How to Saddle a Mule (it's different than a horse)

[@easein]

You two are going to become National Treasures. There's a big market for learning the old ways. Hence, why I subscribed. Peace and Blessings.

[@MTN_BUILT]

Thank you so much! Haha idk about that but we are enjoying taking people along on our adventures and showcasing our way of life in the mountains that some of us folks still live! ☺️

[@angeli1332]

Great tutorial on how to saddle your mule. Thank you.😊

[@MTN_BUILT]

Thank you for watching!! ☺️

[@gjalameda6686]

That was very interesting. I know zero about mules. My experience is with horses. Your two mules are beautiful.

[@nicktritz8808]

Thanks for this video. A mule is going to be our next equine. Any and all information on raising and training mules is appreciated.

[@MTN_BUILT]

That’s awesome! You will have a lot of fun☺️ thank you so much!

[@wonderbubbles4092]

Clyde s a very handsome guy, but Riatta has my heart. They are both wonderfully patient and well mannered. You have put a ton of intelligently applied effort into them.

[@MTN_BUILT]

Haha thank you!! Reata is certainly a special girl!! We appreciate that! The last 3 years with these guys sure has been fun and full of adventures! ☺️☺️

[@maxmillion4216]

Excellent tutorial on how to saddle your mule.

[@MTN_BUILT]

Thank you!

[@madalynmiller4661]

Thank you for this video! I’m hoping to adopt a 3 year old mule soon. Grew up in the horse world. Took a break owning horses for a bit but now I want to switch to mules as we are hunters and do trail rides.

[@MTN_BUILT]

Oh fun!! They are awesome!! That’s why we got them too! For the mountains and hunting ☺️☺️

[@nmelkhunter1]

That was very well done. I really liked the picture of Clyde when he was a colt. The mountains and sage in the background are really pretty and made a good backdrop for this video.

[@MTN_BUILT]

Thank you! We filmed this video at home once, but we thought this backdrop was much more pleasing 😊 Clyde was SO CUTE when he was a little guy ❤️🥰

[@beckyumphrey2626]

Your Mules are absolutely beautiful!!!

[@MTN_BUILT]

Thank you!! 😊

[@hb-cj6ud]

I’ve never ridden horseback in my life… a month ago, I went for a trail ride with my family, you know, where the horses all walk in a line and know what to do… I rode a mule… I thought it was gonna be small, like a donkey… it was bigger than all the horses… scared me to death… but I had so much fun!!! I fell in love with that darn mule, haha!! Wish I could have kept him!!

[@MTN_BUILT]

That’s awesome! I think everyone needs to experience a horseback ride once in their life ☺️ Yeah, some mules are huge!! Haha if they have been treated nicely they are like big ol dogs, they just want attention 😂❤️❤️

[@knsbbq1951]

I can’t watch these and not think of my childhood. I used to ride my Grandfather’s mule all the time. We had horses also but if we were going any distance. I was finding my mule pad. I don’t remember a saddle ever. That mule was a genius compared to our horses. I love to watch. The videos

[@MTN_BUILT]

That’s so awesome! Sounds like some great memories 😊 Good mules definitely leave a big mark on your heart! Thank you so much for your kind words 😊

[@plomeisje2163]

So glad you talk about saddle fitting.

[@MTN_BUILT]

Thank you! It’s definitely a topic worth looking into for mule owners (and horse owners as well)!

[@josedejesusperez4530]

Ver tus videos es transladarse al viejo oeste saludos 🇲🇽

[@MTN_BUILT]

Greetings! Thank you for watching! We really appreciate it! 😊🙏🏼

[@codybarnes8793]

Great info. Thank you.

[@MTN_BUILT]

Thanks for watching! ☺️

[@greatodinsraven]

Thanks! I look forward to more videos on mule equipment like this one. Thanks!

[@MTN_BUILT]

Thank you! We are excited to do a deeper dive ☺️☺️

[@peachyweachy4237]

Wow beautiful backdrop! And Clyde was sooo cute as a foal. Still is. His mom is gorgeous! I think its really interesting how mules can look so different. Really interesting video, great job!

[@MTN_BUILT]

Thank you so much for all the kind words!! 😊🙏🏼 Clyde was SO ADORABLE as a little guy ❤️🥰

[@easttexan2933]

Two really fine looking mules. Especially the leg markings on the brown one. Never ridden a mule.

[@MTN_BUILT]

@@easttexan2933 thank you! We feel super fortunate to have them 😊🙏🏼 They’re really enjoyable to ride!

[@OutragePickle]

This is such a great channel. Love your content. Thank you!! 😊

[@MTN_BUILT]

Wow thank you so much! We really appreciate your kind words! Thank you for watching!

