> > Great photo. Do mules feel the same way as riding a horse? Do they > act like a horse? > V >
You have to understand that I only have experience with this one mule so I can only talk about that experience. She was a very smooth riding mule - I could sit her trot easily and her canter felt like she was skipping - nice and smooth. I did feel like there was a lot more powerful animal underneath me - she was one large, hard muscle. The owner of this mule trains hers to the same cues as a horse so it wsan't much different. As far as how they act - from what I understand, when they don't want to do something, there is no forcing the issue. We had some very steep hills to go up and down and in the middle of one of the hills she just stopped and there was no encouraging her forward until she was ready. I didn't have a problem with that because if she felt like she needed to stop going up a steep hill then I wanted her to stop. She was a sweet girl and did the same begging for part of my granola bar when we stopped for a break that my horse would have done. I did feel more secure when we were going up and down the really steep hills then I would have on my horse - I don't know how to describe it - it just felt like she was very solid underneath me and slow and steady. I would definitely ride them again. Laree
