The Pega Donkeys from Les Belles Bourriques du Pont-Loup

Mules Qui peut
Jun 29
3 min read

Updated: Jun 30

Why the PEGA donkey ????

To make a mule, you need a mare and a donkey. In France we have a beautiful Mulassière tradition and some beautiful donkey breeds. But they are mul -working mules, rather heavy. During the preparation of our trip, we had a hard time finding saddle mules. And when we get back, we said to ourselves that "gaits" mules* would have been interesting to travel ...

These fast and comfortable equines for the rider have special looks, known for centuries by riders who want to travel far comfortably.

So we want to produce "gaits" saddle mules, and we are turned to the producing countries, on the other side of the Atlantic.

To maximize our chances, it takes appearance mares, as well as donkeys ... Some donkeys in all breeds have movements resembling the Amble, but it is very individual and the transmission of this characteristic is random. We have chosen the PEGA because it is selected for these specific looks, and produces mules of appearance in Brazil! So we left there to meet breeders and

Perform our knowledge of this race.

Donkey Pega is a Brazilian race.

There have been donkeys in Brazil since the 1500s, but the PEGA was created and selected from the 1800s. It was at this time that the mining in the Minas Gerais developed and that the need for mules for transport was felt. It was therefore natural to establish donkeys for the production of mules in the Minas Gerais valleys.

At the origin of the PEGA race, there are iberic, Egyptian, Andalusian and Italian donkeys. The particular environment of Minas Gerais and the selection of breeders shaped a race with very specific characteristics.

It is an essentially mulassic breed in Brazil. Donkeys are not used for work, the mules are preferred to them.

The PEGA donkey crossed with a mare gives an excellent product, the mule or the mule of an undeniable capacity for work, the saddle or leisure, which, thanks to its strength, its agility, its rusticity and its sobriety, has a great advantage over its competitors.

Today, the PEGA race is the pride of Brazilian national farming.

This breed is distinguished by a charismatic physique and special looks. In Brazil, there are

Breeding competition (conformation) and gait competitions.

We first recognize a PEGA donkey in its slender and slender conformation. It is like "air under the belly". His head with a busy profile is trapezoidal, especially not triangular. We also notice its long lanceolate ears, which sometimes have the tips that touch.

Its size is average, up to 1m40. It is a very docile and lively donkey, close to man. He has special looks, the "Picada walk" and the "Batida merchant". The first is similar to the Tölt, and the second is a kind of trot without suspension time. Both are fast and comfortable for the rider.

Crossed with appearance mares, we get the shape mules that am upset, tend or use the Batida merchant, according to mares skills. In Brazil it is the Mangalarga Marchador who are mainly crossed with these donkeys.

Icaro et Isabela la relève

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* Mule / horse "of gaits": equine which has, in addition to the step, trotting and galloping, specific additional looks, for example Tölt, Amble, Marcha Picada, Merchant Batida, Saddle Rack, Amble Rompu, Running Walk, Singlefoot, etc.

These looks do not include suspension time and are generally side, except the Batida merchant, which is a slightly broken trot.