Anyone know anything about mules?

[Tiger Lily]

Hi guys, I don't know if this is the right place to post this, but does anyone know if there are any major differences between mules and horses, in terms of personality and riding ability? I've see a few online and I absolutely fell in love! They're just so cute with those floppy ears and faces! I'm considering trying to find out where I can ride one, and would like to know if me and a mule would work well together as a team. Any advice, recommendations or links to research pages are welcome! Thanks!

EDIT: Thanks so much to everyone for the advice! Will be looking into mules!

 

[Jessey]

I would love to get a mule, they are meant to be totally different to train than horses, more the stubborn donkey than compliant horse, as I understand it, it takes a totally different perspective. Riding wise I understand they are very tough and very brave and make excellent trail companions, my friends used to compete theirs in western disciplines like pleasure and reining, but I'm not sure they'd make good show jumpers

 

[Trewsers]

I love the look of mules. There used to be a lady on here who owned and rode them. I don't know much about them tbh. Think they might be more challenging than your average pony.

 

[Jane&Ziggy]

There was a beautiful mule for sale a couple of years ago called Moon. She was a competitive dressage and eventing mule, bred in America out of a Quarter Horse mare. Here's a link to her web page:

http://www.dawnpatrick.co.uk/Dawn_Patrick/Mule.html

Based on her I would say mules can do anything,

 

[Skib]

There used to be a member here who kept mules and you may find her if you search the Horse and Hound public forum. (wildly generalising) the temperament of a mule is not the same as a horse. And their physical structure of feet and more is different. Mules have uses and qualities all of their own which is why people bothered to breed them and use them. One of the few animals that stole my heart when I rode her was a trail ride mule in USA who carried me down a canyon of which I was petrified, and once we were at the bottom responded to me just at a thought. The owner said it was my riding - that she and I just clicked. But my favourite horse whom I ride whenever I can is just the same. I have friends who have bought horses of a particular type or breed off the internet - and all has been well. But for me it is the individual horse. And riding where I do in the UK a horse would be better than a mule.

 

[Wally]

They are very different mind set to horses, They are thought of as "Stubborn" that's because they are thinkers and will not do anything if they think your and their safety is compromised, They are not so inclined to run from things, and are more likely to fight back, hence "kick like a mule" saying.

A friend had a 16.2hh mule who used to do the show jumping circuit and beat the fancy horses at their own game. They can be inclined to be pacy.

 

[Tiger Lily]

I would love to get a mule, they are meant to be totally different to train than horses, more the stubborn donkey than compliant horse, as I understand it, it takes a totally different perspective. Riding wise I understand they are very tough and very brave and make excellent trail companions, my friends used to compete theirs in western disciplines like pleasure and reining, but I'm not sure they'd make good show jumpers

I've heard mules can jump surprisingly well if they want to. I can ride both English and Western (prefer the Western) however, so it doesn't really matter to me what they can do.

 

[Jessey]

I know they jump well but don't they have a tendancy to cat leap?

 

[Wally]

I know they jump well but don't they have a tendancy to cat leap?

They can cat leap and do amazing standing jumps, but if trained they can jump smoothly, Friend's mule did anyway.

 

[Jane&Ziggy]

@Jessey if you look at Moon's website her ex-owner talks about training them out of the cat leap.