How to Train Mules and Donkeys

Donkeys and mules are both trainable.

Horses are not the only type of equine that can be trained. Mules and donkeys both are extremely intelligent and can be taught any skill horses are able to perform. Donkeys are a separate species from horses, with a mule being the offspring of a female horse and a male donkey. Mules and donkeys are known to be more stubborn than horses but are still trainable.

Things You'll Need

• Halter
• Lead rope
• Treats
• Grooming supplies
• Saddle pad
• Saddle
• Headstall
• Bit
• Round pen

Instructions

1. Familiarize the mule or donkey with the halter and lead rope. Hold the halter and rope in one hand and a treat in the other and slowly walk toward the animal. Extend your hand to offer the animal the treat, and gently drape the rope over its neck. Slide the halter slowly over its nose, buckling the halter behind the ears. Leave the halter on the animal for 5 minutes, then remove it and offer another treat. Repeat this process daily until the animal comes toward you when it sees the halter.

2. Groom the animal to acclimate it to being handled. Mules and donkeys have thicker hair follicles than horses and should be brushed every day to keep the coat in good condition. Put on the halter and lead rope, holding the lead in one hand to keep the animal from wandering away. Brush away mud and grime with a stiff-bristled brush, then use a finishing brush to shine the coat.

3. Tie the animal to a hitching post and pick up the saddle blanket, rubbing it gently over the neck and shoulders. Set the blanket on its back, moving it back and forth between the shoulders and the hips. Remove and replace the blanket multiple times until the animal stands completely still and ignores the blanket. These animals mature slower than horses and cannot be ridden until they are at least 3 years old, but the animal can be trained to accept the feel of an empty saddle long before riding.

4. Place the blanket on the animal and lay the saddle on top of it. Pull the cinch around the body directly behind the front legs, slipping the latigo through the cinch buckle. Slowly tighten the latigo until the cinch is secure, but not so tight as to injure the animal. Both donkeys and mules are more docile than horses and are more accepting of the saddling process.

5. Unbuckle the halter, slipping it off the animal's nose and rebuckling it behind the ears. Hold the bit in one hand and the headstall in the other, sliding the headstall over the head and gently placing the bit in the mouth. Donkeys have longer heads than horses and pass this long facial structure on to their offspring, requiring a longer headstall than a normal horse. If the headstall is too short, adjust the cheekpiece buckles until the headstall fits.

6. Remove the halter, and walk the animal to the roundpen, turning it loose once the gate is closed. The animal might run and buck in an effort to rid itself of the saddle but eventually will calm down. Once the animal pays no attention to the saddle, return it to its stall and repeat this process each day until the animal is completely saddle-broken.

7. Move on to mounted training once the animal reaches 3 years old. Saddle the animal in the roundpen and gently climb aboard, pulling back on the reins if it moves forward. Sit still to allow the animal to become used to the weight on its back, praising it with a scratch on the neck for standing still. Push the reins forward and squeeze the animal with your legs to encourage it to move forward, then sit down in the saddle and pull back on the reins until it stops.

8. Ride the animal every day, extending the duration of each session by 10 minutes until you can ride the animal for an hour. Increase the complexity of the sessions as well, working the animal from a walk up to a faster trot and eventually on to a canter when it is responding to your cues at each speed. Mules and donkeys are intelligent, but it can take up to a year to completely break your new riding companion.

Tips & Warnings

• Donkeys generally are smaller than horses and should be ridden by smaller riders. Mules can range in size from donkey through draft horse and can be ridden by riders of most sizes.

• Don’t try to ride your animal before it is mature. Donkeys and mules both have growth plates in their knees that need to grow together and fuse before they can handle too much weight on their backs. Riding an animal before the growth plates close can result in permanent lameness.

References

• KBR Horse Training Information: Gentling Wild Donkeys- 101
• Every Cowgirl's Dream: Mule Training