# Free to Good Home - Draft Work Horse and Mule pair



## sidepasser

I am looking to place my Registered Belgian Mare and my mule Pumpkin in a good home as I can no longer look after them in Ga. Both are located near LaGrange, GA.

Both good health, both ride and are gentle. Must go together as they have been together most of their lives. Belgian logs, rides and drives. Mule rides and plows. 

Belgian is 17 hands, mule is close to 16 hands I believe. Both are easy keepers, have recently been wormed, had feet trimmed. Easy to catch, both load in trailer easy. Neither bad to try to get out or jump fences, etc. Neither crib, kick, bite. 

Go as a pair, with a few weeks conditioning both would be ready to ride on trails - mule rode in the mountains for 3 years with an older lady.

Hate to see them go, but my Mom is not able to look after them and I have no where to board them and can't afford to pay full board for them in Huntsville.

You can contact me through here if you are interested. Here are some pictures:


----------



## oregon woodsmok

Very nice looking animals.


----------



## sidepasser

Thank you!


----------



## Joshie

If only you were closer and I could convince my husband..... If only you were closer I think I could convince my husband....


----------



## Graceless

Just to say first... I CAN'T I don't have my fence up....

 Niiice MULE!!! I love him!!! Super sleek!!

I love the Mare too ! I might even find a plow for her to help me with!! LOL
( I could go get one out of my neighbors yard junk collection! LOL )

Man!! I sure wish the Fence Fairy would come to my house... I have 2 ac.. Just begging for a fence....SIGH>>>>


----------



## BamaBoy

Very interested --- please email me.
Thanks


----------



## sidepasser

I wanted to add that Molly and Pumpkin will only go to a home that plans on keeping them, I do not want to give them to someone who is going to carry them to the local sale barn as I could do that myself. I will take either or both back at any time if the new owner finds that they cannot keep them for any reason. Being free does not translate into "I get to make a profit"..it means having a horse that can teach YOU how to ride, log, plow, etc.

These animals are FAMILY oriented horses and have been treated not as pets, but as working members of our family for years. They have hauled out tons of logs, pulled rock boats, toted 2 and 3 kids on their backs at a time, and have had the best of care.

I want someone who possibly could not otherwise obtain these types of animals to have them, someone who has kids that want to learn to ride would be right at home on Molly. A teen that wants a good, safe, sturdy mountain mule would be at home on Pumpkin. Someone who wants to log their farm without using heavy machinery would be at home with Molly or Pumpkin. 

Neither need special care although if anyone wanted to ride Molly over rocks, etc. shoes would be required. She does not have to have stocks to be shod and holds her hooves up on command and stands perfectly still for shoeing. The mule also is voice trained for hoof care and has worn shoes when riding in the mountains over tough terrain.

Sorry to rattle on but I have had a few requests that were basically "send them to me and I'll sell them at the auction". If I wanted to do that, I could do that myself.


----------



## TroutRiver

How old are they? Do they both ride and drive? You are far away but I may be interested.

EDIT: Sorry I just saw that you did say they both ride and drive. Can you tell me a little more about them, personality and such? I have been working with horses and riding my whole life, but just got into driving and draft work in the last year. I am looking for draft animals for my small working farm who are very mild mannered and easy to work with, been there done that type of animals. Really I was only looking for one, but may be interested in taking both. PM me if you prefer, or post here. Thanks.


----------



## springvalley

Both nice looking animals, if you were closer I would take them till you could get them back. I hate to see people loose animals because of cicumstances. So sad for sure. > Marc


----------



## arnie

Graceless said:


> Just to say first... I CAN'T I don't have my fence up....
> 
> Niiice MULE!!! I love him!!! Super sleek!!
> 
> I love the Mare too ! I might even find a plow for her to help me with!! LOL
> ( I could go get one out of my neighbors yard junk collection! LOL )
> 
> Man!! I sure wish the Fence Fairy would come to my house... I have 2 ac.. Just begging for a fence....SIGH>>>>


Horses are easy to fence with a single strand of e,ectric not to expenceive


----------



## sidepasser

The mule is bonded to the draft mare and will go where ever the mare goes. The mare is gentle. She has never offered to do one thing wrong. She pulls great, is trained to voice commands, i.e. "Step - up" to ask her to pull, "Ho!" to whoa, etc.

