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 behind. Do not be alarmed if your donkey’s movements are not perfect. Each time you work with him, he will get better at each of these things, especially if, at the start of each lesson, you review before adding anything new.
At the next lesson, if he is large enough, he will learn to trot with a rider onboard. If he is too small to ride, skip this lesson under saddle and do it with the drivelines. As always, begin with a complete review. After he has done his turns on the forehand and haunches, walked both on the lunge and with the drivelines, done right and left turns both on the drivelines and with a rider, and trotted with tack, he is ready to trot with a rider. Before you begin, here is a little exercise you can use to help your donkey stay light in the bridle. When you have mounted, take a treat in your right hand and your right rein in your left hand, and ask him to bring his head around to your knee and take the treat from your hand. Then take the treat in your left hand and the left rein in your right hand, and ask him to bend his head around to your opposite knee and take the treat from your hand. (Don’t pull—just vibrate the rein as his head comes around, and don’t try to hold him there. He will be very light in the bridle later on, once his neck muscles are stretched and flexible.) Now you will school the trot: Do it just as you did the walk. First ask your donkey to walk while your assistant, with the lunge whip, acts as a backup. You will give the command to walk, squeeze and release your legs and use your riding crop, if necessary.
Your assistant will come into play only if your donkey does not respond to your cues first. When he is in a good free walk on a loose rein, give the command to “trot.” Use your voice, then your legs and then go to your crop, if necessary. If this doesn’t work, your assistant can step in behind and encourage him with the lunge whip with one smart strike to the gaskin above the hocks, while shuffling his or her feet to create some noise. This should work, but you, as the rider, must sit absolutely still, maintain a very loose rein and allow the donkey to comply on his own. (Do not keep thumping his sides with your legs, nor keep hitting with the crop.) If all this fails to make him move on, just stop, pet him (no treat this time) and wait until he sighs or resumes chewing, then start over again. He is just trying to figure out what you are asking. This is not disobedience. It is important to note that you should not move from one attempt to the next without letting him chew. This is the way your donkey tells you that he is relaxed and ready to listen. If he just won’t do it, then go back to the lunging and have him trot without the rider once more, then try again at the next lesson. Each donkey is a different individual and will learn at his own pace.
As a trainer, I do not ask for perfection on the movements previously described, just cooperation and a reasonable effort. Repetition, over time, will take care of the rest. It is more important that you and your donkey have fun together and learn together in a way that is pleasing to you both. Your donkey may get bored with the round pen if you are there often. Varying the routine and place of training can alleviate this. He should be doing well with the walk at this point and be ready to move into an open arena for further lessons.
Set four cones in the four corners of your arena, with ample space for him to walk around the outside of them. Then set two cones in the center of the arena, creating a gate through which the two of you will pass. This will outline an hourglass pattern for you and your donkey to follow, as he perfects the verbal commands to “walk on,” “haw,” “gee” and “whoa.” “Trot” will come later.
First, lead your donkey (fully tacked up with either saddle and bridle or harness) around the perimeter and let him inspect the new area in which you will work. Remember to use your showmanship techniques. Then find a spot in the arena and review the turns on the forehand and haunches. Next, attach your drivelines and, with the assistant leading him, ground-drive him through the hourglass pattern. As you drive him, talk constantly, telling him what he is doing: “Walk on, walk on, good boy, walk on, haw, haw, haw, walk on, walk on, haw, haw, haw, walk on, walk on, good boy, walk on, gee, gee, walk on, walk on, walk on, haw, haw, haw,” etc. This is how you will reinforce the meaning of the verbal commands to your donkey for a good, solid foundation, and you will not have to repeat yourself as often later on. First, loop the pattern one way, then cross a nice straight diagonal and loop the other way. Have your assistant try to do as little as possible and let you actually drive him from behind. As you make each turn, give the command, pull/release the rein VERY lightly, and tap him VERY lightly with your driving whip on the opposite side, whether he needs it or not.
When he is executing the pattern without any deviations, you can eliminate the assistant and ask your donkey to respond to your cues alone. Use your verbal commands, reins and whip to help keep him straight. If he tries to deviate from the pattern, either stop him and resume, or just pull the rein in the direction he is to travel and help him get back on track with the driving whip. Use your whip lightly, but definitely on one side or the other to “push” him in the right direction. Use your whip directly over the croup for forward. Do NOT let him circle and come back to the track. He needs to learn to go in the direction in which you are pulling, and if you allow him to go in the opposite direction and circle back, you will find that he will be doing it a lot more than you would like. It’s better to stop a bad habit before it has a chance to become habit at all. To prevent a memorized response, stop him and ask him to back at different points on the pattern every so often to vary the pattern. Donkeys have terrific memories and if you stop him in the same place all the time that is where he will ALWAYS stop, no matter what you are trying to do. Do this pattern this way for a couple of sessions, and when he is going easily you can add circles at the cones to create a more interesting workout.
When he is steering well, it is once again time for your assistant to aid you in getting your donkey to go straight along the rail of the arena. Have your assistant walk along the rail, between it and the donkey, with the lead line held loosely in her hand, allowing you to drive the donkey from behind. If you tryto do this without the assistant, you will find that your donkey remembers the hourglass pattern and will try to go to the middle. He needs assistance in learning this deviation from what he has previously learned. When you change direction, keep your assistant between the wall and the donkey to help maintain his straightness. After about two times around in each direction, he should “get it,” and you can drive him without the assistant. Each time you change direction, do a straight crossing on the diagonal. (Short diagonals and half-turns will be taught later in this series.) Donkeys like to bend in half far too much, so you want to discourage this in the beginning and opt for straightness.
