When Diana Schmid purchased a six-week-old orphaned mule and named him SaMule, she couldn't have known the journey they would take together, the challenges they would face, or who would be there to help them.

"He wanted to be on top of me," she recalls. "He was doing good with his groundwork, but he had no respect. He was too desensitized."

Diana wanted SaMule trained to ride and drive but was hesitant to try to work with him alone. She had used Meredith Hodges' training series Training Mules and Donkeys to get SaMule started, but she also had entrenched ideas about training going back to her youth. In her experience, as in that of so many others, training wasn't a gradual process of developing communication and trust, it was a means to an end: to get on and ride.

She recalls that Meredith told her how important it was that the mule's owner be the one to train him, that she should do it herself because, after all, you wouldn't send someone else out to make a friend for you.

"I understood but I always thought, 'Yeah, but.' Once you pass 40, it's not so easy to come off an animal, and, frankly, I was scared" she says.

She had heard very good things about a trainer in Kentucky and after doing some research on her own, sent SaMule to him for some schooling. While he was there, she got little news of his progress. There were a few brief phone calls and a grainy photo of him being ridden in a parade; that was about it. After four and a half months Diana made the long drive from her home in northwest Wyoming to collect SaMule. When she arrived the trainer brought him around and then quickly disappeared, leaving Diana to stare in shocked disbelief at what remained of her once beautiful mule.

Nearly starved with cuts and scrapes and a badly swollen hock, SaMule was unrecognizable. Diana could only cry as she loaded him and rushed for home. For weeks she worried he would die. He ate and slept, but that was all. He didn't seem to recognize her or the other mules he had known well. He was frail and weak but more than that, all his rambunctious spirit seemed drained from him. Then, one day, Diana went out to him with some grain. He took it and then, just as he used to do, he wrapped his head over her shoulder and gave her a big "hug."
SaMule was back, but Diana knew that she'd have to start from scratch with him, both physically and emotionally. This time she would do the work herself. She felt she'd let him down and owed him all the time it would take to make things right. For help she turned once again to Meredith Hodges, trainer, author, producer, and cheerleader and counselor.

Working with Meredith's training videos and workbooks and communicating with her by e-mail, Diana began the process of building SaMule's strength and confidence and winning his trust. Communication is a two-way street and although there were times when she was impatient and wishing for faster progress, Diana made sure that SaMule understood what was expected of him at each step before moving onto the next. Seven months after his return, Diana rode him for the first time.

"Those videos were monumentally awesome because they kept reminding me to stick with the method and the progression," Diana says. "When we worked, I'd always start at a point where he'd had success and add to it. If he wasn't getting it we'd go back to where he did. He has been a huge learning experience for me in terms of not giving up, and Meredith's been a huge help in that."

Diana continues to e-mail Meredith to share her struggles and victories. She says working with Meredith has shown her not only what SaMule can do but also what she's capable of doing.

"When I first contacted Meredith, it made me feel really special to actually get her," she recalls. "She's been like a coach. She gave me pointers and insight, but she also gave me the encouragement to press on and the confidence to stick with it."

These days, SaMule is the picture of health. He's a big fan of wagon trains and is learning to drive with another mule. Diana is confident that because they've taken their time with training, SaMule, who's now seven, has many good years ahead of him.

She knows he'll always carry the scars from his ordeal in Kentucky, but she also knows that whatever strides he makes going forward will be a result of Meredith's resistance-free method, her own persistence, and the bond of trust and wonderful friendship she shares with him.

For more information about Meredith Hodges and her resistance-free video training series Training Mules and Donkeys, please visit www.LuckyThreeRanch.com or call 800-816-7566. Also, be sure to visit Meredith on Facebook. Become a friend on her personal page and become a fan on the Lucky Three Ranch fan page.

Also one of her nice yearling mule winning the halter class "R Ice Trick"

And another nice donkey doing the flag race

This past summer I had a very unique opportunity to travel to Mali (West Africa) with my two professors from Michigan State, Dr. Camie Heleski and Dr. Mel Yokoyama, to conduct research on methods to improve the conditions and longevity of working donkeys. Mali is one of the most resource-poor countries in the world, and the lives of many Malians rely solely on the work of the donkey. Donkeys in Mali are still used as beast of burdens. You will see donkeys carrying everything from garbage, water, construction supplies, people and agriculture commodities to and from the market. The donkey is the main source of transportation similar to the tractor-trailer in our own country. Unfortunately, very little research, time, money, or concern is directed towards the well being of the donkey with the exception of a charity that provides free veterinary care to these animals called SPANA (the Society for the Protection of Animals Abroad).

One of the major problems with donkeys in Mali is poor harnessing and driving techniques. Granted the donkeys maybe subjected to carry loads up to 5 times their weight, often receive little food and water but the harness seems to be the main problem. The harness is often made of abrasive materials and rubs them raw on their withers and shoulders. Also, the donkeys are often guided with a stick, which then becomes over used and causes server lacerations on the donkey’s rib cage, croup and rump. SPANA spends much of their time doctoring lesions caused from the poor harness and overuse of the stick.

The objective of the trip was to assist SPANA in their goal of treating donkeys by exploring alternative/proactive methods that may improve the longevity of working donkeys in Mali by exploring the effects of good and bad harnesses, training methods and provide outreach courses on donkey management among paraprofessionals. One study we conducted focused on using a donkey motivator (a stick with a plastic bag tied to the end) to encourage the donkey to move forward or away from the pressure (right or left) as an alternative to beating the donkey with the stick. We measured the donkey’s heart rate while driving the donkey with the donkey motivator and without the motivator and just a halter. We found that a lot of donkey drivers would use a combination of both a stick and a halter.

We also tested the difference in pressure with a good harness, bad harness, with a load and without a load and with a poorly designed cart by using pressure film. The bad harness was a harness whose padding was made of abrasive material and the bad cart was a front heavy cart. The study’s preliminary findings suggest that a bad harness with a load and a bad harness and cart may increase the heart rate of the donkey as well as increase the pressure on the donkey’s withers. Donkey motivators were handed out to the drivers who used sticks during this study. Also, each driver was shown the pressure film after they completed the test time. The pressure film was placed under the pad on the withers of the donkey and when pressure was applied the film would turn pink. The use of the pressure film served as a good visual aid in sharing the importance of good harness with the drivers. The information was also shared with the donkey owners. In the city of
Bamako, an individual typically owned the donkeys and then the individual would hire drivers. So, it was important to share such information about good harness and driving techniques with both the owner of the donkeys as well as the person driving the donkey on a daily basis.

We were also interested in helping SPANA educate students at technical schools and colleges about donkey management. We felt that reaching these students who will one day work in some capacity of agriculture in Mali, really needed to know more about how to properly care for, harness, and train a donkey to drive. Prior to our trip, we had prepared a basic husbandry manual and had it translated to French to give to the students as a guide on donkey management. During our 17 days in Mali, we conducted two educational workshops for veterinary technician students and agricultural students. In total, 70 students attended these workshops. We tested each group of students on basic donkey management, and then taught a course on donkey management and husbandry including hands on demonstration with a donkey. After the seminar and donkey demonstration we retested the students to evaluate if they had increased their knowledge after participating in the donkey management course. In both cases the test scores increased after attending the donkey management workshop. Many of the students had very intriguing questions about donkeys. I think they truly enjoyed learning more about them. Hopefully, these paraprofessionals will be interacting with donkey owners in the future and will continue to pass along this information.

