Mules & Donkeys

[walkinghorse]

We do not ride mules, but know many people who do. Previous posts about the positive attributes of mules seem to be the norm among mule people.

The only comments I have on mules are:
Make sure you get a gaited mule. ☺ I hate trotting, so gave it up many, many years ago. Hence walkinghorses, one of multiple gaited breeds of horses, so the gaited mule is an option.
Mules have fast feet, faster than a horse, and we are not talking about moving across the ground. If a mule decides to reprimand someone or another animal, the foot will get you before you even know it happened.
A lot of mules have different riding rigging than horses. I believe the term is breeching which helps keep the saddle in place in up and down country. This is in addition to a breast collar which is found on the front of both horses and mules. Also you will see both mules and horses with cruppers, another way of securing the saddle from slipping forward. I think that a horse saddle will not fit a mule well due to differences from a horse in their back and wither structure. But in the case of either a mule or horse if the saddle doesn't fit well the ride isn't going to go well.

 

[SilentKnight]

Bought a hunting mule a few years ago from a Texas Ranch called Rancho Santiago. Amazing animals. (More expensive when trained.) They are social and need company and riding. I rode horses for decades and I now prefer mules. You need to learn about the psychology of mules... different from horses.

 

[Rpg]

Overall, mules (well trained) are much more useful than donkies.

That said, if you get donkies at a very young age, they are better pets. If you want a pet , get a vey young donkie.

If you want a working animal: the mule wins out.

 

[Grayfox]

I've known a number of folks over the years that sorta "hobby farmed". Bought a nice place out in the boonies with some acreage and soon wanted livestock. For some it was cows, others wanted horses and yeah a mule or two in there as well.
They did ok and loved it for a while, but it always ended the same. They got tired of it. Too much work and too much money with not near enough return. They sold off the livestock, in some cases gave it away, and lost their butts in the process.
Its a nice daydream, but that's all it is.

 

[rbrbrb6]

Pet, go donkey and handle it. Something useful, get ready to spend some good cash for a good mule and be willing to use it. Another thing, many mules learn to go riding with dogs running around, behind and right in front of them and many never blink and eye. Put that same mule in his or her home territory aka their pasture, and many will do there darnest to stomp a dog or cat. That said, I won't have a horse again but will have a good riding mule as long as I am able to ride.

Here are several of my friends and mine mules back in the Hells Canyon country on an elk hunt. You can see the britchin and breast collars we use to keep things in place.

 

[YogiBear]

Aloha,

Thank you for your comments.

Our Texas friends have some where between 8 to 10 rescued horses/mules/donkeys on a 68 acre property.

As was mentioned, it was a "fun" conversation, until she got sorta serious.

Starting with just weaned mules and young dogs may be the way to go so they are buddies.

The constant care and feeding gets old quickly and the mules will most likely outlast us. We'd hate to break up their relationship with us and the dogs.

Especially since I will be 71 and the Wife will be 62 when we move.

We are very familiar with Cattle Dogs. We are now on 3, 4 & 5. The first 2 have crossed the Bridge.

I am treating the Wife to a 1st Class flight to Texas for our Anniversary,
which happens to coincide with the Elections.
We will be visiting the Wife's family and meeting our friends.

The Wife likes horses.

The most I have been on a horse is an hour or so 30 years ago. I couldn't stand straight after I got off.

Do Mules Bray as badly as donkeys ?

Please keep your comments coming.

We(I) learn a LOT of different things just from reading all the comments in the different treads in the forum

If I do meet any forum member, try not to laugh too hard because of what I don't know about the world outside of Hawaii.
Some of my comments have almost caused traffic crashes because the driver was laughing so hard.

 

[Mule Packer]

Aloha,
Do Mules Bray as badly as donkeys ?

Not at all. It's completely different. While they do have some sort of a bray, it's not as obnoxious sounding, or as loud, as that of a donkey.

One of my mules has an interesting bray. It's sort of a cross between a bray and a whinny of a horse. Kinda cute.

Just a note on raising mule babies...

Remember, a mule is a cross between a male jack and a female horse (mare). This usually results in an animal that has the confirmation of the jack and the disposition of the mare.

Now, if you switch that around, i.e., the father being a stallion and the mother being a donkey (jenny), you get what is referred to as a "hinny." Trust me. You don't want a hinny. They normally have the confirmation of the horse and the disposition of the donkey.

