In this section I will answer some of the common training questions that we get at our clinics and it should help to answer your questions also. Q: I would like to buy a good, well trained mule. What is the best way to go about finding one? A: You have several options available. There are sales, small time traders, private individuals, breeders, people who are in the business of selling broke mules, newspapers, magazines, etc. A good broke mule can be hard to find but you should take your time and explore all the possibilities. When dealing with small parties, be sure you get the whole story on the mule you are looking at. If you are talking to a private party be sure you know why they want to sell this good mule, everything they say should make sense to you. If you are at a trader, make sure you know the whole story on the mule. Who did they buy it from and why did those people sell this good mule? There are several outfits around the country who1s business is to sell well trained mules. The advantage here is they have a reputation to maintain and usually offer a good return policy if the mule does not suit you. They also have a large inventory for you to choose from. The disadvantage is you will have to pay big bucks for the mule you get. Keep in mind though these people are in business and they have a large overhead so you will have to pay for the convenience of shopping a large and well maintained inventory. Where ever you go and no matter how much you think you like the mule you are looking at, if something does not feel right or does not make sense, don1t be afraid to walk away. There are plenty more down the road. Q: Why does my young mule kick and what should I do about it? A: Kicking from a young colt is something that is learned as they grow up with their mother or pasture mates. It is a way that all equines communicate to say ³hey, Iım boss². The colts learn it as a way to maybe run a pasture mate off the feed and they get more, it becomes something that works for them. When you enter the scene, the colt may kick at you to get into the feed or perhaps to show his dislike over you petting another mule and not him. But, unless you have shown the colt that this behavior is inappropriate he wonıt know any better. It is up to you as the handler to show the mule he cannot act that way with you. It is nothing the mule is doing to be malicious toward you, he simply has not learned otherwise yet, that is your fault and not the mule! One way to discourage this behavior is if you happen to be wearing gloves and most of us are this time of year, if the mule is coming up and swinging his hindquarters toward you, throw a glove and hit him in the rump. This will surprise him and he will probably run off, but it wonıt last long. Usually, if your consistent, a few times of that and the mule will see that it does not work anymore and he will begin to search for something that does work.