round pen

January 28 2024

MULE CROSSING: Donkey Training, Part 3

Kyle Davidson LTR Blog, LTR Blog - Donkey Training, Mule Crossing Donkey training, Ground Driving, Halter and Tack, lucky three ranch, Meredith Hodges, Mule Crossing, round pen, Trot 0

By Meredith Hodges

Prior to each training session with your donkey, review all that he has previously learned: Always lead him to and from the work station in a showmanship manner, holding the lead in your left hand with your right arm extended forward; groom him and clean his feet; review the turn on the forehand and turn on the hindquarters in the round pen; and send him forward to the rail in the round pen at the walk. You may have discovered that you need to follow him more closely than you would a horse or mule. Staying in the middle of the round pen while you lunge your donkey may not be practical to keep him moving. Just stay behind him and to the side while driving him forward with your lunge whip, touching him with it only when absolutely necessary. Match your steps with his steps—walk only as fast as HE chooses. If you get in a hurry, he will stop. Be sure to give the command to “whoa” each time you want him to stop, and then reward him.

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.

So far, your donkey has worked only in his halter. This is the point at which mules and donkeys may differ. Your donkey has learned the walk and the reverse. Now he needs to learn the command to “trot.” Some donkeys will take exception to this command if they do not see a purpose in it. It is at this point that you should introduce the saddle, and/or driving harness (if he is too small to ride). You should also introduce him to the bridle at the same time. Let him see the harness (or saddle), then slowly put it on him. Most donkeys will let you do this quite easily.

Once he is tacked up, send him, at the walk, to the rail of the round pen again. Then give the command to “trot” and move toward his hindquarters with the whip, shuffling your feet in the dirt to make some noise. If he trots at this point, do not strike him with the whip or he will stop. If he isn’t trotting, you may strike him with the whip once at the gaskin, above the hock. Then keep shuffling your feet and move forward as he does, maintaining the same distance between the two of you. Move your arms up and down in big motions to encourage him forward. If needed, you can strike the fence behind him. If you invade his space, he will stop. If he trots, even a few steps, stop him with the command to “whoa” and reward him for his compliance. Do this one more time to clarify that you DO want him to trot. Then end the lesson here. He will be better at the next session, and at each new session, he will offer more steps of trot. Each time he trots, ask him to go only as far as he is comfortable, as long as it is just a little farther than the time before, and ask him to trot only twice in each direction. Donkeys don’t appreciate too much repetition.

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!

At the next lesson with your donkey, review all you did before and add turning through the middle of the pen, and turning both into the rail and away from the rail on the drivelines using your body language and your whip cues (as lightly as possible). Be clear with your verbal commands. For instance, tell him to “walk on,” and repeat the words as he walks on. When you wish to turn, give the command to “whoa,” then “gee” for a right turn, and “walk on” to continue forward. When you wish to turn left, ask him to “whoa” then use the command “haw” for the left turn, and “walk on” to continue forward. Be very careful not to pull too hard on the reins, as this will cause an over-reaction. After his ground-driving lesson, take off the drive lines and resume his lesson on lunging at the trot. Remember not to overdo any one stage of training. Two times seems to be the magic number, then go on to the next step. In other words, lunge at the walk twice each way, ground drive straight twice each way, ground drive reverse twice each way, ground drive turns twice each way, and lunge at the trot twice each way. This will keep him from becoming bored and resistant.

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.

Have your assistant lead your donkey forwards a few steps with you aboard. Both of you should give the command to “walk on” as you squeeze with your legs once or twice, then the assistant can lead your donkey off. Have a riding crop in your hand to use if he does not comply. This will take the place of the lunge whip. Use it only if you have to and tap him only once lightly for every command you give. After just a few steps, say “whoa” and reward him, even if it is just two 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.

Donkeys learn a little differently than do mules or horses. Their responses are initially much slower but if you are clear with your intent, they learn completely. In halter training, your donkey learned to walk when you pull and to move away when you apply pressure to a certain area of his body. In the round pen, he learned to walk away from you and to walk and turn on the drivelines. He learned to walk with you on his back (with someone leading him to help reinforce the cues you were giving him). You and your assistant must be in tune with each other so as not to confuse your donkey. He will learn that the verbal command comes first, the legs come second (when you ride), and the crop (or whip) comes last. As he learns, he will begin to respond more closely to the initial verbal command. Ground driving is the same, with the reins in place of the legs. At first, you may need to use the voice, reins and whip, but as he learns, you will find him reacting sooner and sooner, until he is actually complying on the verbal command alone. Yes, donkeys are that smart!

You may have been having trouble with the trot on the lead up to this point, but now your donkey should be ready to do that as well. After your trotting lesson in the round pen, leave the area in a showmanship fashion, with the lead in your left hand and a treat in your extended right hand. Give the command to “trot” and slowly move into a trot yourself. If he still does not wish to trot, have your assistant move up from behind, just as you did when you were lunging him at the trot in the round pen, and he should comply. Take a few steps of trot, then ask him to “whoa,” give him his treat and “walk on.” It won’t take but a few lessons before he begins to understand the verbal commands. You just need to take it slowly enough and be consistent enough so that he has the opportunity to understand. Don’t get in a hurry, or you will find yourself in a sea of confusion!

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.

January 25 2024

MULE CROSSING: Donkey Training, Part 2

Kyle Davidson LTR Blog, LTR Blog - Donkey Training, Mule Crossing Donkey training, lucky three ranch, Meredith Hodges, Mule Crossing, Observation, round pen 0

By Meredith Hodges

If you have followed the steps outlined in Donkey Training, Part 1, your donkey should now—be easy to catch, let you put on his halter and lead, stand quietly while being groomed, allow you to pick up and clean his feet, follow you on the lead both over and around obstacles, load into a trailer, and follow your shoulder and your verbal commands. He should be happy and willing to be with you. This is a good time to let him watch other animals being worked, if possible. Donkeys and mules really can learn the purpose of their training when they see other equines being worked. When they are watching, you can almost hear them saying, “When is it going to be my turn?” They may actually be jealous of time spent with someone other than themselves. They’ll get to see other animals being tacked up in bridles and saddles and handling it well. When it is their turn to be saddled or bridled, they are not as afraid as they might have been if they had never watched.

Another good idea is to lead them around the area in which you will be working, so you can “inspect” it together. This allows them time to see if there is anything to which they may take exception before you start asking them to do anything. They will appreciate your consideration and be more willing to work for you. Don’t assume that, just because they were there the day before, they will remember that it was all right. Begin each new day with a brief walk around the schooling area. After all, things do have a way of changing from day to day, even if it is as slight as a new plant, or a stick, or anything that wasn’t there before. You may not remember things in such minute detail, but donkeys definitely do. This is one way you can minimize distraction and resistance during the actual training process.

Now you and your donkey will begin his training in a round pen, or a small pen that has been modified so that the corners are rounded. Take him into the round pen with only his halter and lead. The first thing he will need to learn is to move away from pressure. Donkeys naturally move into pressure and are terrific “crowders.” They always seem to want to be as close to you as possible. I would suspect that this is a defense tactic. Horses and mules have the initial natural instinct to flee when they think they are in danger. Donkeys are just the opposite and will freeze. If a donkey is attacked, he will move his body into the predator in hopes of knocking him to the ground, where he can then use his hooves and teeth for defense. It is important that you teach him right from the beginning that you are not a predator and that he must not move into you. If he does knock you down, it could be very dangerous, especially if he is a jack.

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.

Next, you will teach your donkey to back up. Hold the lead in your left hand, pull down and back, release, down and back, and release while you give the command, “Back.” If he doesn’t take a step back, use your right hand to push and release on the middle of his chest. It is most effective if you use only one finger, and you may have to push hard before you release to get the desired response. When he takes one step back, no matter how small the step is, reward him with a treat, praise him and stroke him on the shoulder, wither, or poll, or scratch his chest—whichever pleases him most. Do this exercise no more than three times, and then end your lesson. You can ask for a better response the next time.

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.

You can determine the distance you need to keep from your donkey to get the desired response by watching his reaction to you. When you are too close, he will stop and tuck his tail. If you are too far away, he will slow his gait and begin to 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.

When training your donkey, make sure you have plenty of time: You never want to get in a hurry. You want your time together to be a fun and enjoyable experience, with each of you learning about and from the other. Most of us today are on fast-forward but remember—your donkey is in slow-mo!

Covered in TRAINING MULES & DONKEY: A LOGICAL APPROACH TO TRAINING, TRAINING WITHOUT RESISTANCE and EQUUS REVISITED at www.luckythreeranchstore.com.

November 27 2023

MULE CROSSING: The Round Pen

Kyle Davidson LTR Blog, Mule Crossing constructing the round pen, lucky three ranch, Meredith Hodges, Mule Crossing, round pen 0

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.

