Hennef, Germany
jennifermandy@googlemail.com
“Mules do trails best!” That is what it
says on a sticker on our mule trailer. And it is the truth!
That’s why we wanted mules, not horses. We wanted trail
buddies who enjoy the trails as much as we do. Actually, no,
that’s not exactly why we were looking for mules, but that’s
what we ended up with! What we wanted were sure-footed
equines that are smart, sturdy and smooth to ride. That was,
apart from reliability, the top of our list. What we got was
so much more.
Trail riding here in Germany is very
different from the US. The population density is much higher
here, resulting in less space for more people. Meaning there
are a lot less trails that are shared by a lot more people.
People don’t trailer out much, if at all (you should see our
gas prices!), but ride out from home. Riders aren’t
particularly popular, depending on where you live. In many
parts of Germany you are only allowed on designated horse
trails that are often in bad shape and start someplace in
the middle of an area and just end a couple of miles later.
If you don’t want to fly your equines in and out again you
are pretty much at a loss!
We live in an area where we can ride
out from home, but only to share the trails with mountain
bikers (the kind that silently rush towards you scaring the
beejesus out of your mule) and similar specimen. After
meeting huge farm machinery on our way back home one day we
decided to buy a trailer to trailer out into a better riding
area. That was a good decision, as we found beautiful
trails.
It was the first time since we got our
mules from Missouri to Germany that we started to have some
real fun on the trails. Larry recognized the area for what
it was (nice woods to ride in!) and started flopping his
ears and swinging his butt. Katie started to relax some as
she was surrounded by trees and brush. Behind all that brush
and trees wild mule eating beasts might lurk, but she found
some courage and decided it couldn’t be that dangerous after
all.
For the first time since our trail
rides in Missouri, the mules could show their quality as
trail mules. Katie was leading, and she was so happy to be a
trail mule (she used to work mostly in the arena). She
really had no idea about what a good trail mule was, but she
definitely considered herself one! She moved down the trail
with bells and whistles, enthusiastically taking in the
scenery, while stumbling over branches and walking where the
deepest mud was. She always tried to take everything in,
including nice juicy twigs appearing in front of her nose.
When the going got rough, Katie thought taking your head
high and rushing through would be exactly what should be
done. I’m very sure she was wondering why the ground wasn’t
kept nice and good to ride on like she was use to in the
arena. But she loved trail riding and never got discouraged.
And after I put some trail miles on her
she got considerably better, she rarely stumbles anymore.
She still insists on walking where I think she’d better not,
but she’s easy to guide. What she really hates is going back
the same way we came, and while we’re at it, going back to
the trailer is not her favorite direction! What I especially
like about her is her big heart. Katie gives her best, and
at times the trail is pretty challenging for her. I can see
that when she is all sweaty when we come back to the
trailer. Sweaty but very happy!
Larry is usually behind us with Steph.
By this time Steph has progressed so much (he started out on
Larry as a complete rookie) that Larry and Steph are a
regular team. Larry not only enjoys being on the trail, he
is also a seasoned trail mule. He always negotiates the
trail with care and thought. I don’t think I have ever seen
him stumble. If the going gets rough and Katie doesn’t know
which way to pick through deep mud or other rough ground,
Larry and Steph will take the lead. Katie is offended of
course, but she follows Larry’s trail. The kind of trail
Larry likes best is going up hills, through mud, over logs.
The more challenging, the better. If you want to see his
ears flop, ride him on a trail that makes Katie wonder
whether it is a trail to ride on at all!
In the beginning Steph had problems
with Larry trying to rush downhill. The first thing we did
was check saddle fit, and indeed his saddle was pinching his
shoulders. He had outgrown the first of his saddles, he had
put on so much muscle. We changed the saddle, and it was
better but not perfect. Because of his former saddle
pinching he had also gotten into the habit of hollowing his
back, and by that couldn’t get his hindquarters engaged
going downhill. Just like most young mules that are started
under saddle. It took Steph a few weeks of riding downhill
in serpentines, and then Larry got the hang of it.
One thing both mules have in common is
that they like to take their time. They have both a fast
ground covering walk, but they don’t rush or want to trot or
lope. We like that, but it’s also the reason why we will
probably always be on our own on the trail. Weirdly
everybody here likes to trot or lope on the trail. Why the
rush? I have no idea. We like to smell the roses!
If you would ask which one is the
better trail mule: Katie, the former arena mule with not
much trail experience, or Larry, the seasoned trail mule,
sure-footed and considerate, I would not be able to answer
objectively. For me, my Katie is the best trail mule,
because she loves trail riding so much she trots into the
trailer and starts flipping her lead rope with her nose. She
is that annoyed if we don’t go right away. She’s the best
trail mule for me, because she has so much fun it would
lighten the day for anyone. Larry is the best trail mule for
Steph, because Steph can concentrate on riding while Larry
picks his way safely. Best of all is though that they are
both such happy trail mules. And once again it all comes
down to the most important factor when choosing a mule: the
right attitude!
Steph and Larry on a
trail ride
A landscape view of one of the Schmucks frequented trails
No comments:
Post a Comment