Author: Cindy K Roberts

Cindy K. Roberts has a lifetime experience with training horses and mules; riding the family pony at age 2 was the beginning. Her grandfather, Lieutenant Wilton Willmann a sharpshooter and muleskinner of the U.S. Army Cavalry (stationed in Fort Riley, Camp Perry, Fort Leavenworth circa 1924) gifted her with the insight on mules; and the desire to study and work with them. Shooting firearms and working with horses and mules was desired and expected in the family. Cindy is host of Mule Talk! The podcast about mules. She enjoys the western way of life, educating new mule owners in working with their own mules, hosting mule events, and documenting her own adventures in keeping the cowgirl spirit alive.

Evasion Tactic – Ducking Out

Hey Cindy,

I have had this mule since she was 2 years old, I have broken a shoulder while dismounting but will not blame my mule…funny story. She is 7 now and my best friend for life. Molly has won halter classes and starting on pleasure classes. My question is how to stop these right-hand turns she makes when she feels threatened or is not willing to agree with me. Can you give me advice so I can help her? She does everything else asked of her with no problem.

Thank you, Pam

Hi Pam,

Your mule lacks confidence in certain areas and it could be that you made a pet out of your mule. Making right-hand turns or “ducking out” to avoid completing a request is what the mule will do when they are lacking in confidence. It could be that you are not being clear in your request, and your mule doesn’t understand. It could be that your mule needs more foundation work to be confident and able to perform the task. Always be clear and consistent with your requests.

Working on the lead line properly and focusing on the handler is required since day one when working with mules. This has to be established in order to progress in your schooling with your mule. And, mules look for leadership since they are prey animals.

Your mule doesn’t respect you as being the leader. Harsh corrections are not going to solve this issue. Seven is the age when the mule is mature and should be willing and confident provided he/she had positive and effective schooling. Confidence Training for The Western Saddle Mule will enable you to move forward with your mule’s schooling.

Work on her foundation training to establish confidence and move forward from that. Keep a positive, working relationship going with your mule and she will look forward to learning and pleasing you. Thanks for writing and let me know how things work out.

Cindy,

Thank you for your advice . You may be right, we both lack confidence; me being fearful of getting hurt again . My mule gives me all she has when I ask her to, but, when a man gets too close that’s when the right-turn evasion tactic happens, but we will keep working on it .

Thank you again. Pam.

Mule Strikes at Handler

Hi Cindy,

I hope you will give me some encouragement and direction. Today I was leading my molly mule (2 years old) down to some green grass. She was haltered.

Then the jenny donkey came lumbering down the hill and as I was trying to get out of the way Cinnamon reared up and struck out at me! Or so it seemed.

Maybe she was doing this in response to the donkey, I don’t know. All I know is she got my shoulders—not bad enough to cause serious injury—thankfully.

I was so flabbergasted I yanked on the halter and just stood in shock; thinking how serious it could have been and wondering what am I to do??? As I caught my breath and my heart stopped pounding (the hit was much too close to my head), I lead her to the grass area; she was throwing her head and acting unruly.

I got them both into the grassy area and left her and the donkey to graze.

The moment is gone now, but is this just ‘one of those’ and forget it? We’ve had her for about 5 months now and I’ve not experienced anything like this before.

She is constantly exerting her dominance over the donkey, so maybe this is the root cause. And I just happened to be in the way…would you give me your thoughts and any suggestions?

Thank you much,

Carolyn

Dear Carolyn,

It is a scary moment when your mule strikes out at you. It happened to me once many years ago and it was a life lesson that has kept me on my toes ever since. Your two-year-old is so very young and this is typical behavior coming from a youngster. I wasn’t there to see it, but I am wondering if the donkey was coming from behind where you and your mule were…and anything approaching from behind (at any angle) appears to the mule to be traveling up to three times faster. So visually, animals, people, and objects approaching from behind give the appearance that something is coming near. Mother Nature allows this keen sense to the mule and horse for their protection from predators. I am not sure if your mule struck out of fear or from being playful. Young mules exhibit playful (kicking out) behavior in the barnyard or pasture with their playmates.

However, you are not a pasture buddy so you have to enforce boundaries here. Do not allow your mule to crowd into your space at any given moment. When working with young and/or unruly mules, always carry a crop or buggy whip as an aid (to reinforce boundaries) when you need it. It is spring time and therefore, playful and rowdy behavior can be expected. Also, your young mule is establishing dominance simply because she can. Her hormones are raging and your mule is developing physically and mentally. When your mule is seven years old, you will notice a considerable change in her maturity level and that is when you realize, the time you invested into your young mule was well worth it.