1. 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.
2. Do not BEGIN training your equine in the Round Pen, because an unbalanced and inexperienced equine in uncontrolled flight, in a truly confined space, can easily injure himself.
3. Specific types of leading exercises must be used to teach him to be in good equine posture and balance on straight lines and gradual arcs before your equine is introduced to the Round Pen and asked to balance at all three gaits on a circle.
  1. He needs work on Leading Training in the Hourglass Pattern in an arena, tacked up with an English Eggbutt snaffle bridle, the “Elbow Pull” and a surcingle or lightweight saddle.
  2. When his postural core strength is in an adequate Leading balance in the arena, you can add obstacles.
  3. He will learn verbal commands, body language and will be able to balance his weight equally over all four feet and do all the exercises on verbal commands and hand signals alone. he is then ready to graduate to the Round Pen.
4. When your equine is properly prepared beforehand, the Round Pen can then become a viable and important training tool.
  1. He will learn to Lunge freely at all three gaits while remaining in good posture.
  2. He learns to responds promptly and correctly to verbal commands and body language.
  3. He learns the basics about lunging on a lunge line.
  4. He learns how to be lunged on the Drive Lines.
  5. He learns how to Ground Drive the perimeter, then how to do turns and reverses.
  6. He will learn how to stand still on command at any time and be mounted.
5. When choosing the site for your Round Pen, pick a spot that is surrounded by activity and even near the road, so it can serve a dual purpose. Not only will you begin to build your equine’s muscle during training sessions—you will get his attention under a variety of distractions. When he is exposed to noise and activity in the Round Pen at this early stage, it is less likely to bother him later under saddle, or in harness. He will gain confidence in any situation.
6. Try to pick a site that is flat and not rocky. Ideally, it should have a solid base of hard-packed adobe soil.
  1. If your ground is not flat, you will need to grade a flat spot and then bring in fill-dirt, shoot it with a transit to make sure it is truly flat. You have spent a lot of time working on your equine’s posture and an irregular ground surface will interfere with that and set him back into poor equine posture.
  2. Make sure it is tamped and hardened before the three-inch depth of sand is added.
  3. The diameter of the Round Pen should be approximately 45 feet, so you can easily reach your equine on the rail with your lunge whip when you stand in the center.
  4. Uneven terrain can cause uneven balance, rhythm and cadence to his gait and will cause irregularity in the footfall pattern, which will result in asymmetrical development of your equine’s muscular-skeletal system. We used fill dirt with a retaining wall to make sure the ground was flat and even so as not to undo our equines’ good posture.
  5. A smooth, hard under-surface below the sand gives your equine a smooth surface on which to place his feet without fear of injury to the sensitive parts of his hooves from rocks or other debris. His stops will become correct and balanced, and ready him properly for the sliding stops in Reining.
  6. Even and level ground will assure his regularity of gait and sustained balance on the circle that will build core muscle symmetrically as he circles, maintaining his erect posture and correctly bending through his rib cage with equal weight over all four feet and energy coming from the hindquarters.
  7. Making sure the circle is actually round so it will help him learn to bend his body properly through the rib cage while he is traveling on the circle.
7. Once the site is prepped, dig post holes at eight-foot centers on the circle and twenty-three feet from the center of the Round Pen to give you the 45 foot diameter.
  1. 1. Next, pour concrete in the bottoms of the holes and measure the depth of the posts so when the posts are placed in the holes, they will all be at the same height. (There should be three feet of post in the hole and five feet above ground.) Use eight-foot posts.
    2. All types of wood are toxic to equines to some degree, but treated woods can contain arsenic and should be avoided. Redwood is okay, but the best posts to use are made from steel—they will last much longer than wood. Also, steel posts can be welded with “winged plates” so the boards can be easily bolted to the posts and changed out easily.
    3. Use two-by-twelve-inch wooden boards for the walls, and a smaller two-by-six-inch board around the bottom to keep the sand inside. Stack four two-inch by twelve-inch boards around on top, with three-inch spaces between the boards and a three-inch top of the post showing.
    4. The spaces between the wider boards will allow you to get a toe into the fence so you can easily climb in and out of the Round Pen, and it gives you a place to tie an animal at any post.
    5. Unlike a Round Pen made from corral panels, the twelve-inch boards keep your toes from getting caught or twisted when riding close to the rail. It’s a much safer design and truly functional for all levels of Round Pen training.
    6. For both trainer and equine safety, the use of electric and wire fences and materials, such as pallets and tires, should be avoided completely. If the equine decides he wants to leave, he can easily get tangled in a lot of these other materials…just not safe for either of you.
    7. Tie rings can be added onto the outside of selected posts to secure extra equines outside the Round Pen while they wait their turn.
    8. A Round Pen with solid walls should be avoided. An equine that learns to work in an open Round Pen is less likely to feel “trapped” and fearful of abrupt movements and noises, so he can concentrate on his work. He learns to acknowledge and accept interruptions and will keep on working.
    9. Using bolts for the two-by-twelve inch rails makes for easy replacement as the boards become worn, and putting a metal cap around the top with angle iron, will discourage chewing when you are not there to supervise.
    10. The gate posts should always be steel and sunk into 3’ concrete, as wooden posts tend to sag over time. The gate itself should be framed in steel to keep it from warping and sagging. The latch on the gate should be easily accessible from both sides, but the gate needs only to swing into the Round Pen for easy entrances and exits.
    11. Next, set in the gate (either finished or not) and close it to complete the circle. Check the diameter of the circle and the distance to each post from the center to make sure it is truly 45 feet round and that all posts are upright and level.
    12. The Round Pen gate pictured swings in and has a sliding barrel bolt at the top that just catches through a four-inch sleeve on the post wing. It is easy to reach over the top for opening.
  1. Once the cement at the bottom of the post holes is level and completely dry and the posts are sitting in the not-yet-filled post holes, attach the top and bottom boards all the way around, check each post and rail with a level, and then attach wooden braces to the entire Round Pen at each post to hold the position.
  2. Now pour the concrete into the holes around the posts. Allow enough time for the concrete to set up before removing the braces.
  3. When the concrete has dried completely, clean the excess concrete from around the holes. Then finish hanging all the board rails, cap them with angle iron and add whatever tie rings you want to the outside of the posts.
  4. Let some time pass before adding the sand to your Round Pen. Wet weather will actually help to further compact the base, which should be hardened so it can last for many years, so if you are expecting rain or snow, all the better.
  5. Once the base is hard and dry, add three inches of clean sand to the Round Pen—no more and no less. If the sand is not deep enough, the hard ground can hurt your equine’s limbs and possibly cause laminitis. But if the sand is too deep, it can damage ligaments, tendons and soft tissue.
  6. If your equine ingests the sand he may colic or founder, so make sure to use your Round Pen for training only, never for turnout or feeding. The equines can develop sand colic from eating off the floor of this kind of pen.
8. The Round Pen can be used as a holding pen for short periods of time, but do not place food or water inside and use it as a permanent pen.
  1. It is too small for good health.
  2. This small area can exacerbate the animal and cause anxiety as their permanent residence. Stress is not good for the animal.
  3. Equines will put more energy into getting out if they are not comfortable.
9. Good Round Pen construction makes all the difference.
  1. With intelligent construction and attention to detail, your Round Pen will serve a multitude of uses for years to come and can be quite easy to maintain. A metal, angle-iron cap around the top rails will keep the animals from chewing on it when they are left standing and waiting for their lessons to continue.
  2. Maintenance will be easy and materials cost will not be as expensive in the long run depending on what materials you use. Keep extra boards on hand as replacements at your original lower cost.
  3. I began by using simple 2” X 12” wooden boards and 8’ posts when I first bought the original 10 acres of the Lucky Three Ranch because I could not afford any more than that. I just kept improving the conditions as I could afford it. I did this with the entire facility…year after year…Barns, Sheds, Fences, Round Pen, Hot Walker, Tack Barn, etc.
  4. The Round Pen is not the place to START TRAINING. It is a place to get through those difficult learning processes where you need the containment of the equine for more meticulous work. I would even use it for the beginning of obstacle training. It is MUCH easier to teach the equine not to be afraid of obstacles when you do it a very confined space. I begin obstacle training by placing my obstacles in the confined space BEHIND my Round Pen in my indoor arena…so much easier when they don’t have as much space to avoid the tasks! If you cannot place your obstacles this way, then just put them along the side of your Round pen and use them in it as needed.
  5. I am no longer afraid of getting a loan and paying more money up front if it will save maintenance costs in the long run. Remember that the replacement materials are always getting more expensive and the price never seems to go down! The Round Pen really IS a must for many reasons! It is a truly legitimate investment with its numerous uses. The Round Pen is an essential tool to set you and your equine up for success!

Covered in TRAINING MULES & DONKEY: A LOGICAL APPROACH TO TRAINING, TRAINING WITHOUT RESISTANCE and EQUUS REVISITED at www.luckythreeranchstore.com.

September 21 2023

MULE CROSSING: Good Basic Training Includes Common Sense, Part 4

Kyle Davidson Mule Crossing Core Conditioning, Driving, lucky three ranch, Lunging, Meredith Hodges, reining, round pen, Training Mules and Donkeys 0

By Meredith Hodges

In Part3, your equine was properly strengthened and balanced in good posture during the more passive exercises in leading training over obstacles. Now, in the fourth and final part of this article, you and your equine will head to the round pen and learn how to balance correctly on the circle at the faster gaits. You’ll also learn the more advanced and quicker moves that are required under saddle and in harness.

Only after you have adequately completed lead line flatwork and obstacle training is your equine truly ready to move on to the round pen and begin lunging and learning to balance on a circle at the more active gaits. At this stage, he should be complying willingly, walking with the lead rope slung over his neck and with his head at your shoulder. By now, his core muscles should be properly conditioned and strong enough to support his skeletal system during more active use and more complicated movements. Note: The equine that has not had this prior lead line balance and good posture training will have difficulty in the round pen because he has not learned to stay erect and bend his body through the rib cage when on arcs and circles.

When you are lunging your equine, stand close to the center of the round pen, focus your eyes on the lower part of your equine’s haunches, and then give the verbal command to “Walk on.” Let your eyes and whip follow his haunches while you stand in the center of the round pen. If you want him to stop, say “Whoa,” and then move your eyes and body sideways so that you are more in front of him. Then raise your head and eyes to meet his eyes. If you want him to do a reverse, give the verbal command to “Reverse,” move your body sideways and crack the whip smartly in front of him. You should now be almost directly in front of him, looking him straight in the eye. It is the movement of your body that will make the difference between the halt and the turn. Notice how these subtle differences in your body affect what he does. If you practice these movements correctly and consistently, you will begin to see an improvement in your own body language and in your equine’s response. It doesn’t matter what anyone else does or says; you go right ahead and take the time you need to work out each maneuver with your equine. Accuracy is preferred over speed.

Lunging involves a lot more than just running your equine around in a circle. It affords you a tremendous opportunity to see the affect your body language has on your equine’s reactions. Lunging also helps you to understand how you can fine-tune the communication between the two of you while developing balanced, cadenced and rhythmic gaits in your animal. So start slow and don’t let things go beyond what you can easily control.

