“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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MULE TALK! PODCAST: Donkey Training, Part 2
Donkey Training, Part 2 –
- Repeat the previous lesson – BUT DO NOT DRILL YOUR DONKEY.
- Training your donkey to trot with a rider.
- Execute pattern training with your donkey to strengthen his body.
- Your assistant will only help you when needed while training your donkey.
- Training turns on the forehand with your donkey.
- Going straight on the rail.
- Be patient and understanding – your donkey will give what he is able to do.
- Training turn on the haunches with your donkey – and more!
Prefer to follow along? Read the transcript.
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
All Posts
The “Elbow Pull”
(Page 29) THE “ELBOW PULL” The “Elbow Pull” is a self-correcting restraint for your equine that I developed to help the equine to maintain good posture in a balanced frame throughout his various lessons. Ordinarily, it is first used in our program after the young equine (2 years and under) graduates from the leading exercises (on the flat ground for postural balance and over obstacles to add coordination to the good posture while moving). If the equine is over two years old, I recommend doing all the leading exercises in ...
MULE CROSSING: A Bit About Communication with Your Equine
By Meredith Hodges Over the past few decades, through trial and error, we equine owners and trainers have discovered that, when communicating with our equines, harsh bits are not really necessary. Rather, it is safer and more beneficial to use milder tack and equipment, to concentrate on learning correct body language and to give clear cues with our hands, seat and legs to elicit the desired response from our equines. Nowadays, at the beginning of training, more and more riders are learning to ride “by the seat of their pants;” ...
MULE CROSSING: Keys To Successful Training, Part 1: Your Working Environment
By Meredith Hodges The Work Station It is important that your equine feels safe and comfortable in his surroundings. For this reason, you should use the same place each day to groom and prepare him for his lessons. In the beginning, use a small pen (approximately 400 to 500 square feet) that allows you access to your equine for imprinting, tying, leading and grooming, as described in DVDs #1 and #8 of my series, Training Mules & Donkeys (plus disc #9 when dealing with donkeys), and in Part 1 ...
Mother/Daughter Combined Training
(Page 51) From the Lucky Three Ranch Archives...”Lucky Three Mae Bea C.T.” and I loved to train and compete with my daughter Dena and her gray Hanoverian, “Polacca's Prince” in Combined Training over Dressage, Stadium and Cross Country jumping in the early nineties. "Bea" and I were graciously accepted into Dressage and C.T. schooling shows, and in the lower levels at official shows as long as we were polite, considerate and called management ahead of time to request permission to show. We simply wanted to show against seasoned equestrians to ...
MULE TALK! PODCAST: Making History With Mules Part 3
Making History With Mules -
- Mules before the industrial age were vital to the United States and utilized for heavy work.
- Mules during the Westward Expansion days, transported families and their possessions through the Western Plains.
- The U.S. Cavalry and their role in using mules.
- Harvey Riley, author of The Mule, published in 1867 - an excellent source of the mule and its history in the U.S. Army.
- Soldier, Jimmy Wright was saved by his mule during a horrific battle; his mule dragged him to safety.
Bridlewise/Direct Rein Eggbutt Snaffle Bit
(Page 18) I prefer to use Eggbutt snaffle bits for training and general riding. The bit is not supposed to be an object of control, but rather an object for communication and an aid in good postural development. Bosals, bitless bridles, side pulls that pull from the side of the head can cause resistance through the reins. They do not encourage relaxation and easy flexion through the poll (Photo #1). When you finally do introduce the bit, it should be introduced with a Flash English 3 bridle that has two ...
MULE CROSSING: Mule Fever, Part 2
By Meredith Hodges With the hectic work schedule of spring and summer slowly tapering into fall, thoughts of relaxing mountain hunting and pack trips begin to ease their way into your mind: thoughts of cool, refreshing mountain streams, the sight of a massive bull elk, or the quiet majesty of the rugged mountain peaks. What better time to share with your mule or donkey? What better place for him to show you just what he is capable of doing? A relaxing mountain trail ride or pack trip is the perfect ...
Keep Tack & Equipment Clean!
(Page 64) When you have as many equines as I do, keeping tack and equipment clean could be a real challenge, but with a few simple management practices, it isn't as daunting as one might think. 1) Keep your tack room well organized so that everything can be returned to its own specific place after working with your equines. 2) Be sure to groom your animal well before putting on tack and equipment. 3) Check and repair any questionable or broken equipment right away, or do not return it to ...
MULE CROSSING: A Very LTR Christmas
Merry Christmas from all of us at the Lucky Three Ranch! ...
LTR Training Tip #34: Keep Lessons Short and Easy
Training sessions that are too repetitious and last too long will only fatigue and frustrate your equine, resulting in unwanted resistance. Keep lessons short and easy for the best training results ...
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