The next step for the larger donkey is to be ridden at the walk through the hourglass pattern, both with the assistant and without, as outlined in the ground driving lesson. Do this exactly as you did before and don’t forget to repeat, repeat and repeat your verbal commands! Vary the stop and reward him with treats every time you stop to reinforce the good behavior. Be very exact and consistent with your rein and leg cues and don’t use your crop unless absolutely necessary. Rein cues should be only vibrations of the rein, legs should stay quiet while the donkey is in motion and should come into play only to urge him forward when he stops, and to support his body and keep it upright in conjunction with your rein cues through the corners.
The leg to the inside of the arc should remain at the girth and serve as a support post while the leg to the outside of the arc is at the back cinch and drives him forward into impulsion. The inside rein tells him what direction to turn while the outside rein stays steady in a straight position so he does not turn too abruptly. If you persist with continuous motion in your legs and hands, you will dull your donkey’s response and you will find that he begins to ignore you. If he does begin to make a mistake, just stop, wait until he has sighed or is chewing, then resume. Again, do not let him veer off and circle back. If he does run off to the right, for instance, you must turn him back to the left to bring him back, since that is the rein he pulled away from you. Conversely, if he runs off to the left, you would bring him back with the right rein, but you NEVER circle and come back in the direction HE has chosen. If you can manage it, it is best to just stop, regroup and go on, but sometimes they do take you well out of the desired pattern.
During the next lesson, you can add the perimeter of the arena, just as you did on the drivelines. Have your assistant lead your donkey twice around both directions and across a straight diagonal to change direction. Then you can ride solo. The same rules apply here as they did when learning the pattern. Keep him straight, repeat commands, back up verbal commands with consistent rein and leg cues and if he pulls out to the left, bring him back with the left rein. If he starts to trot, pull straight back and give the command to “whoa.” If· he still won’t stop, keep him straight and stop him at the fence. DO NOT TURN HIM! If you start this, it will become a practically impossible habit to break.
As you have probably noticed, donkeys think a little differently than do horses and mules, and must be approached accordingly for the best and most non-resistant response, but there is no reason that you cannot accomplish this with a little patience and understanding. While you may have to teach, “Walk here, walk there, walk this way and that,” and it seems that you are progressing at a snail’s pace, remember that it takes less time for your donkey to really process what you are teaching him. So, in essence, he is learning more quickly than a mule or horse, he doesn’t need as much repetition and the training time is about the same, and, in some cases, shorter! So stop worrying and have a good time.
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 and EQUUS REVISITED at www.luckythreeranchstore.com.
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Now that he is moving out well at the walk, you can teach him a reverse. As he is walking forward easily around the round pen, turn away from him, completely around, until you are in front of him. Step toward him, lay the whip ahead of him and give the command to “reverse.” Be aware of his space. Do not rush at him, or he may turn improperly. You want him to turn into the rail and resume the opposite direction. Give him plenty of time to make the turn and ask him to “walk on.” If he has difficulty, take a few steps forward and, with the whip, tap him gently on the shoulder to encourage him to turn. There is a purpose to turning away from him to turn him rather than just running ahead of him. By turning back the opposite way that he is traveling, you are establishing a new direction of travel, as well as giving him time to see that there will be a change in his movement. Most donkeys learn this very quickly.
After his first lesson of trot, you can begin to integrate rein cues. During the second trot lesson, you will review all that he has learned up to the trot. Before you go to his trot lesson, you can attach your drivelines and ground-drive him through the walk and reverse while on the lines. He should have no trouble with you at his rear, since you have been lunging him from a close proximity from the beginning. Use your whip as you did for the turn on the haunches—at the shoulder for his turns, and at the gaskin to encourage him forward—but just touch him with it to remind him, don’t strike him. You want his movements to be smooth and correct, not abrupt. Pull as lightly as you can with a squeeze/release on the lines to encourage the turns, and make him move off more from your body language and the whip than you do with the lines. If he does well, stop, remove the lines, and send him back to the rail for his trot work—twice in each direction. (This means twice with trotting steps, not twice around the pen.) Then stop, reward him and tell him school’s out until the next time. Whether you come back tomorrow or a week later, rest assured that your donkey will be right where you left him in his training. They have an incredible memory!
When he ground drives fairly well at the walk, you can mount him if he is a large enough donkey to ride. Mount him from both sides and dismount a few times at first. When he seems calm, you can stay aboard. Take a treat in your hand and encourage him to bend his head and neck around to each side to take the treat from your hand. At the same time, give short, light tugs on the rein on that side. This will encourage lightness in the bridle later on. Now he is ready to move with you aboard. It is best to use an assistant at this stage.
steps. You can continue this lesson until he has completed one rotation of the round pen in each direction. Then stop him with “whoa” and ask him to go back a step or two. Give light pulls on both reins in a squeeze/release fashion to start, then, as he begins to move his feet backwards, alternate your pressure on the reins with the front foot that is forward. If he does not wish to back, your assistant can help with pressure to his chest as you did on the lead. Always end your riding or ground-driving lesson with a back, and don’t pull so hard on the reins that he resists by jutting his head out. Encourage him to stay light in the bridle. Then finish your lesson with lunging at the trot.