It’s amazing how often studies in equine and equitation science only focus on the magnificent, athletic horses used in high level competitive equestrian sports…and forget that an estimated 80% of the equids in the world are actually used for work in (primarily) developing parts of the world. The focus of our research used minimal inputs and hopefully had an impact on the donkey owners/drivers and paraprofessionals. The big picture many folks miss is when the welfare of working equids can be enhanced, they can work harder and stay healthy for longer; this in turn helps the well-being of the families they assist. If you would like to learn more about how to contribute to helping donkeys, mules or horses in developing countries go to www.spana.org.

There were many people involved with making this research possible. I would like to specially thank Dr. David Pugh of Fort Dodge Animal Health who donated 200 doses of vaccines for the donkeys of Mali and 400 doses of Quest wormer. I would also like to thank CrossRoads’ Donkey Rescue, Clare, MI (especially Fran for all her great cooking and Rudy for all of his help) for all of their help this past April in conducting a pilot study on training donkeys to drive with and without a donkey motivator. CrossRoad’s is offering a nice selection of standard donkeys for adoption and many are now started to drive, checkout their website for more information: http://crossroadsdonkeyrescue.com/. Also, this research could not have been conducted without the help and support of SPANA and Dr. Amadou Doumbia and his team in Bamako, Mali. We hope this research will help enhance the lives of the donkeys in Mali and provide proactive treatments so SPANA can treat less lesions caused from bad harness and poor driving methods. For more information on how to improve the lives of working donkeys, mules and hinnies around the world check out their website at www.spana.org. Last but not least I would like to thank Dr. Tex Taylor for teaching me one Sunday afternoon a crash course in donkey ground work!

Check back soon for photos from our trip!

Meredith Hodges, far right, leads a group on a tour of her Lucky Three Ranch.

Guests who visit inevitably have plenty of questions for the mule expert, and that suits Meredith just fine. She sees the tours as an opportunity for educational outreach and believes the more people know about mules and donkeys the better. On a recent sunny summer morning, a group of 10 or so visitors—some local, some from out of state—arrived for the Lucky Three experience. Lucky Three staff members greeted them all and showed them into the most luxurious tack room you can imagine, complete with tasseled drapery, artwork and video monitor. After a brief introduction, the group watched an entertaining video about the ranch, the mules and how Meredith came to make these amazing animals her life's work. Meredith, herself, then welcomed her guests, and the questions began. One man pointed to a photo on the wall of Meredith and her dressage champion, Lucky Three Sundowner, executing a crisp pattern.

"Do you breed specifically to get a mule to do that?" he asked.

"That's best," Meredith replied, "though most mules have an overall athleticism that makes them well-suited for any number of different events. That's why they say the mule is always better than the horse he came out of."

"Do you still show?" a woman asked.

"Not any more. Running a business, giving these tours and working with my correspondence students is a full-time job," Meredith answered. "But even though some of my animals haven't been ridden regularly in while, I know I could go get on them and they'd be solid. They've all had the good, foundational training that I teach, and I trust them just as they trust me."

After a little more discussion, the group headed out into the sunshine for the tour. They strolled the grounds near the big house, getting up close to some of the beautiful bronze sculpture Meredith has installed on the property, and then headed for the barns. Several of the mules, excited for company, neigh-brayed their welcome as everyone moved inside. Meredith opened each stall door one-by one and introduced each mule to the group. Again the questions flowed:

"How long do they live?" one woman asked.

"Some of mine are well into their 30s," Meredith said, "and with proper care and feeding they can easily go into their 40s."

"What do they eat," another inquired.

"It's very important to feed these guys the right way," said Meredith. We only let them out to graze for half a day, so they don't get fat, and crimped oats are the best for them."

"There aren't any flies or bugs in here," one fellow remarked.

"That's because the stalls are so clean," a woman noted.

After visiting with the mules, the group boarded two motorized carts and travelled farther afield to see more of the statuary in Meredith's amazing Longears Sculpture Park and to visit the brood mares that have served Meredith so well over the years and now enjoy retirement.

Toward the end of the tour, as each child sat astride a bronze mule for a photo op, one of the women approached Meredith.

"You know, I've watched your show on TV all these years, and I couldn't believe when I e-mailed you that you e-mailed me back personally!"

Meredith laughed. "I always answer all my e-mail and phone messages myself," she said. "My whole reason for doing this is to share what I believe to be the best information on how to care for and train these animals, so I have to be accessible to the people who want to know."

The group returned to the tack room to pick up brochures and Jasper the Mule post cards for the kids and to chat with Meredith. They were excited about what they'd seen and learned and eager to tell some of their own mule stories. Each would leave with a better understanding of longears and new information to share with family and friends. "School" was out for the day, and tomorrow, new "students" would arrive.

For more information about tours of Lucky Three Ranch, please visit www.LuckyThreeRanch.com or call 800-816-7566.

For more information visit the Montana Mule Days website at http://www.montanamuledays.com

I'm going to tell you about a disaster I barely dodged this week.

I have 2 outside Quarter Horse mares in my barn in corrals. One has a nice mule colt. The owner brought them Monday to rebred to Mav. Cathy was helping me tonight with the breeding. We had just bred one mare and were letting Mav catch his breath.

While we were waiting, We were watching the mule baby play bouncing and rearing bucking. The mare's owner had left her halter on her when he left her at my farm. The mare was eatting grain in a pan on the ground while baby played. Before we knew it, the baby ran his front foot through the mom's halter and could not pull it out. Then he started fighting it. The mare then picked her head up. The colt was standing on his back feet stuck.

I headed that way and the mare saw me coming and almost paniced but I started talking to her, and she calmed down a little. The baby had lost his balance and was hanging there. But as soon as that happen he went limp.

So I got in there and picked him up to take the weight off his leg and tried holding him up and getting his foot out. Well that didn't work because of the angle he was in. So I let him down again hanging and I went to work getting the mare's halter undone. Her owner always kept it on her, and it had been on a long time, and was hard to get undone. I did finally get it undone and the colt jumped up and was ok.

Well after that experience, I went around and started taking halters off of everyone who still had one on. I never had seen something like that happen or even heard of it happening. I was sure glad it happen when we were there!

This experience sure opened my eyes to what everyone has been saying about not leaving halters on. I wonder if a horse colt would have paniced and broken his leg in that situation, or if his mother had spooked, what might have happen. That young mule sure knew he was in trouble and went plum limp.

Please take this story as a warning that it can be very dangerous or even deadly to leave halters on your donkeys and mules when they are unattended. And even when attended, you should watch to make sure your lively young colts don't get hung up in someone else's halter.

Article by Anthony.

