It was a beautiful, crisp fall morning when I woke up. It had rained a little during the evening, but the morning was perfect. So, my buddy, Dave, and I decided it would be a perfect day for a ride.

I packed a couple of good-sized sandwiches in my saddle bags for myself, slipped in an apple for the mule, and headed up the canyon. You can imagine my surprise when I was met with this!



I rode for a few hours until my toes were numb, went back home, gave my mule a good feed and brush down, then put her away, went in the house and built a fire in the wood stove.

Yep, summer is definitely over.

__________________
Pack light and cinch tight.

Now all you need are the jingle bells!

Ivan

Beautiful scene by the way!

Gonna be 92 degrees here, color me green for contrast. Joe

__________________
Wisdom chases me; I'm faster

A random photographer?

__________________
Wisdom comes thru fear . . .

As you say...a perfect day. And what better way to end it than by sitting in front of the wood stove.

I enjoy your winter time photographs, but will admit that they sometimes make me a bit sad because I don't live in a place where I can see scenery like that as the backdrop for my life.

Beautiful photo of the mule. :-) Just kidding, but it is a beautiful photo.

I was hoping for another shot of the other side so I could see how you packed your rifle.

Enjoy the fire.

Have a blessed day,

Leon

What a cute mule! Please give an apple to her for me!

Looks like a winter paradise to me, I LOVE cold weather but Uncle Sam has me baking alive in the desert right now. I’m jealous!

The original 4 x 4 mode of transport! Are you running 'snow shoes' on her?

Makes my old busted up bones ache just looking at the pictures, Bet it is kinda fun though. Really good pictures.

__________________
Just a shooter

do mules get cold hoofies?

Mule Packer, you do realize don't you what a very lucky man you are. I'm sure you do but just in case I thought I'd remind you. I'd give you long odds that you are livin' the dream of a large number of men. I'm one of 'em too. That pic tell a lot of stories of high adventure and good time in Mother Nature's bountiful world.

I don't wear hats no more but if I did I'd doff mine you you.

__________________
Real men love cats!

Good looking country, same for the mule & you.

Chip,

That's one fine lookin ride, right thar !!!!

Dave

.

__________________
"IN GOD WE TRUST"

The thread title reminded me of a little known poem by Robert Frost:

Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Mule

Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snowy mule.

My little mule must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound’s the sweep
Of easy wind and snowy mule.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And on my snowy mule miles to go before I sleep,
And on my snowy mule miles to go before I sleep.

I have both chimneys clean. Enough dried wood for this year. Thinking about ordering 4 more cords as a buffer. I don’t trust Mother Nature.

Need to clean the dryer vent hose and bleed the hot water radiators next.

Bill:

Nope. Not right now. I very seldom shoe any of my mules because their feet are so dang tough. Much tougher than most horses.

If I was working them consistently in icy conditions, I'd probably put shoes with carbide cleats or calks on them, but I normally don't ride them a lot when there's snow on the ground. Of course, mules are so much more sure-footed than horses, whether they have shoes on or not.

Also, I don't shoe any of my animals during the winter in order for their hooves to flex. I usually put shoes on the horses around April, change them every eight weeks, then pull them off in the fall so they can go barefoot throughout the winter.

__________________
Pack light and cinch tight.

Well, not really, as we would think of it. However, you always have to inspect their feet even during the winter because if snow and ice accumulates and gets compacted in their hooves, they're susceptible to sole bruising, abscesses, foot discomfort, strained tendons, etc.

But....do their feet get cold like ours do? Nope. You have to think of their hoof as a gigantic fingernail that protects their frog or inner hoof. It's pretty tough, but you still need to take care of their feet and trim them every eight weeks or so, even in the winter.

__________________
Pack light and cinch tight.

Great picture of beautiful country M.P. Not surprising considering where you posted it, I keep looking for your .45 Blackhawk and Randal. Does the mule rider have to towel off the mule before he gets to warm up with a hot chocolate?