Both are trained to not need stocks to shoe. Many drafts require stocks to shoe, but both of these gals pick up hooves on command with a slight touch on the fetlock. 

The mule has one bad habit. The elderly man that raised her was on oxygen while working with Pumpkin. That said, he allowed her to go her own way if on a lead and if you do not put a chain across her nose when leading, she will jerk loose and go back to the draft mare. If she has the chain (a light chain, not a logging chain lol) across her nose, she will not attempt it. She knows the difference and don't think that she won't try it. She might lead fine 20 times in a row without it and on that 21st time, she'll yank loose and go back ot the draft mare. I just run the chain across and she's fine. You don't have to jerk and yank, she understands quite nicely that she's "caught"..

That is the ONLY vice either of the pair has. Both lead and load, ride and neither have ever shown any regard to cars, trucks, tractor trailers, trains, boats, etc.

Neither has ever bucked or reared. Neither has ever bitten or kicked. Both are rather hardy not needing a blanket in the winter or much sweet feed, I give them some to keep them coming up, but they do eat hay. A lot of hay. As in one small square would be a snack in the winter. But they are large animals so that is to be expected.

The mule can't abide a dog in the pasture that she doesn't "know". The last coyote that came in her paddock ended up a slick spot. She will run a strange dog. If you introduce her and she knows the dog is supposed to be "there", she is fine. Strange dogs are toast and coyotes even more so. The draft mare could care less about either, she won't kick a dog or run one.

Easy to worm, very sweet tempered with the vet, my vet likes my mule and all the farriers that I have had like her. She is very good with her hooves. Some mules aren't.

Both are aged animals, in their 20's, are sound and healthy. Neither require any type of medications other than worming. Both are sound for riding, logging and driving. The mare wears a 26-28 collar and requires large harness. The mule requires a 22 -24 collar and medium to large harness. Both are used to breechin. The draft mare has a docked tail so would require fly spray and/or a fly sheet in the summer if flies are bad. Both are easy to groom and clip with electric clippers. We don't clip ears due to gnats but I suppose you could if you wanted to. 

Pumpkin the mule has extensive training. She was shown in western pleasure, then in english pleasure and jumped. She can jump the moon if she is ridden correctly. She has also barrel raced but did not like it so much. One lady prior to me had her in dressage training and showed her in dressage. She is a rather fancy mule. I trail rode her and worked her to a rock boat. I never drove her but was told that she does drive and pull and cart.

She is a 3 bell mule. Molly is exceptionally well bred, and her only foal sold the first day it was advertised for what I asked for him. I bought her bred but never intended to keep the foal. She came from a farm in SC that only uses horse power to run the 250 acres. I have all her paperwork including her registration papers.

That is about all I can think of at the moment. If you have further questions, let me know. Neither have ever been mistreated. Neither knows the first thing about being hit or beat on and would not understand it. They are both voice trained. If the mule was ever hit, I do believe she would eventually get even. They usually do. Neither are spoiled and are not used to being fed "treats" out of hand. They will eat apples and carrots out of their buckets. I don't believe in hand feeding treats. I do give treats in the bucket and that is what they are used to. But even then, they never get them every time they work so don't expect it. Sort of like a "surprise" oh wow..here's a carrot..did you get a carrot? kind of thing. I believe hand feeding treats can promote biting and with all the little kids that have been around these two, I don't chance it.

Let me know if you have further questions.


----------



## Gabriel

PM sent.


----------



## bergere

They are beautiful animals, am sorry you have to give them up.


----------



## Graceless

Sigh.. 
Woods in the back of the 2 ac... ;-/
Has to be safe and secure for my sanity

Whenever that fence fairy shows up I'll be happy!..
 They so sound great!..Man..


btw.. I have the wire just not the experience or time at the moment.. Dh is going to work on it in the next month or soThis time of year is crazy busy ! Soon.. soon.... It will be soon...Lord Willing...and alot of hard work


----------



## 2horses

I know this had to be a very difficult decision, I'm so sorry you're having to do this. I hope you find the perfect home for them. I wish it were mine, but this would just be a retirement home for them. I've always wanted to try riding a mule, though - just don't have any experience with them and know they are not horses. They are both gorgeous. Good luck!


----------



## Lisa in WA

Good luck Sidepasser! I hope they always get to remain together.