By Meredith Hodges
Take your donkey to the middle of the pen and ask him to “whoa.” Reward him for whoa, then step toward his shoulder—pulling his head toward you—tap him on the flank and stifle, and ask him to “move over.” Do not move your body unless you absolutely have to. You want him to keep his front end bent toward you, step under with his near hind leg, and begin to execute a turn on the forehand. This means his front legs will stay stationary while the hind legs move around them and away from you. You want your donkey to take only one step each time you tap him, so don’t get carried away and tap him too hard. We are laying the foundation for hindquarter control and it is easier to let him move slowly, one step at a time, in the beginning than it is to ask him to slow down from too many steps later on. Watch his hind legs to make sure he crosses in front of the offside hind, and stop and reward him after each tap and step. He will probably double in the barrel and move his front legs as well in the beginning. As long as he moves his hindquarters away from you, reward him and repeat. We can perfect his style as he learns what is expected. The first few times, ask only for one or two steps. When he has done this exercise on the near side (left), repeat them from the off side (right). During each session, you can ask for a few more steps in each direction.
When he is doing the turn on the forehand fairly easily (it doesn’t have to be perfect), you can begin to teach him to move his shoulders away from you with a turn on the haunches. This is much more difficult, since donkeys love to “glue” their front feet to the ground. Take the side of his halter in your left hand, ask him for one step forward and push his face away from you as far as your arm will reach. Then, in the right hand with the end of the lead, tap him firmly on the shoulder and give the command, “Over.” If his hindquarters come around, leave your left hand on the halter and take your right hand and use your body weight to shove him over one step. Stop, praise and reward him for moving his shoulders (even if you had to do all the work). Now try again, tapping him with the end of the lead. If he still won’t move his shoulders, repeat as before. If he does not begin to try to move his shoulders after three tries, use a riding crop in your right hand and tap the shoulders sharply with it—only once! He will probably be so surprised that he will step over quickly. Be ready to reward him when he does. Then stop your lesson there. You can ask for two steps in each direction during the next session. If you try to do any more, you will encounter resistance and he will be unwilling to perform and may run off, so be patient and be ready to take all the time HE needs.
Repeat these three exercises until he begins to move easily away when you ask. It may take three or four sessions. When he does comply easily, you can begin to teach him to lunge. Review these exercises every time you begin your training session. Then release the lead from the halter. Hold the lunge whip in your left hand and use your right hand to point to the right (the direction you wish him to go). Raise both your arms in unison and tell him to “walk on.” If he doesn’t move away, lower both arms and raise them again, repeating the command. If he still won’t move out, give the verbal command again and give him a firm tap on the gaskin, just below the tail and above the hock, then take a step back and wait for him to comply (donkeys need time to think). If he still won’t move, repeat this action until he does. Once he does start moving away, follow behind and to the side at a distance that he will tolerate. This distance will vary with the individual donkey.
wander. When you are the correct distance, he will walk forward, although, in the beginning, he will hesitate after every step or two. Practice moving into him and away from him to get him to move. Try to stay out of his space and keep him moving forward after the initial tap of the whip. If he stops and doesn’t seem to want to move, strike the fence behind him once you have him on the rail. Try NOT to hit him if at all possible. Remember, donkeys freeze when they are confused or frightened and you will get nowhere with him at that point. He needs to learn, but he also needs to enjoy what he is doing. Don’t forget to reward him frequently, but be sure that you ask him to go further each time, or you may find yourself training him to walk only so many steps at a time. In the beginning, ask him to go in only one direction and change directions at each session. You can teach him to reverse and go forward later, once he has learned what you are asking.
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.
When imprinting the foal, think of the kind of attitude you want to cultivate in him—do not come at him with the idea that he must accept you. This is a forceful and intrusive attitude and can foster resistance. Come at him with love, patience and kindness and these are the things he will learn. Give him respect and ask that he respect you and he will begin to learn about behavioral limitations. If he were in a herd, the adults would demand that he respect their space with well-placed discipline. You must learn to do the same without overdoing it. If he bites or kicks, a well-placed slap on the side of the mouth for biting and on the rump for kicking and a loud, “No!” will do the trick. Rewarding his good behaviors consistently will reinforce repetition of what you desire from him and will foster understanding between you and your donkey. This is the beginning of a long-lasting bond of friendship.
Whether your donkey is a young foal or an older animal, begin with imprinting and do the steps in sequence. Learn how to properly put on the halter. Let him wear it for a while then take it off, as he could get it caught and injure himself if it is left on. When your donkey is not bothered by you putting on and taking off the halter, you can teach him to be tied. Put the halter on him and tie him to a safe post for one hour. Come by to see him every 10 or 15 minutes, untie him and ask him to “come.” If he does not take a step toward you, just retie him and leave. Come back in 10 minutes and try again. When he takes a step toward you, reward him with a treat and lots of praise. Stroke him on the neck and shoulder or on the poll between the ears, or scratch his chest or rump—whatever he finds most pleasing. Then try a few more steps. Don’t ask for any more steps each day than he is willing to give. Save them for the next time and soon he will lead easily. When he is leading easily, you can start taking walks around the farm and you can begin to introduce him to things he may find frightening. Lead him as close as he will go at your shoulder, then step toward the obstacle as close as the lead will allow and coax him to you. Offer a reward if necessary to entice him, and be sure to reward him when he comes forward. When he is confident about investigating “things” with you, you can progress to an obstacle course.