What it takes to make a champion is far more than just physical ability. A champion must have a big heart, and Josephine My Love was most certainly a champion. She was not only a Champion, but a multiple World Champion, and National Champion Mule. Even more to her credit, she has been shown by many riders including youth and sub-youth riders as young as 3 years old. Her owner Dianne Smith has ridden her to win many championships, earninga countless line up of awards including 10 saddles at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, and a Pick-Up truck. She was shown in 2008 at San Antonio by a youth exhibitor, Kelsey Hoffpauir, along with a Mammoth Donkey and a Miniature Donkey, earning Kelsey a $10,000.00 scholarship. Josephine was trained by Mary Wasson.

Josephine died January 3, 2009, at the age of 16. She was still in her prime, and died of an unexpected infection.

There is no way to write enough words, or say all the right things to express the impact Josephine had on the people who knew her. She was special beyond words. She was a gorgeous sorrel molly mule, standing 16.5 hands. But her beauty was not the most important thing about her. She was exceptionally tolerant and willing. When she entered the ring, she put her feet right where she was asked to put them….every time. It didn't really matter who was on her back. If she was asked, the answer was always "YES".

Josephine contributed to the donkey and mule world in ways that will never be forgotten. There will be a huge space in the hearts and minds of all who knew her that will not easily be filled back up. Saying goodbye is not easy, but never was there a mule more deserving of a tribute than the lovely, Josephine My Love.

This show continues to grow in numbers, especially with the large animals, and we want to thank all the exhibitors who attended. GCDMA is proud to announce that this year's San Antonio show was a great success!

The San Antonio staff is beyond comparison in their organization of this show, and their courtesy toward exhibitors and spectators. These guys andgals really know what it takes to make a show run smoothly, and they greatly exceed our expectations each year. What a great crew! One worker travels all the way from Florida each year just to volunteer at this show, and most especially so that she can work with the donkeys and mules. They love this show as much as we do!

For most of the GCDMA officers this is a very easy show, but not for all. We wish to extend a special Thank You to Rose Jones, our show secretary, for organizing and working this show. Her jobs are numerous, and without her we just couldn't do it. Not only is she indispensable, but she does it all with a smile. We also wish to thank Page Bishop for working the computer at the show. A special thanks also goes to Tex Taylor for helping with trail patterns, and to David Sessum for helping us work the show.

The spotlight of the San Antonio show goes to Cody Wellman, who won the $10,000.00 scholarship. Some of you may recognize Cody as the ring steward for the past two years at our ADMS National Show, where he served as a volunteer with his 4-H group. This young man spent many hours of hard work going to different locations to take lessons from the owners of the three animals he showed, and never seemed to tire of the schedule. He showed all three animals with the confidence and ability of a professional, and walked away with three titles in addition to the scholarship. The three animals he showed were: Judiciass, owned by Monica Bishop (Reserve Champion Youth Mule), Laptop, owned by Jessica Scoggins (Champion Youth Donkey), and Little Chief, owned by Li'l Angels Miniature Donkeys (Champion Youth Miniature Donkey). Congratulations Cody!

We also want to recognize Weston Shefcik, who won the Reserve title for the scholarship. We had several youth competing for this award, and we hope that number will increase as more people become aware of the program. This is the only scholarship that we know of for donkeys and mules! The youth scholarship is based on total points for the whole show, for each youth exhibitor. We congratulate and applaud all the youth exhibitors at San Antonio! Well done!

For complete results for the San Antonio show, please visit our website at www.GCDMA.org.

There will be a "Strut Your Stuff Parade" Saturday evening of Mule Days. It will begin at 8:00 p.m. and will be making a run through the fairgrounds only. Everyone is welcome. If you have a costume, wear it. If you have a donkey or mules for sale, they are all welcome. All animals for sale are to have a green ribbon tied to their tail (ribbon available at the show office), that way people will know what is for sale during the parade. After the parade there will be a "Meet and Greet" area for sale animals following the parade at the north end of the arena on the track. The area will be well marked with signs. If you would like more information on the parade contact Julie Davis at jdavis@bitterroot.com 406-777-2524.

Don't forget to get your Mulette costume going. If you are interested in being in the Montana Mulettes this year please contact Becky Knutson knute@montanamules.com

UPCOMING EVENTS

April 17-19—Small Farmers Journal Sale. Lots of horse related implements, harness, buggies, carriages, anything you can think of that your horses/mules/donkeys can pull. Madras, Oregon. 1-800-876-2893.

April 17—Salmon Select Mule Sale. Salmon, ID. Sale starts 6:00 p.m. www.salmonidaho.com/horsesale/ 208-756-2125

June 12, 13, 14, 2009 Montana Mule Days, Hamilton, MT. Over 100 classes for adults, youth and juniors. Packers Scramble, cattle events, gymkana and performance. www.montanamuledays.com 406-777-2331

FOR SALE

Taking deposits on 2009 mule babies! We will have 5 babies for sale, a deposit or payments will hold the foal of your choice. Babies are coming from high quality mares and a very nice mammoth red roan registered jack. Katie 509-725-0779. lazyfsranch@yahoo.com

Now booking for 2009 "Coffee Hollow Expresso" Red roan mammoth jack, good looking and GREAT disposition. $450 fee. $150 booking fee included in jack fee. Katie 509-725-0779. lazyfsranch@yahoo.com

APHA B/S broodmare in foal for 2009 mule baby. Nice mare, throws great horse and mule babies! Hand breeds and pasture breeds. Due June 8th. Katie 509-725-0779. lazyfsranch@yahoo.com

Some people are very successful at training donkeys to perform like performance horses such as Tim Phillips, well renowed World Champion Donkey and Mule trainer, riding Al and Melinda Birt’s, World Champion Jack at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Mule and Donkey Show in 2007. This jack later went on to win many awards at Bishop Mule Days, Bishop, CA.

Other behavioral differences include the donkey’s ability to hide pain. Researchers have often warned owners, caretakers, and veterinarians that a donkey that maybe colicking or having other health problems, even lameness, will not show the signs until it’s too late to solve the problem. Some could say the donkey is being too smart for its own good when it hides pain in such a manner (Taylor and Mathews, 1998). Donkeys, unlike horses, continue to eat when they are dehydrated or sick. This is good for an animal that is a native to the desert, but not good for the owner who may not realize their donkey is sick because it continues to eat. Donkeys and mules can also be cautious of water from different areas and refuse to drink until reaching dehydrated levels. Although unlike the horse the donkey and mule will drink a large amount of water at once and rehydrate themselves without health complications (Yousef, 1979). In terms of grazing, donkeys tend to be more browsers, which allows them to selectively pick which type of forages they want to consume instead of eating everything in sight (Aganga and Tsopito, 1998 and Mueller et al., 1998). They can also consume more forage in the same amount of time as a cow their size without chewing faster (Mueller et al., 1998). These behaviors, being browsers and consuming a large amount of forage in a short amount of time proves to be very efficient in areas where forages are sparse. The donkey will use its prehensile- like lips to select forages of higher quality. Also, when digesting food the donkey has a slower digestion transit time when compared to horses, and they seem to get the most out of their feed. This helps explain to a small degree why a donkey can eat poorer quality food than a horse and still stay fat (Izraely et al., 1989)!