With the use of the “Elbow Pull” (instructions on how to make an “Elbow Pull” are given in the Equus Revisited DVD), your equine will begin to build muscle over a correct postural frame. This is much better than letting him develop muscle out of good posture, and then having to go back later and break down established muscle that is out of frame and causing problems. The “Elbow Pull” is not in any way abusive. It is, in fact, a “self-correcting” support, designed to simply suggest to an equine that he stay in good posture. If he stays in good posture, he feels nothing uncomfortable. But if he gets out of good posture, it puts a humane but firm pressure on his poll, his bit, behind his forearms and over his back. This is not unlike the grandmother who insisted that, to assure good posture, you walk with a book on your head. It may have sounded silly at first, but as you got older, you were happy you did it because it taught you good posture that eventually became a healthy and habitual way of moving. The “Elbow Pull” serves the same purpose for your equine and provides support when he cannot consistently hold good posture—he learns a healthy and habitual way of moving.

Before your equine learns to balance with a rider, he must first build muscle so he can sustain his own balance on the circle before carrying a rider. This is also true if you want your animal to learn to lunge on a lunge line. An equine that has not had enough time in the round pen establishing strength, coordination and balance on the circle will have difficulty on the lunge line, because even the slightest pressure on the line will pull him off-balance. Loss of balance will cause stress and even panic in your equine, which can result in him pulling the lunge line right out of your hands and running off. This is not disobedience but rather, fear caused by a loss of balance so do not punish him for this reaction. The animal that has had strength built on the circle before lunging and riding will not exhibit these undesirable behaviors, which are often misinterpreted as disobedience.

Lunging will begin to develop hard muscle over the core muscles and tendons you have already spent so many months strengthening. It will further enhance your equine’s ability to perform and stay balanced in action. As this becomes his true way of going, you will notice that even his play patterns begin to change dramatically. Be sure to be consistent with your verbal commands during these beginning stages, as they set the stage for better communication going forward.

After your equine has learned verbal commands while lunging, your next step is to train him to be equally responsive to verbal commands in conjunction with the drivelines. This is done first in the round pen, and then in an open arena, (which will introduce him to a larger space where he will need to become even more responsive to your rein cues).

I have found that, in most cases, the larger the animal, the more docile the personality, which seems to be a general rule of thumb. I have also learned that, if a donkey or mule has a tendency to bolt and run, it’s because they don’t necessarily agree with what you are trying to do or how you are trying to do it. Even though horses usually comply fairly easily, it is important to remember that any disobedience on the part of any equine is ALWAYS the handler’s fault. Regardless of the personality type of an equine, he will always have an honest response to any stimulus. If you ask in the right way, you will get the desired response.

If your equine wants to bolt when you ground-drive from behind, walk beside him and gradually lengthen the distance, one inch at a time, until he has accepted the drivelines correctly—no matter how long it takes. But don’t work on lessons more than 20 to 40 minutes every other day, and make sure he gets his crimped oats reward for “Whoa” and “Back.” I give a lot of “Back” commands while ground driving close to an animal, and I repeat “Back” frequently at every increased or decreased distance behind him. Keep things at a very slow walk until you feel relaxation through the drivelines (there should be no hint of pulling). Stay calm and deliberate and go slowly—be willing to take all the time in the world, if necessary. Whether you are just beginning training, or are already working under saddle, while you and your equine are going to and from the work areas, and during any ground interaction, always review the lessons in showmanship covered in DVDs #1, #8 and #9 of my series, Training Mules & Donkeys before moving on to any new exercises. This will help your equine to really and truly bond with you on a very personal level. If you have multiple equines, be sure to treat every equine as your very favorite whenever you interact with them.

Certain personality types such as slow learners, over-achievers or sensitive individuals do take longer to come around, but when treated with plenty of patience, kindness, trust and respect, they usually do. These personality types may not necessarily be suitable for driving, but they can be quite suitable for under saddle. In fact, once they do come around, the more “difficult” equines, especially those that have previously been neglected or abused, often bond more strongly with you and look to you as their “protector.” They are grateful for your patience and kindness. These are sometimes the ones who will end up having more “spirit” and thus, more athletic tendencies and ability.

Because I have dealt with many animals that were high strung, I have learned that they require tremendous patience, but I also know that they can come around. You might just need to back up and do things even more slowly and more meticulously than you ever thought you would need to, but if you do, you should see some positive results. If you lower your expectations for a while and try to have more fun with the basics, chances are that your equine will, too.

Always make sure you work in areas that are adequately and safely fenced so that, if your equine bolts, you can more easily catch him again. If he bolts, DO NOT, under any circumstances, hold onto the reins, lead or drivelines. Just let go of the lead or drivelines if you are on the ground, and let the reins loose if you are in the saddle. Whether he is on the lead line, in the drivelines or under saddle, when your equine realizes that you aren’t going to play “tug-o-war,” that he will get a reward for staying put, and that it is a waste of his energy to keep running, he will bolt less and less until the unwanted behavior has stopped.

When ground driving, you should not worry about the whip while in the round pen, as the walls will help guide your animal in maintaining the correct position. What you really need to do is keep even contact on both lines (reins) when going in a straight line (or, when in the round pen, on the circle). To get your equine to begin stepping laterally, slightly tighten the outside driveline while maintaining contact on the inside driveline, so that he cannot complete the turn. Stay directly behind his haunches and urge him forward. This will cause him to begin to step sideways, with his face to the wall. Take only a couple of steps this way, and then slowly straighten him out again—you can build-in more lateral steps as he begins to understand what you want. Be sure to reward him with crimped oats every time you halt.

Once you begin ground driving in the open, you can then carry your whip in your right hand. Feed the line into your right hand under your third, fourth and fifth fingers, and then up between your thumb and index finger. The whip handle will be held in the palm and also come up between your thumb and index finger. Tilt this hand to tap the right and left sides of your animal’s body. The left-hand driveline is fed over the index finger and held by the thumb, and then falls down through the palm. To set the bend for the leg yield (opposite from the way your equine will be tracking), shorten the inside rein and hold it steady. Not too much of a bend—you just want to be able to see his eye on that side. Then squeeze and release the directing (right-hand) driveline to indicate that you want him to move in the direction you are squeezing and releasing. Be sure to give plenty of release between pulls so he doesn’t go too far sideways at first. This should be a leg yield action and not a “side pass.” The “side pass” will come later, as he better understands what you want. If he doesn’t follow your leading rein, you can encourage him to move over by tapping him gently on his opposite side. It can be very awkward at first, but with time and patience, these movements (both his and yours) will continue to improve.

Only after he is light and responsive to all commands in the round pen and he ground-drives well in the open arena, should you mount him and begin riding in the round pen. When he is light and responsive in the bridle in the round pen, you can then ride in the open, but continue to work in the open arena on perfecting his technique and his responsiveness in the snaffle bit.

You need to be willing to spend the time to teach these things slowly and in an order that will make sense to your equine, so he is not faced with learning too much too quickly. As you have probably already experienced, when you hurry through this process, he may be able to do certain movements, but he will not be responsive to your cues. Unresponsiveness is a sure sign that there has just not been enough time for the lessons he is learning to become his habitual way of responding.

If an animal is trained with sequential, resistance-free training techniques and is given adequate time on groundwork training (a minimum of one year on the lead line and a second year on lunging and ground driving), he will warm up to other people more easily and will be more “sensible” than those animals that are not trained this way. Each new owner should take the time to review these techniques with newly acquired equines, just to create their own personal relationship with that animal and dispel the negativity of any prior relationships the animal might have had. Spending time doing simple basic groundwork training before actually riding allows your relationship with your equine to develop in a safe and healthy way. It will teach both you (the handler) and your equine how to communicate clearly and effectively. The exercises described in this article will condition your equine’s body so he can more easily carry a rider (whether the rider is balanced or not), and help your equine to be more capable of executing whatever demands the future may hold.

Remember that patience, kindness, respect and consideration from you will yield the same qualities in return from your equine. When you take the time to cultivate a good relationship with him, you will find that you have a much safer and happier riding and driving companion.

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.

August 10 2023

MULE CROSSING: Getting Down with Minis, Part 4

Kyle Davidson LTR Blog, Mule Crossing coordination, Driving, elbow pull, Equus Revisited, Leading, lucky three ranch, Meredith Hodges, mini donkeys, Mule Crossing, obstacles, round pen, Training Mini Donkeys 0

By Meredith Hodges

In Part 1, you learned how to begin the relationship with your miniature equine in a positive and natural way that fosters good behavior and a good relationship between you. You also learned the importance of getting down to your mini’s eye level so that he can make eye contact with you, which discourages striking, jumping on you and other bad behaviors that are common when working with miniature equines. In Part 2, I discussed how important it is to successfully complete the tasks in Part 1 before moving on to Part 2, and I explained why it is advisable to work minis in groups, as they perform better when they are with their friends. You also learned how to train minis to go over and around various obstacles. Remember that all of this is to be done with no expectations that may overwhelm your mini—it is better if you maintain an attitude of fun and games. In Part 3, we got down to some serious groundwork training so that your mini can be used for driving and showing in hand. He learned to lunge and to be ground driven in the round pen and in the open arena through the hourglass pattern and, if part of a team, how to do these things as a pair.

In Part 4, you will learn how toteach your mini to pull correctly and in good equine posture in the hourglass pattern, but without actually pulling anything such as a tire, log or vehicle. We are only concerned with his moving forward in good equine posture while initiating thrust or “impulsion” from the hindquarters. (This training is very similar to a human learning to “lift” correctly using his legs instead of his back.). In order to learn how to do this, your mini will need to be equipped with my self-correcting restraint for equines called the “Elbow Pull.” (How to make the “Elbow Pull” is covered in my Equus Revisited DVD.) When he is in good equine posture, the “Elbow Pull” will remain loose, but if he tries to raise his head too far, it will restrict that movement so that he cannot hollow his neck and back and begin to build muscle in this undesirable posture. The “Elbow Pull” does not pull his head down. Rather, it gives him something to lean against for a few strides at a time until he is able to resume good equine posture and self-carriage again. At first, when the muscles are not able to sustain good posture at all times, he will move in and out of good posture. The “Elbow Pull” supports good equine postural balance and acts much like the balance bar that is used by a ballet dancer until she or he is strong enough to hold any postural position in the middle of the room without support. This becomes very important when your mini is in draught (pulling an obstacle or vehicle) in order to make sure he will pull correctly, and symmetrically condition his body’s muscles to avoid future injury to the internal structures within his body.

