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Answers
To Your Mule Questions
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IS MY MULE
CONDITIONED FOR THIS RIDE?
Hi! Got another mule question for you.
I ride my mule on Sundays, with the exception of a
trial ride or two a month. I am planning on a ride
in September where the first day trail is about
17-19 miles. How can I tell if my mule is in good
condition for this? I don't want to hurt him in any
way. He is kept in a pasture with 3 other mules, he
is a big guy , over 1100 lbs.(10 yrs old). I have
been trying to get some riding on him but the rains
have kept a lot of our trails closed, although it
does appear to be finally drying up.. Any advice on
how to get him ready or should I not be worrying? I
understand the trail is pretty flat most of the
way... Thanks AGAIN, D
Hello D, 
1100 lbs is a very nice size for a
mule. Ten is young for a mule and keeping your mule on
pasture is good for keeping them in condition - rather
than keeping her in a stall or small paddock with little
or no exercise. For this reason, I think your mule is
very capable of handling 17-19 miles on your trail
ride. I am assuming your mule is not overweight and has
no prior injury. If you can, cold hose her legs
after the ride and rub them down with liniment. Ideally
you will want to put her in a corral or paddock so she
can walk out any soreness...this will help to keep any
possible swelling from developing. If this is not an
option, wrap her legs with support bandages such as
exercise/polo wraps. There is a correct way to
wrapping/bandaging your mule's legs and that is always
wrap for tendon support. I will elaborate on this:
Tendons are fibrous cords of
connective tissue attaching muscle to bone, cartilage or
other muscle. The suspensory ligaments are between
the two splint bones close to the back of the cannon
bone. They start close to the knee and go down to
the fetlock joint, where it divides into two branches.
Each branch attaches to the corresponding sesamoid bone
while some fibers combine with the common digital
extensor tendon. The suspensory ligament provides
support for the fetlock joint, preventing it from
extending down too far towards the ground, which would
increase the risk of strains. Under strenuous work
or exercise, it would be best to wrap your mule's legs
to aid in the support of the suspensory ligaments.
Always use even tension while wrapping and wrap in the
direction of the ligament. If you wrap against the
direction, this defeats your purpose. The way to
remember this is, wrap the leg(s) from head to tail.
If you are on the mule's near side (left) then you wrap
left to right. If you are on the mule's off side
(right) you should wrap right to left. Mule's are
athletes and are prone to injuries and strains...you are
smart to be aware of your mule's athletic condition.
Let me know how she did on the
ride. Best wishes and thanks for your email. Cindy K.
Roberts
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Warning! Under Missouri law, an equine professional is not liable for an injury to or the death of a participant in equine activities resulting from the inherent risks of equine activities pursuant to the Revised Statutes of Missouri. Your participation in training your own mule or horse by following the advice given in this column and throughout Every Cowgirl's Dream web site is a risk that may result in permanent disability and even death to you and/or your animal. Advice in this column is given through 20 plus years of professional and private mule training experience. The unique personality of your animal and the individual reader's skill level will vary greatly. This column is not a substitute for a qualified mule trainer in your area. Always utilize a professional and knowledgeable trainer to assist you. The author asks each reader to evaluate his or her skill level, athletic ability and mule sense prior to attempting any training technique. By submitting your question, you agree to having your inquiry and answer posted on Every Cowgirl's Dream web site and possibly published in upcoming literature and books. |