[@jeffwilcher3333]

Great 💯 Onward and Upward !!

[@MTN_BUILT]

Thank you! 😊

[@reapergrim76]

Great stuff! 👍🏻 😊

[@MTN_BUILT]

Thanks so much! 😊

[@stevesoutdoorworld4340]

This is very cool stuff! Thanks for sharing!😁

[@MTN_BUILT]

Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it! 😊

[@almirakline6070]

❤interesting 🤔 😊 Thanks 👍

[@MTN_BUILT]

☺️👍🏼

[@goathead3329]

Thank you for these. Essential for my mule living family with our yearlungs up and coming.

[@MTN_BUILT]

Absolutely! Thank you for watching! I’m glad it’s helpful 😊

[@joshuaparsons8800]

Geez what a beautiful landscape you guys are in! Isn’t there a new whitetail video coming soon?!? Or did I dream that one up?

[@MTN_BUILT]

Thank you! It really is beautiful here! And you’re spot on… we had a heck of a fun whitetail trip. Alyssa is working on a fancy edit and she wants to enter it in a film festival, so it will be out on our channel, but not for a while longer 😊

[@bobbiemayers354]

Love this so informative thank you guys for sharing knowledge

[@MTN_BUILT]

Thank you!! Alyssa has been wanting to make this one for quite a while! 😊

[@bobbiemayers354]

@ she did awesome I have asked you guys a couple questions concerning saddles over the years this filled in what I needed so tell her thank you and I have a new question now lol

[@MTN_BUILT]

@ haha you’re not the only one- this was long overdue! 😂 What’s your new question??

[@bobbiemayers354]

@ you were talking about how the saddle doesn’t always work with weight gain/loss what do you do in this situation and also the bars in a saddle you reference this as horse bars sit differently on mule I am very interested in more on that also

[@MTN_BUILT]

@ super good questions! If their weight gain is pretty extreme, you could change up the pad you use (or if you’re independently wealthy, you could use a different saddle lol). But we usually just adjust our cinches in the winter when they’re a little more chunky 😊 And yes, the bars in a horse saddle are more of a swooped shape to fit the sway of an average horse’s back. Reata’s saddle has flatter bars which is better for her flat back 😊 And the bars of the saddle are just the part of the framework of the saddle that parallels the spine, running from the withers, back toward the top of the equine’s hips. 😊

[@stephaniehays9312]

Looks like your felt pads are working good but if you ever have any issues, for the last fifty years of doing full time ranch work, weekend packing and team roping in the evenings. I have always kept a Navajo blanket next to my riding horses and mules backs and have never had any issues. (just something to remember)

[@MTN_BUILT]

@@stephaniehays9312 I think wool is key! The wicking ability is unmatched for keeping them comfortable. These are wool felt and it sure helps! Those wool Navajo blankets sure do a good job too. ☺️

[@kraymississippi4388]

That is just a fabulous view great choice for the video. Alyssa is so knowledgeable. You spoke of being kicked have either of you been kicked or come close. Are mules like horses knowing if a person 8s afraid or anxious about them and are they always tied up when you saddle them thanks kray

[@MTN_BUILT]

Thank you Kray! Alyssa really is knowledgeable 😊 Our mules are lucky to have her! Alyssa got kicked in the face by a cow once (you can barely see the scar on her cheek sometimes) and I almost got drilled in the by a mustang when I worked at The Wild Horse Sanctuary, but thankfully I was just far enough back, so she just tapped me in the shoulder blade 🙏🏼😬 They can definitely sense a person’s “energy” and they can get more worked up if their rider is anxious. We usually have them tied when we saddle, but they’d be fine to saddle without being tied too. 😊

[@jeffsizemore6869]

Awesome info Great video

[@MTN_BUILT]

Thank you so much!! 😊

[@Moorcroftbrothers]

True long eared fan

[@MTN_BUILT]

Yesss!! We love these guys! 😊❤️

[@rofa6086]

I would love to live your life... maybe one day when my studies are done.

[@MTN_BUILT]

❤️❤️ I have no doubt you will!

[@laurogarza4953]

Well done. Informative. Beautiful scenery! Where are y'all based? I would love to see it.

[@MTN_BUILT]

Thank you so much! We are in Idaho, and we absolutely love it here! 😊😊

[@Ouachita.Mule.School]

Good job

[@MTN_BUILT]

Thank you! We’ve been meaning to make this one for quite a while! 😊

[@Ouachita.Mule.School]

@ I run the double mohair! I’m glad that people can do things differently and not get all mad at each other about it hahaha You did a great job with the delivery!