By now your mini has already learned to ground-drive the hourglass pattern and has negotiated the obstacle course on the lead line. There are still more obstacle exercises you can do to strengthen your mini and improve his strength and coordination to prepare him for driving before he is ever hitched to a cart or carriage. Now he is ready to learn to ground-drive the obstacle course. The obstacle course exercises will increase his confidence in being in the lead and help him to go bravely ahead of you upon command.

Approach each obstacle on the drive lines and if he balks and refuses to go forward, just stop, gently lay the lines over his back and then lead him through. Then go back and try again on the drive lines. In order to alleviate any fear or confusion your mini may feel, remember to “get down” to his eye level whenever possible. NOTE: Don’t forget to always reward him with his favorite crimped oats for compliance.

Once your mini is willing to go straight through the obstacle with a calm attitude and no balking, you can then begin to break each obstacle down into smaller, easier steps, rewarding and praising him for each success. If he is apprehensive about any obstacle, you should lead him through these smaller steps with frequent halts before attempting to ground-drive him through. He may need these detailed “explanations” before he is willing to “take the lead.”

If you are training him on the bridge obstacle, go to the landing, stop, square up, put the lines up and reward, then resume your position and drive him up onto the bridge, but with only his front feet on the bridge, and then stop again. Put up the lines, walk forward and reward. Then drive him completely onto the bridge, stop, square up, put up the lines and reward. If he is having problems squaring up on the lines, then just square him up when you get to his head before you reward him.

The most difficult move your mini will have to do is to put two front feet on the ground while he leaves two back feet on the bridge. Just as you did on the lead line, hold steady on the drive lines and, if necessary, before you ask him to ground-drive ahead of you and hold the position, walk forward to help him to first get into and hold the position. Be sure to give him his reward once he is in the correct stance. You want him to succeed with every effort and you should be ready and willing to help him whenever he really needs it.

You can ask him to take full responsibility for perfect balance and negotiation of the obstacle later. For now, your primary task is to help him get through the obstacles successfully and with as little help as possible. Breaking obstacles down into smaller steps will increase his balance, coordination, agility and self-confidence. Even after he has become competent while hitched to the vehicle, you can use ground-driving obstacle exercises in the “Elbow Pull” to finesse his movements during future lessons. It will add variety to your mini’s lessons and continue to promote health, coordination and good equine posture.

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.

July 16 2023

MULE CROSSING: Training Longears: What’s the Difference? Part 2

Kyle Davidson LTR Blog, Mule Crossing dressage, Leading, lucky three ranch, Meredith Hodges, Mule Crossing, obstacles, round pen, Showmanship, Training Longears 0

In Part 1 of What’s the Difference? we began to define a few of the things that are unique to my training program. At the beginning of my career, it wasn’t long before I realized that, if I wanted to improve my skills and get a better response from my long-eared equine partners, I had to go back to the beginning, start over and pay close attention to what they needed from me at each stage of training in order to accurately perform what I was asking. When I did, lessons truly became a resistance-free, cooperative effort!

I soon realized that leading training had more value than just teaching to lead, tie and perfect technique for a showmanship class. For instance, holding the lead rope in the left hand while pointing to where I was going with the right hand, and using the right hand to maintain the position of the equine, was an important way to allow him to be responsible for his own balance with minimal interference. When I was holding the lead in my right hand, every movement of my hand caused him to have a slight loss of balance. Having the fanny pack of crimped oats strapped to my waist kept his attention on me and prevented him from forging ahead or running off entirely. Teaching the trot on the lead rope was much easier.

I soon discovered that the equine would actually measure his stride to mine when I paid attention to my own posture during leading and kept my steps and stops rhythmic and in synchronization with his. When I kept my transitions from walk to stop smooth and fluid and stopped with my feet together, so did he. When I was consistent about asking him to square up and put equal weight over all four feet at every stop, he would soon make the adjustment himself when I turned to face him. I saw an improvement in balance and strength as I kept my walking lines straight and my turns smooth, working on a gradual arc rather than abrupt turns.

When I saw the difference in the equine’s at-rest position and play patterns, it was evident to me that the muscles at the core that surround the skeletal system were becoming stronger from these passive, isometric exercises. The mind of each animal was more alert and tuned into our tasks, and there was no real incidence of disobedience when I did my part correctly. In the quest to improve their strength and balance, I improved my own substantially.

On the obstacle course, the task is first to instill confidence and trust. When you lead, and use the crimped oats reward, it alleviates fear in the equine and gives them the motivation to explore. Over time, he begins to trust your judgment. When you put obstacles in comfort zones where they eat and rest, it will create anxiety instead of instilling confidence. In my estimation, equines aren’t really afraid of the obstacles themselves. It’s just a fear of being trapped or hurt.

But there is further value in obstacle training on the lead rope. With flatwork leading training, you have cultivated strength and balance in the equine at the core and are now ready to add coordination. Once the equine has learned to negotiate the obstacles without fear, he is then ready to go back through the obstacles and learn coordination by breaking these obstacles down into much smaller steps.

At each obstacle, approach, stop and square up in front of each obstacle. Then ask for the front feet to be placed into the obstacle, stop and square up. Then ask that all four feet be placed into the obstacle, stop and square up. Then ask for the two front feet to exit the obstacle, leave the hind feet within the obstacle, stop and square up. Then exit the obstacle, stop and square up once more before leaving the obstacle.

This approach teaches the equine to stop and rebalance at every new position throughout the obstacle. It builds body awareness as well as adding coordination. You will see that they are not really as balanced as you might think when you ask them to put the two front feet off the far side of the bridge while leaving the hind feet on the bridge. The equine will generally try to keep going forward, or the hind end will pass the front end as it falls off the bridge. When he is capable of doing so, he will be able to hold the position, but you might have to provide assistance the first few times in this awkward position.

You will soon discover after this kind of training that you no longer get your feet stepped on, and that they will avoid stepping on hoses during baths, or cords during clipping. They are truly more able to effectively balance their own bodies. And when you begin lunging in the round pen, the equine is better able to comply with your wishes to balance correctly on the circle at walk and trot. Movement will be more rhythmic with smooth and fluid transitions.

When allowed to freely move in the round pen at walk and trot, the animal who has had the benefit of detailed leading training will exhibit better balance than the one who has not. When he canters, the unbalanced equine will want to raise his head, and hollow his neck and back in varying degrees. In order for him to continue to build muscle in the correct frame, I use an aid I developed called the “Elbow Pull” to help maintain good posture and balance. I was first introduced to this concept by Richard Shrake. If the equine is allowed to exercise with the head and neck raised, he would build muscle out of good equine posture. That would need to be corrected later, and would cause disobedience during the lessons due to soreness, especially if done with a rider on his back. Strengthening the equine body in the correct posture first with the “Elbow Pull” and without the rider will prevent this problem. In addition, with this device, the equine will be started in a snaffle bit with the desired direct rein communication and will learn to be submissive and light in the bridle.

This originally disturbed the Dressage community until I was able to explain its function. This is a self-correcting aid for the equine. It does not force him to keep his head down. Rather, it simply does not allow him to raise his head too high and invert his neck and back. He is free to raise his head, but if too high, it puts pressure on the poll, on the bit, behind the forearms and over the back. It suggests that he lower his head and stretch the muscles across the entire top line in correct vertical flexion. When he is in good posture, all pressure is released and muscle is built symmetrically throughout the entire body in balance and good posture.

When doing exercise in the round pen, if verbal cues and rewards are consistent, your equine actually learns verbal communication in conjunction with body language and his understanding will increase much like a child’s does in grammar school. Equines may not be able to speak English, but they can certainly learn to understand it. Being in good posture will begin to facilitate correct lateral bend to his body and build those muscles in correct posture. He will offer the canter when he is strong enough, so forcing canter is not necessary. Turning him into the fence for the reverse will set him up for the correct diagonal at trot and the correct lead at canter allowing him to make transitions easily and smoothly.

When the equine’s body is developed properly, he will be strong enough and will have the necessary control of his own body to handle the added shifting weight of the rider. Most equines struggle with their own awkwardness and before they get control of their own bodies, they are asked to deal with the awkwardness of the rider at the same time. This often results in perceived disobedience. The equine that is stable in his core muscles and body carriage will be better able to help the rider maintain and improve his own balance and control. Bucking and bolting cease to be a problem.

Learning certain moves is easy and takes much less time, but for maximum performance there is no substitute for taking the time to properly build and condition the muscles that will support your equine’s good postural frame. If you are willing to put in the time and effort necessary, the result will be an animal that is happy and comfortable in his work, light in the bridle and a beautiful mover. Your relationship and performance will soar to unimaginable levels!

Covered in TRAINING MULES & DONKEY: A LOGICAL APPROACH TO TRAINING, TRAINING WITHOUT RESISTANCE and EQUUS REVISITED at www.luckythreeranchstore.com.

July 1 2023

Another Augie and Spuds Adventure: Pulling a Drag – Round Pen

Kyle Davidson Uncategorized Augie and Spuds, lucky three ranch, Meredith Hodges, mini donkeys, Pull a Drag, round pen 1

Mini donkeys Spuds and Augie are always up for a new challenge–like adding a new element to their round pen workout routine!

“Hey, Spuds! What do you think she has in mind to do today with all these straps?”

“Oomph! She told me to go forward just like we did before, but something is holding me back…oh, now it is coming behind me! What’s happening?!”

“You’re attached to a tire! Here, follow me!”

“Oh boy, now it’s my turn, Augie!”
“Don’t worry, Spuds. I’m right behind you…this tire’s not that scary.”

“Excuse me, Spuds! I had to stop to pee. Just go ahead and pass me and I’ll catch up to you when I’m done!”

“That was really easy, but now what is she doing, Augie?”

“Whoa! Hey, Spuds, where are you going?”
“Sorry, Augie, she forgot to say ‘Gee!”

“Okay, now this is MUCH better and a lot easier to pull as a team!!!”

“You got that right, Augie!”

June 18 2023

MULE CROSSING: The Road to Success with your Mule!

