[Ag-eq] `

Wed May 15 15:37:51 UTC 2013

Yes, mules are more sure footed than horses, that's why they're used in the
Grand Canyon.  Most equine enthusiasts believe them to be smarter as well.  An
old cowboy friend of mine says he rides horses because he doesn't want to ride
anything smarter than him!

Several trainers have told me that mules have a stronger sense of self
preservation than horses do.  Because they are so smart they can be more
difficult to train.  I have also read that pound for pound mules are stronger
than horses.

My dream is to some day own a gaited mule, but I'm happy with my gaited horse.

Nella

Quoting Tracy Carcione <carcione at access.net>:

> Once, on vacation and taking a trail ride, I was talking to our guide, who
> was riding a mule.  He said he preferred mules.  He thought they were
> smarter than horses, and more surefooted for trail-riding in the mountains.
> Tracy
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: <nfoster at extremezone.com>
> To: "Agricultural and Equestrean Division List" <ag-eq at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Tuesday, May 14, 2013 10:29 PM
> Subject: Re: [Ag-eq] a visit with children
>
>
> >
> > Jewel:
> >
> > I've owned 3 different mules and found none of them to be nasty.  They
> > tend to
> > be a bit more aloof than horses, but this isn't always true either.  One
> > of my
> > mares was very friendly and loved attention from everyone.  My other mare
> > and
> > Jack tend to be more one person animals.  Jack will not allow people he
> > doesn't
> > know to walk up to him.  He's not nasty about it, he just moves away.
> > Once he
> > knows and trusts people he's very friendly.  When I have him saddled and
> > bridled he knows his job and is a professional.  He tends to like small
> > children better than adults and is more forgiving with them.
> >
> > Mules are used to take tourest to the bottom of the Grand Canyon.  The
> > canyon
> > mules are well trained and well behaved.  They put up with lots of people
> > who
> > know nothing about riding.
> >
> > Mules can be a bit more difficult to train than horses.  They are less
> > trusting
> > and usually less forgiving of mistakes.  If you are patient and use
> > natural
> > horsemanship training, you will have a loyal companion.  You have to earn
> > their
> > trust.  I think mules have gotten a bad reputation because so many were
> > badly
> > trained, which made them nasty.
> >
> > To me the mules make a sound between the whinny and the bray.  Every mule
> > I've
> > ever heard sounded different from a donkey.  None of my mules have been
> > very
> > vocal.  Most donkeys I've been around were much more noisy.
> >
> > Even though I love my horse Cruiser, I still admire a good mule.  Jack is
> > to
> > arthritic to carry much weight, so he's retired now.  He was an excellant
> > trail
> > animal for years and has earned his retirement.
> >
> > Nella
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Quoting Jewel <jewelblanch at kinect.co.nz>:
> >
> >>
> >> I imagine that, somewhere in NewZealand,someone has a mule,but they are,
> >> extremely thin on the
> >> ground.
> >> It is great that Jack is proving that mules can be really nice animals
> >> as, in
> >> general, they are
> >> portrayed as being nasty bad-tempered critters that would have the back
> >> out
> >> of your breeches in the
> >> twinkle of an eye if you were foolhardy enough to turn your back on
> >> them!Do
> >> they whinny or bray, and
> >> if the latter, is it ,similar to a donkey.  Going by sound alone, would
> >> you
> >> be able to tell if it
> >> was a mule or a donkey that spoke?
> >>
> >>           Jewel
> >> --------------------------------------------------
> >> From: <nfoster at extremezone.com>
> >> Sent: Monday, May 13, 2013 5:21 AM
> >> To: <ag-eq at nfbnet.org>
> >> Subject: [Ag-eq] a visit with children
> >>
> >> Yesterday one of my coworkers brought her grand children over to see the
> >> animals.  They were both under 5, so had lots of energy and questions.
> >> They
> >> were frightened at first, but were much more comfortable by the time they
> >> left.
> >>
> >> They fed the goats apples and carrots, so then the goats wanted to follow
> >> them
> >> everywhere.  They also fed Jack and Cruiser and had pony rides on Jack.
> >> As
> >> usual Jack was a perfect gentleman and walked slowly and carefully.  In
> >> the
> >> beginning they were afraid of Jack, but after sitting on him they were
> >> willing
> >> to take a few steps and after a few steps they didn't want to stop!  Jack
> >> is
> >> 30
> >> and seen and done most everything, to my knowledge nothing upsets him.
> >> He
> >> seemed to enjoy his little outing.  I love being able to share the
> >> animals
> >> with
> >> other people this way.
> >>
> >> Nella
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> _______________________________________________
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