For more information on my books that offer mule behavior and mule training go to: http://www.everycowgirlsdream.com/store.html

Thank you for writing Carolyn and keep me posted on your mule’s development.

~Cindy K. Roberts

Cindy,

Thank you so much for your quick and thoughtful response!

I spent a lot of time thinking about the incident and I do believe it was in response to the donkey coming up so quickly, causing wild disruption—for all of us.

And yes, it has made me decide to be more aware and careful around both of them.

Cinnamon and I have a good bond, so I don’t believe it was to hurt me. If she had wanted to hurt me, she surely could have at that moment.

Today is a new day!

Thanks again for taking the time to encourage me!

Carolyn

New Mule Owner

Dear Cindy,

Although I’ve owned a TW horse for years, I’ve only now become a mule owner too, and have a couple of training questions for you. My mule is a five-year-old gelding and was used by his previous owner for extensive trail riding. He is a pleasure to ride, but his ground manners need a lot of refining, and I’m having trouble getting him to do what I ask on the ground. My two problems: first, he refuses to stand still / stand by a mounting block for me to get on. And second, sometimes when I lead him, he either refuses to be led and plants his feet, or tries to push ahead of me.

The methods I used to teach my young TW mare these things don’t seem to work with my mule. Can you make any suggestions?

Thanks very much,

Jodie

Dear Jodie,

It is natural for a mule to want to step away from a structure such as a mounting block. Then to have someone step up on a block, you are now towering over the mule and this makes the mule nervous. This is what predators do, right?

There are several things you can do…I will suggest one for starters. If the mule is not too nervous, you can give a handful of oats as a treat to “distract” him just enough while you step up into the saddle. However, after mounting, you should pet him and encourage him to stand for a minute before walking off. Too many riders, mount up and take off and the mule never forgets what is going to happen next, so they take off before the rider is ready.

I have trained nervous mules to stand quietly at the mounting block. It takes time and patience. I quietly move the block, place it by the mule’s shoulder, give the mule a handful of oats to reward him, and next, pet him. There’s no reason to rush this along, I mean, where’s the fire anyhow?

The next phase, I step up on the block, reward the mule at the same time for reassurance, pet him, and tell him how good he’s doing. Sing a little song at the same time if you really want to get his attention. I mean, how many handlers sing to their mule? Ha!

After your mule becomes comfortable in accepting the mounting block with you standing on it, (and if your song was cheery) you should be able to mount up quietly on your mule. After quietly mounting, encourage the mule to relax and stand for a minute. It’s not rocket science, it’s just merely taking your time to work through this process.

This and more groundwork information is available in Answers To Your Mule Questions available here. Thank you for writing and let me know how things progress for you.

~Cindy K. Roberts

Trying to Connect with His Mule

Cindy hope you are well. My mule is still having trust/come-to-me issues. I spend as much time with her as possible. She still will not walk up to me
unless I have a treat and then only to be able to get a treat and
retreat. She sees how we treat the other horses and pays attention to
them. No matter what I do the only way I can catch her is to verbally
” Lunge” her around the corral. At first, it took about 4 laps and then
she would stop and turn to me and let me walk up and rub her neck and take
her halter. The first time I just rubbed her neck and talked back to her
and released her. Then I put the lead rope around my neck so she could see
it. She moved off again but then stopped after one lap and let me catch
her. I then brushed her, led her around, checked her feet, talked to her,
and released her. I have altered my routine every time I catch her, she
never knows if I am only going to give her a rub and pat or if I am
going to lead her or brush her or ride her. She is riding great but
has some bridling issues that I will discuss later. That is the only
process that has worked for me. Any suggestions? Enjoyed the
book “Answers To Your Mule Questions” and plan on reading it again. You have a talent for writing.

Does your mule hackamore come in different sizes? She has a pretty large
head and a regular bridle is tight. She still puts her tongue over the bit so I
plan on ordering the hackamore soon.

