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11-21-2021, 09:43 AM
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Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Nelson BC
Posts: 2,032
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Mule or Donkey
Daughter is getting a horse in the spring and I am thinking of getting it a companion for the field. Don't have use for a second horse but I had heard donkeys and mules might work. I could also train it for packing.
Hoping someone might have experience on what could work as a companion and serve as a pack animal - elk size game.
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11-21-2021, 11:58 AM
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Join Date: Dec 2020
Posts: 90
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I looked at donkeys as "lawnmowers" for my place and learnt that they get fat quickly, mini donkeys more so. I would recommend a llama or an alpaca. Good for our climate, it will fight coyotes and kids like them because they are cute and furry. The downside is that the damn things are stubborn and they spit, being cameloids...
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11-21-2021, 12:03 PM
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Join Date: Sep 2021
Posts: 3,784
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Flyingfisher
I looked at donkeys as "lawnmowers" for my place and learnt that they get fat quickly, mini donkeys more so. I would recommend a llama or an alpaca. Good for our climate, it will fight coyotes and kids like them because they are cute and furry. The downside is that the damn things are stubborn and they spit, being cameloids...
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There are some very good reasons, people can't even give llamas away.  You won't be packing much on one and meeting other horses could turn into a wreck. Horses are herd animals and happiest when they have a buddy. Get an old plug, broke to death, won't break the bank either.
Grizz
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Woe unto them that join house to house, that lay field to field, till there is no place, that they be alone in the midst of the Earth.
Isaiah 5:8
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11-21-2021, 01:46 PM
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Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 6,697
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Yup, my buddy wanted me to go shoot his 6 llamas… apparently they were playing hell on his horses. I respectfully declined.
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11-21-2021, 02:02 PM
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Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Nelson BC
Posts: 2,032
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My buddy Clay Newcomb wants me to get a mule.
Is anything wrong with mules?
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11-21-2021, 02:24 PM
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Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: Edmonton
Posts: 6,496
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Whichever you get don't ride it through Yahoo Tinda in the fall.
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11-21-2021, 02:32 PM
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Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 290
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Quote:
Originally Posted by nelsonob1
My buddy Clay Newcomb wants me to get a mule.
Is anything wrong with mules?
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Nothing wrong with mules. They haul tourists and gear in and out of the Grand Canyon to Phantom Ranch daily. Long way up and down.They don't use horses or donkeys........
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11-21-2021, 02:38 PM
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Join Date: Sep 2021
Posts: 3,784
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jason Bourne
Nothing wrong with mules. They haul tourists and gear in and out of the Grand Canyon to Phantom Ranch daily. Long way up and down.They don't use horses or donkeys........
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It takes a special personality to live with mules. They have minds of their own.
Grizz
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Woe unto them that join house to house, that lay field to field, till there is no place, that they be alone in the midst of the Earth.
Isaiah 5:8
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11-21-2021, 03:24 PM
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Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Nelson BC
Posts: 2,032
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Grizzly Adams1
It takes a special personality to live with mules. They have minds of their own.
Grizz
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Worse than donkeys? Man why does everything have to be hard. My son follows Newcomb and wants a mule and call it El Chappo
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11-21-2021, 03:31 PM
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Join Date: May 2007
Location: On the other side of the mountain
Posts: 478
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Get a mule. There was good reason for the US Calvary to use mules rather than horses.
And a mule will protect you when the horses have all scattered. I remember reading this story when it first came out about 15+ years ago.
https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/mu...mountain-lion/
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Humbolt Broncos Tragedy
" I'm trying to not get cynical about what is a totally devastating tragedy but the maleness, the youthfullness and the whiteness of the victims are playing a significant role."
Nora Loreto 6:49 PM 8 Apr. 2018
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11-21-2021, 03:41 PM
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Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Out of Town
Posts: 861
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A mule is very smart, if you don’t know how to be mule smart don’t get one. A donkey is great, if you get a great donkey, if not well don’t get a donkey. Also a horse may like the donkey, but a donkey don’t give 2 rips about a horse.
Best thing is an old horse, your daughter’s horse will love the old guy. And the old boy will probably love you daughter.
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11-21-2021, 03:42 PM
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Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Caroline
Posts: 7,271
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mavrick
A mule is very smart, if you don’t know how to be mule smart don’t get one. A donkey is great, if you get a great donkey, if not well don’t get a donkey. Also a horse may like the donkey, but a donkey don’t give 2 rips about a horse.
Best thing is an old horse, your daughter’s horse will love the old guy. And the old boy will probably love you daughter.
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This
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2. You're stupid
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11-21-2021, 03:47 PM
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Banned
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Join Date: Jan 2015
Posts: 1,153
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Mules are mule smart if you don’t nt spend time with them. Spend lots of time and they get human smart, just like a puppy dog.
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11-21-2021, 03:58 PM
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Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Nelson BC
Posts: 2,032
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Okay, I'm leaning toward old horse. Presumably an old one costs less.
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11-21-2021, 03:59 PM
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Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Out of Town
Posts: 861
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Quote:
Originally Posted by huntwat
Mules are mule smart if you don’t nt spend time with them. Spend lots of time and they get human smart, just like a puppy dog.
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Ok, but you got a lot more faith in “human smart” than I do when it comes to mules or horses. 
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11-21-2021, 05:29 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: central Alberta
Posts: 12,629
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Be sure to check out Horse Heroes Alberta. You might be able to adopt a rescued horse or buy a retired companion horse for cheap. I see they have one young companion horse for 650 bucks presently.
https://horseheroesalberta.com/adoptable-horses
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This country was started by voyagers whose young lives were swept away by the currents of the rivers for ten cents a day... just for the vanity of the European's beaver hats. ~ Red Bullets
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It is when you walk alone in nature that you discover your strengths and weaknesses. ~ Red Bullets
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11-21-2021, 11:52 PM
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Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Near Edmonton
Posts: 15,049
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Think vet bills. Old horse, lots of vet bills, Mule, very few vet bills usually. If you spend a lot of time with them, Mules are a great animal and will bond with you and the horse. If you spend no time bonding with the Mule they will still bond with the horse but don't expect much in terms of respect for you. Cheapest option is to board a horse for someone else. Yours gets company, you make some bucks, and all the bills are the other guy's.
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11-21-2021, 11:59 PM
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Banned
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Join Date: Jan 2015
Posts: 1,153
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mavrick
Ok, but you got a lot more faith in “human smart” than I do when it comes to mules or horses. |
Lol. I guess so. Don’t mean that they are as smart as humans, but they will learn to be faithful and loyal, like a dog. But, not if their full time companion is a fellow pasture pet.
Last edited by huntwat; 11-22-2021 at 12:04 AM.
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