They are obstinate and aren't as willing to work like a mule.

Okay, that being said, occasionally, someone will breed a jack to a cull mare (in other words, a mare that nobody wants because she's a pain in the neck). When that happens, you'll get the mare's rotten disposition in the baby...only doubled.

That's one of the big reasons mules have had such a bad rap all these years. The old farmers would have a rotten mare, so they figured they might as well breed her to a jack and get a mule. Well, the mule baby would inherit its mother's disposition, and then some.

Over the years, mule breeders have gotten smart and have bred jacks to gentle, sweet mares and the result has been some wonderful mule babies. But, that's not always the case, so be careful.

When picking a mule baby, here's a quick little trick that might help you tell whether its a "keeper" or not. All you have to do is tie the baby to a fence post and observe it for awhile. If it starts pulling back, and keeps pulling back, pass that one by.

A horse baby (foal) will pull back when first haltered, then eventually get the idea and relax. So will a good mule baby. But, a mule baby that will grow into a stinker will pull back and stay that way for hours! Really....hours!

Well, that's probably a heckuva lot more than you wanted to know, but just thought I'd pass that on.

You've gotten a lot of good information from the folks here in the Lounge. Oh, one last thing...probably the least expensive thing when it comes to owning horses or mules is buying them. Unless you raise your own hay, do your own vet work, and do your own shoeing or trimming, the costs can definitely add up.

 

[Mule Packer]

Starting with just weaned mules and young dogs may be the way to go so they are buddies.

Not necessarily. The mules get used to your dogs without having to have been raised with them. In fact, an older, more experienced dog will probably do better. They have more sense.

When you have young mules and young dogs together, it's kinda like having a bunch of sugared-up ten-year olds at a sleep over. Everybody acts crazy.

Here's a picture of our Border Collie, Patsy, in the mule corral. Everybody gets along.

 

[tops]

buying[/I] them. Unless you raise your own hay, do your own vet work, and do your owning shoeing or trimming, the costs can definitely add up.

Super good advice. Larry

 

[keith44spl]

I've own a few mules and a donkey er two.....

Mules are about right, I would not take in another donkey
nor a jenny or hinny under any circumstance, and that's my stand on it,
like forever and a day.

Some mules will tolerate dogs, never saw a jack or jenny take to a dog, just take after them on the prod.


Su Amigo,
Dave

 

[Muley Gil]

Here's my old girl, Betty Boop. She is about 26 years old old. I've owned her for about 17 years now.

Here's Betty with her pasture buddy, Jake.

 

[jimmyj]

My Donkey Story:
Retired from a large city agency, moved to a small rural county, after eight months getting on my wife's nerves, she insisted on me going back to work. I became a rural county deputy. Always wanted to be a cowboy, so I purchased a horse, than two. Fellow down the dirt road was a horse trader/dealer and discovered I was a soft hearted wimp. SO every time He had a horse he wanted to get rid of, He bought the animal by the house in a trailer and during the visit mentioned the horse was on the way to the slaughter house. to be turned into dog food. WELL this is how I ended up with 12 horses ! One day on patrol I observed something coming down the middle of a paved highway. When it got closer I saw it was a DONKEY ! I found the owner who stated that this animal would not stay penned up and I could have him if I wanted. A FREE DONKEY ! Ok, all I had to do was catch him.I with two other cowboys tried to rope the donkey, but the lasso kept getting caught on those straight up ears. (Roping looks so easy in the movies). Finally with feed the donkey followed us home. When the donkey entered the pasture all the horse ran to the other end of the field ? Yes the donkey was BOSS. My wife's friend and wife had four girls and zero sons. One day wife's friend and #4 son decided that it would be a "HOOT" to saddle and ride the donkey. Donkey stood still to be saddled. Wife's friend got in the saddle, donkey bucked, wife's friend slide off the back of the donkey, donkey kicked wife's friend in his crotch with both rear hoofs, wife's friend is hurting REALLY, REALLY BAD. 9.5 months later wife's friend and his wife have a son.

 

[shouldazagged]

Mules and goats--magnificent critters compared to burros and sheep.