[@MTN_BUILT]

@ haha! Agreed! We definitely don’t think our way is the only right way- as a matter of fact, we’re always learning new and better ways to do things 😊 Thank you for the nice comment on delivery… we don’t want to sound like know-it-alls lol

[@Ouachita.Mule.School]

@ nope, y’all are one of the best channels out there! Especially with being humble!

[@MTN_BUILT]

Well thank you, we appreciate it!

[@dsanchez9703]

Really cool Girl

[@MTN_BUILT]

Thank you! 😊

[@Bhanes84]

Do you go back and tighten the front cinch at some point?

[@MTN_BUILT]

@@Bhanes84 yeah! We mention it in passing in this video. We like to just cinch just tight enough to keep the saddle secure. Then after everything else is all buckled I go back and tighten it a little more, then put on my bridle and do just a little groundwork to check everything is good and cinch up one or two more times during that. This keeps them from getting cinchy and if you have an equine that likes to bloat out their belly than this is a good way to make sure your cinch is tight enough before you step on ☺️👍🏼

[@Bhanes84]

@ perfect, thank you for clearing that up. I missed it in the video! Damn a.d.d!

[@MTN_BUILT]

Haha no problem!! ☺️

[@naturalstatehunter5591]

How does the McCall saddle fit on rhianna?

[@MTN_BUILT]

Not good at all. Her back is much flatter than Clyde’s so it puts pressure on the center of her back. That’s why we bought the HR for her ☺️👍🏼

[@naturalstatehunter5591]

@ thanks. Would like to get a custom saddle but it’s hard for me to drop 3-4k on a saddle. I see mccalls all the time for sale used at a decent price. My mules are more mutton back like Riata so I would assume it’d be a similar fit on a majority of the more common mccalls.

[@MTN_BUILT]

@ yeah most likely, but you never know! Someone might have had it custom made for a flat back little cow horse or something! Custom saddle are expensive. The HR was in the 2-3k range, and it’s alright. Not as quality as the McCalls are though. Trent Peterson (The wild in us) makes some nice custom saddles, Colt Nehring (Colt Saddlery) also makes good saddles and both are mule minded guys.

[@stevenmiller184]

such calm animals. obviously very accustomed to you working with them. I notice you pat the butt of the mule when you walk behind it.. is that to let them know you're back there, please don't kick?

[@MTN_BUILT]

Thank you! We spend a lot of time with them. They have come a long ways! No not really just mainly to tell him he’s a good boy lol

[@renepena3024]

With all of the good things I'm learning from you younger generation of equine owners (there was A LOT I didn't know when I owned horses), I still don't understand why you guys don't loop that off side stirrup over the saddle horn so it doesn't hit your mule when you saddle up. Some (you do) don't even lay the cinches across the seat. Enjoying your channel.

[@MTN_BUILT]

That’s a really good idea! Mine (Jason) won’t fit over my horn and the fenders are too stiff to stay laying over the seat. I think that’s the reason Alyssa doesn’t do it either

[@Manon-p9t]

​@@MTN_BUILTmaybe it's more an English saddle thing😊

[@elizabethdouglass9365]

I had a friend in the 1980's that did 3 day eventing on mules.

[@MTN_BUILT]

That’s awesome!!

[@CDeBeaulieu]

I noticed that Clyde's backend looks a little cow-hocked? Is that a normal conformation for mules or just him? Loved your video.. learnt a lot.

[@MTN_BUILT]

It seems to be a little more common in mules, but Clyde’s even a little worse than average (but we don’t say that to his face) 😬 lol

[@Manon-p9t]

​@@MTN_BUILTlately noticed some Arabians have that more cowhockef position too..must be breed related ( hip, knee structure)?

[@steveparsons6324]

Mules and a Wirehair, quite the team! Real dogs have beards…

[@MTN_BUILT]

@@steveparsons6324 hahaha! Couldn’t agree more!! 😂👊🏼

[@johnwyman5939]

Well , I just learned something about saddling a mule. Thanks for the info and keep up the hard work on videos.. 🇺🇸🇺🇸👍🏻👍🏻🫏🫏

[@MTN_BUILT]

Thank you! I’m glad you learned something- we don’t want to pretend to be experts, but it’s fun to share the way we do things 😊

[@buffalogal9139]

There are saddles made specifically for mules.

[@MTN_BUILT]

Yep, we talk about that and show Reata’s in this video. ☺️👍🏼

[@goathead3329]

I dont want to get myself into a little bit of a rodeo.

[@MTN_BUILT]

Hahaha! We don’t either! 😊