# Switching from horses to mules?



## brettz (Jun 21, 2013)

I'm interested in anyone's opinion that has made the switch from horses to mules. I grew up with horses and have a strong desire to have one around again. But, I also know it's a lot of money and time for an animal that does not produce anything and always colics on a Sunday. I've heard that mules are hardier and easier to keep than horses. And I am interested in an animal that we could potentially use for something other than riding (helping move logs, light plowing, packing). I grew up pretty much only riding mares so I am used to animals that are very much their own people. Would it be tough to make the switch to mules? Worth it?


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## jennigrey (Jan 27, 2005)

I have found that people who choose mules over horses are just a bit different from horse folks.


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## goodhors (Sep 6, 2011)

Not picking mules, but they take a certain kind of person to get along with them because of how they think. Seems you either ARE a Mule Person or you are NOT a Mule Person. I am a Horse Person, and the mule we owned was rather confusing to deal with. Certainly NEVER reacted like expected from our extensive horse background. Since it appeared that we NEVER were going to get into the same mindset, we sold her at Auction to a Mule Person who loved her. Called and asked if we had MORE like her! He bragged up all the stuff she had learned with him in only a short time, only one time of her being "difficult for him". He said she got tangled in the harness, went down in the garden, so he made sure she COULDN'T get up, and went to lunch. When he came back she was apologetic, and NEVER again tried to stray out of the garden rows. We had purchased her as a foal, so couldn't help him with more mules. Were so glad to hear she went to a place who would appreciate her. 

Mules WILL chase any small thing, especially going after dogs, foals, calves and sheep/goats. They WILL hurt them, how hard depends on the mule doing the chasing.
Mules DO carry grudges, will get even LATER ON when you least expect it. Most of them
don't miss when they kick. They can kick from ears to way past the rump.

On the good side is they learn easily, often with only a little practice. Bad part is they NEVER forget a bad experience, so you might have problems if they don't like something.

Mules need to TOTALLY understand what you want them to do. This is where they get the balky reputation, handler is not clear to mule about what is going on or job to do. They are very self-protective, so they won't go into things they don't understand.

The American Mule and Donkey group has wonderful books, tapes, a magazine, that can help you understand mules way of thinking, better ways to train them without problems. You may want to invest in some material to learn from, before investing in the animal.

We have stuck with horses since that one Mule experience. She wasn't a bad animal, just that we didn't understand her kind of thinking, or deal with it once we did. I had small children coming up at the time, couldn't take a chance of them getting into her field and hurt. She WAS rough on the sheep and would have hurt the dog if she could have caught it. Dog THOUGHT mule was playing tag, so was fast enough to keep away. Mule did three bad things in one week, was our signal that she needed to live elsewhere and got sold on. She was just being a mule.

I would think long and hard on getting one, knowing what I know now. All the REALLY GOOD mules we know, came trained, up from the South. Owners just enjoyed using them, never actually added or improved any part of their training while they owned them! We have known some very nice mules, but don't want to own one anymore.

As for colicy horses, usually there is a management issue going on. How and what they get fed, handled, needs to be changed. Yes there are a few certain horses who have problems, but most horses managed well, don't have continued colic problems. I see continued problems in certain barns or under certain people, who can take a regular, no-problem horse and turn it into a constant problem because of how person or barn manages the animals.


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## starjj (May 2, 2005)

First of all NOT all mules chase small things. I have 4 poodles (small) and they walk under my mule. One walks behind her pratically under her hooves. Maybe I got lucky because I really didn't know her background as far as how she woulld react to other animals. She never has been agrressive to anything andshe is in the pasture with chickens.

They are SMART and remember everything. Mine does not like to get her hooves trimmed and she remembers who her farrier is. Even after a long time of not seeing him.

I grew up on horses but I wanted something that I didn't have to worry that there would be colic issues or other health issues and my mule is an easy keeper.

I really don't ride her often but she is very loving as far as walking out and grooming her or just putting my arms around her neck after a bad day.

Not saying mules can't have health issues and they are definately a different mind set than a horse but I love mine.

I call her pretty girl although her name is Diggit. Pretty girl fits her as everyone says they have never seen a prettier mule than mine.