As we all know, our long eared creatures enjoy routines. If the farrier or veterinarian is coming to our farm say an hour or two before feeding, the animals tend to be more wary about why they are being caught or fed earlier than usual and may refuse to cooperate. Trying to explain why your very well trained animal with long ears doesn’t want to be caught when it’s not the usual feeding time or time to come into the barn to someone who has little experience with them often creates an interesting conversation to say the least. Many times the conversation results in responses such as “you should better train your donkey or mule or get rid of it because I wouldn’t own an animal I can’t catch!” The correct retort might actually be, “maybe you should learn more about donkeys or mules then you would understand that you have to outsmart them.” Donkeys and mules tend to trust people they know and can be standoffish towards strangers. It is often advised when catching mules and donkeys that treats and routines seem to work best, along with slow motions and quiet voices.

A well trained saddle donkey is highly demanded. The Garret’s of Stillwell, OK sell many riding donkeys each year and their family enjoys showing and training saddle donkeys.

So, what do you do when your donkey or mule displays an undesirable behavior, such as refusing to move forward and balking? A recent study at Michigan State University’s Animal Science Department with equine behaviorist and expert, Dr. Camie Heleski, addressed that very question after first conducting the study with horses. She was interested in seeing how the donkeys would respond and how it would compare with the behavior of the horses in the project. So to learn more about donkey behavior and how it compares to horse behavior when learning a new task, Dr. Heleski teamed up with Sharon Windsor of Turning Pointe Donkey Rescue in Dansville, Michigan along with the help of an animal science undergraduate student, Laura Bauson, who was very interested in learning more about equine behavior as she plans to pursue a degree in veterinary medicine. The following study addressed the question: “What do you do when your donkey balks at crossing something out of the ordinary?” The study was conducted in November, 2007 at Turning Pointe Donkey Rescue www.turningpointedonkeyrescue.com, MSU researchers tested 50 donkeys using several different applications of learning theory.

So, what do you as a donkey owner do when your donkey balks at crossing something out of the ordinary?
a) bribe it with some tasty treats
b) smack it on the behind with a convenient object
c) talk nicely to it
d) pull on the lead rope and release the pressure whenever it steps forward
e) use a crinkly piece of plastic to “startle” it forward

Turns out that a), d) and e) can all work quite effectively.

One method was classified as “traditional, negative reinforcement” which meant, in this case, that the donkey’s halter and lead rope were pulled on, and when the donkey stepped forward, the pressure was released. This routine was repeated until the donkey had crossed the obstacle in question…in this case, a tarp lying upon the ground.

The donkeys were allowed a certain amount of time to cross the tarp. Some donkeys such as this one calmly crossed on the first attempt.

Interestingly, though, another method worked just as well and was easier on the handler and the donkey…bribing. Half of the donkeys were assigned to the “bribe” treatment. When the donkey began to hesitate at crossing the scary tarp object, the handler held out a handful of treats – in this case, a bit of sweet feed. When the donkey moved forward to take some of the treat, it eventually found itself walking onto and then over the tarp. Donkeys were just as likely to cross the tarp with the bribe as with the pressure-response method from above. (And it should be noted, the bribe was not required to continue getting the donkey to cross over the frightening object. Once the donkey had crossed the tarp once, normally no more bribing was required.)

Some of the donkeys were assigned to treatment groups which a bribe was offered, meaning if they did or didn’t want to cross they were offered grain as a bribe. Notice this donkey has her muzzle in the feed bowl.

Occasionally neither of these methods worked and that was when “the donkey motivator” was called in. This involved a second person standing behind the donkey with a crinkly, plastic bag on the end of a longe whip. When the donkey would begin to balk, the “motivator” was shaken to make some noise. More often than not, only a few shakes of the “motivator” would get the donkey to step forward and cross the tarp. As with the bribing, once the donkey crossed the first time, rarely was the “motivator” required for future crossings.

Some of the donkeys in the study who did not want to cross the tarp were encouraged to cross with a “donkey motivator” which was a lounge whip with a plastic bag tied on the end.

According to Sharon Windsor, owner/manager of Turning Pointe Donkey Rescue, “donkeys aren’t stubborn, but they are very cautious.” And in my opinion, too many people are too quick to beat on donkeys to get them to do things…this study demonstrated some effective alternatives that can be used in a way that’s more much more fair to the donkeys.

Many of the donkeys would lower their heads before and while walking on the tarp

Donkey is investigating the tarp before crossing with owner of Turning Pointe Donkey Rescue, Sharon Windsor.

Dr. Heleski, reported in her study with horse behavior, that “Our work with the horses showed that positive reinforcement; i.e. providing a treat to the horses whenever they would walk forward onto the tarp, was every bit as effective at getting the horses to cross the tarp as the traditional pressure-response method of pulling on the lead rope and waiting for a forward response…plus it was much easier on both the handler and the horse. Unfortunately, in the equine industry positive reinforcement, such as food treats, has garnered a somewhat bad reputation and people will say that you’re ‘spoiling’ the animal.”

This is not to say that food should be relied upon solely, but it can be a valuable tool in the arsenal of handling various equines. (may want to insert cartoon figure of carrot dangling in front of donkey)

One other method that was employed when all other methods had failed was to have 2 handlers each with a lead rope attached to the side of the halter. For some reason, having the 2 handlers on the sides of the halter seemed to work when all other methods had failed.

Just a few things to keep in mind the next time your donkey decides to be extra cautious J For more information on equine behavior, visit www.myhorseuniversity.com and check out the Equine Behavior class that Dr. Heleski has developed. If you have any questions or comments please email me at mcleana5@msu.edu.

References:

Aganga, A.A. and C.M. Tsopito. A note on the feeding behaviour of domestic donkeys: a Botswana case study. Applied Animal Behavior Science. November 1998; 60(2-3) pp 235-239.

Izraely, H., I. Choshniak, A. Shkolnik, C.E.. Stevens and M.W. Demment. Factors determining the digestive efficiency of the domesticated donkey (Equus Asinus Asinus). Q J Exp Physiol 1989; 74-6.

Mueller, P.J., P.Protos, K.A.Houpt, and P.J. Van Soest. Chewing behaviour in the domestic donkey (Equus asinus) fed fibrous forage. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 1998. 60; 241-251.

Taylor, T.S. and N. Matthews. Mammoth asses—selected behavioural considerations for the veterinarian. Applied Animal Behaviour Science. November 1998. 60; 283-289
Yousef, M.R. The burro: a new backyard pet? Its physiology and survival. California Vet. 1979. 33;31–34

You will love watching these DVDs and seeing some of the best mules and donkeys in the world competing in many different disciplines - from Gaming to Driving, from Western to Jumping, from Halter to Trail, and a few unusual and surprising events thrown in along the way.

Mike's collection of Bishop Mule Days videos is a must-have for anyone who enjoyes watching longears show off their versitility and skill in the show arena!