Kyle Davidson LTR Blog, Mule Crossing core strength, crimped oats, elbow pull, Equus Revisited, Good Posture, isometric exercise, lead line training, lucky three ranch, Meredith Hodges, Mule Crossing, round pen, sequential training 1

By Meredith Hodges

When equines are trained in a logical, consistent and respectful way beginning with detailed lead line training, even “cycling females” is not a problem. Appropriate lessons need to have a logical beginning and be taught in a sequential fashion. The logical beginning in any athletic conditioning program should be to strengthen the core muscles that support bony columns. The length of the lesson and order in which lessons are presented facilitate strength and balance at the core. Adequate length of each stage of training and the way the lessons are delivered instill a sense of security, confidence and trust in the handler that cements the relationship and become part of the equine’s automatic behavior.

Think of it in terms of teaching children. Children have difficulty learning and paying attention when they have not been eating in a healthy way or exercising properly, when the teacher is unclear in their delivery and the material does not flow together easily, when the teacher moves along too quickly, when there is too much repetition and when they have to stay in one position too long. When the teacher is more aware of the elements of learning, delivers the information in a logical and sequential manner with attention to mental and physical health, and provides solutions, the students will thrive!

We are often in too big of a hurry to ride and do not spend enough time at the lower-level stages of training. We don’t understand the implications of moving along too fast because these animals are so much larger than we are that we can’t imagine that they would have strength, balance and coordination issues that would be counter-productive to our expectations.

How could we even know? There are multiple trainers out there who believe that an equine can be ready to ride in 60-90 days. This is highly publicized and does not afford the average person to think any further than just being able to ride. However, if you ask yourself if you could be ready for a 25-mile marathon in 60-90 days, then the picture starts to become clear…there is much more to think about and it takes much longer to be ready for such activities. You cannot strengthen muscles, balance the body and instill body awareness adequately in this short period of time, and core muscle strength might not be addressed at all!

Leading training is not just teaching to follow and many people spend too little time on leading training. In leading training, the equine gets the benefit of isometric-type exercises that strengthen the muscles closest to the bone while you work on forward and backward straight lines, smooth arcs through the turns and square halts, all facilitating good balance and proprioception (body awareness). This promotes good core muscle strength that will enable your equine to move to the round pen stage of training and do remarkably well because he won’t be fighting his own awkwardness and lack of balance while trying to balance on the circle at all three gaits.

This kind of training requires that you really pay attention to your own good posture and execution of the tasks in leading training. You must be consciously aware of your own posture. Stand straight and tall, holding the lead in your left hand while using the right to keep the animal at your shoulder, not too far forward, not crowding you and not too far back. Wear your fanny pack full of crimped oats (the reward) to keep your equine interested in staying at your shoulder and not lagging behind.

When you walk, make sure your legs are following the movement of their front legs, stepping forward with your corresponding feet and not stepping any further forward than they do. When you stop, stop with your own feet together (in a balanced fashion), turn and face the equine’s shoulder and square up his feet every single time you stop. This causes the equine to be conscious about balancing weight over all four feet evenly that will result in the balance becoming steadier as the task demands and speed increases.

You can tell your equine is ready to move from the flatwork leading training to the obstacle leading training when you can throw the lead over his neck and you receive his compliance though all he has learned without you touching him. Next, we add the element of coordination during lead line training over obstacles. The first task of lead line obstacle training would be to introduce the obstacles and ask for reasonable negotiation of the obstacle to instill confidence in the equine and trust in you. The second stage would be to break the obstacles down into smaller steps to manipulate coordination and balance and to instill adequate self carriage through the obstacles.

Taking time to do these exercises correctly at the walk and trot on the lead line will help immensely before the equine goes to round pen training where the exercises become more active and demanding. The core base from which the animal must work will be much stronger and he will be better able to stay erect and bend through his rib cage on the circle in the round pen instead of leaning like a motorcycle.

When we finally do graduate to the round pen, it will become important to maintain good equine posture and balance. When equines are allowed to run freely in the round pen, they naturally get excited and want to hollow their neck and back. This is why we employ the self-correcting device I call the “Elbow Pull.” There are separate ways to adjust this, one is for horses and one is for mules and donkeys. More details about this and leading training can be found in my manual and DVD combo, “Equus Revisited.”

By the time you finally do ride, your equine will not only be strong, balanced and coordinated enough to do more complicated activities, but if you are unbalanced at all, he will be better able to cope with that as well. This is particularly important with cycling females as they already have a marginal, but normal amount of aches and pains while they cycle. If they are to maintain a good attitude and good balance with a rider, they need good core muscle strength, so they can overcome the normal menstrual aches and pains and deal with the rider in a reasonable way. They will also be more mentally and emotionally tuned into you and less likely to become disengaged. It is my observation that most disobedience is due to a lack of balance whether it is mental, emotional or physical.

With good core muscle strength, even cycling females will be better able to perform to their full potential at the time when you lower your expectations. The level of their mediocre performance will still be higher than most of their competitors. Equine mares are difficult enough, but jennets and mollies that are not trained in this logical way will be distracted, tune you out when they are cycling and revert to their instinctual behaviors like squatting, peeing, clacking their teeth and they will remain “on alert!” This can cause a lot of problems for the handler.

Covered in TRAINING MULES & DONKEY: A LOGICAL APPROACH TO TRAINING, TRAINING WITHOUT RESISTANCE and EQUUS REVISITED at www.luckythreeranchstore.com.

September 30 2022

WRANGLER’S DONKEY DIARY: Fine Tuning Wrangler’s Response: 9-22-20

Kyle Davidson Donkey Diary, LTR Blog Donkey Diary, lucky three ranch, Meredith Hodges, round pen, Wrangler 0

Wrangler always eagerly awaits his weekly lessons! When things are predictable and are not “drilled,” your equine will look forward to his time with you. I always try to keep lessons short (30-40 minutes), done in a logical order and consistent in the task executions. For instance, we always walk the same way, with the lead in my left hand, with a loose connection to his head to encourage self-carriage, repeated verbal commands and I walk with my feet in sync with his front legs. The gates are always executed the same way. He is rewarded with crimped oats from my fanny pack when halted and waits patiently while I close and latch the gate. Even though Chasity is tied outside of the Round Pen, Wrangler’s attention is 100% on me. Minimizing distractions by being consistent with the way we do things will create a solid base of habitually good behavior.

Wrangler continues to stand quietly while I make sure his saddle is centered in the middle of his back and the tension on the crupper is adequate, but not too tight. He should be able to relax his tail. I check both girths to make sure they are snug but not too tight (the front girth tighter than the rear girth), adjust the tension on the “Elbow Pull” and make sure the fleece at the poll is centered to prevent undue chafing when he has to “lean” on the “Elbow Pull.” The “Elbow Pull” will not tie his head down, but it will prevent him from raising his head so high that he inverts his neck and spine. It will assure that he is in a good balanced equine posture during his workout.

I first ask Wrangler to walk for five rotations before asking him to trot. Occasionally, he will be so full of energy that he offers the trot first. If he trots, I just adjust and let him do five rounds of trot first and let him walk five rotation afterwards. To start, I only asked for walk and trot until Wrangler began to break into canter by himself. I then added one rotation at canter after the five rotations at trot before allowing him to walk.

I will add one more rotation at canter in each of the upcoming lessons. Then his warm-ups will consist of five rotations of each…walk, trot, canter, walk…then a reverse, and the same progression in the opposite direction before mounting him. He should always slow to a walk before executing the reverse so it is done in good postural balance.

This will begin to improve his balance and build his bulk muscle symmetrically.

After checking both girths one more time, Wrangler stands stock still as I mount him. I offer his oats on both sides as I did in our first mounting session in the Tack Barn. This is to make sure I keep his attention on ME! The oats are taken politely. He fully understands that these are NOT treats, only REWARDS for good behavior.

Once mounted and seated in balance, I ask Wrangler for a rein back with a few more steps than he had done in his previous lesson. He responds nicely to the squeeze/release motion of my little fingers.

I keep a very light contact with the bit as we proceed forward. We add circles at random points along the rail to add variety to the workout and keep it interesting. We work on staying erect while he bends to the arc of the circles through his rib cage.

Wrangler’s “Elbow Pull” remains consistently loose as he walks leisurely along the rail and executes the “S” turns for changes in direction.

Wrangler gives Chasity a wink as he passes the spot where she is tied along the rail. She is proud of how well her “beau” is doing and watches intently! Wrangler is soft, flexible and elastic in the bridle. This is exactly what I want from him. We will be able to graduate to a larger area next week!

Wrangler spotted a jogger coming toward us along the road and didn’t quite finish his square halt, but halted nevertheless. I prudently waited for the jogger to go by before I asked him for a rein back and he complied easily.

I think too many of us get in too much of a hurry to RIDE and forget that our equine athletes need the same consideration from us that human athletes get from their coaches. They need to do exercises that prepare their bodies for the “game.” When they are adquately prepared, their skeleton is symmetrically supported, joints are able to operate as intended and do not develop arthritis from uneven wear of the cartilage, and the internal organs can function in good health at maximum capacity. When we are patient and take the time to prepare our equines properly, there is much to be gained…a happy and willing equine companion that is capable of performing to their optimum ability. Training really CAN be safe and resistance-free! Being herdbound is not an issue because they really enjoy being with YOU as much as, if not more than, they enjoy being with their equine friends!

September 30 2022

LTR Training Tip #72: Riding in the Round Pen without an Assistant

Kyle Davidson Uncategorized lucky three ranch, Meredith Hodges, Riding, round pen, Training Tip 0

After a brief session with an assistant at his head, your equine will have more confidence and will be more willing to go forward without the assistant.

See more Training Tips

August 21 2021

WRANGLER’S DONKEY DIARY: After the Winter Break: 3-29-21

Kyle Davidson Donkey Diary Chasity, Donkey training, lucky three ranch, Meredith Hodges, round pen, Wrangler, Wrangler's Donkey Diary 0

Wrangler is such a goof ball! Because Wrangler would lock up in front of the Tack Barn and not want to walk over the grate, I got smart and learned to take Chasity to the Tack Barn first. Then, he didn’t even notice the grate and walked right in! However, he gets pretty rambunctious about waiting his turn. I could lead them both at once, but he needs to learn to be by himself with me sometimes…and BEHAVE! When I first got Wrangler, he would get excited like this and then just try run over me when I opened the stall door. Through repetition and humane discipline, I changed his behavior with Behavior Modification, a systematic reward system of training. To be successful, one needs to target the behaviors that need to change, set up the equine for success and promptly reward the positive behaviors as they occur. AND, you need a specific, consistent and humane way to stop bad behaviors in their tracks when they occur. We work on the premise of POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT, but we also need to learn how to use NEGATIVE REINFORCEMENT if one does not want to be hurt, or even killed, by these VERY LARGE and STRONG animals!

