# Training A Mule



## Larissa (Jan 25, 2014)

Hi, so my neighbor has a 3 year old mule filly. She is a very lovely mover to be honest. And has a very kind eye. But sadly, she has not been handled a lot. She is abour 12-13 hands. And a cutie. I have trained and help train horses with trainers. And I am curious how I would train the mule, I know they are not like horses.. And if you are gonna comment, to not try or get a trainer dont comment at all please. I would like to get her halter broke for them, and get simple ground work done. If you can leave any helpful advice please reply.


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## rookie (May 14, 2012)

I am going to suggest two things and you are probably not going to like at least one of the. First check out the mule section of the board because they might have some better advice. The second suggestion is a professional trainer who has experience with mules. The thing about mules is that they are not horses. A good mule man once told me "a good mule is better than the best horse you will ever ride and a bad mule will kill you. There is not a whole lot in-between". Mules are stubborn, opinionated and they do have a little something else so if you get their back up you have an even harder time over riding that bad behavior in the future. I would say an experienced horse person should still have a mule experienced person when training the first mule.


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## Larissa (Jan 25, 2014)

rookie said:


> I am going to suggest two things and you are probably not going to like at least one of the. First check out the mule section of the board because they might have some better advice. The second suggestion is a professional trainer who has experience with mules. The thing about mules is that they are not horses. A good mule man once told me "a good mule is better than the best horse you will ever ride and a bad mule will kill you. There is not a whole lot in-between". Mules are stubborn, opinionated and they do have a little something else so if you get their back up you have an even harder time over riding that bad behavior in the future. I would say an experienced horse person should still have a mule experienced person when training the first mule.


I didn't dislike either things suggested. Thank you.


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

I heard you have to have a sense of humor to be around mules. All I know for sure is to never slide the halter or bridle over their ears but rather undo the buckle.


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## SlideStop (Dec 28, 2011)

IMO the number #1 thing you need to keep in mind when training mules/donkeys is *EVERYTHING* must be positive. For example, when i started working with the donkeys I'd go into their paddock with some cheerios and a bowl. I'd say "Come on donks!" and reward them for coming/following. The lead so much better and they have NO issues catching anymore. In fact, they come to me every time. Also, the very first and last thing I do before I take them out/put them away is graze them. The way the first thing they experience with me is postitive and the very last thing they experience is positive. #2 Repetition, repetition, repetition. They seem to thrive on it! #3. Take it slow. They are very smart, but are much more cautious. I think you can more easily damage a mule with force then your can with a horse. Once they have that skill they will have it forever. The donkeys were previously broke to drive, but had not driving in 3 years when I started working with them. I ground drove them once, put them on the cart and they drove like they had been doing it since day one! 

Your mule may be more "donkey brained" or more "horse brained", you'll have to evaluate that for yourself! Once your them out they are amazing animals!


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## SlideStop (Dec 28, 2011)

Saddlebag said:


> I heard you have to have a sense of humor to be around mules. All I know for sure is to never slide the halter or bridle over their ears but rather undo the buckle.


I usually stick it over their ear since they aren't that sensitive, *but* there have been a few times the halter got stuck somehow or someone put their ears in the wrong way... it take a few weeks for them to "forget" it happened.


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## Cherie (Dec 16, 2010)

Mules are VERY different from horses. THEY ARE A LOT SMARTER. They also do a lot more reasoning and they are a LOT stronger than any horse. I have not found them stubborn at all. They just cannot be bullied and coerced into things. They must be TAUGHT. They DO take longer to train, but, a mule that is trained right, will give you a a lot of joy for decades to come. A spoiled mule is extremely difficult to re-train. Some bad habits (like pulling away when leading) are usually NEVER completely fixed. That is why old time 'mule halters' always had chains the went under the mule's jaw. Once a mule has learned its strength, you have a spoiled mule. 

We usually tell people two things: 

1) NEVER let them make a mistake.

2) NEVER hit or abuse a mule. They are not forgiving like a horse is. 

