Mule Who Can’t Be Ridden in Fields

[HbfAiw_8]

Hello! This is my first post so let me introduce myself! I am the owner of two mules named Huckleberry and Alice. Alice I am just starting under saddle but this post is about Huckleberry.

I bought Huckleberry a year ago sight unseen for very little and I am still happy with my purchase.

The only flaw to dear Huckleberry is that he can not handle riding in fields. Riding on roads and dirt trails he’s a perfect angel. We had a few small things at first but I have gotten them all worked out by now.

I started riding him in the fields 2 weeks in and each time he has bucked at least once usually directly after a buck he tries to take off straight after. I used to think he was barn sour because after if I fell off that’s where he would go but he leaves and enters the probably without balking or anything.

I have tried riding him in his pasture and he bolting or bucking all the way across the field he almost made me fall off.

I started riding him in an arena and he’s his perfect self and listens. I can walk, trot, and canter him with perfect control but in the fields I just can’t pull him up or get his head turned around.

I use a full cheek snaffle so I can have more lateral control and the other bits skipped through his mouth when I tried to turn him during his fits.

I just don’t know how to get him to the point he can ride in fields so I can go on trails with other people. It’s not a necessity because he’s great on trails and in the arena and on the road but it’s annoying and tiring every time I try to ride in the fields.

I have gotten him adjusted, his teeth checked and the farrier is up to date. I have also ridden with two different saddles and bareback with the same problems in all situations.

Any advice on my stubborn mule?

 

[J&S]

Horses/ponies/mules (?) will often play up when ridden in their own fields. Have you tried just popping into a filed during a hack, just taking a very short cut accross or a small circle in the gateway to start with.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

Agree with above sometimes just being on grass changes there behaviour, one of my Arab's is totally different on grass especially a huge open field compared to riding on a surface or round the woods, I try not to make too exciting on grass and mainly walk and if he starts to settle I might try a trot and just take it slowly.

 

[HbfAiw_8]

The arena I ride in it pretty grassy now and I have ridden him in all sorts of fields big small close to home and small and he always seems to buck. I would go on a ride with other people but I don’t know anyone that will ride with me nearby… Usually I just stick to the edge in fields because they are hay fields. He seems all fine then boom a nice buck with a turn so I slide off of lose my balance and he takes off or at least tries too. Today I took him to the arena again with no taking off, no bucking or misbehavior in any gait

 

[Arzada]

He's fine in the arena, great on trails and great on the road. IMHO perfect! I can't see any benefit to riding in a field.

 

[AmyMay]

I’ve had one or two horses that were total idiots when ridden in a field they were familiar with. It just wasn’t worth the agro.

 

[teddypops]

I have a couple (including my 30yo) that cannot be ridden in fields, it makes them crazy! They are great elsewhere so I don’t bother trying now!

 

[Malibu_Stacy]

Could you rope off a 20x40 area in your field? Maybe having a more clearly defined ‘arena’ would help him see it as workspace rather than his field?

p.s. obviously people will be able to answer in more detail if we can see some pictures of your mules

 

[piebaldproblems]

Slightly confused: do you ride him in other people's fields, or is this just that he doesn't want to be ridden in his own pasture?

If it's the later, imo it's not worth working out, in the same way that some people say not to tack up or groom in the stable - it's their place of rest, not an area to work.

If it's the former, and he's getting excited, what happens if you lead him on foot, or long rein him?