either this or chrome in the canyon sale in Utah.Put Father's Day weekend on your calendar and do a road trip to Ralston, Wyoming (not too far from you-just outside of Cody). Jake Clark Mule Days. Check his website.
either this or chrome in the canyon sale in Utah.Put Father's Day weekend on your calendar and do a road trip to Ralston, Wyoming (not too far from you-just outside of Cody). Jake Clark Mule Days. Check his website.
I do not own mules. Or horses. So take this for what it’s worth (or what you paid for it!)….My wife and I are in the process of listing our house and moving to a place with more acreage. I got the green light for a Mule so I’m in the early stages of my research. Ideally, I would rather pay the money for one that has a few years of training/packing/trail riding under its belt. I live in SW MT but willing to travel.
Any tips or suggestions on selection process would be greatly appreciated.
I used to plow a ferrier,
Use your imagination homie, it's pretty straightforward.Wait…what does this mean?
Just confirming it meant what I thought it did.Use your imagination homie, it's pretty straightforward.
It means exactly that! Never thought I'd see her on TV though. She was never a Council 10 but she aged like milk.Just confirming it meant what I thought it did.
This is what I would do to start, then form your future plans based on a decade of experience.I would find an outfit thats letting some older mules go. An outfit I used to work for would let mules go for cheap when they get into their 20’s, they can still put together a couple weeks of covering ground just not able to do 2-3 months of running feed and meat anymore. Also most outfits don’t give them the high octane feed to keep the weight on during those times because of the cost. I bought a 18 year old riding mule and a 16 year old packer for $5,500 for both. I fatten them up before the season starts and they do great and I expect to get ten plus more years out of them.
I have a tall and a medium sized mule(s). I doubt I ever would have gotten the big one if I knew she would get that tall, but she's mine now. 16 hands is a big mule/horse. They're a little harder to saddle and a lot harder to mount, especially in uneven terrain. They're very tough to top-load and you have further to hit the ground when you come off them. It may not seem like much difference but when you're in the saddle on a big animal, you'll know you're way up there. You'll also hit more branches and brush on the trail on a tall one. My experience is that the big ones are a less athletic. When hopping up on a good sized step-up, a medium sized mule will gently put it's front feet up and almost seemingly step up. It's a smooth move. A big one has all that weight to move upward and it will "leap" up, using it's momentum. Because they're not built for it, big ones can balk more at certain obstacles. Big bold moves in the wilderness aren't desired as the unexpected is everywhere. Also, a big ribcage can mean sore knees after some miles. On the upside, a taller one will probably gait a bit smoother and maybe have a little more endurance.Thanks for all the great info. I’m going to attend Jake’s Mule Day’s & Chrome in the canyon this year. My plan is to talk to trainers and breeders to see what will be offered the following year. This should give me enough time to test ride several Mules That will be offered at auction. As a talller rider.
I'm hoping to find a 16+ hand Mule. From viewing past auction results, it appears these Mules are in less demand, therefore c less expensive.