Mule Trainer (Texas Country Reporter)

[Music] all right guys Glen glad y'all are here we're gonna well get started with a groundwork I tell my students your mule is never ever ever wrong if something's not going the way you think it needs to go it's because you need to change something it's not the meal through that process you build trust it's not every day you run across a scene like this two brothers that have come to a ranch outside of Modena for help with what they think is their mule problem but the man they're here to see has a different opinion about that you see Paul garrison makes his living telling people that their problem is more about themselves in their mule that big cross is what we're looking for I trained for the public I start coats I'll work on a meal that has an issue of some kind but most of what I do is training the owners I help meals with people problems there's next go with him pushing forward in Texas you can find a horse trainer as easily as you can hit the broadside of a barn but Paul garrison is one of the few people around that specializes in mules you got to stay behind the drive line you see they require a different approach which he's dubbed good mule Manship anymore lead rope will let him get further out and if you can master it good then you'll have command of one of the smartest and most misunderstood animals around they are very smart anybody that is fooled with horses and mules both will readily admit that the mule is smarter than a horse using a little computer jargon what they don't have is a big processor but they're not going to multitask right what you can do and what up what I teach here like keep that animal busy keep inputs going into him that will cause his feet to move because the more he's thinking about what you're asking him to do he doesn't have the processor to think about all that scary stuff out there see yeah let's just spell some of the rumors about mules stubborn as a mule guy that's a smart aleck he know it all we call it jackass yeah got it all wrong dude I think so because I've been around enough of them to know that if if they are if they are introduced and trained write that up and have the trust in you there's nothing they won't be good girl getting maligned misjudged mules to learn the basics is just the first step at Paul's ranch once a mule and his owner on the same page they get to test out what they've learned by hitting the trails we're very very fortunate to live in the hill country of Texas this is the Edwards Plateau probably if not if not the heart close to the heart of the of the hill country it's a wonderful place for for meals it's because of the terrain and the in the different natural obstacles and water it make some room get over to get over on the far edge it's a great place to get them over any kind of inhibitions they might come with from scaling walls to climbing over rocky outcroppings Paul students learn to work together with their mules using his two biggest principles a little trust and relaxation if your meals cool you should be cool when you sit in the saddle on a meal it's just like taking a chord off of your life in the house and plugging it in the wall that mule reads whatever emotion whatever internal feelings whatever you got going on in your life that meals going to react to it John look up here look up here you can see it look up there part of the part of the teaching is relaxed yeah get rid of your baggage Walker you get on his back absolutely absolutely he can help you do it but you've got to learn how to let go and relax and become you know just chilled how does it make you feel when you teach somebody and they get it very rewarding very rewarding yeah I've had bless their hearts I've had I've had lots of folks write wonderful reviews after they've come and spent two or three days with me and and developed a much safer fulfilling relationship with their animal see how well we can negotiate this step right here it's no secret that the mule has been saddled with a bad reputation but that's something Paul garrison hopes he can change and that all starts with showing people their intelligence kindness right in there love when you're when you're up there on the back of your mule and the two of you are communicating and everything's going well how does that feel it feels like they're their feet or yours think about that that that black male over there I use Tim for four years for starting coats I would I would work the coat off of his back and those times can get pretty hairy but he and I had have such a bond when when I'm on his back I don't have to steer him all I got to do is think where I need to be and he's there you're putting a lot of trust and a lot of faith in this animal that outweighs you many oh yeah when when you've got the relationship right you feel it you know there's there's no reason to be there's no reason to be afraid you just you just know it it's like being with your best friend that's never betrayed you never that's how close you can get with these guys they'll really really make a bond with you [Music] you

Channel: Texas Country Reporter

Views: 208,045

Rating: 4.8575282 out of 5

Keywords: texas country reporter, Texas, bob, phillips, TCR, Bob Phillips, Kelli Phillips, Medina, Mule, Donkey, Animal, Trainer, Wildlife, Beautiful, Nature, Zoo

Id: Wfz3bqGxizE

Length: 6min 55sec (415 seconds)

Published: Fri Dec 23 2016