Mini Mules!!! How do I get started??? Meredith continues her series on mini mules–with information that’s as true for horses and ponies as for Meredith’s favorite longears.
Hear what Meredith Hodges has to say!
Here’s Meredith!
xx
Lizzi Tremayne
In Part 1, you learned how to begin the relationship with your miniature equine in a positive and natural way that fosters good behavior and a good relationship between you. You also learned the importance of getting down to your mini’s eye level so that he can make eye contact with you, which discourages striking, jumping on you and other bad behaviors that are common when working with miniature equines.
In Part 2, I discussed how important it is to successfully complete the tasks in Part 1 before moving on to Part 2, and I explained why it is advisable to work minis in groups, as they perform better when they are with their friends. You also learned how to train minis to go over and around various obstacles.
Remember that all of this is to be done with no expectations that may overwhelm your mini—it is better if you maintain an attitude of fun and games. In Part 3, we got down to some serious groundwork training so that your mini can be used for driving and showing in hand. He learned to lunge and to be ground driven in the round pen and in the open arena through the hourglass pattern and, if part of a team, how to do these things as a pair.
In Part 4, you will learn how toteach your mini to pull correctly and in good equine posture in the hourglass pattern, but without actually pulling anything such as a tire, log or vehicle. We are only concerned with his moving forward in good equine posture while initiating thrust or “impulsion” from the hindquarters. (This training is very similar to a human learning to “lift” correctly using his legs instead of his back.).
In order to learn how to do this, your mini will need to be equipped with my self-correcting restraint for equines called the “Elbow Pull.” (How to make the “Elbow Pull” is covered in my Equus RevisitedDVD.) When he is in good equine posture, the “Elbow Pull” will remain loose, but if he tries to raise his head too far, it will 
restrict that movement so that he cannot hollow his neck and back and begin to build muscle in this undesirable posture. The “Elbow Pull” does not pull his head down.
Rather, it gives him something to lean against for a few strides at a time until he is able to resume good equine posture and self-carriage again. At first, when the muscles are not able to sustain good posture at all times, he will move in and out of good posture. The “Elbow Pull” supports good equine postural balance and acts much like the balance bar that is used by a ballet dancer until she or he is strong enough to hold any postural position in the middle of the room without support.
This becomes very important when your mini is in draught(pulling an obstacle or vehicle) in order to make sure he will pull correctly, and symmetrically condition his body’s muscles to avoid future injury to the internal structures within his body.
By now your mini has already learned to ground-drive the hourglass pattern and has negotiated the obstacle course on the lead line. There are still more obstacle exercises you can do to strengthen your mini and improve his strength and coordination to prepare him for driving before he is ever hitched to a cart or carriage.
Now he is ready to learn to ground-drive the obstacle course. The obstacle course exercises will increase his confidence in being in the lead and help him to go bravely ahead of you upon command.
Approach each obstacle on the drive lines and if he balks and refuses to go forward, just stop, gently lay the lines over his back and then lead him through. Then go back and try again on the drive lines. In order to alleviate any fear or confusion your mini may feel, remember to “get down” to his eye level whenever possible.
NOTE: Don’t forget to always reward him with his favorite crimped oats for compliance.
Once your mini is willing to go straight through the obstacle with a calm attitude and no balking, you can then begin to break each obstacle down into smaller, easier steps, rewarding and praising him for each success. If he is apprehensive about any obstacle, you should lead him through these smaller steps with frequent halts before attempting to ground-drive him through. He may need these detailed “explanations” before he is willing to “take the lead.”
If you are training him on the bridge obstacle, go to the landing, stop, square up, put the lines up and reward, then resume your position and drive him up onto the bridge, but with only his front feet on the bridge, and then stop again. Put up the lines, walk forward and reward.
Then drive him completely onto the bridge, stop, square up, put up the lines and reward. If he is having problems squaring up on the lines, then just square him up when you get to his head before you reward him.
The most difficult move your mini will have to do is to put two front feet on the ground while he leaves two back feet on the bridge. Just as you did on the lead line, hold steady on the drive lines and, if necessary, before you ask him to ground-drive ahead of you and hold the position, walk forward to help him to first get into and hold the position.
Be sure to give him his reward once he is in the correct stance. You want him to succeed with every effort and you should be ready and willing to help him whenever he really needs it.
You can ask him to take full responsibility for perfect balance and negotiation of the obstacle later. For now, your primary task is to help him get through the obstacles successfully and with as little help as possible. Breaking obstacles down into smaller steps will increase his balance, coordination, agility and self-confidence.
Even after he has become competent while hitched to the vehicle, you can use ground-driving obstacle exercises in the “Elbow Pull” to finesse his movements during future lessons. It will add variety to your mini’s lessons and continue to promote health, coordination and good equine posture.
To learn more about Meredith Hodges and her comprehensive all-breed equine training program, visit LuckyThreeRanch.com or call 1-800-816-7566. Check out her children’s website at JasperTheMule.com. Also, find Meredith on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.
© 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2019 Lucky Three Ranch, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
To learn more about Meredith Hodges and her comprehensive all-breed equine training program, visit LuckyThreeRanch.com or call 1-800-816-7566. Check out her children’s website at JasperTheMule.com. Also, find Meredith on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.
© 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2019 Lucky Three Ranch, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
You can find more about to mini longears and other things in Meredith’s books on this website under Horsey/Equestrian / Donkey Fiction and Nonfiction and Aud/CD/DVD menu tabs!
See the whole list of Meredith’s books on her Author page here!
Thank you so much, Meredith, for blogging with us today, and thanks so much to you readers for visiting! Join our HNVB Book Club and our HNVB Blog via the forms in the right sidebar to keep in touch!
Happy riding and vetting!
xx
Lizzi Tremayne
Author: LizziT
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