At your first try going over logs, a bridge, tires, or other such obstacles, you may find your donkey reluctant to pick up his feet to negotiate an obstacle. He will probably try to go around it any way he can. Stand close to his head, holding him on a shorter lead, and ask him to “come.” If he moves only one foot over a log or tire or onto a bridge, stop, hold him there and give him a reward for his effort. Next, ask for the other foot and, if he is willing, let him walk over the obstacle, then reward him again. If he moves only one foot more, reward that, and proceed—slowly! You don’t want him to just run through it. You want him to come when you say “come” and to whoa when you say “whoa.” You are beginning to establish verbal communication with your donkey, so keep it simple and consistent. Do all obstacles the same way. Donkeys like to get crooked over obstacles. When he has learned to step through or over an obstacle but is not going straight, you can step directly in front of him, holding the halter on both sides, and ask for straightness as he negotiates the obstacle.
Once he has learned to follow you over and around obstacles, he will be ready to begin the fundamentals of showmanship. Hold your lead in your left hand, keeping your right hand free and straight out in front of you. He should learn to lead with slack in the lead and to follow your shoulder. If he gets too close, you can use your right hand to push him back into position. Once you have begun showmanship training, ALWAYS lead him this way. Teach him to stand squarely on all fours every time he stops. You are not just teaching him to set up, but to carry his body in a balanced fashion so he will develop good posture and balance. When you want to teach him to trot on the lead, give the verbal command to “trot” and slowly move your own legs into a very slow trot. If he is difficult, do not go to the whip. Try to find something toward which he wants to trot. Above all, don’t get discouraged if he won’t trot the first few times, just slow back down and do something he already knows, then quit for the day and try again the next. Eventually, he WILL get it!
Do the same exercises (outlined in DVD #1 of my 
It is important that your donkey be in the best posture he can be in while he is performing at this stage of training. The way that he is moving with his body is the way his muscles and tendons will be strengthened and toned, and the way his bones will become permanently aligned. It is difficult for a rider to maintain this impeccable balance through every step and every stride. For this reason, you will use your “elbow pull” training aid to encourage your donkey’s good posture throughout training, once he has learned the right moves. Adjust your “elbow pull” so that, when tight, his poll can be raised about six inches above his withers. The “elbow pull” will help to maintain his proper frame and good balance without you having to fuss with anything. The “elbow pull” is most helpful during lateral movements, but it also helps him to maintain his balance through transitions and changes of direction. Get in the habit of using it all the time during intermediate training. When he is going well, staying in proper frame, light on the bit and responsive to your cues, and when the “elbow pull” is loose throughout all of his workouts—only then should you remove it. (Use of the “elbow pull” and instructions on how to make it are covered in my 
Now you need to teach your donkey to lengthen his trot. The elbow pull should have helped you to get a true trot out of your donkey. He will not be able to lengthen from a single-foot trot. Do not begin lengthening until the true trot is well established. When you wish to start schooling the lengthening, begin by asking him to lengthen on the long diagonal and corner-to-corner in your arena. Ask him to cover more ground going toward the center and as he approaches the corner, ask him to shorten his stride and collect the trot before the corner. Do not just ask for more speed. A lengthening is a more ground-covering walk, trot or canter, but maintains the same rhythm and cadence. In the beginning it will seem like there is very little difference between the working and lengthened gaits, but as he gets stronger and more agile, the difference will become more apparent.
Next you will begin to regulate the canter. Place a pole perpendicular to the long side of your arena. Canter around the perimeter of the arena, coming down the long side and over the pole. Each time you approach the pole, about three strides out, start counting to your donkey, “One, two, three, pole.” This will accomplish several things. First, you will learn to gauge your distances and measure your donkey’s strides. Second, your donkey will learn to adjust his strides and they will become more balanced, rhythmic and cadenced. Next, he will become more obedient to your aids. Don’t forget to count out loud to your donkey every time you do this exercise. Remember, donkeys respond best to verbal commands. Do the canter pole several times in each direction, during each session that you work in the arena to help improve his canter.
Whether you plan to jump or not, the next exercise is beneficial to your donkey’s body conditioning. It will help him to become agile and strong and he will be able to carry your weight a lot more efficiently. First set four cavalletti in your arena and have your donkey trot through them during several lessons. Then, set a cavalletti or cross rail jump in your arena with a ground rail one stride before and after. Begin each session with review and warm up with stretching—turns on the forehand and haunches on the lead; feeding treats from his back, bending his head to your knee on both sides; walking and trotting through the hour-glass pattern on the long rein; walking, trotting and cantering the perimeter of the arena on the long rein. Then you should do a collecting exercise. Ask him to collect on the short sides, and lengthen on the long sides at the walk and then do this at the trot. After the warm-up, stop and rest for three minutes. After the collection exercise, stop and rest for three minutes. He will be working in approximately 15-minute intervals with three-minute breaks in between. This is standard for mules, donkeys and horses.
For the final segment of his workout, take him along the rail at the trot and come up over the cavalletti or cross rail jump. Two strides out from the ground rail (three strides from the cavalletti), start counting out loud, “One, two, three, JUMP!” Allow your donkey to trot after the cavalletti the first two times through, and the third time over ask him to canter away to the rail and down the long side of the arena. Then stop and reward him for his effort. Give him a brief rest and then repeat the exercise the same way three times with a brief rest after each canter pass. When he has done this pattern three times going in one direction, do the same thing three times going the other direction. If he is lazy, he may need encouragement from the crop, or you may need to wear BLUNT spurs. If he wants to run at the cavalletti, you will need to school him a little differently. You will need to walk to the ground rail, stop and back. Then turn away from the cavalletti, do a circle and approach again at the walk, stop and back. Circle again—at the trot this time—stop, back. Do this twice. The third time, let him trot and jump the cavalletti. After he jumps the cavalletti, a few strides out, ask him to stop and back. This is to help him to let YOU maintain control. It will also help him to maintain his balance and jump correctly, thus avoiding a mishap or fall.
