The donkey brain causes the mule to look all over the place. Why? Because he is a prey animal and he wants to know what’s going on. He wants all the information about his surroundings so he can protect himself. But when I’m leading him down the trail, I want his attention on me.

Learn all about communicating from the halter and you will discover the difference between making the halter work and allowing the halter to work.

Also, hear Steve explain why proper halter adjustment is important and demonstrates how to adjust a rope halter, right out of the box. As a special bonus… hear Steve tell stories about his experience during the packing World Championships.

Communicating to your mule in a way she understands starts with the properly adjusted halter. The adjustment isn’t about fit — it’s about communication. Proper placement of each knot is essential — but even more than that, you, the herd leader, must know exactly how each knot is communicating.

In this section, Steve demonstrates how the halter works, how each knot communicates, and paints a very clear picture for how your halter must fit on your mule or donkey. Watch him lead the mule and watch the halter communicate — YOU CAN SEE IT! So you can communicate as a master trainer.

Let’s put the basics of ground foundation training together… and watch a teenager make it happen (if she can do it, you can do it!).

See exactly what Steve means when he talks about timing. Watch a mule push up on the owner and then use your timing with the come-a-long rope/rope halter to get him out of your space. 

In addition, Steve answers questions from participants about ground foundation training and the ask, tell, demand method

Get in the the round pen for surcingle training and watch the tack do its work fo lowering the head and putting the nose on the vertical.

Watch the halter work, lowering the head, putting the nose on the vertical. Softening techniques are not lateral flexions or disengaging the hind quarters… the halter is doing the job. The back end is going to get up underneath, push off his hind quarters, round out his back, all from the nose and the hind quarters. The softness is there, we have to communicate to help them get it out. It ain’t the bit… 

Question and answers session

The best source of education on the mule and donkey IS the mule and the donkey. Watch them, learn from them, and in the case of the saddle, understand how they are fundamentally different than a horse in their bone structure.

Learn the history of Steve’s saddles, how they were all designed based upon his first pack saddle, and how the tree is all about accommodating the way the animal is created, keeping the pressure off of the fat pockets, respecting their uniqueness and getting the most performance out of working with Ole’ Fluffy.

Four nails, frog, blunted off vs straight, picking up the foot, and horrible feet — shoeing is a fundamental part of quality mule and donkey care. The mule gets his foot from the donkey and the donkey foot is the worst foot of all the equine. Always shoe your mules and donkeys.

Learn what you need to know about basic hoof care, as well as how to properly pick up the front and rear feet to get work done.

You can’t pick and choose when it comes to correct saddle fitting… all aspects of the saddle and tack need to be ‘just so’ or you’ll find that new problems are created. From the way the breast collar functions, to the saddle pad you choose to use, to the number and placement of your cinches, all the way to making your adjustments — it all works together.

The saddle and tack portion of this clinic is where you see how all the pieces work together and you will discover some very easy mistakes that riders will make to compensate for shortcomings in their tack and saddle. These adjustments may be okay for the horse, but Mr. Mule and Mr. Donkey won’t stand for it and eventually, they will show you.

Learn how to do it right and you’ll have the most comfortable ride of your life — and so will your equine.