The negative reinforcement that I use really works. When he got aggressive the first time, I raised my hand like a stop sign and when he did not stop, he got a firm slap to the side of his mouth as I said, “NO!” as loud as I could. I promptly raised my hand like a stop sign in front of his face again after which he started to turn back around. I quickly took a handful of oats from my fanny pack, took a step forward and offered him the oats. He did a double-take and came back for the oats to which I replied, “Thank you for giving me my space!” Going forward, he still occasionally gets too aggressive, but he always stops when I put my hand up like a stop sign in front of his face and takes a step back. He won’t need to be slapped again since this was done correctly the first time. He remembers!

As soon as I open the stall door now, Wrangler immediately stops his antics and becomes a gentleman that can be rewarded. He stands stock still while I put on the halter and then drops his head at my shoulder. I hold his lead rope in my left hand while pointing in the direction of travel with my right hand. I tell him to “Walk on” and look down to see what foot he is leading with and follow his front legs, step for step. We get IN SYNC with each other and I lead him that way from the time he leaves his pen to the time he returns. I do this the very same way with ALL of my equines ALL of the time. Consistency breeds familiarity and compliance.

Donkeys have issues with chronic runny eyes and noses. The way to stave off any infection is to clean their eyes, nostrils and ears with a damp towel daily. This also encourages them to accept handling around their face in general.

Donkeys are inherently desert animals and can severely founder or colic on lush feed. Symptoms of too rich feed will be manifested in the hooves as abscesses, crusty growth, collapsed heels and frogs, or just plain stress rings. Wrangler has abnormally small rear hooves and it is important that his core strength is developed in good postural balance to make sure the weight distribution is even so none of his hooves are carrying too much weight for his size.

Wrangler is rather flat-withered and needs a saddle that will “hug” his body, leaving ample room for his spine.

I initially tighten the girth snug, but not too tight. The crupper is adjusted so the tail lies comfortably.

I gently press on the bars of his jaw to open his mouth for the bit and carefully bring the crown of the bridle over his ears, protecting them with my hand. Being polite and considerate will get much more cooperation from your equine.

I adjust all the straps on the bridle so it is comfortable, paying special attention around the ears. The drop noseband helps him learn to hold the bit properly. I always gradually tighten the girth over several times.

The walk to the Round Pen is still IN SYNC…all three of us! Wrangler’s “Elbow Pull” postural restraint is adjusted and he is reminded how to release the tension.

Wrangler’s posture has greatly improved over three years and has given him added strength, endurance, stamina and animation to his gaits. He defies the slow and pokey characterization of donkeys in general! He’s a true athlete!

Wrangler and Chasity do a very nice reverse in sync with each other. Wrangler resumes the working walk.

Five rotations at walk, five rotations at trot, reverse and repeat in the other direction. We do 3 sets with a 3-minute break in between. Rewards are in order with every halt. With every halt, Wrangler is asked to rebalance and square up!

Then I begin riding with three rotations at trot in each direction. I carry a riding crop in case he needs a little encouragement to keep going. If he gets too tired, we call it quits and will do more another day.

I always end the sessions with a halt and rein back. Then I dismount and reward him again for a job well done!

Back in the Tack Barn at the work station, I carefully remove the bridle. I always hold the halter crown strap in my right hand while removing the bridle. I then slip the bridle onto my left arm, pick up the nose band of the halter in my left hand, bring it over his nose and buckle the halter. This way, if he pulls away, I still have my arms (and halter) around his neck to hold on to him.

We make our way back to the barn and Wrangler waits patiently while Chasity enters the stall first (Ladies first, you know!). He follows her sedately into the stall and they both turn around to me to have their halters removed and to receive their rewards. Wrangler “suggests” to me politely that I should hurry with Chasity’s halter and get to the rewards…QUICKLY! He’s still hungry!!! Silly boy!!!

January 9 2021

WRANGLER’S DONKEY DIARY: Wrangler’s First Ride: 9-15-20

Kyle Davidson Donkey Diary Chasity, Donkey training, lucky three ranch, Meredith Hodges, Riding, round pen, Wrangler 2

Wrangler has now completed his preparation for efficiently carrying a rider while staying in good equine posture with adequate core strength. Doing these kinds of logical and sequential exercises in a consistent manner makes all the difference in an equine’s physical development and mental attitude. Groundwork needn’t be boring for either you or your donkey. Doing these exercises the same way, every time, creates an unbreakable bond and deep understanding of what is expected between you. Before mounting your donkey in the Round Pen, there is one more interim step that needs to be done to keep your donkey standing still and his attention on you as you mount him. In the grooming area, I will mount the donkey and have him take oats from both sides of his body as we stand there. Then we will go to the Round Pen, do the preparatory lunging he has done before and mount in the same fashion. This will set up your donkey for success!

By now, your donkey should know his verbal commands and will not be compelled to just take off at the trot. He will walk leisurely along the perimeter of the Round Pen until you ask for the trot. He will remain in good posture and keep the “Elbow Pull” loose throughout his workout. He will have a rounded topline and overall balance that can easily support the added weight of a rider. Wrangler is doing beautifully!

After five rotations at walk and five rotations at trot, I ask Wrangler to slow to a walk. I then turn away from him in the opposite direction he is traveling and step in front of him to encourage him to reverse.

Then I send him to the rail for five more rotations at walk and then five at the trot. Wrangler is relaxed and moving freely forward. He is obviously strong in his balance and ready to be ridden.

I ask Wrangler to “Whoa,” reward him for his stellar performance and ask him to stand four-square with equal weight over all four feet in preparation for mounting. I do not want to throw him off balance as I pull my weight into the saddle. Most equines will move if they feel a loss of balance. I politely mount and settle my seat easily in the saddle. I do not rudely plop myself down on his back.

As soon as I was mounted, I balanced myself in the saddle and offered rewards for standing still from both sides. My first move while mounted was the rein back. This would get his attention off bolting and put his mind on a task he can easily do. He is then rewarded again and happy with his accomplishment.

We walked for two rotations tracking to the left and then did an “S” turn through the middle of the Round Pen to change directions. I paid special attention while bending his body through the “S” turn to keep Wrangler’s body erect. I encouraged him to bend through his rib cage to make the turn smooth, forward and fluid.

We did two more rotations at the walk, then I asked for a balanced and correctly executed reverse. It is important to pay attention to the minute details while working slowly. This will promote accuracy later when you speed things up.

I walked Wrangler into a smooth and balanced halt. I made sure my own body was over the center of balance and that my hands and legs were even on both sides. I waited quietly for a few second to allow him to settle.

Then I asked Wrangler for a rein back with a pull/release action on both reins, but added a little more alternate pressure from one side to the other in sync with the front legs that were coming backwards. Wrangler did very well for his first riding session, so I thought it best to quit while we were ahead. It is easier for your donkey to learn when you keep lessons short and productive. Drilling for hours never really works…they just get tired and can’t really listen or perform well.

Although Chasity waits calmly while she is tied and Wrangler is working, he has to play with the artificial flowers in the planter when it is his turn to be tied. Next time, I will remove the temptation of the flowers! After Chasity finished her workout, we all made our way back to the work station. It was another successful and enjoyable training session for all of us!

December 26 2020

WRANGLER’S DONKEY DIARY: Wrangler’s Runaway: 9-1-20

Kyle Davidson Donkey Diary Chasity, Donkey training, elbow pull, lucky three ranch, Meredith Hodges, round pen, Wrangler 0

Wrangler has been a happy camper since we acquired Chasity. Before that, he was so rambunctious that there was no one else that could be in turnout with him and I had limited time to work with him. He and Chasity are the same size and the same age, so they do get along very well. I still have to make training judgments when working with them. He helped me to get Chasity moving freely in the Round Pen during her first lessons, but lately, he has been annoying her while lunging which does not allow her to relax in the “Elbow Pull” like she should. And, he doesn’t relax either because he is too busy showing off to her now! So, I had to modify my approach. I still take them out together and just tie one up while I am working the other. I find that this works very well. Wrangler is back to moving in a dignified manner!

I can say that showing off to her did have its benefits. It developed his agility and his eagerness to move more forward and into a canter. When working him alone, I did not have to tie his reins to the saddle to keep his head up as I did when I was working him with her, but I did leave them on the bridle and secured them around his neck in case I did need them. His trot was very nice this time, so I decided to actually give the command to “Canter” and Wrangler willingly complied!

As Wrangler passed Chasity, he did occasional do a little crow-hop to acknowledge her, but mostly he stayed in good balanced posture and exhibited core strength with a lot of agility and flexibility. I used to think I needed to tire my animals to make them behave, but I have since found that when I pay attention to their physical development as well as the tasks I want them to do they are much happier and willing to comply. I PREPARE them for performance and bad behaviors decrease exponentially because I make them FEEL good! Good behavior is ALWAYS rewarded!

Wrangler decided to spook at a small branch that was on the ground, so I picked it up and we played with it! Then we got Chasity after her turn at lunging and made our way to the dressage arena.

Although Wrangler does tend to get a bit distracted when I have Chasity along, he does stay in sync with my steps most of the time. This is important in order to have their full attention.

This is Wrangler’s first lunge line lesson in the open, so I began with the short line as I usually do, but when he circled around me, he got to the point where he was facing Chasity and bolted toward her!

Apparently, Wrangler did not want to jump the fence, so he headed for the opening in the fence and then ran around the dressage arena perimeter. I just let go of the lines and watched him as he ran. I stayed where I was and assessed his movement while he got his “jollies” out!

He got halfway around and decided he wanted to go back toward Chasity. I guess he is not a confident jumper because he slowed down and carefully WALKED over the fence…in good balance and then cantered in balance in her direction!