When proper attention is given to the development of balanced, postural core muscle strength from the very beginning, the equine develops strength symmetrically throughout his body as he grows. Muscles are stressed and relaxed at critical intervals, allowing for healthy mental, physical and emotional growth. When the equine feels good in his body, it clears his mind to concentrate on his performance. The result is an equine that is happy in his work and in his world.
Dressage training has evolved from a useful tool to strengthen and balance a useful horse to just another name in Big Business. Today, equines are thought of as economic commodity, or a breeding investment, and are used in events such as Reining, Cutting, Stadium Jumping, Racing, Steeplechase, Eventing, Hunting, Dressage and just-for-pleasure riding. Monetary investment is high, and never was the old adage of “horse poor” more prevalent than now!
Owners can expect to spend thousands of dollars in a year for no more than a pleasure riding equine, and the cost increases with the status of the activities. The cost of supporting an equine provides economic success to a multitude of businesses such as feed stores, tack and equipment, truck and trailer sales, drug companies, motels, gas stations, county fairgrounds, breed registries, brand inspection, clothing stores, veterinarians, farriers, and the list goes on.
Breeding for bigger, better and faster equines, has given people the false idea that these horses perform almost solely from their heredity. This has changed how they are being trained and judged. Today, many equine competitions are no longer judged by an expert who really knows the definition of correct movement. We are inundated with terminology from the Masters that is most often misunderstood and distorted.
To those who are not schooled in Dressage, collection can mean a lot of things that are contrary to the actual definition, including the belief that it means to merely break at the poll and arc the head and neck. People also believe that an equine is on the bit if he arcs his head and neck and flexes at the poll. What this actually means is that the equine has taken contact with the bit, and can feel the hands of the rider through the reins, and respond lightly and obediently whether his head and neck are arched or not. Vertical flexion is the result of correct collection that involves the entire body of the equine, when the equine is flexible from head to tail with the hindquarters properly engaged. It is not the act of bringing the equine’s chin to his chest. Lateral flexion is when the equine bends his whole body through his rib cage to the arc of a circle, and is not just bending his head and neck to your knee.
You would teach him to lunge on the lunge line in the Round Pen first with enough slack in the line so it drags on the ground as he circles. Keep a slightly open fist on the line and close your first as the outside front leg comes forward into suspension. He will feel this pressure and bring that front leg onto the circle instead of going straight forward with it. This is the cue you will use when lunging him on the line in the open arena.
Many veterinarians and farriers refuse to work on mules. Some are slaves to the old wives’ tales about mules being stubborn, ornery and dangerous, and some are subject to owners who cannot manage their own animals. The professionals that primarily studied with horses are more apt to be tolerant of a misbehaving horse than of a misbehaving mule. They have a better idea of what to expect and how to deal with it.
upon their arrival; (2) the animals are not handled regularly or trained correctly and are difficult to treat; (3) owners use excitable disciplinary tactics while the professional is working on the animal, putting him in physical jeopardy; and (4) owners do not follow up on treatment instructions. True, these complaints apply to both horse and mule owners. To dispel old rumors about mules, it is important that all your equines are easily managed. The veterinarian or Farrier will not be as quick to forgive a mule. The mule foal learns his behavior from his dam. A calm and obedient mare makes for a calm and obedient foal.
You are the one that interacts with the animal most often and should know the details that the vet could not possibly know. Good records are important for clear communication with your vet. With each visit, update him on your equine’s management & training status. Alert the vet as to any changes in the equine’s behavior or medical status. Ask questions and learn about what your vet is doing with each visit to increase your knowledge and understanding.
As in RH incompatibility in humans, if the foal’s blood type is the same as the mare’s blood type, there is no problem. If the foal’s blood type is different from the mare’s, antibodies may be created in the mare’s blood. That is when the problems begin. Mares should be tested for the possibility for an N.I. baby 1-3 weeks before foaling, but you can also test at 30 days before foaling, and again later closer to the time of foaling, to allow more preparation time. Consult your veterinarian well before the mare’s delivery date to make a plan for testing.
Decide on a foaling location. Decide about the birth location…at home, or remotely managed. If she is to be foaling at home, pick a large stall and run to allow for plenty of room and easy access to the mare and foal. It is helpful to install a camera for monitoring the mare since you must catch the foal before it suckles the mare. Keep the mare and foal inside a safe stall for the first 24-36 hours. The stall and run can be next to other animals fence provided there are no health risks. Having other equines near can help to keep the mare from feeling alone and anxious.
Be sure to have a muzzle on hand for the N.I. foal. Do not confuse a grazing muzzle with an N.I. muzzle. You can obtain an N.I. Foal Muzzle from:
Be present for the birth of the foal, imprint, and muzzle the foal immediately. Tie the mare to a stout post in the stall next to the feeder (with about 3’ of slack), take the muzzle off of the foal, feed the foal replacement colostrum and after the predetermined amount of colostrum has been provided over the first few hours of life Milk out the mare every 2 hours. When you are bottle feeding the foal, position him at the mare’s flank. Putting him onto the mare to suckle later will then be easier. Have grass hay in the feeder to help keep the mare occupied while you work. Make sure the foal starts to receive the replacement colostrum as soon as it has a suckle reflex. Consult with your veterinarian about the amount to feed the foal at each feeding and how often to feed the foal.
