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Without the horse there would be no mule. I have spent my life enjoying and working with both. I really like mules for the cliff trails that I ride here, as do most outfitters in this part of the world. Mules usually take pretty good care. Usually. We pare those out pretty quickly, like they fall off and die, or we sell them to some poor sucker that thinks he wants to be a mule man. Some of the higher priced ones are good looking and crossed with top quarter mares, etc. Sometimes these mules that cost a lot are not worth much in the using. Both the donk and the horse parents have to have the minds to accomplish the task of packing riding etc. or else you get one smart pain in the ***.
Beware the mule not bred for the task. It will out gun you and drain your wallet.
Something fun to think about now that I'm done drumming down "Little twig"--what animal on earth could you kill every one of, and yet have another one in less than a year?
And maybe I'm wrong on this, (I guess any hybrid would be the answer) but the only critter that I know that has no pride in the past and no hope for the future, is the mule. Sterile cross. It is (as you know) a cross between a horse and a donkey. Genetically the DNA won't allign in an even number to allow for the species to reproduce.
And I sure wish I had a goat hunt upcoming,, or a sheep hunt,, or a moose hunt...no body I know drew......Happy trails.

He remains incensed over his frailties with TV and it's wanton Weiner Pill Ads.

Must be a pretty rough and tumble sumbitch,to be afraid of both the TV and his dick?!!?.

People crack me up....................

Ahh, Forgot about that!

Is entertaining to say the least(grin)

Someone owes someone an apoligy here. There are 4 worthless posts and 3 of them just are way out of line. Paul needs to take his own advise. The rest of us can read about horses and mules if you leave out the crap that suits your personality.

You let me know how that works out for you, K <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />.

Also, maybe you should read the thread before pointing fingers.
Paul

SMR,

I think it's funny how a man can have morals about a weiner pill ads, but be a complete a-hole to other people.... Don't your morals cross over in how you socialize and treat your fellow man?

Are you a Baptist?

I did and it is a good thread til the lack of "relative adult imput" showed up. SMR is right but he might have been a few years getting the stats togather on 16'000 posts. So do you think they all show what everyone wants to here and "twig" should put down what he wrote. I don't. Sounds to me like he might be under the influeance at times and no one wants to argue with a person who otherwise has got some good info. It don't belong in a thread about horses and mules.

I simply want to thank those who have written about the wild horse situation. The information on mules and horses was interesting. My knowledge of that is limited, but my father would have greatly appreciated the thread and could have contributed.

If you don't like what he or anyone else wrote then either don't read what he has to offer or just hit the Ignore user button! Simple!
As for horses, i don't like em. Of the two i've had dealings with i would have shot them both given the chance. YMMV
Paul

37,000 !

http://www.wildhorseandburro.blm.gov/index.php

And the goverment is spending 11 million a year to care for horses in confinement. Another character and I went out in the early 80's to see about rounding up wild horses as we heard the cost of roundup was 89 dollars per horse just to corral one. We had a buddy that flew helicopters in Vietnam and he said he could do it way cheaper but to make a long story short the deal fell through with a phone call to not bid to cheap. Visited the feedlot SMR mentions and saw all the old culls being cared for like they were royalty. Think it is nothing for a horse that is well cared for to live to be 35 years old. The cowboys took out the ones they wanted and that left the rest to go up for adoption. Bet some of them old nags are still munching them groceries for 465 dollars a year.

Over 30 years ago I helped in culling operations with Elk and Bison. The people who determined what was to be killed did so on the basis of furthering the best characteristics they believed would ultimately provide good stock. Was sentiment involved? Yes. Some weren't present for the killing and I understood why. Some of the animals they cared for and loved were destined for death. I understand that.

But a herd will not be healthy in any closed range without culling either by man or animal.

I never hinted at being a Horse Whisperer,nor do I recall sending you a PM soliciting your unwavering love and support.

Grow a set,it'll be a long life without 'em..................

"Management" isn't a dirty word,in my book.

Trouble is,Sheeple wanna manage with everything but common sense anymore and that seldom is in a critter's best interest.

A shame..................

Having been a Range Conservationist for the Ely District in Nevada, I think I am qualified to comment on this subject.

First of all, these are NOT wild horses. They are feral horses. I once referred to them as "feral" in a written report and was warned that the truth did not matter, and I must refer to them as "wild." There were other instances of resource policies that were evidently originated by rich old ladies in New York City penthouses with neurotic French poodles sitting in their ample laps.

The law which mandates this treatment of feral horses is, I believe, known as the "Wild Horse and Burro Protection Act." It's just another piece of legislation that was enacted in order to please special interests---in this case, likely a bunch of people who know zilch about genetics, ecology, wildlife management, range management, or flushing commodes. The Act was, in my mind, designed to appeal to the emotions of those who let emotions rule them and want [their own] emotions to rule everyone and everything else.

Feral horses are extremely hard on riparian areas and rangeland in general. They face no real natural predators, so their numbers increase unchecked without the benefit of natural culling of the weak and unfit.

Once, on a gather of feral horses, I saw a herd of perhaps 200. Of those 200 horses, not one had good conformation or anything close to good looks. All were short legged and had heads that were too large. I can't imagine anyone wanting one of them.

Feral horses should be shot on sight. Any that appears to be desirable should be captured. The Wild Horse and Burro Protection Act should be repealed and condemned as the nonsense that it is.



-RR-

Oh JEEZUS,now you've done it! You done went and made sense.

That'll drive the Gallery nuts.

I'm off to work,with a feral tear in my eye................(grin)

I love horses............

but they gotta be cooked right! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Come on, man. Peel the onion back a few more layers. Think around the corner. I'm going to have to call major B.S. on the logic you're attempting to use here.

You know what, CAMELS initially evolved here, as well. I guess you think it'd be a good idea for the BLM to support a few herds of those, as well. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

RSY

To me wild/feral horses (Mustangs) are a symbol of the American west and should be allowed to run free. Of course they need to be managed to the point they do not cause too many problems for other wild animals that utilize the same range that they do. Look at current management techniques for other animals Elk, Deer etc., these are for the most part managed to better the species, wild horses on the other hand are managed with a take the best, leave the rest attitude. Seems there are too many horsemen involved at the lower levels, ie if it isn't pretty or have good confirmation in my eyes kill it. Wouldn't any group of animals health as a species suffer overall with this kind of management. I have never ate any horse meat but would not balk at trying it, it is an animal. When I looked up feral in my websters the first thing it had was wild, when I looked up wild it had a whole boat load of stuff but seemed to boil down to unmanaged, so to me that means the wild horses are as wild as any game animal we have, as there is obviously more and better management techniques employed in the management of game animals then wild horses.

Snuffy, your comments mirror my feelings on the matter. I have hunted quite abit around wild horses, and I consider them a natural part of the landscape.