I blocked him from going to Chasity and he darted to the left and toward the other end of the dressage arena. I called his name and asked him to come back…and he did…at a full gallop!

He thought about running around me, but decided a reward was a much better idea! Chasity was impressed with his performance and so was HE! I was just happy that Wrangler had decided to go back to work!

So, we repeated the process and he did nicely tracking to the left and halted quietly upon command. I did not let the line out very far. We would add that step the next time. I rewarded his success!

We did, however, do the same thing in the opposite direction, and again, I did not press my luck and kept the line shortened and controlled. Next, Wrangler would get his ground driving lesson in the open arena…another first.

I employed my Ranch Manager, Chad, as an assistant to make certain that things did not get out of control. I wanted to set Wrangler up for success. He was just perfect through the Hourglass Pattern and over the ground rails in the middle of the pattern.

After tracking through the pattern in one direction with the halts and rein backs in their designated spots between the cones, then crossing the diagonal and completing it the same pattern in the other direction, Wrangler did a perfect halt and rein back, and was amply rewarded for his success! It was time to quit!

December 19 2020

CHASITY’S CHALLENGES: Combined Groundwork: 9-1-20

Kyle Davidson Chasitys Challenges, LTR Blog Chasity, Donkey training, Ground Driving, Leading, lucky three ranch, Lunging, Meredith Hodges, obstacles, round pen 0

Chasity is in such good condition these days that I felt I could skip a week before engaging in her formal lessons again. She does get manual abdominal flexion exercises daily when she is fed. The beauty of postural core strength exercises is that they stay strong after the initial introductory work. It has been five months of this kind of exercise for Chasity, so if her workouts are only every other week, they are enough to sustain her strong core strength in good equine posture. The muscles, ligaments and tendons are now symmetrically strong around her skeletal frame. I decided to start in the Round Pen to allow her to move out before engaging in the more intense lunging and ground driving in the open arena again. Her posture and movement were impeccable!

The “Elbow Pull” is now staying loose most of the time. This means she is strong and balanced in good postural self-carriage. Her movement is confident and fluid. She executes the turns on the haunches perfectly upon command. The transformation in her whole body and strength has been exciting to witness! Her attitude has improved by leaps and bounds as her overall health improved. We are still treating the infection she has that seems to be systemic and in her glands. Our approach will be to continue a regimen of antibiotics, then when it is done, take her off of them until it appears to be trying to return. Then we will resume antibiotic treatment.

Chasity moves beautifully and stands stock still whenever we are working on her. This is a marked improvement from the “Nervous Nellie” that first arrived at the end of March this year.

After doing a bit of lunging, we are now going to review ground driving in the Round Pen before we go to the open arena for more practice. I want to get her light in the bridle now, so I begin with a rein back. Then we proceed forward at a relaxed pace.

Chasity does a very nice “S” turn through the middle for a change of direction. I try to keep my contact with her bit as light as possible, giving her cues with no more than vibrating little fingers.

Chasity is responding well to the drive lines and is getting lighter in the bridle. She halts and rein backs easily upon command to receive her reward for a job well done!

After lunging Chasity and Wrangler individually in the Round Pen, we are now headed for the dressage arena where they will each get their turn at lunging on the lunge line and ground driving. They both lead easily alone, or together, and walk in sync with me upon request. Sometimes Wrangler gets a bit distracted.

Chasity is always on alert, but does not tend to be silly about things. She remembers her lessons well and is always happy to please. I start her with the lunge line shortened and this time she does not pull at all, but stays on the circle with her intermittent squeeze/release cues from my little finger as her outside front leg comes forward and into suspension.

As she circles, I slowly let out the lunge line. I will not ask her to trot until she offers to so so. I don’t want to force speed and sacrifice precision. She is now stopping consistently in a goos balance.

After re-tying the lunge line to the bit ring on the other side, I reverse Chasity, ask her to go the other way and she complies nicely. Again, I start with a short line and let it out gradually.

At the end of several rotations, I ask her to “Whoa,” stretch down and then stand still while I roll up the lunge line and prepare to put on the drive lines. My Ranch Manager, Chad, is ready to assist with the ground driving this time after her bolting in the previous lesson when I ground drove her by myself.

I do not want Chasity to think she can run off every time we get into the open arena, so I will set her up to be successful right from the beginning with the assistant this time. She can run and play with Wrangler in turnout later. She does not seem to mind at all and is all business about her ground driving. She completed the Hourglass Pattern in one direction, crossed the diagonal and did it in the other direction and then did a very nice halt and rein back to end the lesson.

Chasity stood quietly while I removed the drive lines and rolled them up. Then we went to retrieve Wrangler from his place along the fence. After Chasity’s turn, Wrangler got his turn at lunging on the lunge line and ground driving. Then we all headed to the gate together.

When you are consistent in the way you do things with every animal, it is easy to lead, lunge and negotiate obstacles with multiple animals because they all know what to expect and there are no abrupt changes to the routine to cause adverse behaviors. Training can be fun for EVERYONE!

December 12 2020

Another Augie and Spuds Adventure: Working with Chasity! 8-4-20

Kyle Davidson Augie & Spuds Augie and Spuds, Chasity, elbow pull, Ground Driving, lucky three ranch, Meredith Hodges, Mini Donkies, round pen 0

“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 what to do, Spuds!”

“Yeah, Augie! I think he was just showing off to his girlfriend!”

“Now she is adjusting my ‘Elbow Pull,’ Wrangler!”

“Do you think he heard you, Augie!” “I hope so, Spuds!”

“Now we can show him how it’s done, Spuds!”

“And, how WE can even do it in sync, Augie!”

“Yeah! We’ve been doing it longer than he has…and we’re a team…even at the halt, eh Spuds?!”

“We can stay together no matter which way we go, right Spuds?”

“Did you see that, Wrangler?!”

“Hey, Spuds, nice ground driving!”

“Not bad yourself, Augie!”

“Hey, what’s this…a pretty girl, Spuds!”

“Guess she wants to lead, so we’ll let her, eh Augie?!”

“This is awesome, Augie, but can’t I be behind her for a while?!”

“Go ahead, Spuds! Knock yourself out!”

“That was really fun!! Isn’t she just beautiful, Augie?!”

“Hmmmmm…oh yeah, Spuds!!!”

To learn more about Meredith Hodges and her comprehensive all-breed equine training program, visit LuckyThreeRanch.com or call 1-800-816-7566. Check out her children’s website at JasperTheMule.com. Also, find Meredith on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.

December 4 2020

WRANGLER’S DONKEY DIARY: MORE LUNGING & GROUND DRIVING: 8-4-20

Kyle Davidson Donkey Diary Augie and Spuds, Chasity, Donkey training, Ground Driving, lucky three ranch, Lunging, Meredith Hodges, round pen, Verbal Commands, Wrangler's Donkey Diary 0

Wrangler is wondering why Augie and Spuds, the mini donkeys are here. He is usually worked with Chasity…just the two of them! Wrangler is big on being the center of attention and stands quietly while I put on his surcingle instead of his English saddle this time. He is sure something is up, but he doesn’t exactly know what it might be just yet!

Wrangler and Chasity are now getting REALLY GOOD at being led together and stay in sync with my steps. They negotiate the gate easily and obediently. This is how well things can go when you are clear and consistent about the way that you do things. The animals then know what to expect and can comply without anxiety.

I led Augie and Spuds to the Round Pen and tied them up outside so they could watch Wrangler and Chasity while they were lunging. I thought maybe I would be able to lunge all four of them together if things went well. When they have someone to watch, my animals learn to stand still when tied. They know it will soon be their turn.

Wrangler immediately noticed the mini donkeys and wondered why they were there, but when asked, I regained his attention to business. Chasity walked off to practice while I adjusted Wrangler’s “Elbow Pull.”

Wrangler stood quietly while I made some adjustments and asked him to flex at his poll to make sure it was not too restrictive. Then I sent him to the rail for lunging. He went quietly forward in a nice working walk.

When asked, Wrangler and Chasity moved into a smart working trot. Chasity is getting better with her posture and will soon be able to keep the “Elbow Pull” loose throughout the entire workout like Wrangler does. It takes time to develop that kind of core strength in good balance!

I added the drive lines to Wrangler after successful lunging while Chasity stood by and watched. He was a bit hard to turn in his last lessons, but this time his turns were much improved. He stayed very light in my hands and moved at the touch of a finger. I made sure to use the verbal commands “Gee” (go right) and “Haw” (go left). It makes a huge difference!

Wrangler stayed calm as we walked around the Round Pen doing an occasional “S” turn through the middle to change directions.

Wrangler was much improved from his last lesson! I don’t “drill” them until they get it right. That would just make them tired and cranky…then they do not learn. I spend about 20-30 minutes on their lessons and quit when they have made an honest attempt. Wrangler came into a nice quiet halt and was rewarded.

Wrangler did a much better rein back than he had before and offered many more steps on a very light rein! I was extremely pleased with him! It was time to quit with him. I tied him outside the Round Pen so he could watch the others do their workouts…and learn to stay quietly tied…which he did!

November 27 2020

CHASITY’S CHALLENGES: Lunge Line Training: 7-21-20

Kyle Davidson Chasitys Challenges, LTR Blog Chasity, Chasity's Challenges, Donkey training, elbow pull, lucky three ranch, Lunge Line Training, Meredith Hodges, rehabilitation, round pen 0

Chasity is eager to go to the Round Pen and continue her lessons. Being polite, considerate, respectful and consistent in one’s approach will create a happy and willing partner. Most resistant behaviors arise from anxiety in the animal as a result of an unpredictable approach. Equines love the company of their own kind during training whenever possible. It gives them confidence, and a more experienced animal can show them how things are done with a compliant attitude. Breaking training down into very small steps assures that your equine will NEVER be over-faced with any tasks. It is paramount that you train your equine how to lunge on a lunge line for the first few times in the Round Pen.

Lunging in the “Elbow Pull” is critical to helping Chasity maintain her good posture and balance throughout her workout. It allows full range of motion, but will prevent any hollowing of the back and neck, and give her something to lean on when she has weak moments and cannot sustain her own good posture and self-carriage for a few strides at a time. Consistent work in the “Elbow Pull” will actually change the equine’s habitual way of moving. Chasity is becoming more and more comfortable in her new and more correct equine posture! This is most evident when she is at rest with equal weight placed over all four feet underneath her body. This is true whether at work or in turnout.