When the muzzle is removed, you can open the stall door and they can be turned into the run together (with the stall door remaining open). Keep them both separated from other animals until the foal is finally weaned. The foal should not be weaned until he is sixth months old. They should not be turned out with other animals to prevent the risk of injury to the foal. If there are other mares with foals, they are safe turnout mates.
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-so-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!
Born in Athens, Greece in 431 BC and referred to today as the original “Horse Whisperer,” Xenophon is considered to be the founder of military Horsemanship. He is credited with the beginning of structured, classical equine training over 1,000 years ago, when equines were trained with military defense in mind.1 The equine’s training was critical to the defense of his rider, and this meant that the animal had to be strong, healthy and obedient. Man discovered that when he paid attention to the mental and physical needs of the equine, he got a more willing and obedient response, and the result was a healthier and more protective companion than one that was forced into submission. Harnessing the defense mechanisms of the horse was not only awe-inspiring but effective.
As man’s environment changed, he changed with it. However, when dealing with equines, he neglected to realize that he had changed the equine’s natural habitat forever and had begun a compression of space and freedom that would ultimately result in anxious and nervous behaviors in the equine. The equine’s negative response to this environment was most obvious when he was subjugated by man. Man misperceived the equine’s adverse behaviors as deliberate disobedience.
The learned behaviors coming from other sources such as environment do not replace but, rather, become yet another integral part of the whole equine. It is easy to believe that if you reward good behavior it will be repeated, but not so easy to identify all good behaviors and reward them promptly. It is even more difficult to learn to identify bad behaviors, punish them accordingly and re-route behavior to the positive again. This requires the handler to move away from an observational post and become involved and engaged with the equine on a whole new level.
The sum total of the effect an individual has on others is referred to as his “social stimulus value.” The social stimulus value of a human being takes into account his or her height, hair color, general physique, vitality and so forth. It includes distinctive behavior patterns such as habits and mannerisms. The sum total of the effect an individual equine has on other equines is referred to as his “status in the pecking order.” It also includes distinctive behavior patterns such as habits and mannerisms.
At first, it disturbed me when I could not turn my much older animals out with the adult male mules. I thought they should be able to get along, until I began to think of them in terms of rebellious teenagers who did not appreciate the sage advice of their elders. The “guidance” of the elder equines was not appreciated at all, so I separated the groups during turnout and later integrated them during training, after they had learned to be polite and considerate to the other equines.
As they proceed through the training program, their expressions soften with acceptance. They then begin to show interest that ultimately results in an animal that is confident and trusting. You can see the soul emanating from their eyes and watch their overall carriage change to one of confidence and trust. These are simply behavioral manifestations of the equine’s introspection, or the way he perceives himself in his world. Change his world in a kind and understanding way and so will his perceptions change. The equine whose personality develops in a healthy way will exhibit more courage and less fear in the face of stressful situations and extreme weather conditions. The bond and trust in the handler is stronger than his sense of fear and you can see it in his face.
Learning to be polite and considerate and giving pleasure with concrete reasons that are physical, mental and emotional in nature yield true health, and not just a perverse image. Be careful of arrogance. Arrogance stems from a masterful or Godlike approach, devoid of humility, that may elevate one’s ego, but invariably creates a “victim” equine instead of a willing and grateful partner and companion.
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 response, yet the early years of physiological development are most dependent on heredity. Heredity includes not only physical characteristics, but mental, emotional and instinctual behaviors as well. We are taught that if an equine’s knees are beginning to fuse, he is ready for training. Is the animal really ready for training just because his knees are beginning to fuse? Physical development is called maturation, and we often determine the equine’s capabilities by maturation alone, with no consideration for the whole animal.
When the stallion signals danger, it is this mare that will lead the herd, while the stallion generally brings up the rear. During estrus, the mare cycles every 21 days during the warmer months of the year. The mare accepts the stallion for only seven days out of the 21-day cycle. The stallion may cover her several times during that period and will do the same with the other mares in the herd. Not all mares will accept the advances of the stallion at certain times and, because they are as different as people are in their genetic makeup, not all of them will become pregnant every time.
A mule will pin its ears when it is concentrating very hard and when it is following you and wants attention. Mules and donkeys are basically very friendly and rarely lay their ears flat back in pure anger like a horse will. When they are angry, you will know it. Scratching in different areas will produce different results. If you scratch their jowls, for instance, they may perk their ears forward, but when you rub their forehead, they will lay their ears back. If you scratch the insides of the ears, some will like it and tilt the head sideways with quivering eyebrows while others will jerk away at your impolite intrusion.
At first, Arabian horses were thought to be silly and difficult—not the ideal mount for the common man. Later, the intelligence of the Arabian was discovered and explained by saying that, because the Arabian’s eyes are set lower in the head and the forehead is broader than most other equines, there is more brain space in the skull. This is also true of most mules and, particularly, Arabian mules. Once man believed in the equine’s intelligence and had a scientific reason for it, training was modified and approached a little differently. Man was then able to learn even more about the horses he was training. It wasn’t long before man discovered that this didn’t always hold true and there had to be more to consider when assessing the whole human being and, consequently, the whole horse.