I have NEVER had to unbuckle a bridle to get it over a mule's ears. You simply push their ears forward and put the bridle on that way. You never smash their ears back and then have to pull them out. They will not tolerate that at all. That is how a lot of them get bad about their ears.

Mules have such strong necks, that I have always chosen NOT to teach a mule to longe. You are just asking for trouble. I would teach one later if I wanted to, but never when they were green. They are just too strong in their necks and you are just begging for them to learn just how strong they are if you try to longe one on a line. I do not even like round-penning them in the way that I work horses in a pen. They are just too smart, so I do not give them the opportunity learn just how smart (and strong) they really are. 

I have always done a lot of ground work, but not longeing and only did any ground work after the mule was very halter broke. Then, I spent a lot of time teaching one to back up and move over. I always halter trained one by tying it up solidly. They do not hurt themselves like horses will. I tie they solidly with an unbreakable halter and nylon lead without a snap smaller than a big 'bull-snap'. I tie them higher than their withers. If you try to teach a mule older than a foal to lead 'in hand', you will only teach it that it can pull away from you. 

I am not going to suggest a professional trainer unless they are a mule trainer -- and those are few and far between. Find an old mule man (or woman) that knows mules and rides calm and gentle mules and does not need chains on their halters. They know how to do it right, or their mules would not be calm and gentle.


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## Foxhunter (Feb 5, 2012)

I want a mule! Unfortunately you don't see many in the UK.

Many moons ago I met a wise old man who had been a mule skinner in WW1. He had a team of eight mules, I think they were a Spanish breed, about 15 hands. Albert, who was also a great horseman, said that the more they worked the better they were and he obviously loved them dearly. He said that they had to be treated totally differently to horses and they would die for a good trainer rather than give in.

I do know he won a lot of money thanks to his team. He told me that a pair of his mules could pull a heavy army lorry out of axle deep mud - he would assess the situation, take bets as to whether or not they could do it and then set to free the wagon. He said he never lost! 
The money he won went to buying him a farmhouse and land where he ran a good Arab stud farm. It was called 'Tamules'


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## Cherie (Dec 16, 2010)

I absolutely LOVE training them -- mainly because most people can't. 
:wink: I am betting you would do just fine with them. Cherie


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## gssw5 (Jul 30, 2013)

I have trained one mule in my life, over 20 years ago, that is all it took to know that I am not a mule person. I taught our mule to drive and ride and she was so much fun to be with, had a great personality. But if she did not want to do something there was no changing her mind.

The best advice I have is be fair, keep sessions short and interesting, set her up for success, and like Cherie said never let them realize how strong they are. 

An old mule man once told me you never strike a mule, they will hold a grudge and get you back six months later.


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## Cherie (Dec 16, 2010)

Ha! I've seen them wait 2 years to get even. I guarantee that anyone that has the patience to learn how to train a mule will be a better horse trainer for their effort. 

I have never had a mule kick me. I've seen other people with mules that did not like or respect them and those mules did not miss. Mules don't 'try' to kick you. 

We owned a Jack and raised a lot of mules out of 'good' AQHA mares back in the 90s when horses got really cheap. He was a Spanish Catalonian Jack and he sired magnificent mules with good mouths and very good backs. I never needed breeching or cruppers on them although I trained all of them to accept them because their next owner might use them. We sold some very high priced mules when people were giving away horses. You put a lot more hours in training a good mule. They are really worth it if you have the skill, the time and the patience.


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## Foxhunter (Feb 5, 2012)

That is what Albert said to me. He showed my his skinners whip. The thong was about eight feet in length. He said he could crack that an inch above their ears but any closer and he said they would have gone on strike!


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## BlueSpark (Feb 22, 2012)

I've always wanted one, but cant find one that isn't either worth a fortune, out of a crap mare or spoiled beyond all hope. if I could find a good jack I would be tempted to breed one myself, but they are virtually non existant here.

I cant help much with the original question. my only experience was befriending an old pack mule that someone had beat up, and that took a lot of time and positive reinforcement. He liked me(I think) in the end, but he was sold on before I had much of a chance to do anything with him.


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