My wife wants to know the mule's name. Thanks

Where has this year gone? Jingle bells is right around the corner.
I hope you keep that snow up there. It is pretty though.
BRRRR! It is cold here with around 55 degrees as a high. Last week we were bumping 90's. Yep 55 degrees is cold to me. This cold weather is due to a cold front that cam and sat on us last week and this week. Next week we could be upper 80's. I hope so. I don't like cold weather.

Jim: That particular mule's name is Cookie. When I got her about ten years ago, her previous owner was calling her "Jessie," but I couldn't have that because I have a daughter-in-law by the name of Jessie and I'd like to remain in her good graces.

Anyway, the first pack trip I took this mule on, I had her, my horses, and my other mules in a large corral at the trail head. I was tossing hay to all of them early one morning when my oldest son came over snacking on a package of Oreo cookies.

All of the other animals paid him absolutely no mind except for Cookie. She was on the far side of the corral when she spied Matt with the package of Oreos, let out a loud bray, came trotting over to the fence and started nuzzling him.

He asked, "Dad, this mule wants a cookie. What should I do?"

"Give her one," I replied.

When we got home from that pack trip, I called the previous owner and asked, "Have you ever fed that mule cookies?"

"Well," she hemmed and hawed, then sheepishly replied, "My grandchildren have occasionally fed her cookies."

So, there you have it. From that day on, her name was Cookie.

__________________
Pack light and cinch tight.

The .45 and knife were both riding very comfortably under my coat. And, yep, taking care of the mules always comes before I begin enjoying any creature comforts.

__________________
Pack light and cinch tight.

My wife wants to know who took the picture of the solo rider . . .

Edit: never mind. Op edited

__________________
Wisdom comes thru fear . . .

Good looking country and mule!
We had to hoof it in on foot today,but got in some fun plinking with some old 22s

Sorry. Never figured it mattered. My mistake. Just to clear things up though, here's a picture of the "random photographer," my pal Dave on his horse, "River." Dave told me that he'd like to have a good mule, but until he can find one as good as Cookie, he's stickin' with a horse. Too bad. He's gonna have a long search.

__________________
Pack light and cinch tight.

Great story!

what happens if you put a regular saddle on a mule?
what does that chest strap do?

__________________
susie

Beautiful photo, you sure know how to live.

Mules, fell in love years ago with Ruth who let Festus ride her.

__________________
Doesn't hasta call me Johnson

It really depends on the mule and how it's built. Mules tend to have flatter backs than horses, so their shoulders are configured a little different, too. Horses' shoulders are kinda like the letter "A". A mule's shoulder are wider at the top...kinda like the letter "V".

Also, a horse has more of a lateral swing to its scapula whereas a mule has more of a vertical movement to its scapula...kinda like pistons on a car. As a result, you want a saddle that doesn't interfere with that type of movement.

Anyway, you can get a special mule saddle, or many times a saddle with a full quarter horse tree will often fit a mule okay. I mean...we aren't exactly fitting a pair of Italian shoes here. Again, it depends on the mule. Your common semi-quarter horse tree will fit a little tight on the mule's shoulders and pinch, making it for a rough day for both you and your mule.

The breast strap keeps the saddle from slipping backwards when you're climbing hills. And because a mule doesn't have the pronounced withers of a horse, the saddle will slip forward when you go downhill...sometimes right over the neck. As a result, you need either a britchen or a crupper on your mule to keep the saddle from moving forward.

You can't see it in the picture at the beginning of the thread, but here's a better picture where you can see Cookie's crupper...a leather strap with a loop that goes under the tail. The mule learns quickly that when she starts to go downhill, she needs to tuck her tail down upon the crupper to keep the saddle from going forward.


Now here's a picture of one of our other mules wearing a britchen, which is a more elaborate type of rear harness that keeps the saddle from slipping forward. Some mules prefer one over the other.


Anyway, that's definitely a heckuva lot more than you probably wanted to know.

