Question for Mule Reiner, Why Mules?

Hey there,

http://razzmyass.tripod.com/mysonandispictures/index.html

Those r what my mules r used for. None have actually carried a pack saddle for work, they would probably choke & die should they have to. I do use it for training tho & pony them with one & something noisey to desensitize them. But I have never packed meat out with my guys. I have had deer skin on Stretch, but the donkey locks the brakes on & becomes a statue when its in front of him.

Usually when I list advantages I tork off some horse person & get hate email, sooooo cheers to those I am about to tork off :) Just remember it takes a phenomenal horse to make a great mule.

1) surefootedness. If u ever ride a mule, u will notice how noisy horses r behind or infront of you. Its rare that a mule will stumble, kick a rock or misplace a step. I hear all the horses around me on trailrides actually.

2) self preservation. Mules will never do anything to hurt themselves. I never have vet bills on my guys unless its some freaky skin condition that is making the vets go hmm on the donkey. They just never get sick, never hurt themselves & their hybrid status make them stronger than horses. I did hear that mules r more susceptable to WNV than horses, I dont have the facts on that, it was just told to me recently.

3) mules r not for everyone. If u do not have a sense of humor, if u have an ego issue, if u believe ur a trainer, they will sooooo humble you. Just when u think u know what ur doing, they prove to you, u do not have a clue lol. I spend alot of time telling someone to NOT get a mule on here due to the fact, they saw one at the county fair & want one.

4) They do take alot more training. For every 1 hr into horse training, its 3 hrs into mule training. Thats why good mules r so expensive & why show mules r high dollar. They have to be able to 'understand' why u r asking them to take a correct lead, why u want them to back up, why u need them to side step. You spend alot of Dr. Phil reasoning with them, because nothing u can do , can ever MAKE a mule do it.

5) their flight/fight response. Ppl say they r less goosy than horses. This is really an individual mule thing . Razzmyass, aka Stretch, my main show mule, will outspook a horse anyday on the trail. (theres a reason why hes a show mule). Ruthie, I dare to say I could probably light fire crackers under & she would not move. (theres a reason why shes NOT a show mule). As far as this, I do not buy it, its individual mule thing & for show mules, the gassier mules r excellent.

6) pound for pound a mule can out carry/ out pull weight vs a horse of the same size/stature. Their muscle mass is so much stronger than that of a horse.

7) mules honestly can do anything a horse can. They can cut, rein, dressage, show jump, anything. Unfortunately the US is still trying to be a 3rd world country in the equestrian sense & mules r banned from sanctioned reining cow shows & wyoming state 4-H grrr.

http://nasma.us/Versatility/index.htm

That website shows why mules for me. I wo not work with horses anymore, to me they r so gray & mules r black/white. The advice I give can go for both horses & mules, but I just gave up working with horses & really prefer the mule mindset. I love the challenge & some are. I have had moments where I had to end on a bad note & sit & think, while my mule is staring me down, outthinking me. I have seen Stretch do things that would of made me as a horse owner freak & die, such as completely walking through a chain link swing on a swingset, to get a blade of grass on the other side. He had the swing under his belly. Yes, he got his blade of grass.

If u have more questions let me know.

Many folks, including the ''Reiner'' love 'em..great to ride, pack and an all around good ''guy''..

Im not a mule reiner but mules are hardhead.The are sayed to never put their selves in danger.That is why they are used in the Grand canyon

I dont really know!!!! I cant see them being as athletic as horses!

No, packing is not all Mules are used for. I remember when I we growing up, we held weekly team ropings & there was one guy who always roped off of a mule.
I know a lady in Oregon who has used mules for english & western riding & jumping also.
I had some friends years ago who would not own a horse, but they loved their mules.

I am not Mule Reiner..but I have ridden mules on a trail-ride when I went on vacation.

They were very smooth and sure-footed; we were slipping on rocks and they managed to stay very well balanced. They were very calm, too. I mean a bomb could go off and they'd probably just sit there.

I do not know if it was just those mules or if mules are like that in general, but I am sure that is why some people prefer them.

i've heard that once you ride a mule, you will never go back to a horse. They say the animals are very smooth and trusting, not to mention the carrying ability.

Some people on trail rides have them and say that they are much more sure footed than horses are but I dunno.

Im not mule reiner either, but Ive ridden and taken lessons on mules.

the one I rode, tho very shy, was a great trail horse and, I agree pretty smooth, but I ve ridden smoother. Some people just like them because they are sometimes a little more level headed then horses.

A horse says there is a lion in the woods, A mule says there is just a big cat in them woods.

I am not mule reiner so dont get mad at me if I answer but a lot of people think that mules have much smoother gaits than horses...