Mounted search and rescue

[bonnie elster <elster530@yahoo.com>]

Where is Sherry Hicks located? 

Sherry Hicks <shicks@nwinc.net> wrote:  Around here gaited mules are higher 
dollar than grade gaited horses. They use them for hunting largly because of 
their jumping ability.


---------- Original Message ----------------------------------
From: "Jorene Downs" 
Reply-To: Mounted search and rescue 
Date: Wed, 18 Jan 2006 13:40:24 -0800

>From: "philip easley" 
>> When I got my first mule, I was packing horses. Vincent Van Go put all 
>> the
>> horses to shame. He rode so well in the back country that I considered
>> riding him and packing the horses as well. [...] The mules will go
>> straight down the trail like they are on a rail and will tend to avoid
>> hitting anything. They also inherited the survival instincts of the 
>> donkey.
>
>Multiple sources also tell me that the riding mule is often a softer, 
>smoother ride than the average horse. And some mules are gaited. Also, the 
>mule commonly has more endurance than the horse, and in general can pack 
>more weight.
>
>What would you consider the typical height of riding mules?
>
>-Jorene
>
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>From easleyranch@foothill.net  Wed Jan 18 22:51:22 2006
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From: "philip easley" <easleyranch@foothill.net>
To: "Mounted search and rescue" <msar-riders@lists.ibiblio.org>
References: 
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Subject: Re: [MSAR] Mules  / Foal Watch
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I have found that a comfortable mule height is 15 hands.  Most folks wanting
to buy them want the 16 hand mules.  My wife's mule that made AMA Champion
All Around is only 13-3 hands.  I am 220 lbs and am 5 foot eight.  I feel
good on mules that are from 14-2 hands and up.  My primary saddle mule right
now is 16 hands.  I hate trying to reach the stirrup when mounting.

About the smooth ride, a horse has a rocking action when they travel.  The
mules will bob their heads and pick their feet up and make a shorter stride.
They will also travel a little hunched up at first making you think they are
going to buck.  They are only adjusting to the saddle and weight.  They will
travel as if there is a fifth leg under them making it a fairly smooth ride.
I had surgery a while back and for the first couple of months after the
surgery, I could only ride a horse with that rocking action for about two or
three hours.  If I got on the mule in the morning, I could stay on her all
day.

The reason packers like to pack mules instead of horses is because the mules
are better at it.  They will carry the load more quietly and not rock it
back and forth like a horse does.  They are built more narrow so the saddles
do not tend to slip around under their bellies.  The mules learn quickly how
to safely carry the loads through rough terrain.  The mules will tend to
stop and not move when a load comes loose and wait for you to fix it, where
a horse will wait until the load is coming apart and saddle is coming over
sideways then buck the load all over the place causing a big wreck.  The
main reason packers still pack horses in the mountains is because they can
get horses for around $400 or for free where mules will cost them from
$1,000 to $1,500.
Philip Easley
NCSSAR
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jorene Downs" <Jorene@CEOates.com>
To: "Mounted search and rescue" <msar-riders@lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Wednesday, January 18, 2006 1:40 PM
Subject: [MSAR] Mules / Foal Watch


> From: "philip easley" <easleyranch@foothill.net>
> > When I got my first mule, I was packing horses.  Vincent Van Go put all
> > the
> > horses to shame.  He rode so well in the back country that I considered
> > riding him and packing the horses as well.  [...] The mules will go
> > straight down the trail like they are on a rail and will tend to avoid
> > hitting anything.  They also inherited the survival instincts of the
> > donkey.
>
> Multiple sources also tell me that the riding mule is often a softer,
> smoother ride than the average horse. And some mules are gaited. Also, the
> mule commonly has more endurance than the horse, and in general can pack
> more weight.
>
> What would you consider the typical height of riding mules?
>
> -Jorene
>
> _______________________________________________
> MSAR-Riders mailing list
> MSAR-Riders@lists.ibiblio.org
> http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/msar-riders
>
>