“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.”
View Posts By Category:
Breeding | Donkey Training | Farewells | General Interest
Hearts & Horses | Historical | Inspirational Videos | Interviews
Jasper | Longears People News | Longears Videos
Lucky Three Ranch | Military Mules | Mule Talk! Podcasts
Pack Burro Racing | Showing | Statues & Exhibits
Inspirational Videos
Legacy of Devotion
Latest Podcast
MULE TALK! PODCAST: The Ins and Outs of Leg Supports
The Ins and Outs of Leg Supports –
There are many equine-related products on the market today. Learn about:
- Splint boots and leg wraps.
- Shipping boots.
- Bell boots.
- Fleece-covered shipping boots.
- Polo wraps.
- Substituting boots for shoes?
- Using full leg covering for shipping.
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
MULE CROSSING: Donkey Training, Part 4
By Meredith Hodges You have, thus far, begun to teach your donkey several things: how to begin to execute the turn on the forehand and turn on the haunches, how to walk forward in a round pen from the lunge whip without a saddle or harness (then with the saddle and harness), on the drivelines, and while being ridden. He has also begun to learn how to “trot on” from the lunge whip while tacked up, and how to walk and trot on the lead with an assistant aiding from ...
MULE CROSSING: Donkey Training, Part 5
By Meredith Hodges By now your donkey should be getting much better at his turns on the forehand and haunches on the lead line. He should be leading easily at the walk and trot and squaring up while stopped. He should be lunging at the walk and trot in the round pen, and ground-driving at the walk in the round pen, both straight and through turns and reverses. He should be walking and trotting with a rider in the round pen, without the assistant. He should be both ground-driving and ...
MULE CROSSING: Donkey Training, Part 6
By Meredith Hodges By walking your donkey through all the different phases of training, and before going on to the trot, you have given yourself and your donkey an opportunity to learn to negotiate and perfect your movements before you ask for speed. This allows for a lot more perfection of coordination to take place, so things are less likely to fall apart when you do add a little speed. This is the most obvious difference between mules or horses and donkeys. Horses and mules are difficult to slow down ...
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: Donkey Training, Part 8
By Meredith Hodges Now it is time for your donkey to learn to move laterally. Lateral movements are essential to the overall balance and posture of your donkey. It will improve muscle strength throughout his body and will reduce the risk of injury or soreness while he is being ridden or driven. You can begin his lateral work on the drivelines in the large arena. Begin by driving your donkey through the hourglass pattern (after review). As he approaches the first corner cone, ask him to circle it and then ...
MULE CROSSING: Donkey Training, Part 7
By Meredith Hodges If your donkey has any problems with the trot after the previously described exercises, it will probably be in the hourglass pattern while under saddle. If he has difficulty maintaining the trot through the turns and serpentines through the middle, and continues to bulge either one way or the other, you can try one more thing to help him. Have your assistant ride a seasoned animal through the pattern ahead of you while you follow a few strides behind. Don’t ride too close, or too far away ...
MULE CROSSING: Donkey Training, Part 1
By Meredith Hodges Training your donkey is not really much different than training horses and mules, although there are differences in instinct and attitude that will determine your approach in given situations. The mechanics and techniques, however, remain the same. The donkey foal needs to begin his life of training with imprinting. Imprinting is simply getting your donkey accustomed to your touch, your voice, your smell, the way you look and the way you interact with him. These are all the things he learns from his mother that will determine ...
Behavior Modification
Behavior modification (Pg. 138, 10-12-15) is much more than just dispensing treats to get your equine to comply. It includes identifying and defining tasks, breaking them down into small, doable steps and rewarding the animal when you get proper compliance. As opposed to Clicker Training, your voice commands are an integral and important part of the process. “Lucky Three Melinda’s Masterpiece” is being "rewarded" for completing the specific task of side passing the rail (Photo #1). The task was set up in a way that will aid her in success ...
Mule Crossing: Moving Beyond Prey vs. Predator
By Meredith Hodges In the past, when equines ran free, they were unencumbered by human interaction and could build and condition their muscles naturally. Today, with increased population but reduced open lands, their activity is often restricted. It then becomes our responsibility to not only train them, but to prepare them physically to perform and keep them happy in their environment. This responsibility becomes even more important when we ask them to exert more energy than normal, in activities like long trail rides, endurance events, showing and equine-related work. Proper ...
MULE CROSSING: Keys To Successful Training, Part 2: Attitude and Approach
By Meredith Hodges Establishing a bond Are you having problems getting the same response from your equine that trainers do? This two-part article is designed to help you learn to successfully train your own equine. Training isn’t just a way to teach your equine to do certain “movements,” but a way for you to help him to grow physically and mentally healthy, and to enable him to learn to cope with the demands that will be put on him during his lifetime—much like raising a child to grow up to ...
MULE TALK! PODCAST: Getting Down with Minis, Part 2
Getting Down with Minis Part 2 - Learn about:
- Mini group grooming - how it works to save time
- Body - clipping
- What to feed for a balanced nutrition program for minis
- Knowing body language in working around minis
- Efficient grooming practices & more
Breeding
No posts found.
Donkey Training
No posts found.
Farewells
No posts found.
General Interest
No posts found.
Hearts & Horses
No posts found.
Historical
No posts found.
Interviews
No posts found.
Jasper
No posts found.
Longears People News
No posts found.
Longears Videos
No posts found.
Lucky Three Ranch
No posts found.
Military Mules
No posts found.
Mule Talk! Podcasts
No posts found.
Pack Burro Racing
No posts found.
Showing
No posts found.
Statues & Exhibits
No posts found.
Training
No posts found.
Training Tips
No posts found.