AboutSue King Expertise I've owned saddle mules for over 25 years. After running a 30 stall boarding barn for horses, I established my farm, Brayer Hill Farm, producing National and World Champion saddle mules and standing two jacks to the public. I have also written and published articles concerning mules and maintain The Saddle Mule News online and serve as the Executive Secretary for The North Anerican Saddle Mule Association.
Experience I have 25 Years experience in owning, breeding for, raising, and showing quality Saddle Mules and own Brayer Hill Farm. In addition, I am a Charter Member of two National Mule Associations. I also publish The Saddle Mule News available online. www.saddlemulenews.com
Organizations
North American Saddle Mule Association (Executive Secretary),
American Gaited Mule Association,
American Donkey and Mule Socitey
Publications
The Brayer,
Mules and More, and
Owner/Publisher of The Saddle Mule News
Education/Credentials Under and Post Graduate work in Education.
Awards and Honors ADMS Farm Versatility, Hall of Fame
ADMS, Versatility Hall of Fame Winners,
ADMS Breeding Versatility Hall of Fame,
NASMA Registers of Merit , National and World Champion title winners.
Expert: Sue King Date: 12/4/2006 Subject: Breeding gaited mules from Paso Finos
Question I own a Paso Fino mare who has the Classic Fino gait. Other breeders say Classic Finos will produce gaited offspring when bred to any other kind of horse. Do you know of any cases where Classic Finos were bred to donkeys that did not gait? Were the offspring all gaited?
Also, are you familiar with the trocha gait? if a mule does the trocha but not a true lateral four beat, is that considered a gaited mule?
Last of all, I've been trying to find out how easy it is to breed for hinnies. I have a spectacular Classic Fino stallion (son of a five-time world champion and his dam's sire was a U.S. champion, Bellas Formas. If he became convinced that jennies are sexy enough, what is the likelihood of pregnancy per ovulation? Someone told me 1 in 10,000 which makes it not worth trying, but if it were one in ten I'd give my beautiful guy a try at it.
Answer Yes, Paso Fino mules are very popular in Brazil. And, being very hardwired, their gaits generally are inherited to some degree in the mules.
I am not familiar with the trocha gait.
The problem will not be ovulation, but if your stallion finds her sexy. In the wild, donkey's breed by the jack chasing the jennets until they are completely exhausted. The jenny then stands still, puts her tail aside and allows the jack to breed her. Stallions are much more use to the mare being in charge of where or when. The mare calls the shots and the stallion minds his manners.
Just the opposite with donkeys. In contrast, it is difficult to get the jack to breed a mare who stands quietly and waits for him gently mount and breed her. The jack is aggressive, at times can be abusive and even ravage the mare.
It's best to use a jack who has been trained to breed mares and knows the etiquette involved in the process so no one gets hurt. It's less dangerous a situation to breed a stallion to a jennet, but the stallion, who is less aggressive in breeding than the jack, will find this breeding not worth the effort.
You see the jennet is going to ovulate as usual, your hinnie problem is to convince the stallion to breed a female who wants to fight, kick, run and bite. He's probably going to take that as a "no"; while a jack would find that a turn on.
If all else fails, there is AI methods you can use.
