Meredith Hodges In 1986, when I first began using my mules in Dressage, you would never have convinced me that I would follow it up with jumping. I was fearful of jumping because of a few bad experiences I had with horses. However, once I took the time to learn to ride and train properly with Dressage and experienced the overall stability of a mule, my fear disappeared. Nowadays, when people find out that I jump my mules, the response is often, “I didn’t know mules could jump!” Not ...
Another Augie and Spuds Adventure: WE ARE NOT AFRAID! 10-5-20
“I wonder where we are off to today, Augie?” “It’s down the road to another adventure, Spuds!” “Hi, Guys! How are you all doing?” “I know they want to go with us, Augie!” “It’s another meet-the-heavy-equipment day, Spuds!” “Yeah, first the backhoe and now the skidsteer, Spuds!” “Oh, check this out, Spuds, SUPER FUN!” “Hey, Augie, wait for me! Yee Haw!” “Don’t we all look like another statue, Spuds?!” “YUP, but it’s time to go, Augie! Whoopee!” “You take ...
MULE CROSSING: Making History with Mules, Part 3
By Meredith Hodges There was a time before the industrial age when one-third of all fifteen million mules on earth were being utilized by the United States. Mules worked in the fields, carried our packs, pulled heavy barges on the canals, plodded through darkness in the mines, guided supply wagons and streetcars about the cities, carried tourists to exotic places like the Grand Canyon and transported army supplies and light artillery for the government. And to help with all the back-breaking labor he faced, man’s invention of the hybrid mule ...
Another Augie and Spuds Adventure: Working with Chasity! 8-4-20
“Are you ready for another adventure, Augie?!” “Yeah, Spuds! What do you suppose we are doing today?” I’m not sure, Augie, but it must have something to do with those two big donkeys behind us! MMMM...oats!” “What? We are being tied OUTSIDE the Round Pen, Augie?!” “Guess so, Spuds!” Oh, look...the big donkeys!” “Hi! I’m Wrangler and this is Chasity! You’ll have your turn to lunge when we get done! Here’s how we do it!” “He acted like we didn’t know ...
MULE CROSSING: Making History with Mules, Part 2
By Meredith Hodges As we track mules through history, we find there is a reoccurring theme that paints the mule as both a companion and adversary of man. Those of a certain temperament seem to be able to befriend the mule and those who would be combative suffer at his mercy. Man would rather blame stubbornness on the mule than to claim this stubbornness as his own. Clearly, there is no doubt that the mule is and always has been a hard-working and valuable beast of burden throughout history. His ...
MULE CROSSING: Making History with Mules Part 1
By Meredith Hodges Many people ask me when the first mules appeared on this earth. Historically, mules have their roots in the Bible. Contrary to the popular belief that mules are so lowly and stubborn that they would have to be the mount of serfs, they were—in the beginning—the mount of kings! “So Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada and the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, went down and caused Solomon to ride upon king David’s mule, and brought him to Gihon.” (I Kings ...
Another Augie and Spuds Adventure: Yearly Baths Are Fun! 7-13-20
What do you suppose is happening today, Augie?” “Yippee! It’s a 102 degrees and bath time!” “Baths with Billy Bad Ass are really fun, Spuds!” “Excuse me, Augie! I need the hose for Spuds now.” “Thanks, Augie, now the left front, please.” “What a GOOD BOY! Thanks, Augie!” “Now the right front, please!” “You are so AWESOME, Augie!” “Hey, Augie, why are YOU getting all the praise... and the oats?!” “I dunno, Spuds, but this hairbrush sure feels good and it’s ...
From the SWISS BULLETIN: Project Mule Museum in Törbel
By Mariette Herzig and Josefine Jacksch Background The idea of creating a mule museum is already old. When the association "Interessengemeinschaft für das Maultier" (IGM) was founded 30 years ago, some members wished to realize this idea at some point. They started to collect everything about the mule and they could present small exhibitions in other museums in Switzerland. In 2007 the working group "Museum" was formed, in 2012 the association "Mule Museum Switzerland" was founded. Its task was to push the idea of a mule museum forward. Already in ...
How a Sturdy Mule Triumphed Over 198 Champion Horses in the Great American Horse Race of 1976
We hope you enjoy this intriguing and inspiring article that was submitted by one of our contributing writers, Tara Edwards, Trimepil: Sometimes, miracles do happen. Such was the case in the not so distant 1976, when a proper underdog proved to be better than the competition. The competition being over 198 champion horses who were gunning for the title. A simple mule came out on top when put against some of the most treasured horses from all over the world. But was this outcome truly miraculous, or was it a ...