By Meredith Hodges
Feeding: When developing the equine’s body, it is important to know what feeds are the healthiest for him. There are lots of different ways to feed your equines today, but I have found a regimen that works best. I did this through constant and continual research using a field study for more than 50 years with 32 equines of varying breeds, types and sizes.
Most equines on other kinds of feeding programs develop bodies with a protruding spine and a “hay belly” hanging from it. The shape is quite different from a balanced body with core strength. They have an indentation along both sides of the spine instead of having a spine that “melds” into the torso with uniform conformity. My feeding program produces an ideal body shape with ALL my equines with minimal exercise. The SHAPE of the animal’s body is important for the correct fit of the tack and equipment.
The stirrups need to hang straight down over the center of balance on the equine, in the MIDDLE of his torso. Stirrups with Tapaderos can be safer that those without, but if the toes on your boots are too pointed and too long, they can actually hinder you from keeping your feet securely in the stirrups. You should never wear tennis shoes, or shoes with no heels, when riding. Ideally, your weight should be on the ball of your foot with the heel of your boot touching the back of the stirrup to keep your feet from sliding through the stirrups.
Localized pressure is particularly prevalent with sawbuck pack saddles. That is why you see so many pack mules with white spots at the withers…unbalanced loads that will shift. When the horn sits lower and the saddle pressure is spread across a wider area, the pressure is more comfortable for the animal and will not cause chafing. The saddle horn is another consideration. They are built in so many different ways, but a lot of those ways are cosmetic and often dangerous. Vaqueros that worked regularly with cattle and horses built their saddles with a thick and functional horn. The horns on a lot of saddles are built for function, but there are many that are simply cosmetically built. They are often too high and too narrow…a hazard if you happen to get thrown onto them.
Using the back girth to hold the saddle back might seem like a good idea, but it puts the pressure on the fragile undercarriage rib bones that can fracture easily. The under-carriage rib bones beneath a properly placed back girth are thicker and less likely to fracture under abrupt pressure. It can also cause too much pressure on the female genitals and small intestines, restricting optimal organ function. The rear girth should always be attached to the front girth underneath, hang perpendicular to the ground and should only be snug enough to keep the back of the saddle down.
The shoulders on the equine are only attached with cartilage and need to be able to “float” freely forward with the legs through the front quarters when in motion. This means that the saddle should fit your equine like a glove and rigged so it cannot slide forward over the Shoulder Blades. When you sit on a horse bareback, your legs will find the “groove” right behind the shoulder blade.
They do not have as prominent withers and there is a muscle that is located right where your legs fall into the “groove” on a horse. Their torso is comprised of smooth muscle and is straighter across and more compact than that of the horse that possesses more bulk muscle. The natural tendency on a mule or donkey is for the saddle to slide FORWARD, into the shoulder blades. It is advisable to use cruppers or breeching to help the saddle stay stabilized.
An animal with insufficient conditioning and balance will hollow his back and neck and try to compensate for his inefficiencies in muscle conditioning and movement. When the equine’s tack and equipment fit properly, the extremities have full range of motion so he can pick each step with confidence and no obstructions. When the skeletal system is adequately supported with symmetrical muscle strength and especially over the top line, the animal is better equipped to use his body efficiently.
Participate in training activities that prepare you both, first with Groundwork and later under saddle. ALWAYS FOLLOW BASIC GROUNDWORK RULES for Leading, Lunging and Ground Driving! When Leading the equine, learn to hold the lead rope in your LEFT hand, keep his head at your shoulder, match your steps with his front legs, point in the direction of travel with your right hand and look where you are going. Walk straight lines, gradual arcs and square him up with equal weight over all four feet EVERY TIME you stop.
Correct saddle placement is critical for the comfort and freedom of movement for your equine. The saddle should be placed over the center of balance, in the MIDDLE of the equine’s back, well behind the shoulder blade. Putting the saddle on a Longears is not the same as putting the saddle on a horse, or pony. Longears have a steeper angle at the shoulder and putting the saddle directly behind the withers as you do on a horse with a 45 degree angle (that sets the saddle further back), will position the saddle too close to the shoulder blade. The saddle should sit well behind the withers on a Longears and clear the shoulder blades to allow for maximum range of motion, proper balance and to prevent galling of the sensitive skin underneath and in front of the girth area just behind the forearms. It will help you know where to place the saddle if you just think about placing it in the middle of their back, then run your arm through the gullet under the saddle blanket, or pad, to allow for air flow over the spine. One way to tell if your saddle is placed correctly is to notice where your girth is hanging. Make sure that the girth is hanging 3-4 inches (about a palm’s width) behind the forearm and not right behind the forearm where the skin is thinner and more sensitive. This position is where the belly begins to swell and the skin is thicker.
The saddle can easily slip forward if not secured with a crupper snugly fit to the tail with a solid D-ring attached to your Western, English or Side Saddle. If you are using an English or Side Saddle, in order to attach the crupper, you can use a metal “T” that slides underneath the seat between the two sides of the padding. Chafing of the tail from the crupper can be prevented by making sure it is snug, but not too tight, or too loose. When you use a sparing amount of Johnson’s baby oil in the mane and tail during grooming, it will keep the skin underneath the tail from chafing. Johnson’s Baby oil will also prevent equines from chewing on each others’ tails. Mules generally have more swell to their barrels to stop a saddle from sliding backwards than horses. For this reason, Longears will not necessarily need a breast collar (but they do look prettier when the rigging is balanced for a parade!).
