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One of the two registered mules recognized by the French Ministry of Agriculture Origine It's the hybrid (in principle sterile) resulting from "unnatural" mating between the Baudet du Poitou and the Trait Poitevin mulassier mare. In the Poitou region in the 19th century, Trait Poitevin mares were used almost exclusively for mulassière production. Breeders only bred horses when the mares were unable to produce mules. The most discerning of them would, however, breed successful aging mares to the horse, in order to preserve the stock. The giant of the category was once sold worldwide (up to 18,000 per year in the 19th century). Today, annual production barely exceeds twenty animals, which are easily sold in southern Europe. Since autumn 2002, the "Mule poitevine" appellation has been officially recognized by the French Ministry of Agriculture. Animals resulting from a cross between a male registered in the Baudet du Poitou studbook, approved for public breeding for the production of Baudets du Poitou or mulassier production, and a female registered in the Trait poitevin mulassier studbook, are automatically entered in the Mule poitevine register. Morphology The Poitevin mule's head, large and long with highly developed ears, resembles that of the Baudet. The pyramid-shaped neck is trimmed with a sparse mane, which is generally trimmed to round and raise the neck, giving it a "rouée" shape. The withers are not very pronounced; the back and loins are straight; the croup is sharp, short and swollen; the chest is broad; the ribs are flat and long. The shoulders are short and slightly sloping; the forearms are long; the muscles are flat and well defined; the fetlock is strong; the pastern is short; the joints are highly developed and very dry; the foot is smaller than the horse's; with a supple, resistant black horn. The tail is thin with fine, sparse manes. The color of the coat is given in most cases by the sire: bouchard (zain black), boyard (black with whitish washes), or robin (bay with all its shades); more rarely by the dam: gray, biche (isabelle with or without mullet stripe), red, yellow, caille, roux, péchard... The Poitevin mule usually measures 160 to 165 cm at the withers, but can reach and even exceed 170 cm for an average weight of 600 to 700 kg. Skills and uses Their sturdiness and sure-footedness make them a remarkable tool for the pack. In Savoie, for example, mules have been used for several years by hiking organizers, including some Mules Poitevines, to carry the luggage of tourists hiking around Mont-Blanc. These mules carry up to 200 kg on their backs, and climb to altitudes of 2,500 metres. We can also mention Mustang Richardière, Jean Poitevin's mule, who accompanies him on long-distance trips. Mules Poitevines are also used for carriage driving and leisure saddling. While most are used for family leisure, a few have taken part in competitions. Dolly and Thalia, for example, took part in the Route du Poisson driving competition as a pair, and more recently Sirocco, a young mule driven by Bénédicte Touchard, took part in the Pays de la Loire and SHF driving competitions, including the national final in Compiègne. Finally, the Mule Poitevine is above all a draught mule, particularly suited to farm work and skidding. Stallions Didier Bernard Old-fashioned hand-assembly

Mules and bardots are hybrids of horse and donkey. Their feet are just like the rest, a clever blend of the two species! On the whole, mules' feet have the same structure as horses'. From the inside out, we find the same bones (3rd phalanx, navicular bone and 2nd phalanx), ligaments and tendons, ungular cartilages, chorions and the horny box. On the horny box, we find the fork, sole, bars, medial and lateral lacunae, white line, wall... But there are a few differences. - Shape first. Mules have 4 oval feet, while their small-eared cousins have rather round forefeet. - Viewed from the front, mules' feet are more "tubular" without being tight, while horses' are conical. - The sole of mules is often more hollow than that of horses. - The fork is located behind the heels, as in donkeys, whereas it is at the same level as the heels in horses. I'm talking about the position of these structures on the dorsopalmar axis. If we're talking about the distal-proximal axis (the "height"), the heels of mules are barely above the height of the (healthy) fork, as in horses. The trimming process Since mules' feet are made up of the same elements as horses', trimming is done according to the same principles. The same method is used. But as with horses, this doesn't mean that the result is identical feet. Every horse has different feet, and mules have different feet, but the method and principle remain the same. There are just a few details to watch out for. Mules sometimes have very compact soles, which do not exfoliate, as is the case with some donkeys. If you don't use the right markers when trimming, you can be fooled into getting feet that are too long. Don't be fooled if you have to grate sole! I n mules, as in donkeys, the unpigmented wall (stratum internum) is not white but grey. So be careful when marking the beginning of the mustang roll. Auteur: Anouk Nathan

