We own a mule that needs a little work on his ground manners. Before I start working with him I've seen/heard a couple different ways/position the nose band sets across the nose. I've heard for mules or donkeys two fingers above the nostrils and I've seen half way up. Both by different trainers. What are your thoughts?
I am not sure a nose band would help all that much with ground manners ? If what i am thinking is what your talking about. When you say nose band i am thinking its main purpose is to keep the mule from throwing its head up. The nose band has a strap attached to the bottom of the nose strap and is attached at the other end of the strap to the front gert ? If that is what your talking about ?
It has been a long time since i have order any tach from Steve Edwards of Queen Valley ranch i think in Airzona.
But he did have a web site that you could order tach, saddles, training videos, etc...,
I think you can even ask questions like what you ask on here and someone will give you a reply.
I have been to some of his clinics, even hosted one for him. Mules is all he works with. Has a college type school to teach people how to train mules. His main emphasis on training mules is ground work, ground work, and more ground work.
The main peace or tach or you could call it his tool that is used to do that ground work with is a wax coated peace of 1/2 inch rope with a braided loop on one end of it. Like a pig & tail calf that calf ropers use to tie hoays, probably have spelt or said that wrong. Anyway i bet if a calf roper reads this they will know what i am talking about.
Steve Edwards calls that rope a come along. But whatever you do. If you try to make your own or watch one the training videos using the come along. Never put it on a horse, mule or other type of animal and tie it up. In anyway shape or manner.
The way the come along works is by tightening down around the bridge of the nose, under its chin, at the pole behind the animals ears where the head attaches to its neck. All of these points are full of nerves, tendons that call mame if not kill a 1000 lb mule or horse. Bigger or smaller than a 1000 lb. If that animal has this on its head and is tied solid at the other end to a traier or tree etc....,
Its a great tool for teaching a mule ground manners if you know how to use it right.
I have used what they call a running w on mules to through them if they got out of hand. But in the long run i think throwing a mule or horse does more harm to the animals sociological end than any good that comes from it.
Just like Big Foot has said mules are smarter than most people i know. So its been my experience when dealing with Mr long ears you gain alot more ground with him patients and diplomacy !!! Lol !!! Of course this is all just my opinion for what it is worth.
One more thing Steve Edwards come along is similiar if not the same thing as what the Calvary used to call a war bridle.