Blessings,

Name Withheld

Dear Sir,

I have worked with older mules that were very hard to catch. I found it better to place the oats inside a bucket, then place the nose of the halter over the bucket, when the mule dips his/her nose into the bucket, scratch her neck (to desensitize) her at the same time. Quietly and calmly, secure the halter and continue to feed her. It is OK to have this routine established because the previous owner(s) have neglected to work with her with hones intentions. This technique may take several tries to where the mule willingly will dip her head into the bucket and wait for the halter to be secured. With older mules, it can take longer in repetitious handling/gentling techniques before they feel secure in forming a bond with their handler. This is OK; remember, the mule doesn’t forget ill-treatment or deceitful techniques used in their schooling. Feeding a treat, slapping on a halter then going to work is viewed as dishonest coming from the mule’s perspective. There has to be a relationship.

Early in the relationship, by walking out to the corral, rewarding the mule for approaching and walking away is good. Repeat this process. Always reward with a handful of oats, that way your mule can’t do the dine-and-dash maneuver by grabbing what’s in your hand and running away with it.

I have tossed oats on the ground to encourage a mule to approach me. It takes more time with older mules to decide that you are OK, but with a positive and honest approach to their training, they do look for you to be their friend.

Keep in touch — I want to know how this works out for you.

~Cindy K. Roberts

We Are Mule Riders

We live independently by our own code.
We like our coffee strong, like our mules.
We know all external medicine is either waterproof, blue, or yellow.
We have no problem eating a sandwich directly after mucking the barn.
We know, why a thermometer has to have a string attached on the end.
We are not welcome in laundromats.
We don’t think anything sexual if someone talks about chains, whips or leather.
We can raise or lower our voice instantly by 5 octaves to shout at a mule when necessary.
We speak our own language; we use words that would even embarrass a teamster.
We would rather quit a relationship than our mules.
We take our mules everywhere.
We have better insurance for our mules than our truck and trailer.
We can define 20 different descriptions and causes for bulges on a mule.
We know more about our mules’ diet than our own.
Our mission is to create more work than our job. And we know that mucking a barn is the best cure for depression. Alright! You got this! Any questions refer to www.EveryCowgirlsDream.Com.

Cindy K Roberts

Does Your Mule Have Ants In His Pants?

https://www.facebook.com/cindy.k.roberts.3/posts/pfbid0EY39QfaSYJrBQ8Zbw1QNtoFSzWyXfzrqzFVkPzcCx1DymfTqGp6uGjQ2S9NV2NoSl

Click on the link to watch the mule training video on how to get your mule to use the thinking part of his brain.

The Whoa-Mule Bridle

I don’t sell snake oil. I don’t promote quick fixes to mule issues. I sell the Whoa Mule Bit/Bridle to work with riders/handlers with educated hands. That’s why I wrote the book, “Retraining the Hard-Mouth Mule” which comes with your purchase; not every mule is a candidate for the Whoa Mule Bit/Bridle. Every mule is unique and they deserve to be schooled and used in their best capacity.

~ Cindy K. Roberts

My Heart & Soul…

My mule journey has brought to me amazing discoveries on what the mule is made of. As absurd as it seems, I cry for them, I pray for their well-being and I like to help others who are in need when working with their mules.

Cindy K. Roberts with Zan Parr Bar performance bred mule, Cache.

In 1985, I started working with mules and donkeys only; at that time I didn’t want to experience another sick horse on my farm and after losing two, I wanted a stronger equine to show and ride trails. I bought mules at an auction, broke out a couple of mules, and didn’t think it was all that tough to do. I didn’t think I was gifted, I merely thought most people didn’t take the time to study and understand the animal they were working with. Knowing that mules have a different mindset, I acknowledged it, accepted it, and worked with it… All this time, I have been captivated by the mule’s perspective and have been documenting my findings along the way. Looking for a way to develop a higher skill set, I bought mules at more auctions to fine-tune them or correct undesirable behavior issues. I bought mules that reared, kicked, and couldn’t be caught and I couldn’t get enough of it. Every mule I worked with was an individual and no two were alike. That is when I knew…I am now in mule college and I am not sure when I will graduate.

Using my creative mind has enabled me to work with a troubled mule, for hours on end. I took the challenge and went to work; the results were remarkable. The late Max Harsha once said, “Pack a sandwich in your hip pocket and strap a canteen to your belt, then go to work with that mule.”

I am passionate about my work and that means I can be emotional. I thank my lucky stars that God is in my heart because I am growing into a better person.

We are going to take an incredible journey; your outlook on life will change, and you will have laughter in your heart. Your mule will look at you differently. I will share with you how I developed a deeper understanding of my mules and how I worked at cracking the “mule code.” Now let’s go to work…

Remember, the mule is a mirror to your soul . . . Keep honesty in your heart so you like what you see and feel.

