# Mule internship



## rookie (May 14, 2012)

What are you looking to do in the internship? I know a fair number of people who are packers and use mules. They don't do it as an internship, they started out in packing or hunting camps as low rank (camp jack) and worked the way up. I can't think of any big mule breeding farms because honestly, most of the mules I have worked with were either out of Amish country or back yard bred type situations. If you want to work with mules, it might be wise to look for summer jobs over internships.


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## Cherie (Dec 16, 2010)

Check out the Lucky Three Ranch in Fort Collins, CO. The owner, Meredith Hodges, is one of the best known mule breeders and trainers in the country. She is not into hunting and packing (if that is what you want). She is into showing, does a lot of dressage and over-fence training and used to take a large contingent of winning mules every year to Bishop Mule Days and other big shows in the nation.

She most definitely understands donkeys and mules and how they think. She DOES have an ego that matches Pat Parelli and some of the other 'famous' trainers, so everyone does not get along with her. But, no one can take away from the fact that she raises and trains some of the best mules in the country. She sells a lot of mules, but they are some of the highest priced mules I have ever seen. She also does not work with problem mules or other people's mules. She just tells them that they should have bought a mule from her.

She has a HUGE website and a lot of mule information on it (according to Meredith). Lucky Three Ranch

PS, I just saw your response where you said that mules are stubborn. Don't try to tell Meredith (or me for that matter) that mules are stubborn. When someone says they are stubborn, they are just declaring that they are clueless as to how mules think and respond.


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## Mulefeather (Feb 22, 2014)

I would do a LOT more learning and research about mules before you decide you want to work with them- you seem to have some ideas about them that are not correct. If you get there expecting a mule to be stubborn, rather than knowing what is REALLY going through his mind, you are going to have a difficult time with them.

I for one can respect Meredith Hodges as someone who has figured out the formula to raise a good mule, but there are many other people out there who I would consider better to learn from (and probably won't have you rolling your eyes every 10 seconds, as I find myself doing with Meredith). Her solution to every problem is basically "buy my book/DVDs". I agree wholeheartedly with Cherie that she's basically the Pat Parelli of the mule world. 

Steve Edwards in Queen Creek, AZ offers working student experiences, but beware- he is religious and expects you to observe his ways when you learn from him. He is also not very "touchy feely" and not really into the natural horsemanship thing. Also, you are paying for the experiences he is teaching you - there is a tuition as well as room and board. I am not sure if the Arizona community college still offers a Mulemanship course with him. 

There are other trainers like Brad Cameron and Richard Shrake who have had good results with mules, so studying some of their methods might also do you well before you get to an internship.

Do you know what you are hoping to learn from the mule operation you intern at? Breeding, training, packing, driving a team, etc? What is your ultimate goal in learning these things?

Once you have your goal figured out, you may want to contact your state's (or the states you are looking at) draft horse and mule associations. Mule and donkey folks do talk to one another, and everyone knows someone, so walking and talking with people is going to be one of your best bets.


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