Looking for Books, DVD's etc. for the correct training on Mules.
My Girlfriend has plenty of horse training experience and has brought several up from birth and trained them well (horses) but we both have no experience with Mules and we picked up a 2 year old today.
He was wild as can be and has had little to no handling, no worming or footwork, nothing.
We worked with him for about 4 hours today and now he is leading a bit and not quite as head shy as he was, can start to run your hands down his front legs a bit and touch him all over the head and mane etc.
We know we have a long road ahead of us but we want to make sure we get on the right track as we've heard so many times that Mules are "so different or completely different than training a horse".
I'll attach a picture to the post later as he is kind of a cute bugger in that Mule sort of way.
The people we got him from say he's 2 (not sure) but they've had him only 6 months and before that he was at an animal rescue facility.
He's skinny, wormy, not shed out yet but we didn't pay hardly anything for him and he has a very gentle eye and doesn't seem mean in the least.
Help me out with some books or DVD's to get me on the right track.
Thanks

They are really not so different, that is if a person is used to going slow and making sure that they understand.
About the only difference that I have seen is that a mule does not "mash" like a horse.
Oftentimes people train horses the way that they do for one simple reason, because they can..
A mule will make you bring out your best stuff, your patience needs to be high, and your clarity needs to be even higher.
What I mean by that is simply that if it is not clear to them, they tell you to blow it up your skirt, and are quicker to rebel and bite or kick.
Their memory for abuse is much longer than a horse, and they hold a grudge against people who try to force things on them.

There is an old saying that I love" we should train horses the way that we have to train mules"
Pretty true statement.

Mules are different, in that they take longer to learn, and they need dicipline but not the kind that hurts them..

If you can train a horse then you can train a mule, if you "think" you can train a horse then you will find out how much you really know by training a mule...

Mules take longer, and they take more patience and they need more intelligent dicipline...

Some tips that might help is the use of 4 way hobbles to contain them without putty too much stress on them and front knee hobbles are great. During all training sessions its a good idea to contain them without a lot of fuss and excitment, a mule won't really hurt himself if he has an alternative, thus the use of several different types of hobbles..I would stress ground training to the extreme, lots of it. Draw reins and put a rein on him before you ever get on him unless your really handy...

It takes a lot longer to make a good mule than it does to make a good horse..

Just keep doing what your doing, you will know if its not working..If you blow him up mentally then you will pay the piper, if you loose your temper then you will set yourself back a few months, I do this from time to time, they can be so damn ignorant I have to really contain myself..

The other option is just saddle him up and use him hard for several years and don't make a big deal out of it and you will have a good mule..Wet saddle blankets are still the best form of training a horse or mule..remember any horse or mule learns better when he is rode to death.

I broke mules all my young life, I don't particularly like them as I am a horse person, but they have their place, they are good to pleasure ride, good in rough country or slick rock country, packing, they have a wonderful gait and are smooth to ride, and they are pretty good on the endurance end and they are good to hunt on. They are not usually good for the amatuer rider, they will figure him out quickly and murder the poor bastard!..

Mules can't run much meaning they are not bred for speed events of any kind, and you can't get much cowboying done on them, and they arn't quick like a horse. I don't think they have the kindness of a horse and I believe God put them on this earth because he has an inherient hate towards cowboys and their wild lifestyle and this was his ingenious way of sitting them straight and bringing them into the fold! ..There you have the up side and the down side.

You might want to check out this book: Training Mules and Donkeys by Meredith Hodges

I found it very helpful working with the mule I had for a few years before Navy commitments force me to sell her due to lack of time to spend working with her. It does a nice job of describing how to work with young mules in getting them started as well as discussing the difference between training mules and horses. Hope this helps.

Yes, Meredith Hodges is a wonder when it comes to training mules and donkeys..A great source of information that comes in books and videos.

Update on my original post:
The Mule (his name is "Moose") was coming along nicely and even though he had hardly been handled he now leads, ties, takes wormer, loads in the trailer and is easy enough to catch. I traded him to my brother for a load of hay. My brother has wanted a Mule for years and now he has one. He just had him "cut" and his little studly attitude should go away pretty quick now. My brother is slow and patient and will do well with him. He also plans on taking him to a mule trainer for some of his education.
Thanks to all who posted!

Your brother is on the right track, if more people realized their limitations with horses and mules and took them to the right folks for training they would be a lot happier...

Nothing on earth is as pleasant as a good horse or mule that you can trust, won't leave you afoot, buck, bite or kick and one that keeps you from harm as opposed to looking for place to kill you.