Are there any Mule Owners on HHO

My late father was a mounted infantry officer in World War I, serving in the Rhodope Mountains and the Struma Valley in Greece/Macedonia. His regiment largely rode English hunter types and Australian Walers, but the baggage was transported by American mules - the big 17hh type, and he fell in love with them. He said that treated right they were the most wonderful animals, and not the uncomfortable ride that many people consider them to be.

He went on to be a farmer and horse breeder, but he said to me in his old age that the one thing he'd promised himself, and never done, was to have a really nice big riding mule.

I wonder if I'm too old now? There used to be a few people doing LDR very successfully on mules, as they can trot for ever, like Dales.

Loved all the links, and all the pics. Thanks to everyone.
 
I've got a 6 y.o. 16.1 hand mule named Jackson...he's got 4 whites and a blaze on his butt. He's also gaited. His mom was a Tennessee Walking Horse. I've been teaching him to jump and he's mostly used for hacking. My horse isn't too sure he likes him.

Mules typically like people and are a lot like dogs. I'll call his name and he'll "eehaw" back to me. He's also ready to fox hunt. One fox made the mistake of running into his paddock. The fox was watching the hounds who knew to stay out of the field....Jackson ran up behind the box and stomped him flat...he trotted away, tail in the air and very pleased with himself. I painted a fox on his stall...

Why did I get a mule? I'd never had one and they looked interesting. Mules really are interesting animals. There is an old saying about dealing with mules..."You treat a horse like your kids and a mule like your grandchildren"....I know he's sure improved my patience.
 
Aces_High said:
LBM are yours still young and can you drive them both together successfully? We have two donkeys at home and I know how different they are to a horse to do anything with. Actually the older one does pull a little cart!
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Daisy Mae is two, so although I've done a little long-reining with her she won't be expected to do any more until next year at least. Her brother Rudolph is six months old so has a while to go yet!
The goal is to get them driving as a pair, which might be tricky as they have a typical sibling rivalry thing going on at the moment, I just hope they grow out of it :rolleyes:

Mules can be the easiest things in the world to train, or the most difficult; it depends on the trainer!;)
They are EXTREMELY perceptive, and also very defensive if not handled intelligently. They only need to be shown something once, and any cues need to be way lighter than you'd expect to use with a horse, so as you can imagine any smacky, shouty, show-em-who's-boss types wouldn't get anywhere!
 
I now want to meet a mule!! I still can't get over how cute little Rudolph is! Are they easy to breed or is it hard to get the horse to take by a donkey? I was going to ask what noise they made and interesting to see that they Hee Haw. When my mother got the donkeys we have, I thought there were RTA's in the village as they sound like squealing brakes of a car!!
Trakehner - your guy sounds lovely - can you post a pic of him? Sounds weird but didn't expect them to have face markings or socks etc! He's a big chap too.
Rose Folly - you should get one in your Father's memory..... never too old to take up a new challenge - can only be too old to regret what you haven't done.
 
The four white socks and the butt spot is the closest a lot of people get to when they try to breed a coloured mule....of coarse when they aren't trying they get something like this
mclain1_1.jpg

:D
I remember Shakespere(the meat man)telling me he had a 13hh+ coloured mule that I could go and see if I liked,travelled to Wolverhampton and eventually found the field,it was about 11hhs and dark bay with four white socks and a bum spot :)
 
Many years ago, there was a picture in H and H of a 16H mule hunting. I remember being very impressed and! in my ignorance, amazed that they grew so big. I always assumed that they were about 12H maximum. All your mules are gorgeous.
 
jinglejoys said:
These are mine

AmberDays3.jpg

Amber (retired to The Horse Trust

Bms-1.jpg

Sarah-lee Silver (Retired to The Horse Trust,Put to sleep last month :( she was a Hinny)

Bms.0469.jpg

Blue Moon

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Picasso

MalagaatJames024-1.jpg

Malaga
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the grey mule, sara-lee silver is the prettiest mule i ever saw!!!! i know a guy that does living history with his, his wife rides it sidesaddle......
 
Doncella said:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1sfDlLluJY&feature=related

Extreme mules.

There is also a fantastic spotted endurance mule in this country,anyone know of him he was in a photo posted on this forum ages ago re something else.
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MuffinEndurancetogonow.jpg

You mean Muffin(Yes another one)He was one of a pair imported from the States by Rosie Thompson along with Millie now affectionantly known as Pants.
silver zaanif is this who you are thinking of

Meg.jpg
 
Jackson doesn't look very hairy! Do you rug them generally in the winter? Loving the spotty mule - seriously cool! Benny and Mellie are seriously cute and have proper horses tails. Sorry if that's not amazing to a mule owner!
 
Aces_High said:
Jackson doesn't look very hairy! Do you rug them generally in the winter?
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Jackson gets very fuzzy (he doesn't look it in the photo). He won't put up with rugs, flysheets, leggings....he tears them off immediately.

The big surprise for me is how soft they are. The hair behind the elbow is as soft as angorra rabbit fur.

A nice thing about Mules, on a hack everyone can do scenes from "Shrek" (guess who's Donkey?) That's fun.
 
Benny & Mellie may be cute in summer but look what I found at the field today! Not only very dirty but poor Mellie no longer has a pony-type tail! Possibly been chewed by one of her pals. :eek:

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I still love mules! :D
 
Benny and Mellie are hilarious!! They look so proud of themselves in all that mud!!! Bennie looks strawberry roan in that pic too. I need to find a mule owner in Suffolk so I can go and have a look! Unless, I find a pony stallion to put to the jenny we have and I can have a muley of my own!!! (Just realised that's not Bennie in the photo DUH!!)
 
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