[HeeHawHaven]

Hello Geoff!

I’m also a newbie from Idaho….I will be getting into my first draft animals as well. I just got a matching team of Fjord mules from up by you in the Priest Lake area. They’re just coming 2 and 3. They’ll get a good start this year.

We’ve had more snow than usual down here, I don’t think I could live with your snow totals! Although, the lifestyle you’ve chosen does sound appealing!

Perhaps we’ll meet some day!

dave

[HeeHawHaven]

Donn, very cool pics. I hope to be able to work my 3 acre hay field with the girls some day…..

I’m doing the Parelli 7 games with them now in halter. They are responding well. The only problem they have is that they love on you too much….they love to be in your space….. But, these games in halter work on that as well.

Dave

[HeeHawHaven]

@Plowboy 4649 wrote:

Strodes mule school if I remember right was for spoiled mules and demonstrates how to take animals that are destined for the dog food can and make them usefull. It is definately a safe way to handle problem animals without injury to the handlers. Strode and Jessup also trained some good mules but I think the video shows their procedures for problem animals.

They actually say on the video that this is the way they do it with all the mules they train. They’d rather have them untouched and un-ruined. They don’t do many for other people anymore. Mostly they train ones they came up with and then sell them.

Dave be carefull about the load when you hitch your mules. While you are concerned about preventing a runaway overloading can make baulky mules that are no good for anything. The load should be enough so they can feel it and enough so if they pull it awhile it will tire them a little. Take it easy, be carefull and get some help training your mules.Good luck with them.

Good point! We’ll make it heavy enough, but not too heavy to make them balky. We are willing to take it easy. We want to make these mules lifetime partners with us. They are very special and unique.

Dave

[HeeHawHaven]

I am in no way going to use their methods exclusively…..just wondered how many of you have seen it and what you thought! I don’t have to restrain the girls at all. I can touch them everywhere. I’ve had a lead rope up under their tails like a crupper… all with no trouble whatsoever! We are definitely going to take the bits and pieces from every source and see how it fits our situation.

[HeeHawHaven]

No, I don’t have driving experience, but we are joining a local club and I will hopefully find a mentor. I will be taking bits and pieces from lots of resources for training. The good news is that the fjord mules are pretty low key. We will do everything with safety in mind….. We will take a stepwise approach and not push them onto anything they’re not ready for and if we think we can’t do it on our own, we’ll seek help or a trainer…..

Thanks for your encouragement!

The other thing I wanted to say that I learned from the Strode DVD is that it takes lots of work many days in a row to train properly. You can’t expect to spend 20 minutes once a week to train a team! Luckily, I too am a teacher and will have many hours in the summer for training!

Thanks again!

Dave

[HeeHawHaven]

Got the Workhorse Handbook last week! Probably the best training book I’ve seen yet….Being a newbie, I’m looking forward to finishing the book and getting to work!

Dave

[HeeHawHaven]

Robert,

I’m new here too! Check out my intro…..

Love the Whitebird area – that section of 95 convinced me to get a bigger truck! I do know what it’s like to put anything on a mule that big….my profile pic is of Bubba – a full 17 hands! I think he’s out of a Tennessee Walker! Can’t wait to see your pics!

Also, can’t wait to hear how you do with the donkey! We have 2, but haven’t done much with them. The old Jack, Elvass (40ish) supposedly can drive….I’m sure he won’t freak….he doesn’t even move with the tractor loader pushing his “donkey”! D’Leary Ass is going to get a job this year. As I train my new Fjord mules to drive, he’ll learn too! He will also learn to pack this year! He has to earn his keep!

Good hearing from another Idahoan!

Dave

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