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## Rick Harvey (Jan 11, 2013)

I had a good, solid, mule that was not at all spooky. I trail rode him for 2 years, and really liked him. My only issue was he walked slow and I rode mostly with gaited horses, so we were always behind, and his trot to stay up was rough. But he would go through places the horses would not, and would cross water, bridges, ignored barking dogs, automobiles, farm equipment, etc. 
I hope to get another one some day, but now I have a foxtrotter that I really like, and a lot smoother ride. It's like all things, there are good ones and bad ones, but they have a personality that's hard to beat.


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## kscowboy (Apr 27, 2008)

a good mule is about 1 in 1000 so be ready to punt on the not so good ones , and they are just different and they hold a grudge forever. We had a really nice one at our barn , hated men , tried for 3 years to make friends with him and he would have none of it. Probably hard trained by amish men.


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## Grey Mare (Jun 28, 2013)

Goodhors is right about horses and colic. A lot has to do with management, feed, exercise, etc. I love my horses and I love mules, but my running joke is that I don't want to be on an animal that can out think me on a good day! :heh:

That being said, I went to visit some friends in TX who have mules. One of my all time favorites is her Appaloosa mule Ricochet. Laid back, easy going, fun to be around and loves his ears scratched. One afternoon we went riding and I rode her Belgian mule Buck. What a sweetheart he was, and while reining him was like driving a truck without power steering, there wasn't anything he wouldn't do and when it came time to go down a steep shale area, he kicked it into mule 4 wheel drive and never took a misstep. I sure had fun! 

Can you go to someone who has mules and ride one, spend time grooming, getting to know it then decide?


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## bergere (May 11, 2002)

If you want a Donkey/Mule temperament and still get a horse.... an Icelandic will work.
Training an Icelandic is very much like training an Mule... they need to trust and have a reason for doing things. Normally you have to show them something once, maybe twice and they get it. 

On a whole, Icelandic's do not tend to be kickers,,, which is really nice.


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## CIW (Oct 2, 2007)

More good mules are screwed up with good intentions.
If you are intrested in getting a mule, may I suggest getting an animal that is 14 or 15 yo. A molley is more likely to fit better in your situation. Johns are commonly a little more assertive. Usually by that age the kinks are worked out of most of them or the problems are easier seen. Test drive a few before purchasing. If you could pair up with a knowledgable person, you will increase your chances for sucess. There are many good associations or clubs that can be of help here
We find at our place, that interaction with other animals isn't an issue. Its when a new animal (or a small child) comes around that the problem arises. (ie; a stray dog) From the donkey side of their lineage they tend to be territorial when any odd thing enters the field they are housed in.
Mules are very calculated in whatever they do. Most folks will start to see problems when the mule doesn't understand what you are asking of them. Taking on a training project probably isn't going to be sucessful right now.
Purchase one that will do everything that you are wanting to use it for. Having to teach the mule while you are learning is riddled with pitfalls.
If you were willing and would disclose where you live. I likely can put you in touch with a reputable person to help you get a good start on your quest.
I wish you the best.


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## CIW (Oct 2, 2007)

I thought that this might apply here.
My grandad had a span of grey mules that he raised on the ranch in the Sandhills. They had spent their entire lives on the same ground. Doing the same tasks, year in and year out.
My gramma was a very punctual person, in life. She always had meals at the same time each day. Like the tide or the rising and setting of the sun.
He said that this team could tell time. At about 11:50 they would start to get balky about doing the days work if you didn&#8217;t head for the house. They weren&#8217;t barn sour. They just knew where they were to be in the tie stalls during dinner time. If my grandad tried to work though dinner he would end up in a mess.
This would situation would repeat itself just before 17:00, when was to be home to start milking.
Grandad said that they would scold you, if you were late to feed in the morning, just as cows did, if you were late to milk.
On another thread there was mention of raising animals from babies, and how it will positively effect their performance.
I know from first hand knowledge that mules and milk cows can tell time, and that if you being late effected what they are to be doing at a certain time, they will tell you about it. They carry a work ethic of high certainty. Once they have learned a job they don&#8217;t like it being suddenly changed without there being a good reason. And doing so greatly effects their performance.
We had a Swiss cow that seemed to not like my brother. If he milked her, he would always have to tie her tail up or she would be a switching him in the face or dumping the bucket. My daddy said he wasn&#8217;t holding her right. Anybody else she was fine though.
Mules are of similar fashion. They like to have a vote in the way things are going to happen. We need to learn to trust them enough to let them make some of the small decisions. Choose our wars, so to speak.
One day my uncles, as a joke, put a tick tock watch around one of the mules ankles. My grandad laughed until his death, concerning mules being able to tell time.


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