Horse Problem - Barn Sour Mule - Mule returns to barn when trying to ride him out

I'm not the world's biggest mule expert, to be quite honest, but if we approach this from the same standpoint we would a horse...well...there could be a lot of things going on, but the first thing that's important to rule out with a horse or mule problem is: pain issues. When a horse (mule, too) is in any kind of pain, they are not going to want to work.

First question you need to ask yourself: Does the saddle fit well? And are you using a very good saddle pad? In general, you should not be using a regular horse saddle on a mule. The tack used on your horse is very unlikely to fit your new mule. The mule needs to have a saddle built on a tree with "mule bars." A saddle that fits most horses may cause a great deal of pain to a mule's back. Because of the lack of pronounced withers on most mules, you will also need to use what's called a breeching ("britchin'," it's sometimes called) or a crupper, both of which attach to the saddle and go around the mule's rump or under the tail to keep the saddle from sliding forward. I'd like to direct you to some words from a short article on saddles as they pertain to mules from Western Mule Magazine - April 2001:

The mule must have room for the shoulders to work. Unlike a horse, a mule's shoulders work up and down. This is very noticeable when the mule is traveling downhill. Most all mules will give warning signs of discomfort caused by the saddle, especially going down hill. Some of these signs are dropping of the head, shaking their head or the most event bucking while going downhill.
 

It sounds to me like that may be a factor with your mule there because he's showing overt behavior similar to what it says in that above article, and if you indeed are riding him with a regular horse saddle, then...I think we're onto something there that you need to look into/change saddles. (I've got some links below to help you find saddles designed for mules).

We find so often that saddle pain is behind so much of unwillingness-to-perform behavior, so it's almost always the first place we want to look when there is balking. So important to rule that out first! FYI - here is a saddle fitting link on my web site that you can check over just to give you an idea about what to check for when fitting a saddle, or when checking a present saddle's fit:

http://www.naturalhorsetraining.com/TrainingTips40.html

Mules in general are not well known for having barn sour problems, though there are always the exceptions. But this is why I want you to rule out pain issues first because pain indeed could be the root cause there for the present barn sour behavior.

If you're still not sure of your saddle's fit, have a saddle-fitting professional or trainer who is knowledgeable about mules check the fit. Poorly fitting saddle/tack can create pain and no one can perform when in pain, not even horses or mules. So...that's a start, to rule that out.

Also, if you're using a bit, make sure it is not hurting him in any way -- Are his teeth okay? Have his teeth been checked lately? If in doubt, have a vet or equine dentist take a look; he might need his teeth floated. Burrs on teeth can cause sores in the mouth and painful mouth problems in general which will interfere with communicating with the bit.

Is he having any back pain when ridden (if the saddle fits well), perhaps caused by a past injury? When unsaddled, press a finger and run it down one side of his spine, then the other side. Does he consistently visibly flinch or move/jerk away from any particular spots you are pressing on? If so, he's got something going on pain-wise on his back and a good equine chiropractor or equine massage therapist or equine acupuncturist can help you there with that.

Any lameness? A lame (in pain) horse will not want to be ridden either. Are his feet in good shape, up-to-date on trims? Rule out all pain/discomfort issues before assuming you have a behavioral problem. If all those check out fine, then you'll have to assume it's indeed behavioral in nature.

If that is the case, then I'm assuming he's still got holes in his training foundation that need to be plugged up -- but safely on the ground first. And even if/when you fix the pain problem if you discover that's the case there, I still say you've got a behavior/training problem that you need to address, regardless. The fact that he can take his head away from you when riding, shows he has not been properly taught to yield, which must be taught on the ground first, so that it will translate up into saddle automatically. He also clearly doesn't know the one-rein stop which you will need to use to halt his bolting-back-to-the-barn behavior, disengaging his hindquarters at the same time. All forward impulsion in horses or mules comes from the hindquarters. If you have his head over, pulled in to the side, and you bump his hindquarters over under him at the same time, this disengages the "engine," much like an emergency brake in a car, you might say. And then the most he can do is circle and then wind down to a one-rein stop, which, again, has to be taught on the ground first.

I would suggest this: either call in a natural horsemanship trainer to plug up his foundation holes that I can see clearly from here, or...you can do this yourself and here's where I would suggest applying horse whispering/natural horsemanship training techniques in a very clear step-by-step program, which you can learn more about in my DVD set, the Whispering Way 12-Step Total Training System, and you can order that here: CLICK HERE

After watching the videos, and after learning and applying the methods, you, as the horse's (or mule's) primary teacher, will have taught the horse (or mule):