Chasity is now holding her own self-carriage in good posture for more and more strides during each new lesson. It takes a lot of time to stretch and rebuild the elements that support the skeletal frame such that the body becomes strong and movement becomes more flexible and habitual.

At walk and trot, Chasity and Wrangler maintain an erect body carriage and bend through their rib cages to the arc of the Round Pen circle. Wrangler can be a bit lazy and will carry his head too low, so I add the bridle reins to prevent him from becoming a “peanut roller!” Chasity carries her head higher, so she won’t need them.

After being warmed up with her familiar lunging of five rotations in each direction, I add the lunge line. I always keep it loose, dragging on the ground. Then I give an occasional “squeeze-release” as the outside front foot comes forward. This is her cue to stay on the circle later in the open arena and not pull on the lunge line.

My end goal is always to keep Chasity as light in the bridle as possible to get the desired response. Using all this gear in the beginning allows me to do minimal pulling on the lines and later the reins. The animal is in control of the adjustment of the tension. They learn quickly what I am asking with the lightest cue from my fingers.

Chasity is now comfortable and relaxed, knows what my cues mean. With the slightest pressure on the lines, she executes a lovely reverse and continues on in a really nice posture.

Being cognizant of how you do certain moves, like going through gates, will assure that the equine responds at all times with very SLIGHT pressure on the reins or lines, or even on the lead rope…no more BOLTING! You will never need to PULL on a lunge line again in any open areas. Loss of balance is the number one reason for resistance and bad behaviors. Building this precise foundation will carry through to Chasity’s under saddle work. Building core strength that symmetrically supports the skeletal frame makes everything you want to do a lot easier for your equine. When he is strong, balanced and comfortable in his body, he is better ABLE to be a willing and compliant companion!

November 7 2020

WRANGLER’S DONKEY DIARY: Ground Driving with Chasity: 7-7-20

Kyle Davidson Donkey Diary Chasity, Developing Good Balance, Donkey training, elbow pull, Ground Driving, lucky three ranch, Meredith Hodges, round pen, Wrangler 0

Wrangler is really beginning to enjoy his time working with me and helping with Chasity’s training! I think he is also happy to have someone he can be with in turnout after three years of being by himself… although a gelding, he’s just too rambunctious to be turned out with any of the others! They definitely form groups and it is wise to pay attention to the groups they choose…mid-aged mules together, minis together, older equines together and donkey families together. Wrangler LOVES his new friend, Chasity! They both truly enjoy the workouts we do together!

Chasity follows Wrangler around like a puppy dog! She is also very enamored with HIM! After adjusting his “Elbow Pull,” Wrangler and I watch the bicycles going by on the road. I find that it is beneficial when they see something, if you just stop what you are doing and look at it, too. Then, there isn’t as much of a fuss.

Chasity watches as I ask Wrangler to flex at the poll with an offer of crimped oats. This reminds him about how to take the pressure off the “Elbow Pull” and keeps him relaxed. Then all three of us pose for a picture before getting to work! All my equines seem to know when it is “picture time” and they always perk their ears! They are all a bunch of “hams!”

“Well, are we going to do a proper reverse?” I ask Wrangler. He promptly turns into the fence and leads Chasity down the rail of the Round Pen at a walk.

Both donkeys are stepping well underneath their center of gravity and do five rotations at walk before I ask them to trot for five more rotations. Chasity is doing much better about submitting to the pressure of the “Elbow Pull” and is able to sustain her balanced posture and self-carriage for longer periods of time now.

Chasity doesn’t “lean” on the “Elbow Pull” nearly as much anymore. Both halt promptly upon command, they get rewarded, then proceed forward again and do a perfect reverse together.

Again, we do five rotations at walk and make sure they are in a regular rhythm, cadence and are submitting nicely to the “Elbow Pull” before I ask them to trot. Wrangler has really good balance and posture and is always happy to lead the way!

Now Wrangler is going to show Chasity what Ground Driving is all about. This will help them both to learn how to stay in good posture while rein cues are being given. The result will be an animal who is exceedingly light in the bridle when you finally ride them. Wrangler executes a very smooth change of direction with the “S” turn through the middle of the Round Pen. Chasity follows obediently behind her “boyfriend!”

We track left for a while in the same form, then do one more reverse and after one more rotation at the walk, we come to a halt. Then I ask Wrangler to execute a proper reinback which he does willingly with no resistance at all. I just make sure to pull and release with the corresponding line as he takes each step backwards. He is then PROMPTLY rewarded with his favorite crimped oats!

When you are consistent, polite, respectful, reward for good behaviors, make sure tack and equipment fits comfortably and always do things exactly the same way, your animal will come to know what to expect and there will be minimal resistant behaviors, if any, because they will know what to expect from you and will act accordingly. Your time together will always be fun for everyone!

October 9 2020

WRANGLER’S DONKEY DIARY: SHARING THE EXPERIENCE: 6-10-20

Kyle Davidson Donkey Diary Chasity, crupper, Donkey training, Little Jack Horner, lucky three ranch, Meredith Hodges, Passier All Purpose English saddle, round pen, Tack Room, The Elbow Pull, Wrangler, Wrangler's Donkey Diary 0

Wrangler was introduced to our new donkey jennet, Chasity, with a double fence between them and has seen me working with her for two months now. After being alone in turnout for three years, he will finally have a turnout buddy once she is out of quarantine. This will happen in just a few days. However, I could sense that Wrangler was jealous of the time I was spending with Chasity, so I decided to surprise him! He obediently came to the stall door and waited patiently to be haltered, but it had been such a long time since he had seen the Tack Barn work station that he needed to PAUSE…

…and take a good look at the metal drainage grating before entering. He was rewarded at the hitch rail for being brave and was somewhat curious about what would be happening next.

Wrangler was so pleased when I walked through the door with his new love, Chasity! They both looked expectantly as I walked from the Tack Room with the familiar towel. I cleaned their eyes, ears and nostrils.

Wrangler showed Chasity that the “monster vac” was nothing to be afraid of. He stood quietly while I put on his Passier All Purpose English saddle. With the girth four inches back on the swell of his barrel, so as not to chafe the sensitive skin right behind his forearms, I adjusted his crupper to hold it firmly in place.

They both watched me intently as I returned to the Tack Room for the bridles. Wrangler politely lowered his head to make bridling much easier. I always return the favor by being VERY CAREFUL about pushing their ears through the headstall by protecting them with my hand as I slide the crown piece over them.

I took Wrangler to the Round Pen. Then I went back to the Tack Barn, got Chasity and tied her outside so she could watch him being lunged. I hoped this would help her to “get it” when it became her turn!

Wrangler was in pretty good shape when I got him three years ago. He’s always kept himself balanced and in good shape, so he was able to go straight to lunging for core strength in his “Elbow Pull.” He only had two lessons two years ago, but his good posture and core strength has endured. The “Elbow Pull” remained loose throughout his entire workout in the Round Pen.

He planted his pivot foot, easily executed his reverse and continued the same way in the other direction. I was so proud of him! Wrangler reminds me a lot of my super champion jack from 1980-2014, Little Jack Horner! What a classy guy!

Since Wrangler was doing so well, I decided to go ahead and let him try lunging with Chasity. They had not yet been in the same pen together, but I trusted he would behave himself and he surely did! He encouraged her to go forward and then did his reverse promptly on command. She took a bit more persuading to reverse, but he patiently walked until she caught up with him.

With Wrangler in the lead, they did five more rotations and Wrangler never swayed from his good equine posture. When we were done, I tied Chasity to a post in the Round Pen and returned to the Tack Barn with Wrangler. He was so happy to finally be able to spend some time with me and to share his experience with Chasity!

May 23 2017

What’s New with Roll? Leading the Hourglass Pattern

Meredith What's New with Roll? Augie and Spuds, Core Training, draft mule, eggbutt snaffle bridle, elbow pull, Gentle Giant, ground rails, holistic training, mule training, Older mule care, postural leading lessons, rehabilitation, Roll, round pen, surcingle, What's New 0

After being off last week, Roll was more than happy to come with me today. The air was brisk with a bit of a breeze and Roll was even a little snorty walking up to the work station. We spent a good amount of time with the Goody hairbrush getting the undercoat loose and I then went over him with the shedding blade to get the excess on top. He was still shedding hair all over, so I decided to go ahead with the vacuum cleaner. The vacuum cleaner serves a dual purpose: it pulls the remaining loose hairs from his coat while stimulating the capillaries to come to the surface of the skin. This increased circulation makes for an extremely soft and healthy coat. He still has a lot left to shed, but his hair now feels silky to the touch. I then put Roll in his surcingle, Eggbutt Snaffle bridle and “Elbow Pull” for his core muscle, postural leading lessons.

Roll practically pulled me down the alleyway to the dressage arena, but was very well behaved when we stopped to give Augie and Spuds a treat of oats. Roll was okay with sharing as long as I gave him more oats, too!

Roll and I then walked to the gate and he went through beautifully as always.

We marched along the pens and gave treats to all the mules who would be his audience.

Roll launched into the hourglass pattern on the lead rope with a lot of energy and enthusiasm. He squared up easily, but was still reluctant to put all the appropriate weight on his right hind foot.

He kept an upright balance through the turns and was markedly better in balance over the ground rails.

He even trotted a bit along side of the pens once I got out in front of him, but when I asked him to trot back to the gate, he was too tired! The chiropractor had come out to see him last week and said that he was locked up in his right hip, so it may be he needs another chiropractic visit this week as well.

At any rate, I was pleased with his progress and even though he missed his lesson last week, he still did better than in prior weeks. The hind feet were no longer twisting after his trim on May 19^th.

It may very well be that he can graduate to the round pen soon for bulk muscle building. His core is solid now and after his workout, he was much tighter in the abs and filled in nicely over his topline.

Roll is carrying just a little more weight than I would like to see, but he did look less obese after his lesson and when we begin the bulk muscle building, it should disappear rapidly as the fat evolves into muscle. At twenty-six, Roll is doing so much better than I ever would have expected given his questionable history.