Just about everything you need to know about mules…

On the trail, I meet a lot of riders who tell me they want to buy a mule for trail riding, hunting, packing, etc. Here are some of the things I find myself saying to them on a regular basis.

1. Mules will always keep you humble.

If you have a big ego and you end up buying a mule, your ego will be knocked down a few notches. Does your mule load into every trailer, no matter what, and do you like to boast about it? Do it in front of someone you just met and watch in disbelief as your mule suddenly forgets how to load. They will take every opportunity to make a fool out of you, so you better have a good sense of humor since you will be the brunt of all their jokes.

2. Mules will always keep you safe… if you can stay on their back, that is.

A lot of people have the misconception that a mule being their 1200-pound babysitter will keep them from all harm. The thing is, mules are very smart and have a great self-preservation instinct. They DO NOT in any circumstance want to get themselves hurt or to put themselves in a situation where they could die. They will keep themselves safe, whether you’re on their back or not. That includes jumping 30 feet sideways at a potential mule-eating bush or bolting away at a dead run from an angry water bottle/bicyclist/plastic bag/dog/whatever else could kill them. If you have a really good seat, you may not get hurt, but if you’re a rider getting back into the sport because you’ve been hurt/lost your confidence/lost your stirrups and confidence at the same time, you might be unpleasantly surprised.

A horse will jump off a cliff for you, but a mule will watch as you go plummeting off the edge while he’s sitting high and dry.

3. If you end up getting a mule so you have a pack animal that you can use for hunting, you might be disappointed when that said mule is petrified of the smell of blood.

Some mules will pack anything, some mules will lose their minds when they smell blood. Yes, most of them can be trained eventually to get over this but for the guy/girl that only rides twice a year: one to leg their horse up for hunting season and two for the actual hunt, you might be very frustrated and let down and you might even lose your cool so much that you will have the urge to hunt your mule instead of that deer.

4. Mules are not stubborn.

They are extremely smart and will a lot of times outsmart their owner. If you own a mule you will constantly have to be one step ahead of them and constantly be in a state of trying to outsmart them. It’s like conquering a video game, mastering an instrument, or something of the sort to me. Once you figure one out, each one will be easier and easier.

They keep me thinking and always impress me when they outsmart me.

5. Once you figure out your mule and your mule figures out you, you will realize why so many people have mules.

They become extremely loyal and trustworthy and their personalities are so enjoyable. Their surefootedness and brains under saddle will ease you even in the trickiest of trails. They will keep you laughing and bring a smile to your face even if you’re having a terrible day.

This is a post that has been shared on social media by Cross Country Equine.

Safe Holiday Decorating at the Barn

Decorating the barn for Christmas can be fun and creative; since that is our home away from home, why not? Sharing the holiday spirit with your equine is always special, and while you’re at it, don’t forget the horse trailer needs decorations too! A few things to be aware of, and then have a blast with the decorations!

When hanging lights, be smart about it. Remember, the newer, and more expensive, LED lights don’t heat up. Do not string regular holiday lights, as the dust, hay, and wood in the barn will just act as kindling. And you don’t want to create a fire hazard! Be aware of extension cords, as well. These can heat up, cause a trip for horses or humans, and also become an excellent treat for pests and rodents to munch on. Overloaded circuits are a recipe for disaster.

Know that mistletoe and holly, while festive and lovely, are toxic to horses, dogs, and cats! If you crave that look, go for artificial versions of these holiday favorites. Poinsettias are mildly toxic as well.

Stay away from tinsel and garland. This is too tempting for the barn cats to “hunt” these, then run down the aisle being followed by a long string of holiday spirit. When eaten by a curious horse, it might lead to a blockage. You don’t want a sick horse or mule because of this!

It’s also a great idea to keep all decorations away from the reach of equines. If your barn uses Dutch doors or stall guards, keep decorations far away, or just supervise when your horse can look around.

Some excellent options for decorating barns include wreaths on the barn doors, outside lights, and even sleigh bells. Most barn dwellers like horses, cats, and barn dogs won’t fancy a bell as a snack.

And use artificial plants, to avoid poisoning your pets and you have the benefit of re-using them! Additionally, any artificial pine will be better as it won’t drip sap everywhere!

Something tells me, you got this…carry on, and Merry Christmas.

Cindy K Roberts