tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1409887812566625284.post13152224324351363..comments2024-03-28T22:25:23.698-05:00Comments on Western Fictioneers: DONKEYS--ASSES--BURROS by JERRY GUINWestern Fictioneershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01683314579075461026noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1409887812566625284.post-62866584833493968462013-08-06T23:15:46.313-05:002013-08-06T23:15:46.313-05:00For those tasks, plus the riding, give me a good m...For those tasks, plus the riding, give me a good mule anytime.Astronomo De Patiohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12793697611537997659noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1409887812566625284.post-73030686760901039212013-04-14T23:22:50.550-05:002013-04-14T23:22:50.550-05:00Loved your story, especially about Bucky wanting h...Loved your story, especially about Bucky wanting his oats at the crack of dawn. Cute! I can almost hear him braying! :)Kathy Ottenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17996558118761118634noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1409887812566625284.post-81835601207511591392013-04-14T22:44:10.278-05:002013-04-14T22:44:10.278-05:00What do I know about either horses or burros -- bu...What do I know about either horses or burros -- but I know a good story when I read it. LOL, Jerry! Great fun in the outdoors. I prefer a B&B. ;-)Meghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10734148270217773194noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1409887812566625284.post-19863755110730411372013-04-14T22:07:17.837-05:002013-04-14T22:07:17.837-05:00I'm always interested in articles about mules....I'm always interested in articles about mules. I've had horses but never mules, and it's a mystery why mules nearly always find their way in my stories other than they're so fascinating. Also, their ability to jump is handy at times.Jacquie Rogershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17361793932364487636noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1409887812566625284.post-27975299308375366232013-04-14T19:00:40.511-05:002013-04-14T19:00:40.511-05:00Thanks for the post. Really enjoyed it!Thanks for the post. Really enjoyed it!Kristy McCaffreyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17363740420272046549noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1409887812566625284.post-71269632745042045982013-04-14T16:21:53.235-05:002013-04-14T16:21:53.235-05:00Thanks to all who commented. While on my pack tri...Thanks to all who commented. While on my pack trips I witnessed folks using donkeys, mules and horses as pack animals from time to time. One man had a couple of Shetland ponies, loaded down, in a string with the donkeys. Some people rode horses and others, like my group, trudged along on foot. I thoroughly enjoyed the trips and the memories. I have a photo of my donkey "Bucky" lying on the ground squashing the packs while on that trip. The photo didn't come out good enough for the computer so was unable to add that to the blog. Again, thanks everyone for the positive comments.<br />Jerry Jerry Guinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17074197803776713004noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1409887812566625284.post-87517854151982205312013-04-14T15:57:40.580-05:002013-04-14T15:57:40.580-05:00Marc, Horses vs. mules on narrow trails... could g...Marc, Horses vs. mules on narrow trails... could go either way. But I'll take the horse.<br /><br />True story: On one of our first patrols, over ten years ago now, we took a trail in a state park which was marked as multi-use. Trail started climbing, and climbing, and climbing... and getting narrower and narrower. By now there was a cliff with a drop of about 75 feet on the right and a bank too steep to climb for humans, let alone a horse or mule, on the left. We came to a washout. Deep washout. Talked about turning around, but the trail wasn't wide enough, plus Yankee (who was in the lead) looked at that gully, thought about it for a moment, then calmly stepped over it and kept going. So far, so good. Kept on going, until we came to a sheer 20 foot high rock wall which the trail went almost straight up, using gaps in the rocks. No way past it on horses. At this point the drop was now about a hundred feet, and the trail barely wide enough for the horses to plant all four feet. Told Debbie, who was behind me in a slightly wider spot, she had to turn around so I could back Yankee up. She said the trail was still too narrow. So, we had to try and back both horses out of there. Somehow I managed to dismount to make things easier for Yank. Debbie started to back Joya up, I started to back Yank, then when Joya reached a spot where the bank to the left wasn't quite as steep she headed up it, crashing through the brush. I was convinced Yank would panic, thinking the noise was a predator. Luckily, he didn't. Got him backed to where I could turn him, Debbie got Joya turned around at the top of the bank and we headed back down. When we got back to the bottom, we both started shaking at what might have happened. Later that day, Debbie told me that Yankee's right hind hoof was actually half off the edge of the cliff, that's how narrow the trail was. Still gives me chills thinking about that close call. And I'm sure glad horses have trail sense. In the ten years since then, we've covered a lot of miles over some pretty tough terrain. (Yes, I know New England ain't the Rockies or Alaska, but spend some nights on top of Mount Washington in New Hampshire and you'll find out right quick how rugged it is here).<br /><br />Needless to say, we got in touch with the state DEP and got the trail maps changed so that trail is marked hiking only. <br /><br />Jim GriffinAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1409887812566625284.post-8185961851050781982013-04-14T15:39:51.650-05:002013-04-14T15:39:51.650-05:00In our state mounted horse patrol, of which Yankee...In our state mounted horse patrol, of which Yankee and I are charter members since its founding in 2003, we have one member who joined last year who rides a mule. Howard's a great guy, and Emma's a pretty cool mule. But I'll still take a horse any day of the week. People are always asking my riding partner Debbie if her mustang is a mule, much to Debbie's chagrin. That's because Joya is a true mustang, not a feral horse, and has the lighter muzzle which characterizes most mules. It's also a characteristic of man true mustangs.