__________________
Pack light and cinch tight.

I had no idea a mule was so different from a horse as far as saddle fit. Here people have donkeys or mules to protect their livestock from coyotes and dog packs.

Thanks for this great thread! My wife loved the story
of how Cookie got her name. Jim

thanks, mule. i always wondered about that mule rig.
i've never saddled one, or even ridden one.

__________________
susie

Suzie, I'll tell you something an old mule man told me many, many years ago before I got my first mule. He said, "Going from a horse to a mule is like going to a Cadillac after riding in a Jeep."

And you know what? He was right.

Even in the late 1800's, a good riding mule cost about one third more than a good horse.

__________________
Pack light and cinch tight.

how is a mule better?
gait?
sure footed?

__________________
susie

All of the above.

A horse is a plains animal. A burro or donkey is a mountain animal. When you cross the two, you get a mule which, because of hybrid vigor, inherits the best from both parents.

If you look at a horse, you will see that they are built kinda like a frog...i.e., their hind legs are longer than their front legs. Because of this, when they travel downhill, they have to tuck their hind legs underneath them, creating a rolling, uneven, side-to-side gait.

A mule is leveler with relatively longer front legs. This gives them a smoother way of going, especially downhill. They take smaller steps and sway less.

In regards to being more sure-footed, a mule generally has narrower feet and a narrower build, helping them to handle steep, rugged terrain. A horse, on the other hand, has a wider stance and more oval feet which can become a hindrance in rough, rocky areas.

Mentally, a mule is different, too. In rocky ground or areas with a lot of deadfall, a horse can become a little panicky, whereas a mule becomes more intense. She'll point her ears forward and concentrate on the job at hand.

Now, putting things in perspective, a mule is great for what it was invented for...mountain work. I don't sort cows on a mule. I don't rope off a mule, because a horse just does those kinds of jobs better.

Also, mules think a little bit differently than a horse, which can occasionally be a disadvantage.

For example, if you're leading your pack string from a horse, and a minor insurrection occurs back in the middle of the string, e.g. a pack slips, or a couple of animals get tangled up and start kicking each other, you can turn your horse around and wade into the middle of that mess in order to straighten things out.

If you're leading your string with a mule, however, and the same thing happens, the mule will often look at that mess and think, "Do I really want to get involved?".

Bottom line, mules are completely different from a horse and have to be treated accordingly. You can't force a mule to do anything like you can a horse. You have to make them think that it's their idea.

Also, to give another example of how mules think...if you load your horse into a trailer and happen to have a wreck in that trailer, the horse will always remember the trailer.

If you have the same situation with a mule, the mule will remember who put him in the trailer.

__________________
Pack light and cinch tight.

funny.
[f i knew someone with a mule, i'd try one.
i only saddle up for broken ground where a truck can't go, so a mule could be fun.
but, they are scarce around here.
there are some mean burros around but no mules.
i don't like burros much.
last time i needed to move one, i was ahorseback n the miserable thing fought me every step of the way.
i dragged the thing 5 miles.
after that day, we hated each other with a passion.

__________________
susie

When I was a kid, my uncle had a plow mule, Dolly. Dolly was pretty much put out to pasture by then, tractors having come along to do the plowing and such, so we kids had sort of turned her into a pet.

We used to feed her candy Easter eggs. Family legend has it that she liked the purple ones best.

__________________
John 3:16 .

its even very cool here in Austin TX...finally.

If I may expound a little further:
I meant every word of the above post. The commentary and pics filled me with a longing that reached way down deep inside me.

But I gotta be real honest here. I am way far and gone too dang lazy and dependent upon creature comforts, mild weather, and close proximity too Walmart and HEB grocery stores to survive more than a few days in that life or environment.

I didn't want to mislead y'all into thinkin' I was the rugged outdoor type.

Clint said it; I live it; "A man's got to know his limitations." Still, esoterically I feel the wonderment of it all. Country boy at heart, city boy in body....sigh.

