Comment

Comment by Ann Hatfield on July 9, 2009 at 6:05pm

I was asked by a member to tell how I got onto spotted gaited mules. A number of things contributed: the first being we live on an old homestead with about half a mile of river running along one side, in the northern Okanagan Valley/Shuswap and the tax people are eyeing our land taxes as a way to fund the entire tax base in Canada. So, I decided I should really turn this old place into a farm.

Other people were doing a good job of raising horses, miniatures were making a lots of money but I don't really warm up to them, so what could I raise?

I was training two TWs at a winter ride session for a woman and her husband and she said she raises miniature donkeys, which are ridiculously sweet, I must admit, and she I began to talk about mules. She had raised a few full-sized riding mules through the years and knew about those few who raise them in BC.

I began to do research and decided that as I age and my damaged (too many young colts started) right knee likes long days of posting trot less and less, gaited was probably the way to go for recreational riders. Spotted appeals to me, and aparently to others. So, I invested in a National Spotted Saddle Horse mare, from a stud farm in Tennessee, pregnant with filly at foot.

I also discovered that mules are being used in many of the traditional horse-only disciplines: 3-day, competitive driving, cutting cows, reining, competitive trail, endurance and more. So, I then imported two nice fillies from Manitoba so as to breed sport mules for those sorts of things.

The jack was not easy to find. I wanted spotted, if possible, and the gene pool is not large in Canada for mammoth donkeys at all, and smaller for spotted ones. I now have a two year old spotted mammoth and I will breed for mules in the 2010, in hopes that the economy picks up. I may breed the mature NSSH this year, if the young jack can get sorted out about which end is which! I have one mule, I did not raise her, a 4-year-old from a Quarter Horse mare, a nice stripe-legged dun.

I will post a few photos- they are very countryfied, I am afraid, images of the little herd grazing, not posed.

I shall get onto writing a web site this winter and take some decent pictures for it. You can see that it was an expedient decison to keep me on our land and around horses (donkeys and mules) for a lifetime, I hope, but mules ARE facsinating, and evidently addictive: highly athletic, long-lived, prone to few illness and likely to stay sound, generally very sure-footed, very clever and so on.

Training the donkey jack has been an education in patience, even for me: my clients say that I am very patient and think my way around problems and don't tend to muscle through them, but I have learned the lesson of be patient and more patient, and be consistent, this animal is very clever and is learning something, good or bad that s/he will do for the next 30 to 40 years! A moment of ill-thought out behaviour on my part is not worth it when looked at from the perspective of a lifetime companion. Ride on, all. Look after one another.

I forget the source of the quote but it something to this effect: Mules must be trained as horses should be trained. It certainly goes for donkeys. i very much look forward to the first time I ride a mule into a dressage test, over a (small jumps!) show jumping course or watch some one else cutting a cow on a mule I raised. At the speed that time seems to fly by I may be watching talented young riders doing all the above.

Comment by Margaret H. Ostrowski on July 8, 2009 at 10:34pm

Glad there's others over 50 who still want to ride. I'm becoming more creaky everyday but I have just purchased my 1st horse about 3 yrs ago, having wanted one since I was 5 --- still struggling to pay the bills; especially on a horse that seems to have mystery illnesses -- finally found a vet who knows what she's doing and a farrier of the same ilk. He's a great 15.3 TH, gelding -- just turned 16 yrs old...haven't ridden since Nov 08 due to on-going problems.....trying to stay in shape with Pilates and walking -- with 14 hour days 3-4 days per week...hello to all of you out there who will not give up and are fighting time and age! More power to us!

Comment by Linda White on July 8, 2009 at 10:27pm

Thanks to everyone who commented on smaller horses. I guess I've been around people on tall horses for so long that I was holding the idea that shorter horses were not quite as good - embarrassing that I was that prejudiced. I have probably missed out on some really great horses as a result of that attitude. I'm making up for lost time now!

Comment by Chris Gloin on July 8, 2009 at 9:51pm

I have a smaller thoroughbred -15.3. I have always loved smaller horses. I rode a 14.2 quarterhorse when I was young who jumped like he had springs in his legs. Amazing jumper. I am short myself at 5'2",(and square LOL) so getting omn from the ground has always been a challenge especially now as I age. Ilike ditches myself for getting back on, or I make sure i have the really really lond stirrup leather tha i can let down:-)

Comment by Barbara Sky Horse on July 8, 2009 at 3:34pm

well Ok.. yeah ... I can think of All Sorts of "positives" to riding smaller horses ... for one, it IS nice to be able to actually put your foot in the stirrup and step up!! .. lol .. but personally, I'm just drawn to the Really BIG guys.
I'm finding the draft crosses to simply be (for the most part) .. "Gentle .. Un-complicated" souls.
I can relax more and enjoy!!!
( of course it's a good thing I live in the rocky mountains ... plenty of fallen trees and BIG rocks all around so that when I get off ... I can still get back on!! ...lol :)
~ Barby

Comment by Eileen on July 8, 2009 at 3:24pm

I have always prefered the smaller horses, I had a little 14.2 QH (bulldog type) and he was so easy to get on, and ride out. That was back in the late 70's and since then the smaller horses are getting harder to find. They are out there but the good ones are taken. My main trail horse right now is probably over 15hh...have not measured him but I bought him when he was still growing, since I needed a horse right then, and liked him so here I am. I can still get on from the ground but prefer to have a step, log, stump, tailgate, ditch, slope, etc etc..it does not get any easier as time goes on, but I am not one to give up easily when I want to do something. lol

Comment by Linda White on July 8, 2009 at 3:12pm

Yup, gotta say it's a great pleasure to be able to get on from the ground without looking like a rock climber. And, though I try not to think about it too much, it's not as long a way to fall either...

Comment by Jackie Cochran on July 8, 2009 at 3:09pm

I adore small horses. I want a horse that I can get on from the ground if I have to. I adore their quickness of movement (except when it is a surprise), their greater agility, and their brains. I prefer Arabs above all, but this is a personal prejudice. And sometimes I dreamt of finding a 14.2 to 15 hand well dispositioned Thoroughbred.
Don't get me wrong, the big guys are nice (I sometimes ride a 18.2) and often rather sweet, but I would NEVER be able to get on one from the ground.

Comment by Barbara Sky Horse on July 8, 2009 at 2:28pm

...*laughing* .... except for my 12.3 "black as ink" pony Gidget and a 14.0 hh guy "Donny" ... I grew up riding Arabians (my Aunt and Uncle were BIG Time Arabian folk) AND Thoroughbreds (family friends had a business specializing in re-training / selling horses off the track) ... so even in my "beginning" riding days .. I rode both small-ish horses and Really Tall horses.
These days though ... I'm genuinely drawn to the Mighty Draft crosses.
I LOVE the Great "BIGGNESS" Of Them!!! :-)
~ Barby

Comment by Linda White on July 8, 2009 at 2:12pm

Oops, joined the over 40 group and just found this group - more appropriate for me. I'm nearly 63, rode most of my life but only had my own horses these past 17 yrs. I, like Marie-Lynn Hammond, love Canadian horses - have two - and I ride and live near Walkerton, Ont. Any neighbours lurking? I read about Barbara's starting on a big horse and wondered how many of you ride smaller horses. I've always had over 15 HH horses, but my young mare grew to just 14'2". I admit I had a prejudice against small horses/ponies, but after our ride on Sunday, I am a convert. I have to keep this horse. How do the rest of you feel about small horses?

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