I forward the below to the list since Nick sent it to only me but addressed
it to the list as well, so his intent seems pretty obvious.
Just imagine the mules of the fur trade. Mixing a donkey with the tough
little ornery indian ponies. It has always interested me that Miller painted
the mules larger than the horses. Perhaps artistic license since a horse was
a romantic figure and the art of the day made such things as horses and men
be drawn with tiny feet and etc. Still I wonder.
If my mule is any indication they are wary beasts and will spook. never
noticed that it was not forward any less than any other direction. She is
also difficult to get to just step out and walk when riding by herself. On
the toher hand she does seem to accept my company as not being alone better
than horse who seem to think they are completely desserted when you are on
thier back.
If we put a pack on her back and kick her loose to run along when we go on a
trip she is certain to have more fun than anybody, horse or human on the
trip. When everyone else is sore and tired she is still being playful.
The stubborn is an interesting thing because she will just go places a horse
wont. She will cross creeks and walk rough ground that I would fight my
horses through. But she does seem to question you a lot more to see if you
really mean it. I like to think that a horse has one responce to being
scared. Flight. A mule has two. Flight and Do you think I can take it?
On 1/25/08, Nick Sheedy <nsheedy2@???> wrote:
>
> Wynn, and list:
>
> I agree horses and mules are different... yes, mules
> can be more tricky than a horse at getting out of a
> pen or gate... and the mules I know never pass up an
> open gate!
>
> Mules do have this reputaion for being stubborn... I
> might comment on that.
>
> My wife is a professional animal trainer... works
> mostly with horses, but also has trained lots of
> donkeys and mules, and we own gentle zebras she's
> trained , too. They are each different animals, and
> have different instincts, and each react differently
> to different situations. If you try to train a mule
> like a horse, or a zebra like a horse, you won't get
> the same results. Thier instincts and psyche are just
> different.
>
> For example... One big practical difference between a
> horse and a donkey (and usually between a horse and a
> mule) is that you can spook a horse forward, but
> probably not a mule. Say you're on a trail and your
> horse stops and you want him to go... well, you can
> swat him on the rear or someone behind him can make a
> noise or something and simply scare your horse
> forward. That doesn't work with donkeyes or most
> mules. If they are scared or unsure about something,
> they tend to freeze and don't want to budge. If you
> try to scare him forward, or hit him or anything like
> that, it will only condition a mule to be more scared
> and even more aprehensive about moving when they find
> themselves in a similar situation in the future. This
> has given donkeys and mules an undeserved reputation
> for being stubborn. As such, donkeys and mules need
> to be reasured that where they are going and what you
> are asking them to do is safe. For this reason, a
> mule is a far safer pack or mountain trail animal than
> a horse... for the simple fact that if you're out on
> the trail and something spooks your horse, a horse
> will often bolt and run (a scared horse will even run
> itself to death)... whereas, if you're on a mule and
> something spooks it, it is more likely to jump out of
> immediate danger but then stop, or simply freeze until
> they feel it is safe.
>
> Another difference between a mule and a horse (and I
> am speaking generally--every animal is different and
> has a unique personality!) is: if a horse is scared of
> something (for example--a garden hose, or a crinkly
> tarp, or white bucket) they will often spook or jump
> at it every time--even for years--and you usually
> really have to work at it to get a hurse used to
> something they are scared of. A mule, on the other
> hand, has a better memory for overcoming fear... if
> they spook at a white bucket, and you show them once
> that it is safe and not a threat, they tend never to
> spook at it again.
>
> As for mules' reputaions... One real problem with mule
> dispositions is historical breeding. Way back in
> colonial times, those folks knew what breeding meant
> for size, strength AND DISPOSITION. George Washington
> expressed an interest to breed mules, and some of the
> finest Jacks in europe were sent to him as gifts.
> Much later--after the industrial revolution was in
> full swing and mules became less important for
> power--people saw mule breading as inferior to horse
> breeding... for this reason, when breeding a mule,
> they often used a mare than was an inferior animal.
> They'd breed a nice gentle mare to a horse for horse
> colts... but they'd breed some old nag to a donkey for
> mules. Well, disposition can be bred! And if you have
> parents with cranky dispositions, more than likely
> you'll get babies with cranky dispositions.
>
> My wife's mother (Cross-J Horses and Mules in Unity,
> Oregon) breeds registered paint horses as well as
> mules, and she uses some of the same high-quality
> mares for both. They breed primarily for good
> disposition as well as conformation, etc. Thier Jack
> is an inch shy of "momoth" and his full brother has
> won Houston and Ft. Worth Livestock shows. I have
> been very impressed with the quality and disposition
> of the animals, and was really impressed with the
> mules we've packed with. If anyone is ever interested
> in mules, let me know and I can put you in touch.
>
> --Nick Sheedy
>
>
>
> --- Wynn Ormond <wheels@???> wrote:
>
> > Wyeth lost a Jack to drowning and estimated its
> > value at ten horses because
> > of its breeding patential. Also Catlin had an
> > Indian, Comanche if I recall,
> > who wanted something that he had. The indian brought
> > a fine quality war
> > horse before he offered a mule.
> >
> > Nick you did not mention one of the strongest assets
> > a mule has in its feet.
> > They are hard black and tend to bond to the lamina
> > much better than a horse.
> > Goes with the old saying "No hoof no horse."
> >
> > We should also mention that they are often less
> > tractable and trainable.
> > They are hard to teach a soft rein to. They
> > generally wont run as fast as a
> > horse. They can become escape artists, stubborn and
> > excellant shots with
> > those hard feet. You will cuss them to hell one day
> > and love them the next.
> >
> > Wynn
> >
> >
> >
> > On 1/23/08, Nick Sheedy <nsheedy2@???> wrote:
> > >
> > > In my opinion, mules were (and are) simply better
> > > mountain saddle and pack animals. They'll eat
> > rougher
> > > feed, and less overall (compared to a horse),
> > drink
> > > less water, and are stronger pound for pound.
> > They
> > > tend not to wander as much, are more sure-footed
> > on
> > > mountain trails, and usually don't spook like a
> > horse
> > > will.
> > >
> > > Peter Skene Ogden , late 1820s, traveling west
> > fron
> > > the John Day Country, through the upper Deschutes
> > and
> > > over the Cascade Mountains, said that he would
> > trade
> > > THREE horses for ONE mule!! In the Snake Country,
> > he
> > > traded the Indians for a mule they had, and
> > commented
> > > that they did not realize the value of the animal.
> > >
> > > --Nick Sheedy
> > >
> > >
> > >
> >
>
>
>
>
> ____________________________________________________________________________________
> Looking for last minute shopping deals?
> Find them fast with Yahoo! Search.
> http://tools.search.yahoo.com/newsearch/category.php?category=shopping
>