If you have given attention to all the details necessary to make sure your equine is comfortable in his tack and equipment, and if he has been privy to all the Groundwork necessary for strong and balanced postural core strength, then mounting should never be an issue at all. He will possess the strength to hold fast to his good equine posture when standing still and your tack and equipment should not shift and make him want to move. Equines become disobedient when they experience a loss of balance. When your equine is slowly and adequately prepared to carry a rider, or pull a vehicle, you are better able to enjoy your time together!
By Meredith Hodges
Of course, in order to enjoy Winter games and sports, you must first be sure to dress appropriately for the weather in your area. If you live in a cool or cold climate, dress in layered clothing you can easily remove if you need to. Wear a hat to conserve your body heat and footwear that keeps your feet warm and dry. What your equine wears in cold weather is equally important. For instance, if your equine’s winter coat tends to be on the thinner side, he may need a blanket for the long Winter nights to keep his body from expending too much energy just trying to stay warm. The blanket will also serve to mat down his coat so there is less chance of it becoming entangled in his tack or harness. If you have a stall for your equine, just for Winter months, you may want to trace-clip him in the areas that do the most sweating so that when he is worked, he will cool down quickly and easily. Promoting good circulation keeps your equine warm, helps his body to stay flexible and supple, and cuts way down on his muscle and bone stiffness. Be sure to begin any and all workouts and recreational activities with consistent and appropriate warm-up exercises.
Since most inclement weather produces slippery ground surfaces, if your equine is to be used extensively, it is important that he have appropriate shoes on his feet during the slippery seasons. On strictly muddy or slippery surfaces, tapping and drilling studs into his shoes can help immensely in giving him added traction. If cared for properly, you can remove these studs when you don’t need them. If you get snow in your area, you may want to go with borium shoes and rim pads. The borium shoes supply good traction, while the rim pads prevent snow from balling up in your equine’s feet. I also suggest using splint boots on all four of his legs. This will protect against injury and give him added support and protection of his fetlock joints.
The better trained your equine is, the more possibilities there are for Winter sports and games. If the idea of taking lessons at a riding stable that has an indoor arena appeals to you, Winter tends to be a less hectic, more peaceful time of year in which to learn and practice without the added stress and anxiety of showing and other warm weather activities. But even if you want to forego the lessons, there are numerous stables that will rent the use of their indoor arenas for a nominal fee and there are places to trail ride through beautiful Winter scenes. People and equines alike seem to derive great pleasure from these Winter get-togethers when they are carefully and responsibly planned.
Another great way to have fun with your equine is participating in Winter games and holiday parades. Christmas is always a joyous time to bring your equine out of the barn. Consider decorating your equine, dressing up yourself and then riding or driving in your local Christmas parade. This can be loads of fun! Caroling aboard your equine throughout your neighborhood is also a wonderful way for you, your equine and your neighbors to get into the holiday spirit. Oftentimes when my equines and I have gone out caroling after a Christmas parade, the neighborhood children have come out to sing and dance behind our caroling caravan! This kind of pure joy is contagious and always reminds me of the true meaning of the Christmas season.
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 to facilitate good communication from your hands to the corners of your equine’s mouth. The bit should also be a comfortable width, leaving a half-inch from the hinge on both sides of his mouth. If the bit is placed too high or too low in the animal’s mouth, his fussing while he tries to get comfortable will override his ability to receive clear communication from your hands. NOTE: Be sure the chin chain on a curb bit lies flat and allows for two fingers to fit easily between the chain and his jaw.
Although the mule is a tough and durable animal, there are places on his body where his skin is particularly sensitive and easily chafed, so when fitting a harness or saddle you must pay special attention to these parts of his body. The collar on a harness, for example, needs to fit snugly and smoothly in front of the shoulders, allowing your hand to slip easily between the collar and the base of your mule’s throat and chest. A collar that is either too tight or too loose can rub and cause soreness, inhibiting maximum performance. When improperly adjusted, a breast collar harness can also cause rubbing at the points of the shoulders.
material is used for the girth on your harness or saddle. This may also be true in the case of the breeching and the crupper. The cleanliness, correct adjustment and comfort of the harness, saddle and other equipment can actually be a matter of safety for both you and your animal.
In the past, saddles were constructed to accommodate the physiques of the horses of that time. Over the years, as training programs for mules have evolved and begun to correctly build muscle for equine activities. Saddle makers have also evolved, and now specialize in the construction of saddles that are tailored to the physical differences of individual equines. Saddle trees are now made with different widths and lengths of the bars in the tree, and even different materials are being used to make the trees, allowing for more flexibility and a better fit. Since the mule is structurally different from any horse, it is even more important to carefully consider your choice of saddle for your mule. Saddle makers now make custom saddles with specially designed trees with “mule bars,” but these are not standard and should be fitted to the conformation of the individual mule, with consideration given to the activity for which he will be used. Although they may appear more comfortable, beware of saddles with trees that may be too flexible, as they do not offer the solid foundation to support an unbalanced rider on a poorly conditioned animal. Often, a saddle can be found that will closely fit your animal, and can be made to fit even better with the addition of extra and/or specialized pads, breast collars, breeching or cruppers. However, with extended use, you may find that these simple modifications are inadequate. An equine’s shape will change with physical conditioning and, as the level of performance is increased, it becomes increasingly more important to have equipment that fits properly, affords comfort and lends support.
t the top that just catches through a four-inch sleeve on the post wing. It is easy to reach over the top for opening.
