6 Things To Know When Buying A Mule
Mules are incredibly intelligent and strong, which makes them highly desirable as work and companion animals. However, there are a few things to understand when buying a mule.
Mules do not simply accept all humans as equal. You may buy a well-trained mule who is going well for the owner and that’s great. But this doesn’t mean the mule will instantly behave the same for you. What it means is you have bought an animal with a great deal of knowledge; the mule will then assess you and see if you match his level and if you are worth sharing that knowledge with.
Mules think more than horses. Horses are reactive, we add pressure they move away and try and escape. So, we then train them based on this. Mules feel the pressure and question it. Why are you pressuring me? What is the purpose? Am I safe? Is it worth my effort? So people think they are stubborn because they don’t instantly trust the humans decision and refuse to put themselves in a new position until they have considered all the options. Once a mule trusts you and your judgement (which requires work on your part) then anything is possible.
Mules will test your knowledge and there’s a chance the mule might decide you are not the right person for them. Horses will simply accept the fact that the match doesn’t work and carry on, but mules will make life harder by seeking their own solutions and using their considerable strength to refuse to participate.
Work with your mule often to build a relationship, always be clear in your handling and allow them the time they need to think. Reward anything you want repeated. If you are not confident then get help. You have to be willing to learn and develop your skills if you want a long trusting partnership with your mule.
Mules are smart and like to work. They get bored easily and don’t like meaningless tasks. So make training fun, we use a lot of tack/ props, obstacles and toys to make training purposeful. Additionally, we shake up the environment by hauling away and taking the team to new places and asking them to work on their skills. Don’t get stuck in the round yard day in and day out it will drive your mule crazy and bored.
Match your personalities, if you are bright and outgoing get a mule who likes that. Some mules are shy and introverts, they don’t like rough housing and loud voices and high energy people. However, some mules love attention and a lot of activity and thrive in high energy environments. If you like a steady companion look for a mule who is comfortable just being with you, whereas a smoochy type will be all over you. A over friendly mule will become lonely and bored and may start pacing in their paddock, calling, destroying things for attention. Whereas a mule who is more introverted may ignore the humans all together and not be suited to humans who want an animal that runs up for pats and attention. Mules have very big personalities and are all very different to each other. Just like humans.