Olivier is certainly one of France's oldest muleteers, if not the oldest. A colorful character, not always approachable, you have to show him the ropes, and like any self-respecting mule-head, underneath his rugged exterior lies a tender, sensitive heart. The authority on mules in France, this scholar is tireless when he starts talking about mules. It was the donkey Marquise who paved the way for him, at the age of 5, during walks in Toulouse's Jardin des Plantes. Then came the animals on his grandmothers' farm, the equestrian center, the Cepière racecourse, the town's marechal-ferrier, the municipal horses that pulled the garbage cans... in short, the virus was inoculated in childhood, and it leaves its mark... After agricultural studies, Olivier passed his monitorat. He developed a passion for the Merens horse and other endangered breeds. Thanks to his father's retirement in the Ariège region, he began breeding his own dogs, cows, horses, donkeys and mules on a small farm perched in the heart of the Ariège region. A military interlude as a mule driver and rider in the last remount platoon of the 541° Groupe Vétérinaire de Tarbes, where he served the mules more than France... This is how he came to run the Ecole des Mulets de "Méras", created in 88 to promote the Pyrenean mule. His message: "Loving mules doesn't mean bleating in front of and with them, but trying to understand them instead of imposing our own sense of language, comfort, justice, etc. on them..." in a word, let's avoid anthropomorphism. As for those who practice breeding, professional behavior is essential. Without it, we're going to end up with a population that's more numerous than it is good, idle, unemployed and therefore neglected, because I still think that human beings have more regard for their tools than they do for their toys.

In the enchanting atmosphere of the Dordogne, in the heart of France, an extraordinary event is taking place that promises to redefine love and respect for mules. Welcome to Mulardie, where mules become more than just creatures, they become partners, friends. You've been eyeing that mule for a while, but given the beast's reputation, you don't dare take the plunge. I'd like to say, you're right, being a muleteer can't be improvised. These meeting days will also be an opportunity to meet other owners, find suitable equipment and books, and have a drink with other muleteers! Discovering Mulardie Rescuing mules, working them, finding their human Welcome to Mulardie Mulardie is more than a place, it's a state of mind. It's a place where mules find refuge, love and respect. It's a unique event that not only offers a chance to mules in search of a home, but also elevates the art of mule training to new heights. RMMO - L'Amour Sauveteur Marie Petit, partie trop tôt, présente à nos cotés... The Rescue Mule Makeover (RMMO) is much more than just a competition. It's an act of love, an outstretched hand to these hypersensitive creatures who have fallen on hard times. Mules are often rejected in shelters, where they lose their trust in humans. The corollary of this situation is that they leave in the wrong truck... This is where the "Mule qui peut" association comes in. The mules entrusted to these trainers benefit from 7 months of attention, care and education. The result? Confident mules, ready to find a loving home. At the same event, not only will you find your mule, but you'll also be doing a good deed by taking an animal out of an animal protection shelter. On the day of the event, a challenge will be organized so that the eventual buyer can see for himself the quality of the mule and the work carried out. The challenge will consist of a Mountain Trail, a long reins test and a small show, at the trainer's discretion. The animals presented will be of all sizes, most of them OI. MMO France - Elegance and Excellence Mule Makeover France (MMO France) embodies elegance and excellence. Trainers, owners of their mules, engage in an exhilarating competition where the art of horsemanship meets the grace of mules. It's the place where connoisseurs turn to find the perfect mule, the one that will become their companion on the road and in adventure. The MMO follows more the American model, with trainers owning their mules, entering them in competitions and selling them. It's not the same category of animal, nor the same tests. The MMO is destined to become a European event. RMMO MMO 2024 - L'Événement d'une Vie The 2024 edition of RMMO MMO, to be held in early September 2024 at the Mini ranch in the Dordogne, promises to be the most symbolic of all. Location of the evenement The mules, handed over to the trainers in February, will be pampered, educated and prepared for their grand presentation in September. It's a show not to be missed, an event that redefines what it means to love and respect these incredible creatures. Join us in Mulardie, where every whinny tells a story of redemption, every stride is a step towards the future, and every mule finally finds her human. Future owners will have the opportunity to be supervised by the trainer who has worked with the animal and therefore knows it inside out. The list of trainers and mules will be unveiled at the end of January 2024