<br /><br />Jim GriffinAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1409887812566625284.post-40092073720941022962013-04-14T15:21:14.301-05:002013-04-14T15:21:14.301-05:00Jerry, I’ll bet that first camping trip with the b...Jerry, I’ll bet that first camping trip with the burros had enough material to provide you with a half dozen stories.<br />One of my favorite books is Robert Louis Stevenson’s TRAVELS WITH A DONKEY. <br />The note to his friend at the front of the book is one of the finest dedications in literature. RLS called his donkey Modestine—which I have also named my motorcycle—because of our travels together and her similar personality. <br /><br />Put a mule person and a horse person together and you’re bound to get some vehement—even vociferous exchange. <br /><br />I like mules, but I love horses. And I would pick a horse to ride most of the time—but I freely admit it’s only because I choose form over function. <br />I always wanted the cowboy-look when I was riding mounted patrol with the PD—not General Crook. <br /><br />In my experience…<br /><br />— Gaited horses aside, I’ve generally had a smoother ride on a mule. <br />—Since mules are more evenly slung and smoother, I always liked packing with one more than I did a horse, especially whey I was first learning to use a Decker packsaddle and didn’t always get the loads tied/distributed correctly.<br />—If I was in really steep terrain, I’d have to say I rather be on a good, well-trained mule. They are, from my experience packing in the Salmon River country, more surefooted. Not that horses fall over ever cliff or anything. Mules just seem to be more self aware. The Forest Service and BLM used mules when I was doing my riding in Idaho and Montana 15 years ago. Not sure about now<br />—Generally, a horse will lash out if it’s kicking you, where a mule or a donkey will pick a particular target on your body and nail you right there 99 times out of a hundred if you aren’t paying attention<br />—The mules and donkey’s we’ve had would (generally) stand more quietly than horses when they got in a bind, waiting for help. My bride has a map of scars on her left hand from trying to cut a young horse out of a barbed wire fence. We were newlyweds and she was still learning about stock. <br />—Over the years, we’ve had a Kiger mustang (with feet like pie pans) and two runty little things off a BLM range in Nevada. They did seem hardier than our horses from from domesticated lines. But, compared to the burros we kept in Texas to fend off coyotes during calving season, not so much. I think those little guys could thrive on the weeds that grow in the cracks of an abandoned K-mart parking lot.<br /><br />I wouldn’t go so far as to say horses, mules or burros are dumb—or particularly smart. ( I know, fighting words...) One of my horseshoeing mentors once told me that a horse is like a three-year-old human child and a mule has matured to the ripe old intellect of four. <br /><br />Anyhow, Jerry, thanks for the post.<br />MarcMarc Cameronhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14652887133889558701noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1409887812566625284.post-30859131141034966072013-04-14T15:18:07.705-05:002013-04-14T15:18:07.705-05:00Very interesting and useful post, Jerry. And your ...Very interesting and useful post, Jerry. And your adventure sounds to have been fun.<br /><br />KeithKeith Souterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15206349930107528691noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1409887812566625284.post-73314077348360863862013-04-14T14:24:31.642-05:002013-04-14T14:24:31.642-05:00I enjoyed your post. Just recently blogged on don...I enjoyed your post. Just recently blogged on donkeys myself and came to donkey ownership through my fiction writing. My blog: nancyloswald.blogspot.com where I blogged about one of my favorite "burro" references. I enjoyed your post.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10993547274481272246noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1409887812566625284.post-27957978051301617082013-04-14T13:25:10.816-05:002013-04-14T13:25:10.816-05:00Quite enjoyable and informative. Kudos to you for...Quite enjoyable and informative. Kudos to you for taking the trip through the 'wilderness' and sharing your experience. It allows me to live vicariously through your adventures. Don't do much of the camping, but love to hike.Renaissance Womenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09045401344374224512noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1409887812566625284.post-50303624829424668892013-04-14T09:10:12.281-05:002013-04-14T09:10:12.281-05:00Even when the wild horses in Nevada look a mite pe...Even when the wild horses in Nevada look a mite peaked, the burros that run with them always seem to be fat and sassy. Maybe this explains why.<br /><br />The only donkey I've ever known was an ornery little cuss. He wasn't mean, but he lived to pull sneaky tricks on people and other animals -- much like his owner, a dear friend who would have been right at home prospecting in the 19th century. Both Shorty and Wayne are gone now (and probably raising havoc in the Great Beyond), bless them. Your post brought some hilarious memories to mind, Jerry, and I couldn't ask for a better start to the day. Thank you. :-)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05740371055384281988noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1409887812566625284.post-79836919323532739712013-04-14T07:52:29.040-05:002013-04-14T07:52:29.040-05:00Yes, donkeys and burros generally are more hardy t...Yes, donkeys and burros generally are more hardy than horses, although you would get an argument about that from anyone who has ever owned a true mustang, which are just about as hardy as any donkey. But donkeys smarter than horses? Not a chance. I'd trust my horse on a narrow, winding mountain trail over a stubborn jackass anytime. Horses have an undeserved reputation for not being very smart for those who don't know them. For those of us who do, and who entrust our lives to them when we are on the trail, we can attest to the horse's extreme intelligence.<br /><br />Jim GriffinAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1409887812566625284.post-88233983949854502472013-04-14T07:25:44.986-05:002013-04-14T07:25:44.986-05:00Great information Jerry. Great information Jerry. Livia J Washburnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05958199886826207363noreply@blogger.com