----------



## sidepasser

They have to stay together otherwise the mule will pine herself to death. The mare is ok without the mule, but the mule loves the mare. Even in the pasture with other horses, the mule never left the draft mare. One time I did try to separate them and the mule walked her hoofwall off on one side going up and down the fenceline. She stopped eating and just walked non-stop for three days so I put them back together. She will ride fine without the draft as long as she knows that she goes back in the pasture with her. The lady that had the mule leased said she was great off the property but bonded to her arabian and was the same way with him. Rode fine up in the mountains but had to be pastured with the arab. Mules are right particular I guess.


----------



## Graceless

Totally understand that! We have two ponies we gave/sent to live until the kids outgrew them,They must stay together! The gelding walked about 150 lbs off in just 2 weeks looking and pining after the mare!Shew! Creatures are so interesting hu?


----------



## Huntinfamily

I wish I lived closer to you. I would take them in a heartbeat! I have been searching locally for the past year for a team I can skid logs with. They are exactly what I have been looking for! They sure are some beautiful animals


----------



## Cannon_Farms

ok, i posted this earlier but dont see my post, here is a local Ga group on fb 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/middlegahorsesdogs/518667861479230/?ref=notif&notif_t=group_activity

would love to have either just dont have room for both


----------



## sidepasser

Thanks, I have had a lot of people interested and so am trying to respond to everyone.

I do have to point out that if you are interested and have never had drafts, please read up on how much hay they require. It will be a large number of lbs. per day. Molly can eat two bales of hay a day and never blink..lol..I am used to that so I buy two 1100 lb. round bales of coastal and she and Pumpkin will eat all of it in 3-4 weeks depending on whether it is really cold. Neither requires feed except a handful to keep them coming up when I call them. But they do eat an enormous amount of hay and hay is not cheap. Well it runs about 4.50 a bale in Ga. for good coastal (that is small squares that weight 50-55 lbs. each). So figure 9.00 per day for Molly and another 4.50 for the mule. Just in hay.

In the winter I buy 6-8 round bales total for the months of Dec - March. Then the grass puts out again and I don't have to worry about hay. We have grass right up to the first of December then it dies down so the hay man delivers two bales on the first of each month unless it is really cold, then it may be two bales every three weeks.

On the other hand, they require little to NO feed..lol..they do much better on grass and hay. Only when both are working hard do they get any sweet feed.

Front shoes are needed for the mule if she is riding in the mountains over rocky ground. The draft had shoes one year when I was working her particularly hard and I put toe and heel caulks on her. Mostly working in the woods, I never had to put shoes on either of them.

Wish I still had access to my other computer, I had some great pics of them logging and riding the grands.


----------



## BarbadosSheep

They sound like dream animals. I so wish I had tons of pasture....I'd take them both in a second. But sadly my pasture can't support two such large animals. I do wish you the best of luck finding them a wonderful new home where they will be appreciated.


----------



## jennigrey

You might advertise them on Draft Animal Power Network. A genuine group of people there. You'd still have to screen candidates that same as you would anywhere, but there'd likely be someone there who would love, work, and respect your draft equine.


----------



## Gabriel

Your PM box is full.


----------



## Sonshine

How much land would be needed for them to remain healthy?


----------



## rickfrosty

sidepasser said:


> The mule is bonded to the draft mare and will go where ever the mare goes.
> Let me know if you have further questions.


This is all so interesting. Wish one of us was closer & I was prepared to take these wonderful-sounding animals ! I had read so many times that a mule will kick - not if it will kick, but when, you know ?
Have been considering training up an ox (or 2) for my smallish hardwood trees and a rockboat on my land. Had met a beautiful little steer some friends had, but they are dirt cheap at the auction.
Guy is excercised/trained so far by a little girl w/a halter rope.


----------



## sidepasser

I believe a good home has been found. If anything changes I will let you all know. Thanks to everyone who responded. Both will be located near to Huntsville so I can visit them occasionally. I know that this is the best thing for both of them, they need a job and a person to work them and give them a purpose.

Again, I appreciate all the responses, this is one of the hardest things I've had to do in a long time but sometimes you just have to do the hard things in life.


----------



## Gabriel

sidepasser said:


> I believe a good home has been found.


:goodjob: :clap:


----------



## farmgirl6

are you moving to Huntsville Alabama? The Arsenal has a boarding facility, I think a two stall private barn is like 100 bucks or something, pasture and paddocks included, you buy your own feed and hay and take care of them yourself, you can use if military, retired military or gov or gov contractor


----------

