New pack mule

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Well I started a thread over in elk forum a couple weeks ago about a new mule I had acquired. In between hay season and the boys baseball games (does that stuff ever end) I finally had a chance to go grab him.

He was actually pretty calm for a mule that has never been messed with in his 7 year old life. He is halter broke but does not yield well to pressure at all. The first piece of training work started there at the back of the trailer. Now with a mule you can't just rough house them. This is where they get the award for being stubborn. In reality they aren't stubborn just extremely cautious. If you show him he'll be ok then whaalla he jumps right in the trailer.
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Ok I hit post before I needed to..

Anyway here's a pic of him when we got home.
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I picked up his feet several times each. Just checking to make sure he wasn't going to try to kick me every chance he got. He also got a chance to try on a pair of hobbles. This is a caution area. A newly hobbled animal can kick, rare, flip, and strike with front feet at any minute.
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This is where I carry the hobbles.
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I will post some more pics later. I will show a few on how I got him in the trailer etc.

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These next few pics are just basic things you need to do to build confidence in a new animal. Making pack animals is like playing guitar. It takes multiple practice sessions week in and week out. Simple things like picking up his feet let him know that my hands are not going to hurt him.
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These next pics with a rope on or around him is just a desensitizing method. They may jump and kick at first. But be sure they will eventually learn that the rope will not hurt them. As soon as they realize it they just stand there and take it. Remember this can be a time consuming deal. But for a pack animal this part cannot be overlooked. What keeps me going during the training is knowing that some day my new buddy here will be my right hand man in the mountains. And we all know how important the right huntin partner can be!

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Well that's all for tonight. If anyone has any specific questions or would like more info or pics on what/how I do things just ask.

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I appreciate you taking the time to write this and post up some pictures. I don’t know the first thing about horses, mules, or any other pack animal but I really enjoy reading about how these animals fit into other peoples lifestyles and how they use them to hunt.

I personally would like to see you continue to document your time with the new animal and step someone like me through the process you take to get that animal ready for the mountains. Again, thanks for putting this up.
 
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Well I've been super busy baling hay. I have been messing with the mule about 20 minutes every evening. He is coming around pretty good. He is an easy keeper and doesn't drink a lot. It's been near 100 degrees here every day for 2 weeks or more and hasn't rained on our farm for over 2 months.

We named him Joe.

These first pics are just some more desensitizing stuff. He has to be used to odd movements and noise, commotion etc. The boys were throwing a few bales down and ol Joe was just taking them right to the brain. He wasn't worried about those bales falling at all. I try to include these new animals in every little thing we do around here. They begin to interact with humans. If you spend enough time with them it actually gets kind of weird how human like they get.
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He never flinched. I am really liking him by now. Guys I wanted everyone to know that I mess with him every day. These pics are making him look good quick. But we have been doing repetitions of different things for about 2 weeks now. Last night my bride and I went on a walk on our place. I led ol joe. Lol. She was real proud of me about that.

About 2 days ago we went on a trail ride with our wagon. We also have work mules and use them under harness for all kinds of different chores. Well I put the pack saddle on Joe and cross tied him to the back of the wagon. I have led many head of new stock behind this wagon. They have no option when the team tightens the tugs then to follow along.
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I forgot to say that when i put the saddle on him the first thing I did was rub the pad all over him real slow. Just let him know it doesn't hurt. Some animals don't care some take a few days of messing with to get saddled up. After the pad then I walk up and around them with the saddle. Reassuring them all the time that nothing I do will ever hurt them. When they get to trusting you they will follow you to the ends of the earth.

You can see here that I took the cross tie off. The reason being he is fixing to learn to stay behind me. I cannot stand to see someone's equine dragging them around or being ornery with them. I am in charge all the time. I am the leader. The sooner you develop this relationship the better. Some people never get it. You do not have to hit them. Ever. What you do is make the right thing easy and the wrong thing hard. It's actually really simple.
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Here he is wanting to pass the wagon. I tap him on the nose and wave the red stick in front of him and he doesn't like it. As soon as he steps back I take the pressure off him. It doesn't take too.long and he figures he'll just stay back so he doesn't have to have the red stick waving at his face. Remember I am not hitting him. I am just making him uncomfortable when he gets in my space. He quickly learns where to be so no pressure is on him.
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We made a big loop and he did great with just the saddle. I then put the bags on it with a cinder block in each bag. Just a little weight so he could start feeling it.
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He was just loving the heat. Dad always said you can lead them to water but you can't make them drink. My theory is I can sure as heck make him thirsty lol.

Boys this is what they look like after they learn something.
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And unhitching the big mules. The boy is ground driving them to the tack shed to be unharnessed.
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We met up at 7 this morning for another ride. We usually ride every Saturday morning after the hay is put up. Everything went really well. When I saddled joe today I just took the saddle straight to him and threw it on him. No problems. He hadn't been saddled since last week.
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We stopped at our usual spot along the road to eat a snack and stretch. Joe got some attention and a few peanut butter cookies from the boys. I am always cautious of the boys being around him. But Joe seems real calm and gentle with them. It is important to learn to read their body language. You can tell pretty quick when they've had enough of something. But when they are standing there with their head in your hand and laid back then everything is usually a ok.
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We were stopped for about ten minutes when I figured I may try to see how calm ol Joe really was. So I just walked up to him and swung on. He never flinched. I sat there for about 3 or 4 minutes and jumped down. That is probably not a well recommended move. But I always want to know what they're gonna do in any situation. A lot of people go out hunting elk and just have a disaster. They may ride they're horses a little before going out. But you can't just trot around the park in anticipation of a backcountry hunt. You have to ride in blown down timber, rivers,around cattle, etc. One thing people really overlook is knowing what the animal will do when it is completely worn out. I mean 12 miles of grueling packing or heavy riding. You have to know them in and out before possibly trusting your life to them on the rim edge.
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As you all can see my favorite shirt is the green pearl snap. Lol. I wear it about every other day. I promise I do have other clothes.