Kristie Jorgensen
LongearsMall.com

Some stallions have been reported as being scared of jennies and not wanting to breed them. Dianne Mangrum, of DM Bar Farms located in Alvin, Texas has also successfully raised a hinny by the name of “Opie” short for Optical Illusion. When Dianne first tried to breed her 13 hand grey jenny, Franny, to an overo American Paint Horse Stallion by the name of Something Illusion, he wanted nothing to do with his new long eared girlfriend. So, Dianne being an intelligent person decided she would trick the stallion into breeding her jenny and that’s just what she did! She collected urine from mares that were in estrus (heat) and stored the urine in a bottle with a spray nozzle in the refrigerator and took the special solution with her when Franny was in heat. She simply sprayed Franny with the mare urine and the stallion serviced the jenny. Fourteen months later Franny had a foal, “Opie.” I was interested in knowing how long the gestation period was for a jenny carrying a hinny and Dianne was the only breeder who was able to provide me with that information. At the time I thought Dianne was also the only hinny breeder who had hand bred her jenny but it turns out that Walter Nunn also hand breed his Doc Bar Quarter Horse stallion to his jenny. In addition, I spoke with Dr. Tex Taylor of Brammoth Farms in Bryan, Texas and he too has raised a hinny. Dr. Taylor actually Artifically Inseminated twelve jennies and had only 1 hinny foal. So, it’s possible that the first estimation about the conception rate being 20% when breeding for hinnies has been overestimated after speaking with the various breeders. I was also interested in learning more about the gestation length of jennys who were carrying hinny foals.

We have reported mares when bred to jacks having gestation periods of 11 and half months in-between the normal gestation length for a horse that typically foals around 11 months and a jenny that normally foals around 12 months. When I asked Dianne about the gestation length of her jenny Franny she made a good point that each dam is different but still there were some differences when she was carrying the hinny foal. Typically, Franny when carrying a donkey foal had gone 13 months and Franny went 14 months when in foal with Opie. There was some concern by Dianne about the foal developing to such a large size since Franny was a month longer than normal but Opie turned out just fine. Franny was not rebred on her foal heat but several months later Franny was reintroduced to the stallion. This time Franny only carried the fetus to about 90 days. Other people such as James and Lisa Ferguson of Equine by Design, in Sanger, Texas have also tried to raise hinnies and have had similar experiences. Lisa had mentioned that several of her jennies did conceive but they too lost their foals around 180 days. It maybe possible to supplement the jennies with hormones, such as a progestin commonly referred to as Regu-mate to prevent the jennies from absorbing or slipping the hinny foals in this critical time period. Although Regu-mate is costly but will supply the jenny with additional progestin (synthetic version of progesterone) and this should aide in keeping the jenny in foal since this hormone is responsible for signaling pregnant to the pituitary gland, which is located at the base of the brain. In addition to breeding for hinnies I was also interested in speaking with additional people who own, ride, and train hinnies.

Several of Mr. Whatley’s clients contacted me after reading the first part of the hinny article and what they had to say was very interesting. Ron and Carolyn Gruby of Marianna, Arkansas purchased two hinny foals from Mr. Whatley and they had previously ridden mules. They both love their hinnies which are extremely, tall and beautiful animals and notice that they were more calm and docile than their mules. The Grubys enjoy trail riding and have taken their hinnies on some challenging but breathtaking trails in Colorado.

Another fallacy that has been strongly associated with hinnies is the fact they are small, long backed, not smooth to ride, and inferior to a mule especially in harsh or mountainous conditions. I even had an email from an outfitter out west who said he would never own a hinny because they did not have the heart or bottom like a mule and would not work in the mountains. I guess there are two sides to every story. Another client of Mr. Whatley’s, Jenny Westin of West Mar Mules in Montana, also sent me some information about her hinny, Dolly Pearl. Dolly Pearl has won many awards in mule shows and has been a wonderful trail animal! Jenny like the Grubys is very satisfied and happy with their hinnies. Their hinnies are by the same sire and have excellent conformation, dispositions, and way of moving (they are gaited) despite contrary belief. Westin did state that when she first called Larry she was looking for a mule and didn’t know if she would have called if she had known that Dolly Pearl was a hinny. Other fallacies that have been associated with hinnies are the fact they are hard to train. After speaking with Dianne Mangrum who later sold her hinny as a trail mount for lady in Wyoming, she remarked that “Opie” was very easy to do anything with and intelligent. He was a quiet, laid back individual that really enjoyed the trail more than the show ring.

It’s so important that we find what our animals are good at and then let them do their job. I also had the chance to speak with Eddie Moore of Williamsburg, KY who has started and trained all of Mr. Whatley’s hinnies. Eddie was very impressed with the conformation and disposition of Whatley’s hinnies. He also really liked the foot on the hinnies. Eddie believed that the hinnies’ hoof was more similar to that of the horse. Also, when he started riding the hinnies they all were extremely laid back and like other gaited mules some progressed more readily when he began to train them to gait than others but there was no difference in the hinnies’ movement compared to the movement and gait of mules. Another great example of a well trained hinny is LeMoan, owned and ridden by Walter Nunn. LeMoan has won many world championships and a great example of hinny that is nothing like the many fallacies that are associated with the animals.

Throughout my research and the information I have collected on hinnies I have continued to be intrigued with this amazing animal that has so many times been more misunderstood than the donkey or mule by our own industry as well as the rest of the equine community. So, I continued my search for hinny information in the form of scientific journal articles. In my search I have actually found several scientific journal articles about fertile hinnies. In the late 60’s a hinny stallion that was by a Shetland pony and a donkey jenny imported from Mexico was the center of attention for researchers at Texas A&M University and the University of Texas. The hinny stallion was still intact and had not been gelded and even more surprisingly produced well-formed live spermatozoa. Typically the sperm cells would not reach maturation in a sterile animal meaning the cell would not be “well formed” nor would it be alive. Te most amazing fact about this study was the number of chromosomes found in the sperm cells of the hinny. The cell either contained horse chromosome numbers or donkey chromosome numbers but a combination of both and many argued the possibilities of why or how this could occur. In fact in the study a brand new, never used artificial vagina was being used to collect the hinnies semen (Trujillo et al., 1969).

Later studies with more advanced technology have indicated that some horse chromosomes are present but a lower amount in the cells. In addition in 1981 a mule in China had a foal named Dragon foal. The sire of the foal was a jack. Blood samples were taken from the foal as well as from mules, hinnies, and donkeys which were used as controls and the foal was karotyped and proven to be the foal of the mule (Rong et.al, 1985). Later on in 2006 the same researchers due to advancements in technology proved the dam of Dragon foal was not a mule but indeed a hinny! A hinny breed by a jack actually results in a foal with only 62 chromosomes and not 63 as expected and the foal is genetically a donkey. A mule bred to a stallion horse would actually produce genetically a horse with mule like characteristics (Zhao et. al., 2006). So, the hinny continues to intrigue us all! Most importantly I hope people now realize that hinnies are not all small, long backed, strange looking, internally deformed, hard to train hybrid crosses but instead they are just as talented, wonderful, athletic, gentle, docile and beautiful as our mules! My favorite mule, LeMoan is not a mule but a hinny, so have you too been fooled? Thank you for your interest over the past several months and I hope you now have a different perspective of hinnies and you never know your mule might be one! Happy Trails! For more information on mules, donkeys, and hinnies please do not hesitate to contact me at amule@bellsouth.net, or 706-296-8743.
References:

Ball, B.A., Dobrinkski, I., Fagnan, M.S., Thomas, P.G. 1997. Distribution of glycoconjugates in the uterine tube (oviduct) of horses. Am. J. Res. 58, 816-822.