• How to be bonded to you more deeply so that the horse trusts you to the max and they will be far more willing to do whatever you ask, even when they are in doubt;
• That you both have a "bonding place" (a "safety zone") to come back to always, from then on, if the horse is ever upset or afraid, on the ground (or later, in the saddle); we plant a one-rein stop in the foundation of every horse, on the ground first, so that in the saddle, it is automatic. This keeps you safer and the horse more rational, and feeling supported, bonded, connected more deeply emotionally to you.
• How to relax the horse when they are tense about something before they are called upon to react negatively.
• How to have the horse yield easily, in any direction when asked -- they'll learn how to yield properly to pressure to receive the release of pressure. All horses learn from the release of pressure what it is you want, not from the pressure itself;
• How to progress bonding to even deeper levels to the point of downright intimacy; makes a horse feel like they never had it so good being with you!
• How to move the horse from the rear, and learning to do that rationally, which is so important to teach a horse to do before you ever ride them, and which you'll be using for a lot of other things like trailer loading, going in and out of a gate, into a stall, and so many other places/situations; this also teaches a horse that you are in charge of their feet.
• How to address effectively any fears (and the horse's reactions to them) that you flush out in their behavior at any given time; my program focuses greatly on finding the fears before they find you and fixing them -- safely on the ground first! Even lay folks can do this. It's all about: safety. This then builds a far more rational, confident, happy, trusting horse, because, in essence, you have effectively raised the horse's "fear/anxiety bar." And you will have taught the horse simultaneously in the process, how to turn to you for nurturance support when/if they are ever afraid or upset.
• How to do all this first on the ground, then later in the saddle, in that order.
• How to keep you safe and the horse safe at all times, throughout all of this --- always my biggest training focus.

This video set will help you to lay down an even stronger, more solid and trusting foundation under your mule that will then serve you well, tremendously, actually, when you do step up into the saddle. By the time you complete the steps, you will have a transformed mule. The final steps are in the saddle and those exercises will more deeply plant into your mule's foundation the one-rein stop/the "safety zone," and more, that will turn the mule into a far, far more rational, trusting, happier -- and safer -- mule in saddle as well.

And you can do this yourself if you just back up and learn a few things yourself there. This video set will get you there the fastest with your mule, which is why I'm recommending this route. It's designed for anyone on any level, horse or human, to get professional trainer-like results.

And incidentally...my Whispering Way Complete Training Package contains all my videos and training tools that you need to train or retrain your mule yourself the natural horsemanship Whispering Way. You can check out/order the Whispering Way Complete Training Package on my web site here: CLICK HERE

I'm a very strong believer that every horse (or mule) owner is their horse's primary teacher/trainer whether they realize it or not. Every time you are with your horse, that horse is learning something. You just want to make sure the horse is learning what you want them to learn, not what you don't want them to learn! My natural horsemanship training techniques are gentle, effective, and powerful. Works with every horse every time!

But it's real important to back up and break down all teaching steps in a way that you are releasing baby-gives, allowing the horse (or mule) to feel the release for the right answers incrementally, so that they learn that's really what you want.

Your mule is not stopping when asked as he heads back to the barn, because he's never been taught properly to give his head or yield his four quarters any direction your legs ask. But that has to be taught on the ground first.

After you have replanted into his foundation what is missing via what you learn in the above video set, then I would retackle the "barn sour" problem, in that order. After he has all the foundation steps down and you have practiced the one-rein stop well in an arena until he gets it completely, I would then take him outside the arena, ask him to walk away from the barn a few steps, but, before he balks himself, turn him around and walk him in the direction of the barn (making it your idea, not his). Before you get to the barn, however, stop with a one-rein stop/disengage his hind quarters, bring his head around to the side and love on it, reward him lavishly with his head over in the "safety zone." After that, turn him and ask him to leave away from the barn. If he balks there, you will return to the one-rein stop/disengage his hind quarters (structured, rational work), but after you've stopped him there, as you come out of the turn, be facing away from the barn and that's where you "open a window" with no pressure on him. Make the right thing easy, the wrong thing hard.

If he heads toward the barn unasked, he's going to have his hindquarters disengaged by you, his head brought around, circling him, work. If he heads away from the barn willingly, all pressure is removed, release the rein pressure, no contact on his mouth, feet off of him, and life is easy for him.

But this initial understanding has got to be taught on the ground first, building upward from there. And if I were the trainer called in there to work with him, I myself would do precisely what I'm recommending you do yourself. He will have habits he needs to break, but you'll have the tools in place then to not allow him to succeed at returning to the barn any longer. And you will apply increasing pressure when he's not complying (trying to return to barn unasked), but life is made easy for him when he does comply (walk away from the barn when asked). And he'll get it. But he truly needs these foundation holes plugged up safely first; I can even see them from here.

I know you probably wanted simpler answers there, but the simple answer is: back him up in his training and fix the foundation, building back upwards (easier than you think!) and the problem will take care of itself.

Try all that and you should meet with success.

By the way, if you also wish to consult with whom I think are a few of the best natural horsemanship mule trainers in the country, let me direct you to:

Jerry Tindell:

http://www.jerrytindell.com/meet.htm

 

Meredith Hodges:

http://luckythreeranch.net/

 

And Steve Edwards:

http://www.muleranch.com/

Steve has some good videos he offers including a mule saddle fitting video:

http://www.muleranch.com/Store/Video_SaddleFitting.html

Steve also sells mule saddles which you can check out here: CLICK HERE

As for other choices for purchasing a mule saddle, here are more links:

The Horse Saddle Shop sells mule saddles, too:

http://www.horsesaddleshop.com/mulesaddles.html

 

Buford Saddle & Tack Co.:

http://www.bufordsaddle.com/saddles/west/mule.htm

 

Hope all this helps. Good luck to you there! Let me know how it goes. And thanks again for writing.

 

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