Help! Mule (hinny) behavior problems!

[lilitiger2]

So, my little mule Simon is having serious problems and I need help. He lost his best and only friend Harley about a month ago. Unfortunately, he did not work out turned out with my sweet old boy as a) he is dominant and proprietary and kicked at old boy from time to time, and b) old boy got tired of that and would go after him teeth bared. Old boy is 17H, simon is 11? So, he’s on his own in a nice large pasture, right next to other horses but not with them.

Since Harley died, he has broken out of his pen several times. He has pulled away from me, pushed out (straight out) a sliding barn door and run out, and has tried to yank away from farrier (who short tied him with his chin high). If he gets any momentum at all, I cannot hold on to him.

And today, when I was leading him and stopped (and didn’t want to) he yanked away. I held him at first, then he really pulled ad as he was turning away, he kicked at me. he was a stride or so away, but still, he kicked at me, no question. He did this before when we first got him but has not in the past year or so.

So, is there anything I can safely do to get after this? I probaby should have followed him and grabbed him and short roped him?I didn’t, mostly because I was worried about getting kicked at again, but i’d ike to do something!

He has had plenty of trauma prior to us (his actual owners saved hiim from a new Holland I think but they could not manage him - he attacked their goats, not good with children). I have taught him to touch his halter and get a treat (ecause before you could not get a halter on him). He is great for that now, and now lets one flyspray him and brush him. So…it’s not that he doesn’t learn anything. and my mom adores him (in his stall, when he’s being loving and sooooooo adorable)

But, he is a stinker when he doesn’t want to do something. and he 's strong and now…the kicking thing.

He still belongs to former owners so I could send him home, although they don’t want him (but they’ll take him and…do whatever with him)

Not sure of age but thought nine or so a few years ago, so 11? 12 ish?

Any ideas very gratefully appreciated, if there are any hinny whisperers out there…

[FatCatFarm]

I only have mini donkeys but all have exhibited this type of behavior when they are in a snit about something. They will pull, shove, kick out and just generally act down right mulish. Some improved with more handling and schooling, some did not however and we repeated the same lessons over and over again, and I think they were just contrary by nature because donkeys are smart. If they want to do something, they will; but if not, it’s an exercise in frustration. While I do like donkeys and find them amusing, they are different from horses who will generally improve with consistent and fair handling. Donkeys do so as well but do definitely retain that, “So what’s in it for me?” attitude and if the situation is found wanting, will forcefully attempt to extricate themselves. So I only keep minis as they can be muscled around when being proverbially “stubborn as a mule.” YMMV

Having said that, it sounds like your donkey needs a buddy to restore his happiness and more willing nature. Careful about adding another donkey though as I found out the hard way that adding an additional donkey to an already somewhat recalcitrant one, just gave me two more often than not, recalcitrant donkeys as they definitely fed off of each other. So maybe a good natured pony and not another donk/mule/hinny.

No, I would not let him get away with the bad behavior, period. Put a chain on him and ask him to be mannerly. Reward good behavior and accentuate the positive. Do not tolerant tantruming. Trantruming gets answered with discipline and extra work making cooperation much the easier option. Only my .02 and worth only that to be sure.

[jetsmom]

Ok, I’ll say it even though it is cliche…could he have ulcers from the stress of losing his buddy and feels like crap now?

[Watermark_Farm]

I’m a mule owner of 10 years. My experience is that our mule is a lot more sensitive to change and loss than our horses.

Odie, our mule who has had a long career in dressage, jumping and trail, lost his two pasture buddies in one day, he actually watched both of them get euthanized, and he was very depressed for about two weeks after that. He was also annoying, banging on gates at feeding time, pacing, being naughty when led, etc. After two weeks he settled again.

Then last year, Odie was living with an old BLM donkey who was his best friend. The donkey fractured his leg at night while out in pasture with my mule. Poor Odie was a mess for about a month. He is used in a lesson program and he did some naughty stuff (for a perfect packer) and was once again super annoying, pacing in stall, pulling away when lead, etc.

And don’t get me started about the time Odie’s goat dropped dead of congestive heart failure in Odie’s stall…He was a mess.

The thing with mules and donkeys is that you have to work with them a different way. The old adage about “Tell a horse to do something; have a conversation with a mule” is true. In your situation I would make sure donkey was kept in the same routine and use a lot of positive rewards and interaction to get his attention.

BTW, our mule came to us with a habit of occasionally bolting when being led. What has worked well for this is we keep a few treats in our pocket if leading him and suspecting he might do his ‘thing.’ I show him the treats and get his attention on that. Also, a stud chain wrapped in vetwrap and placed under the top lip has worked wonders for handing control when I absolutely need it.

Using “mule logic” means that if you are leading and they suddenly stop walking with you, and want to back up, you simply start backing them where you want them to go. You have to outsmart them.