__________________
Real men love cats!

I've read every word with great interest. I've been a High School teacher most of this century and I get great pleasure in learning things "I didn't know I don't know." Joe

__________________
Wisdom chases me; I'm faster

I would like to ask a large favor of you if I might.My wife thinks Cookie is a beautiful animal as do I,could you possibly post a photo of Cookie without her being saddled up?

You are living a part of life I want to see. A day on a mule in the show, Wow! That is living life at its finest. Bravo!

Milton, to be honest, nobody has ever requested a picture of Cookie before, but as they say, "beauty is in the eye of the beholder."

Personally, I, too, think she's a good-looking mule, and coupled with a mule's natural intelligence, she just goes to disprove the old adage that you can't find beauty and brains in the same package.




Oh...one more thing that makes mules so good. They usually live a lot longer than your average horse. A horse starts going downhill around twenty years of age or so. Mules will often still be going strong way into their thirties and forty isn't all that uncommon.

__________________
Pack light and cinch tight.

I'm sitting here thinking that I've never even seen a mule. This was a wonderful thread. Thanks all.

__________________
Foster Positivity.

It IS a wonderful thread, as we say in the South, "it ain't dead yet!"

It's a peep into another man's world that he let's us into, and I dare say, one that most of us have never experienced and never will. For which I am very grateful.

Have a blessed day,

Leon

My only "up close" experience with mules was when helping out a friend on his grandfather's farm in NC. The old guy used a pair of draft mules to snake logs out of the woods. It was also the first time I heard "gee" and "haw" used.

I also remember how much affection he showed them.

__________________
Music/Sports/Beer fan

My closest experience with mules was watching a Clint Eastwood spaghetti western. I learned two things. First, if its owner wears a single action, don't insult a mule. Second, rather than gasoline you fuel up a mule with hay. Unfortunately I still do not know which end the hay goes in so if you keep posting details that seem unimportant to you I'll become an internet expert fully able to use the self serve pump.

Seriously, great thread.

Cookie is beautiful, with a bit of the look of a philosopher who has seen it all and isn't fazed by much of anything anymore.

Mules and goats have always been my favorite hoofed critters. Our excellent Kentucky Horse Park used to have--probably still does--magnificent buckskin mammoth mules, products of a jack and a Belgian mare. Enormous animals, at least seventeen hands, with the most beautiful faces I ever saw on a mule.

How old is Cookie?

__________________
Oh well, what the hell.

Cookie is 23 years old and, barring any unforeseeable mishap, probably has a good ten to fifteen good years left in her.

Although mules tend to live longer than horses, they mature a little slower, both physically and mentally. When they're younger, many of them tend to have somewhat of a sardonic sense of humor. I've heard old mule packers say that a mule shouldn't even be born until it's six years old.

By the time they get to be around fifteen years old, they've usually gotten past the stage where they play their "mule tricks."

A lot of folks don't understand that and it gets them into trouble because they try to treat their mule the same way they'd treat a horse. You can't do that. They're a completely different animal. They think differently and they act differently. Because of that simple fact, you have to treat them differently.

While a horse will bond to you, a mule bonds to you almost like a pet. They'll follow you around the pasture. They'll want to be petted. When they see you coming, they'll often trot up to you from the pasture. As was mentioned earlier by Rusty and Cajun Bass, they respond exceptionally well to kindness.

Do you remember the movie Dances with Wolves? There's a scene in the movie where that crusty old teamster, played by Robert Pastorelli, is attacked by Indians. His dying words were, "Don't hurt my mules! Don't hurt my mules!" I tell people that they can't completely understand how he feels unless they've owned mules before.

__________________
Pack light and cinch tight.

Thank you very much!!! My wife said " SHE"S BEAUTIFUL" she also said Cookie appears to have more brains than a lot of people we know!!
She said to be sure I told you "Thank you very much" and then she asked me to make sure I saved those photos on my computer.Thank again!