Post by haecklers on Sept 11, 2012 6:13:36 GMT -5
About a month ago we got a 7 year old mule. We think he has been abused because he's very very skittish about being touched - runs if you reach for him too quickly. He was herd-bound when we got him, and very skinny. We were told to keep him in the pasture away from our neighbor's horses to help him bond with my daughter (her mule). Now he's fat and sassy and much friendlier, comes up to see what we're doing whenever we're out.
He's getting bored and has started chasing the goats we keep in that pasture. Last night I saw him really going after them - running full-out and biting toward them. The vet said he just put down someone's pet goat that had its leg broken from being kicked by a horse, and our one goat is getting swollen knees and going lame, I think from the chasing!
We have a stall in the barn for the goats, and the entrance was a divided door that was lower than the mule's withers. The mule learned to walk with his legs bent to get under the top door so he could chase the goats out of the barn!
I made a small door (goat sized) in the barn door just for the goats. Next thing I know, the mule is closing it so they can't get in, then chasing them!
We need to give the mule something better to do than bother our poor goats. He's really smart and energetic, but I don't feel he's trustworthy enough for my daughter (beginning rider) to ride yet.
Can anyone recommend ground games for not-so-tame mules to keep them busy? How can humans safely play with horses/mules that may get carried away? He's 13 hands, if that makes a difference.
He's getting bored and has started chasing the goats we keep in that pasture. Last night I saw him really going after them - running full-out and biting toward them. The vet said he just put down someone's pet goat that had its leg broken from being kicked by a horse, and our one goat is getting swollen knees and going lame, I think from the chasing!
We have a stall in the barn for the goats, and the entrance was a divided door that was lower than the mule's withers. The mule learned to walk with his legs bent to get under the top door so he could chase the goats out of the barn!
I made a small door (goat sized) in the barn door just for the goats. Next thing I know, the mule is closing it so they can't get in, then chasing them!
We need to give the mule something better to do than bother our poor goats. He's really smart and energetic, but I don't feel he's trustworthy enough for my daughter (beginning rider) to ride yet.
Can anyone recommend ground games for not-so-tame mules to keep them busy? How can humans safely play with horses/mules that may get carried away? He's 13 hands, if that makes a difference.