Breazeale, K.R., and Brady, H.A. 2002. Biochemical properties and localization of zonadhesin in equine spermatozoa. Thero. J6663: 1-4.

DeMott, R.P, Lefebvre, R., and Suarez, S.S. 1995. Carbohydrates mediate the adherence of hamster sperm to oviductal epithelium. Bio. Reprod. 52, 1395-1403.

Dobrinski, I., Ignotz, G.G., Thomas, P.G., and Ball, B.A. 1996. Role of carbohydrates in the attachment of equine spermatozoa to uterine tubal (oviduct) epithelial cells in vitro. Am J Vet Res. Nov. 57 (11): 1635-9.

Rong, R., Yang, X., Cai, H., and Wei, J. 1985. Fertile Mule in China and her unusual foal. Jrnl. Royal Soc. of Med. 78:821-825.

Sabeur, K. and Ball, BA. 2006. Characterization of galactose-binding proteins in equine testis and spermatozoa. Anim. Reprod. Sci. 2006, doi: 10.1016/j.anireprosic.2006.08.028.

Trujillo, J.M., Susumu, O., Jardie, J.H., and Atkins, N.B. 1969. Spermatogenesis in a male hinny histological and cytological studies. Jrnl Heredity, 79-84.

Yanagimachi, R. 1994. Fertility of mammalian spermatozoa: its development and relativity. Zygote 2, 371-372.

Zhao, C.J., Qin, Y.H., Lee, X.H., and Wu, Ch. 2006. Molecular and cytogentictic paternity testing of a male offspring of a hinny. 123: 403-405.

Personal contacts and interviews:
Dr. Dalen Agnew, Michigan State University, Diagnostic Center for Population and Animal Health

Ms. Angela Maschari-Busta, Michigan State University, Animal Science Department

Dr. David Pugh, Auburn University and Fort Dodge Animal Health

Dr. Tex Taylor, Texas A&M University

Page Bishop, TX- Hinny photos

Kathryn Bradley, Bryan, TX- hinny photos and breeding information

Sandy Dove, Kick Ass Mules, Truth or Consequences, New Mexico
References:

Ron and Carolyn Gruby, AR, Hinny Owners, photos and information

Dianne Mangrum, TX, Hinny owner and breeder

Eddie Moore, Williamsburg, KY, Trains Hinnies

Walter Nunn, Bryan, TX- Hinny Owner (LeMoan), breeder, and trainer

Leah Patton, American Donkey and Mule Society

Larry Whatley, Lake Providence, LA- Hinny Breeder

Sharon Windsor, Turning Point Donkey Rescue, Dansville, MI

It is my belief that there are more hinnys in the mule world than we realize because we typically group hinnys and mules together at shows. I often wonder how many times hinnys are sold as mules and the buyer is not told in fear they will not buy the animal. We bought our first hinny a year or two ago and when purchasing the hinny, which we believed to be a mule, the seller told us before paying for him that the mule was a hinny and did we still want to buy him. The seller informed us who raised the hinny and that he was by a Rocky Mountain Saddle Horse and by a mammoth jenny. We still purchased him and he's been a very unique and wonderful hinny (see photos of James Dean). James Dean like several of the hinnys I have seen has a bald face. Of the few hinnys I have seen all have had some type of unusual star or markings that seem to be less common in mules.

Due to the fact that many people do not register their mules and animals change hands, and information is lost along the way, there are probably more hinnys around than we think. For example, twelve years ago I met a legendary mule trainer, who I consider to be one of my heroes, Walter Nunn, from Bryan, TX in Bishop, CA. He was riding a palomino mule, named LeMoan, that was fantastic on cattle and his friend Kathryn rode her in the reining and she was awesome! Twelve years later, I found out that one of my favorite mules, LeMoan, is not a mule! Until recent correspondence with Dr. Tex Taylor, who clued me in on LeMoan being a hinny, I had always thought LeMoan was a mule and I was bound to find out for sure!

Well, I didn't exactly know how to get in touch with Walter so through a friend (Tina Varga) I got Kathryn Bradley’s email. Kathryn is a great friend and traveling companion of Walter’s and I knew she would know for sure if LeMoan was a hinny and how to get in touch with Walter. I got the answers to both! Walter Nunn impressed me again, with the fact he has email and emails, not to mention he was also inducted into the Hall of Fame this year at Bishop Mule Days (2007)! He emailed me back and said "yes, LeMoan is definitely a hinny." For years I thought my favorite mule was a mule but nope she's a hinny! I studied the photos that Kathryn had sent me to see if I could tell any physical differences when comparing her to a mule and I could not. After finding out that LeMoan was a hinny I was curious to know more from Walter about raising and training hinnys. When I asked Walter about how many times he had to cover his jenny with the stallion, he replied, "I turned the stud in with the jenny and her bred her once or twice." It was a normal breeding schedule, the stallion was turned in with the jenny and she was bred once or twice and then she had a hinny! Unfortunately, Walter has not had any more hinnys and he has tried to rebreed LeMoan's dam but no luck. I was also interested in knowing if the gestation length is similar to that of a mare carrying a mule. A lot of our mares typically carry the mule foals 11 ½ months but I wondered if it would be the same or different if the jenny (since the donkey's gestation length is twelve months compared to the mare's being eleven months) was the mom. I did ask Walter but he couldn't remember.

I was also curious to know from Walter if training a hinny is similar to training a mule or more like a donkey. The hinny we own, James Dean, is super gentle but he was already broke when we got him so I missed out in terms of witnessing how he was started and how he reacted. Walter responded in his email, "LeMoan had a few donkey moments of just sulking up and not going forward and then she got over it." I think her multiple world championships in roping, cow working, cutting, and team penning speak for themselves! LeMoan and Walter Nunn are quite famous and are known from coast to coast for their many accomplishments in those events but I wonder what people will say when they find out like me that their favorite mule is a Hinny! Will this make more people want a hinny and then attempt to breed for hinnys?

I would like to know how many other mules are not mules but hinnys that are showing. I do know another hinny that has done quite well in the show ring. She's a beautiful, true tobiano, sorrel and white, 16 plus hand, hinny owned by Kick Ass Mules in Truth or Consequences, New Mexico. This hinny has been shown throughout the country by Sandy Dove and she too has done outstanding. This hinny will catch your eye if you have never seen her! I have tried to contact Sandy to get some photos but I have not been able to do so. I do know that they have tried to raise more but I believe the hinny’s sire that was a paint horse passed away. This hinny like LeMoan is quite special and well trained. I was always impressed with this hinny because to me she was extremely "horsy" she moved more like a horse, more forward and correct, she seemed to have less resistance and more balance as she tracked.

