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Mule Psychology 101: Rules For The Mule Baby By Cindy K. (McKinnon) Roberts Mules that have had positive human contact since birth are much easier to train. They generally develop delightful personalities, are willing to please and show a higher degree of inner intelligence. Having that great deal of social contact easier when it comes to time to start your mule under  saddle. You are developing a deep trust with your mule and his curiosity is very strong. However, it is important to establish a routine and set boundaries with young mules so that bad habits do not develop. Mule babies are so easy to spoil. After all, they are the cutest critters in the whole barn yard. Generally what happens is that the spoiled  mule baby grows up to being a brat or not being very responsive in their schooling. The handler is at risk at getting hurt and now, that young mule is no longer "cute". That is why it is very important to have guidelines to follow. Raise your right hand and repeat after me: I will not hand feed my baby I will not allow him to crowd my space. I will halter train him at a young age. I will keep my lessons short while using praise and encouragement. I will pick up his feet periodically so my farrier does not have to do this training. I will load him in the trailer at any given opportunity. I will correct him for bad behavior and not over correct him. I will take lots of pictures and take time to study his interesting personality. I will tolerate his immaturity. I will raise him in a safe environment so his curiosity does not get him into trouble. Now that we've taken the oath to better train our mule baby, let's look at the first two rules closely. No doubt, the first two rules seem to be hardest to follow. Obviously rule number one is so that you don't develop a nipping or biting habit in your mule. Young mules are naturally curious and they use their mouths to help explore in their environment. This is normal behavior during their development. Immediate correction should be applied should nipping or biting start. Be careful not to over correct, as your mule can become "head shy" as a result. Over crowding or not respecting a handlers space is generally from allowing the young mule to become overly friendly. When that young mule grows into a 1000 pound animal, then the handler is at risk for getting hurt. Being stepped on or pushed over by any animal is not a pleasant experience, and for safety reasons extreme caution has to be applied at all times. Often times an inexperienced handler or mule owner will opt to sell the mule, simply because the mule is no longer cute and more importantly, they cannot handle or train the mule To discourage over crowding behavior (while the mule is young), push the mule away to a respectable distance. Simply apply pressure from your hand and push at his shoulder or side and say "over". When the young mule responds, say "good". While halter training, simply tug back on the lead, asking the young mule to back away. This type of training has to be repeated throughout the young mule's development. There will be times you will have to apply a tap or smack from a short crop to re-enforce the space issues with your mule. A tap on the knee or shoulder should be enough re-enforcement. Apply enough correction to get the desired result of having your mule stand in his space while respecting yours. When you start loading your mule into the trailer, this training session will pay off. Horses and mules that have been spoiled since birth are not fun to deal with. When the time comes to train them under saddle, they throw the biggest temper tantrums. They become a danger to trainers, vets and farriers. Helping your young mule to develop good habits while young, will ensure that he is a delight to be around for many years READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE AND MORE IN ANSWERS TO YOUR MULE QUESTIONS. 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.

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