I’d give him some time and then see if you can find a companion for him. It’s true longears can be real buggers to deal with at times. They have a strong sense of self preservation and they are not nearly as domesticated as horses are. This is doubly true for a donkey. If you or the owners cannot continue to manage him and keep him in a safe home, do him a great favor and humanely euthanize him. Exceptional donkey homes are hard to come by.

[GoForAGallop]

I’ll echo Watermark as a fellow mule owner…at the risk of non-mule people thinking I’m an anthropomorphizing looney toon, they really ARE just that much more sensitive than horses, and express that.

I like to think of mine as a bit of an angsty teen. He will POUT if he is upset about something, and I can only imagine how heartbroken he would be if he lost his buddy and was turned out alone. No, turned out next to is definitely not the same as with, particularly for a mule. Mine is very intent on physical contact (much to the occasional annoyance of his pasture mates!), and likes to be touching flanks or have his nose in the same hay pile, etc. It carries over to his interactions with humans…his default position is with his head drooped and my arm looped over his neck. If he can’t have that, he wants to at least have his nose touching my elbow/hip/knee.

You need to be very firm with him, but most importantly, FAIR. A horse will forgive a bit of unfairness, a mule will not. You absolutely should be using a chain on him during this naughty period, because safety absolutely comes first and he shouldn’t be yanking away from people, but I don’t think your farrier’s approach of tying him with his head cranked up was appropriate.

He is definitely expressing his unhappiness, and it might be time to try him with another buddy, or look for a different home for him. I don’t know what his life is like right now, but can you try putting him into a bit of a program to give him something GOOD to spend his energy on? Even if he’s not rideable, he may benefit from some in-hand obstacle training, long-lining, heck, even basic trick training stuff a few times a week, just to give him a job. Mine is most certainly a more content long-ear when in a program, regardless of what that program may be. (He was delighted when I gave up on dragging the fluffy dogs around and he got to be my jogging partner for a few months!)

And lots and lots of praise when he IS being good. They thrive off it, and it can work as an easy way to get their attention back and find something to praise them for. The default “can’t eff this up” ask for my guy is a simple carrot stretch. No matter what he may be doing wrong, in hand or under saddle, I can say “Stretch, Henry!” and he will pause what he’s doing to crane his neck around for a sugar cube, at which point he gets liberal vocal praise as well. Serves as a good “de-escalation” exercise.

Here’s my boy: https://scontent-lga1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xft1/v/t1.0-9/11430104_10155756088110215_8478734245219094251_n.jpg?oh=499c7109d7c29337e70f638a62d4a657&oe=562ADEC6 As proof that despite all my sappiness about them being unique individuals who need some treatment that’s different from horses, he still functions well in society and earns his keep. :lol: Not a crazy natural horsemanship lady here.

[lilitiger2]

O![](G thank you all so much for these responses! So helpful!
yes, he is opinionated, and was before he lost Harley. And I do think that really devasted him (it did all of us but seeing him trying to pull on the corpses’ legs was awful beyond belief).

I love this little guy (but don’t want to get hurt). I had not thought about ulcers but that’s a good point also! He is very treat motivated - as I said, now comes when he’ called, running! (to get treats, I don’t think from any affection for me!)

it’s the leading, where he is mostly good if he wants to go where you’re going but if not and he can get any momentum, he is impossible to hold. And the kicking does not thrill me. THAT I would love him to get over!

But I will not let him go to somewhere they cant’ deal with him. He is an “acquired taste” [IMG]http://i1185.photobucket.com/albums/z356/lilitiger2/simonA_zpsef17d0f3.jpg)

but well loved here! and of course I am vaguely looking for another horse.I do think he would really like that (and me too!)

[Texarkana]

Simon is adorable! If he becomes to much of a pill, I’d gladly put up with his shenanigans.

And oh my gosh, Henry is beautiful, GoForAGallop!

I only have donkey experience, but I agree with everything said here. When they are upset, they aren’t going do much of anything for you. I often think of them like cats: independently motivated. A horse will pretty much do anything you ask so long as they understand, since they want to please their “alpha” (you). But every time you ask a donkey or mule something, they’re going to ask you back, “what’s in it for me?”

It might be a good time to just go back to basics with him-- ask him little tasks that don’t upset him and make sure to give him lots of praise and treats when he complies. Try to avoid the situations that are upsetting him for right now if you can, just until you can regain his attention/motivation. That’s what I have to do with my donkey when she gets herself worked into a tizzy: stop, reorganize, and redirect her attention to something positive before trying to ask her again. With horses, we’re so programmed to never let them win or else you’ll make the problem worse. But with donkeys and mules, you sometimes have to compromise to save the relationship, because they will not forgive you for a bad experience!

I’m so sorry he lost his buddy. And I hope you can find a suitable companion for poor Simon soon!

[FatCatFarm]

Yes Henry is just too freakin’ adorable! Sounds like a new buddy is the ticket to his happiness and thereby yours. Good luck!