If you have any experience raising hinnys please contact me because I would like to learn more about them. I truly believe there are more hinnys at our shows than we realize and it would be interesting to learn more about the challenges reproductively in trying to produce them, train them, etc. Dr. David Pugh did mention that when treating hinnys with sedatives that it's recommended to administer a dose more similar to what you would give a donkey and the dosage of a sedative for a mule should be administered closer to that of a horse. Again, these suggestions from a veterinarian are facts that need to be known and practiced by all that own these animals. These suggestions also raise more questions in my mind such as feeding hinnys vs. mules vs. donkeys. If administering medications is different for each hybrid because their body's metabolism is different these are topics that should be researched more. Our manmade hybrids continue to intrigue us all and there is still so much to learn from them! I look forward to your comments and feedback about hinnys; you can email me at amule@bellsouth.net or mcleana5@msu.edu, or send information to Amy McLean 1284 Anthony Hall, Animal Science Department, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48825. I will also be at the following shows this summer, Bishop Mule Days, Bishop, California and The Great Celebration Mule and Donkey Show, Shelbyville, TN look forward to hearing from y'all!

References:

Ball, B.A., Dobrinkski, I., Fagnan, M.S., Thomas, P.G. 1997. Distribution of glycoconjugates in the uterine tube (oviduct) of horses. Am. J. Res. 58, 816-822.

Breazeale, K.R., and Brady, H.A. 2002. Biochemical properties and localization of zonadhesin in equine spermatozoa. Thero. J6663: 1-4.

DeMott, R.P, Lefebvre, R., and Suarez, S.S. 1995. Carbohydrates mediate the adherence of hamster sperm to oviductal epithelium. Bio. Reprod. 52, 1395-1403.

Dobrinski, I., Ignotz, G.G., Thomas, P.G., and Ball, B.A. 1996. Role of carbohydrates in the attachment of equine spermatozoa to uterine tubal (oviduct) epithelial cells in vitro. Am J Vet Res. Nov. 57 (11): 1635-9.

Sabeur, K. and Ball, BA. 2006. Characterization of galactose-binding proteins in equine testis and spermatozoa. Anim. Reprod. Sci. 2006, doi: 10.1016/j.anireprosic.2006.08.028.

Trujillo, J.M., Susumu, O., Jardie, J.H., and Atkins, N.B. Spermatogensis in a male hinny histological and cytological studies. Jrnl Heredity, 79-84.

Yanagimachi, R. 1994. Fertility of mammalian spermatozoa: its development and relativity. Zygote 2, 371-372.

Personal contacts and interviews:
Dr. Dalen Agnew, Michigan State University, Diagnostic Center for Population and Animal Health
Ms. Angela Maschari-Busta, Michigan State University, Animal Science Department
Dr. David Pugh, Auburn University and Fort Dodge Animal Health
Dr. Tex Taylor, Texas A&M University

Correspondence:
Kathryn Bradley, Bryan, TX
Sandy Dove, Kick Ass Mules, Truth or Consequences, New Mexico
Walter Nunn, Bryan, TX
Leah Patton, American Donkey and Mule Society
Sharon Windsor, Turning Point Donkey Rescue, Dansville, MI

The preliminary report indicated the foal was stressed and the lungs were bright red, there was a possibility the foal had passed away from equine herpes virus infection or septicemia. There was some evidence that the foal was stressed and possibly the jenny had an intrauterine infection. Curly, the jenny was later cultured and was cultured clean (no infection was found). One finding in the preliminary report which was interesting was a tubular structure attached to the broad ligament. This structure created a lot of conversation among many professionals in regards to what it was and was the foal possibly a hermaphrodite. The final necropsy report showed the additional tubular structure to be an enlarged blood vessel that is larger in size when compared to a horse. It’s possible that the larger blood vessel is normal in desert creatures like donkeys, mules, and hinnys. The report indicated that the foal most likely died from lack of nutrition and not due to an abnormal organ. Another very interesting event associated with the foal was the results of the karotyping.

This was a procedure I had not requested because after years of foaling out mares and jennys, I felt my experience was sufficient to identify the foal as being a hinny and never once did I think otherwise. The same was true for Sharon Windsor in both of our minds the foal was not a donkey but a hinny. When the foal was submitted to necropsy blood was taken from the foal to genetically identify the species. For whatever reason the blood was not properly stored in the correct medium to verify its genetic make-up but some how and this is where the necropsy results become some what fuzzy to me, a sample of blood or cells were taken and used to karotype the foal. According to Dr. Agnew, the pathologist in charge, when karotyping animals typically ten blood samples are taken for karotyping and the results are 75% accurate, however, the blood was not preserved properly but somehow the karotyping was still done by an expert in pediatrics genetics.

Only 62 chromosomes were counted from this obscure sample indicating the foal was not a hinny but actually a donkey. I’m still not convinced the foal was a donkey due to its physical appearance and more blood samples from known hinnys, mules, and donkeys are in the process of being taken and submitted for karotyping. Also, when reviewing the photos and slides of the foal I had the chance to look at the ovarian tissue of this animal. There was no follicular activity meaning no follicles were present and follicular growth was occurring to produce eggs (ovums) for reproduction. However, typically sterile animals do not reproduce so is this unusual in a hinny or mule to lack follicles? Again, some mules and hinnys in China and Africa (Morocco, Ethiopia, and Kenya) have reported mules and hinnys that have produced foals but would more mules and hinnys have foals if they were bred? When compared to horse foals (fillies) multiple follicular growth could be identified in the tissue. This leads me to believe the animal along with its phenotypical characteristics was a hinny. A sterile animal such as a hinny or mule can produce ovums and sperm cells but not all of them due to complications with genes pairing with one another. Although, maybe this is typical in a jenny foal to lack follicular growth in her ovarian tissue, or maybe this is typical of mule and hinnys, we don’t know because there were no other samples to compare the tissue to. Also, this brings up the question about how many hinnys have been karotyped to compare to and some of the journal articles I have read and reviewed just suggested that typically a mule or hinny has 63 but who really knows because how many mules and hinnys have been tested? So, you can be the judge look at the photos and make up your own mind. Hinny or donkey foal?

Donkeys have 31 pairs of chromosomes or 62 in total. Typically, mules and hinnys have 63 chromosomes, they inherit 31 chromosomes from the donkey (E. asinus) and 32 from the horse (E. caballus) (Trujillo). After reading several scientific articles I am not 100% convinced that all hybrids contain 63 chromosomes and maybe more research needs to be done. Most of the reports I have read in regards to hinnys and mules are the rare cases where both have produced offspring. Even more interesting one article found that an intact male hinny contained both horse and donkey sperm cells in regards to chromosome counts (i.e. some contained 62 chromosomes and others contained 64 but none contained 63 chromosomes) (Trujillo). The mystery continues!

Have you ever seen or owned a mule that just seemed a little more like a horse or maybe a little more like a donkey or only associated with donkeys in the pasture? Maybe the hybrid was not a mule instead it was a hinny. I have always been intrigued with hinnys. I almost bought a beautiful chestnut hinny with a star on his forehead in Houston, TX one year from Dianne Mangrum. The hinny was very horse like and quite fancy. Needless, to say my father would not allow me to buy a hinny. It is my theory that there are more hinnys around than we realize.