Many years ago my late wife and I went to the Kentucky Horse Park near Lexington, and loved it. We saw one of the handsomest horses I've ever seen, a little silver-grey Arabian stud who was a star and knew it. But we also saw a couple of "mammoth mules", the product of breeding a jack to a Belgian mare. These magnificent buckskin critters must have stood close to eighteen hands, and they had the most beautiful faces I've ever seen on a mule. They were in stalls, but I would have killed to see them in motion.

 

[Watchdog]

Here's my old girl, Betty Boop. She is about 26 years old old. I've owned her for about 17 years now.

Here's Betty with her pasture buddy, Jake.

Love these photographs. Betty Boop is gorgeous. I wish I could give this post about twenty-five "Likes"!

And the Blue Ridge country is so beautiful, especially in winter time.

EDIT: I'll add to my comments by saying I wish I lived somewhere like this, where I had enough room to have animals that could live with me for twenty-six years or longer.

 

[mtgianni]

Not at all. It's completely different. While they do have some sort of a bray, it's not as obnoxious sounding, or as loud, as that of a donkey.

One of my mules has an interesting bray. It's sort of a cross between a bray and a whinny of a horse. Kinda cute.

Just a note on raising mule babies...

Remember, a mule is a cross between a male jack and a female horse (mare). This usually results in an animal that has the confirmation of the jack and the disposition of the mare.

Now, if you switch that around, i.e., the father being a stallion and the mother being a donkey (jenny), you get what is referred to as a "hinny." Trust me. You don't want a hinny. They normally have the confirmation of the horse and the disposition of the donkey.

They are obstinate and aren't as willing to work like a mule.

Okay, that being said, occasionally, someone will breed a jack to a cull mare (in other words, a mare that nobody wants because she's a pain in the neck). When that happens, you'll get the mare's rotten disposition in the baby...only doubled.

That's one of the big reasons mules have had such a bad rap all these years. The old farmers would have a rotten mare, so they figured they might as well breed her to a jack and get a mule. Well, the mule baby would inherit its mother's disposition, and then some.

Over the years, mule breeders have gotten smart and have bred jacks to gentle, sweet mares and the result has been some wonderful mule babies. But, that's not always the case, so be careful.

When picking a mule baby, here's a quick little trick that might help you tell whether its a "keeper" or not. All you have to do is tie the baby to a fence post and observe it for awhile. If it starts pulling back, and keeps pulling back, pass that one by.

A horse baby (foal) will pull back when first haltered, then eventually get the idea and relax. So will a good mule baby. But, a mule baby that will grow into a stinker will pull back and stay that way for hours! Really....hours!

Well, that's probably a heckuva lot more than you wanted to know, but just thought I'd pass that on.

You've gotten a lot of good information from the folks here in the Lounge. Oh, one last thing...probably the least expensive thing when it comes to owning horses or mules is buying them. Unless you raise your own hay, do your own vet work, and do your owning shoeing or trimming, the costs can definitely add up.

I have been around two hinnys that were great saddle animals. I have seen very few others. Remember that a horse can kick you if you are in front or back of it, A mule can kick in a 360 Arc twice the distance what you estimate it should be able to. I am 62 and nearing retirement. If I were to go back in the saddle I would not consider anything less than a Morgan or Paso Fino that had a very good trainer. I do not heal as well as I used to nor do I have time and money to waste on stock that cost me without a tangible benefit. If you want a fun pet consider a parakeet. Sorry, I don't mean to insult but take a hard look at things first.

 

[keith44spl]

Taking the 'Girls' out for a spin.........




.

 

[YogiBear]

Aloha,

Thank You for the advice.

WE think we will stick with our cattle dogs,

at least they don't kick.

After we move, we will look for someone that does mule rides.

Loved all the photos of the animals working and at play.

Hopefully we will be able to meet Texas forum members for BBQ or coffee.

I will be "importing" 100% Kona Coffee from Hawaii.

 

[SilentKnight]

My hunting mule

 

[SilentKnight]

Gotta love mules.

 

[susieqz]

a friend asked me if i could pasture her donkey for 3 weeks so she could vacation.
seemed easy enow.
i was ahorseback n only 3 miles from home, so i thot i'd just lead her home like i would a horse.
my horse had to drag the evil thing the full 3 miles. not fun.
after that, i hated the donkey n it hated me.
nasty thing.
if it was mine it woulda got a bullet.