Dear Cindy,
I recently purchased a 10-year-old gelded mule; he rides or he did stand for the farrier and seems to go through groundwork well as I see it. He had a problem keeping his tongue on the wrong side of the snaffle bit or any bit . I purchased one of your whoa mule bridles, and we were doing great with it. Now he started being very ansy and moving off for mounting, by moving backward and sideways. He trys to move forward and I won’t allow that. Got on this am worked in round pen for 30 min. Went to go for a ride and had a tough time getting back on then he bucked me off. I caught him again and got bucked off again, can you help me?
Thanks, Darrel
Darrel,
Make sure you are not pulling on the saddle when mounting on your mule – this would cause soring him in the shoulder. I don’t know if you are a heavy guy, but if you are, you will want to focus on your balance when mounting. Make sure the saddle fits. And the saddle pad. Any discomfort to your mule and he will certainly let you know about it. I think there is a saddle comfort or balance issue. When habits or behavior issues develop, there is a logical reason for it. Your mule is uncomfortable; and, it could be the way you ride, or the saddle may not fit, or maybe he doesn’t have near the training you thought he had. I need to know if the saddle and pad are fitting and if you are in balance with your mule then I can address your issue further. Send me pics if you would like Darrel, I will be glad to help.
Thank you, Cindy