When trying to raise hinnys versus mules claims have been made that it is more challenging to get a jenny to conceive when being bred to a stallion. According to Dr. David Pugh, a well renowned mule and donkey veterinarian at Auburn University, “when breeding a stallion to a jenny, which produces a hinny, the conception rate is quite low, only about 20%.” I have had other conversations with industry experts such as, Dr. Tex Taylor, a retired veterinarianary surgeon from Texas A&M University, who has maintained his own private mammoth donkey research herd for decades. He has suggested that the decreased conception rate is actually due to problems associated with an outer protein covering on the stallion’s sperm cells commonly referred to as the acrosome. It is possible that the acrosome can not penetrate the outer covering of the jenny’s ovum called the zona pellucida. The outer membrane layer of the ovum (egg) or zona pellucida is made up of carbohydrate glycoprotein receptors and if the proteins are not compatible among the two species, fertilization may not be able to take place. Therefore, it is possible that the receptors can not or do not likely bind to the stallion spermatozoa.

Typically, the acrosome acts as an enzyme and breaks down the zona pellucida by drilling into the outer shell. In order to better understand why or why not the acrosome of the stallion maybe different from that of the jack I spoke with a reproduction specialist. Ms. Angela Maschari-Busta, a reproduction specialist at Michigan State University, provided me with more information about proteins found on the head of the sperm cells as well as a better understanding of what happens to sperm cells in the process of fertilization. She has worked exclusively for years with bovine sperm cells, specifically sexed semen (mostly all female cells) and has suggested to me that it’s possible that the head of the sperm which is covered in proteins are species specific. Furthermore, the intrauterine environment according to Angela could also have a negative impact on the stallion’s spermatazoa viability. Typically the sperm cells attach to the oviductal epithelium cells found in the lining of the uterine tubal(s). This process is mediated by glycoproteins found on the spermatozoa’s head especially galactose-binding proteins (Sabeur, 2006). Researchers have noted that the carbohydrates vary among animal species but the adhesion of equine spermatozoa binding to oviductal epithelium is carbohydrate dependent (DeMott, 1995). At this point the spermatozoa restore their energy by absorbing nutrients such as carbohydrates (needed for binding to the epithelium) or calcium (Dobrinski, 1996).

If the jenny’s intrauterine environment for example is higher or lower in carbohydrates or calcium this could create a hostile environment for the stallion’s spermatozoa and could cause the cells to either (1) die or (2) be motile but not fertile. In mares galactosyl residues are responsible for binding to the stallions spermatozoa in the epithelium but what about in the jenny is it the same residue (Ball, 1997). If the ligand binding residue is different then it is likely that the stallion’s sperm cell could die. To make matters even more interesting, some research has been dedicated to comparing a protein known as zonadhesin, glycoprotein found on equine spermatozoa. Among all three equine species, zebra, donkey and horse, this particular protein has been reported to be the same (Breazeale, 2002). Other reasons on why the conception rate is so much lower could be related to sperm-zona interactions which are also believed to be mediated by carbohydrate recognition (Yanagimachi, 1994).

According to Ms. Maschari, each mammalian species varies in the type of protein found on the head of the sperm or outer shell of the female’s ovum. So, the theory of why conception rates are lower when producing hinnys may simply be due to specifies specific related issues. Until more research is done one can only assume why the conception rate is typically thought to be lower. Although there are hinnys found throughout the world but just how many? Of course I’m sure you are wondering how we can produce mules if the proteins or receptors are not compatible. Great question and this is my assumption that the reserve cross, the jack sperm cells are more adaptable and have less problems binding to the receptor and penetrating the zona as well as possibly be able to adapt and live in the oviduct epithelium of the mare. Before we go any further I would like to know how many people breed for hinnys each year. I would love to get some feedback and have a better idea!

There are many different ideas and beliefs related to producing hinnys. Some fallacies and myths about hinnys include ideas such as, “the hinny is not physically sound when compared to mules, and hinnys often have internal problems such as, organs that are not developed.” Unfortunately, our industry is lacking in scientific research in the area of hinnys and mules and many of these questions or beliefs can not be answered or disputed. I did have a rare chance a few months ago to help with a hinny foal. Back in February, I had visited the Turning Point Donkey Rescue in Dansville, Michigan and met Ms. Sharon Windsor in sub-degree temperature! It was so cold that the diesel had frozen in the truck that day! Anyway, it did not stop me from visiting the farm and seeing the donkeys. A few weeks later Ms. Windsor called to ask me “how do you imprint a hinny foal?” I told her I assumed it would be like imprinting a donkey or mule foal but I had never seen a baby hinny in my twenty plus years of mules and donkey babies. About an hour later, I received another call from her and the foal was not nursing so I made another visit to the farm. The foal like Ms. Windsor said, “She was the funniest looking donkey foal she had ever seen.” We both concluded the foal was a hinny based on its physical appearance.

The foal was a bright red sorrel and cute as a button to say the least but the jenny was not thrilled about the foal nursing. It made me wonder if the jenny was not accepting the foal because it was a hybrid and not a donkey. After an army of volunteers and Dr. Colby (the vet on call) trying to get the foal to nurse on its own and that didn’t work the jenny was milked. The foal was fed colostrum from a frozen source as well as colostrum that were milked straight from the jenny but throughout the day the condition of the foal deteriorated. Later that evening we (Sharon and I) took the foal and jenny to the Michigan State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital. By that point, the donkey mom, Curly, had become quite attached to her baby. The foal rode the whole way in my lap in the cab of the truck so we could keep her warm.

Unfortunately, once arriving at the vet school hospital, there were some difficulties in passing a feeding tube and it took 2 and half hours before the foal received plasma and she passed away later that night. There are some anatomical differences in donkeys, mules, and hinnys, when compared to horses that makes it more difficult to some times pass a tube or even collect blood from the jugular. In 2002 at the American Association Equine Practitioners Annual Meeting, several seminars were dedicated to mules and donkeys and how to treat them. If you email me I can provide you with copies of the articles if you are interested in receiving them and sharing with your vet(s). The proceedings include great diagrams and descriptions on many of the anatomical differences such as laryngeal anatomy which is obviously somewhat different than that of a horse because donkeys don’t whinny, they bray!

After the foal died I felt that it was very important to find out why this foal had died. I couldn’t help but wonder if some of the myths about hinnys were true such as the tales I had heard about their internal organs not being developed properly. Considering that the foal was a hinny to our belief, I thought this was a somewhat rare and unique opportunity to learn from the first hinny foal I had ever seen in 20 plus years! The foal was submitted and taken to necropsy by Dr. Carla Carleton, an endocrinologist at MSU’s vet school, who has an interest in mules and donkey and is serving on my graduate committee. Once the foal was submitted to necropsy, Dr. Dalen Agnew, was the pathologist assigned to the case and he did an outstanding job and really cared about why this mysterious animal passed away.