Take the Time to Take the Time it Takes

It really is that simple.  If you want a safe finished mule you are going to have to make it a priority to take the time to take the time it takes.  There are literally no shortcuts.  My mules and horses all took years to develop into the herd they are now.  YEARS, not months. 

So many people want an amazing equine but aren’t getting into their saddle more than once or twice a month, with several months off each year.  Or they pull their mule out of the pasture just for a trail riding trip a few times per year and just hope for the best.  One of the largest ruts I see with owning a trail facility is people stop growing which means that their mule stops growing. 

Lots of people do not know how to train.  The amount of time it took for me to teach my mule to transition to a stop without the use of my reins took months of focusing on that cue with consistency from myself.  The training it takes to get refinement from your mule takes dedication over an extended amount time, and is not always the most exciting riding time. 

Others send their mule off to a trainer, but then fail to either 1.) continue the training once the mule returns or 2.) lacks the skill set of the trainer.  A trainer needs to be used for one of following reasons: 

1. Mule: Initial breaking
2. Mule: Expedite the learning of a specific skillset
3. Mule: Conditioning/reconditioning
4. Person: Gain confidence as a rider
5. Person: Learn how to communicate with mule

Recently, I threw my hat into the ring for buying and selling equine.  I keep every equine for a minimum for 45 days.  A common question I get is “Is the mule kid broke?”  Here’s the deal.  What most people are saying when they are asking that is for a mule that barely moves, is lazy, and allows them to crawl all over them.  I do not sell equine that are “kid broke” because I do not believe in that term.  I believe in matching the equine with the rider’s skills.  Also, I am a confident rider.  Mules will ride differently with a confident rider verses a nonconfident rider.  After purchasing a mule that you witnessed having amazing skills, you cannot depend on that mule to keep those skills without continuing education.  A fancy trained mule is not a babysitter, but a willing lifelong learner.  It makes me think about some of the difficult math I was able to do in high school and college.  I could not do it now, but with a slight refresher from a knowledgeable source, I could pick it back up quickly.

You need to be willing to put the time into a mule to develop a trust that will allow you to do all of the things you want to do with your mule.  No shortcuts, and no way to get around the quality of extended time.  Take the time to take the time it takes. 

By Brandy Von Holten