Florence Hurlet, Belgian mulopath under observation on the mule planet. I found my mule on the internet, thanks to a broken arm. Impossible to say in hindsight that on that day, I would have been better off breaking an arm... I searched for literature on the subject for a long time, but apart from Adolphe Guénon's insightful book... Nothing. Or almost nothing. I "met" on the web some owners of these prodigious creatures with (human) ears attentive to other owners and their mule adventures. Hallelujah, I was no longer alone in the world with my alien. Well, I admit, when he acts up, I am alone in the world... Most of the time, newcomers to the matter ask the questions and answer them themselves, I let them talk. Although, I still manage to get annoyed by questions like, "Does it jump?" "Does it gallop?" or "Is it ridden like a horse?" Or worse: "Oh, a donkey!" There are also those interested individuals who would like a user manual provided to them. Come on! I've been figuring out how mine works for 10 years, and they want it translated into pure mule language! So, for those who still dream and watch mules from afar, here are some generalities for when you approach and capture them. (Hehe) It's very different from a horse. Without really being so. For training, you do it like with a horse, a slightly special horse... like a hooligan. Always be polite, fair, explain well, rephrase, make sure he understands, and then stick to your positions without getting upset. It's smarter than a horse, more whimsical too, takes notes, remembers everything, knows how to read and write in bold. It learns at a super-sonic speed, once (well explained) is often enough, a few revisions, and there you have a professional in the field. What it knows how to do makes it very comfortable. "Anything you give in to will be served and renegotiated weeks, months, or even years later, thanks to a mood swing of the beast." Also, know that the animal, besides being a lawyer and a unionist, is also an actor in its spare time. It bluffs, simulates, and only a great shared life experience allows you to see through its game and put an end to it promptly without arousing its legendary sensitivity. Another observed phenomenon, this time with the owner, is the colorful language acquired by getting too close to these hybrids: The legendary mule curses. These are direct consequences of their cohabitation. Jacob (my mule) suddenly takes me very seriously if I swear in dialect. From then on, a punishment or a justified curse will always be accepted. In addition to their auditory outgrowths, excellent bio-indicators of their state of mind, the animal is equipped with another equally reliable barometer, I named it: its tail appendage. Although the annoyance is clearly understood in the sudden movements chasing unpleasant information like nasty insects, the phenomenon would deserve a more in-depth study, akin to the dance of bees. (humor) Some big mule classics: they don't like giving their hindquarters too much, they don't like their ears touched too much, it can pull and make you ski or take you away as if you were a straw, it grumbles firmly, sulks, and quickly turns wild if you don't handle them for a few weeks... All these faults are defused with patience and appropriate exercises. In general, they don't like care and injections, especially injections. Luckily, they heal very quickly. They learn a lot by mimicry, watching their buddies. I practiced that way for the truck and the farrier. Water (river and shower) and mud in general, they don't like too much either, it can be worked on like the rest, but it's good to know. They have a pronounced instinct for conserving and preserving their physical integrity, so any obstacle that can be bypassed will be, period. Your request for passage not being justified. Sit at the negotiation table. Reactions also depend on the mother; if she's a draft horse, the temperament will still be colder. But, in general, they go a few meters to safety, then observe. A horse is still running behind its panic while the mule has gone back to eating. It's curious like a cat with the flexibility of a feline. Worse than a concierge, it knows everything that happens and what time you come home, it's playful, frolicsome, chases after dogs, cats, and birds passing through its meadow, it dismantles everything out of curiosity. You never get bored with a mule at home. It's a good companion, but try to stay his friend because it's also a kung-fu champion and willingly turns into a combat mule. Be patient, it needs to give itself, grant you its trust. Don't delegate delicate things that it would bear from you thanks to the trust it grants you, don't betray it by giving yourself your own injections. Nothing stops a jenny except a bullet in the head, her luck being that we are not armed. You'll say that the portrait is acidic and that I'm not selling you all the qualities of the subject. So, we'll discuss another time its terrible gregarious instinct, its frustrated sexuality, its oral expression, and its atypical coat; otherwise, this mule notebook will close on my prose. It's true, its countless qualities, dreams of great rides, and beautiful complicity, I leave you to discover, create, and realize them yourselves. It's an extraordinary animal that will offer you angers as intense as your satisfactions. Prepare for a passionate relationship with an exciting animal that will regularly force you to question yourself without going through a therapist's couch and one day be able to say that you had a horse in your life and that this horse was... a mule! Florence Hurlet.