One thing happened today that fit right in with the learning curve for Joe. He was hobbled after we were done riding and hopped up and over his lead rope. Well you can imagine things got a little tight for a second. I just stood there and watched. He eventually settled down and gave in to the pressure. I eased in and un snapped him. Again i could have rushed in and saved him like a helicopter mom. But I need to know how long a fuse he has.

This first pic he is fighting it a little. In the second pic you can see that nothing is tight and he gave in to all the pressure and all the lines were hanging loose. That's when they give up. It is usually good to relieve them as soon as they give up. Then next time he will give up sooner because he knows when he does he can be relieved.

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Yes Keith he will most likely be going in Sept. Unforeseen conditions can always change that. But right now he is on par to make the cut. Besides my no-brother-good-in-law needs a pack animal. Haha.

And they're hard to sell unless they've been a time or two.

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Thanks for the comments. I realize I am no Shakespearean. Or photographer. But I do like messing with critters and am happy to share.

I wanted to mention my selection process when looking for a horse or mule. This is extremely important. I feel that a majority of the famous trainers and stockman have made their careers on selecting correctly.

When I am in the market for a new one I simply ask the animal not be caught when i get there to look at him. If he is catchable in the pasture around his buddies, I can catch him in Colorado if I can find him. Halter broke or not he must be catchable.
Obviously I prefer them halter broke. If they aren't that's a pretty easy thing to do.

I like a pack mule to be at least 13.5 hands mature. Some guys like them bigger. If I was making a living with them I would probably look for a little larger animal. But those little guys are hard workers and easy to get a heavy pack on to. They must be quarter or draft cross. No gaited.

I like to look them square in the eye. I don't really want one to stare me down with that crazy look. If they shy away that's ok. Try to pick one that is not the herd leader. They require much less training for a pack animal. They naturally fall in line.

Good feet. Black feet are usually harder than white feet. I also don't want any cracks or lameness to start with. Pick up and mess with their feet if they will let you.

I like a small headed mule. They say, and I'm sure it's a wives tale, that a mule with a little head got its brains from its mother (the horse) not its father (the jack) Although I have owned some awesome donkeys and would buy another in a heartbeat.

Color makes no difference especially when they have a big 6x6 on their back. Nobody will see the mule then anyway. If I had my ruthers I like a dark bay.

Pick a calm one. There are too many good ones to spend ten minutes with an idiot. Same goes with women.

Registered stuff is not important to me. I know good stock when I see it.

Don't buy crap at the sale barn. Special sales with reputable consignors is ok. I like to buy off an individual. Good animals are not cheap.

This is just the beginning....


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Taking Joe on an actual pack trip tomorrow. He will be carrying our lunch and drinks in a cooler.

Stay tuned..

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Well forget that idea. The alternator fried in my truck this morning and blew a battery up. Had a buddy come save us and pull us back home.

Joe did great. The mechanic work didn't bother him a bit

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I have been curiously reading about a single foot hobble. I have always used a double front hobble. Well this bay horse and Joemule can both pretty well run while hobbled. I mean its uncanny how fast Joe can travel. So I thought about staking one foot down and then they can feed and hopefully water themselves while I am hunting.

The first step was to teach myself how this works as well as the animal. So I pulled a good broke horse out of the pen and decided he would be good to practice on. I literally just held steady pressure on the line until he picked up his foot. This horse is very broke. It only took about 1 second and he raised his foot. I may have to tie joemule to a tractor
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Next step...get more in depth. What are they gonna do when...? Gotta find out!
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And this last pic pretty much wraps it up. I will tell you, broke or not, this last pic is a caution area. If he would kick that rope it would sizzle through my hand like a fire cracker. Definitely don't wrap it around your hand or arm.
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I let all the pressure off in each pic as soon as he gave in to it. A few sessions like this and he will know as soon as he gets in a bind to just give up.

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I forgot to mention I don't actually "own" this bay gelding. I'll give you one guess who the owner is

I asked my son just the other day if I could take his horse hunting this fall. He said "Well what am I supposed to ride when you're gone?"

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Joemule received the high honors of wearing the one leg hobble this evening. I used the same steps with him as I did the horse. He already knew what a rope was and that it does not hurt him. As soon as he gave in, I released. In ten minutes I could lead him like a puppy dog by his front foot.

He fought it a little. But look at the progression in the pics.
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He was more worried about not having four legs than the actual hobble. He couldn't figure out where his foot was and why it wasn't on the ground. I just held it up until he stood still. Then let it go.

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Look at his body language here. It says "I'm Done!"

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Same here. They give up and you have them right where you want them. I'm sure liking my little mule. There is much more coming his way. I've owned a bunch and can tell you hes a goodun.

Here I am putting pretty good pressure on this rope. He looks like hes about to fall asleep. I will have no worries throwing a couple hams and a big 6x5 rack on him in September!

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I like a pack mule to be at least 13.5 hands mature. Some guys like them bigger. If I was making a living with them I would probably look for a little larger animal. But those little guys are hard workers and easy to get a heavy pack on to. They must be quarter or draft cross. No gaited.

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My personal belief is that mule is about the perfect size. I'd might go as tall as 15 hands but I'd never own a 16 hand mule that was strictly a pack animal. A taller, stouter, animal might take a little bigger load but my willingness to lift such a heavy load so high starts diminishing the taller the animal.
 
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I agree. It's been my experience that when most guys talk about a "big" horse they are referring to an animal about 15hands or so. Most people have never encountered a true 16 hand horse, and even fewer have ever been around one taller than 16.



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