Mini Mag Mar 9 2021

Crooked Creek Mule Company is not in the business of raising mules. “We have a number of associates with top producing mares and jacks from which we acquire some mules,” Cyndi said. Actually, their mules come from variety of sources. “You never know when an opportunity will come up to buy a mule,” Cyndi said. “We have rescued mules from several places and even bought some out of kill pens.” Mules are started training for jumping at about three-and-half-years. “We go slow starting by walking over a log and then keep increasing height of the jump” Cyndi said. “It takes six to eight months to train a jumping mule. We have to find out if the mule has the ability and wants to jump. “Some mules just weren’t made to be jumpers,”

Jerry and Cyndi Nelson of Crooked Creek Mule Company at Cameron, Missouri, demonstrated the sport of mule jumping at EquiFest of Kansas in Salina. Most important to the presentation were the jumping mules with Nelson family members assisting as Cyndi visited with the audience.

she admitted. “But they all have a useful purpose.” Mules are broke to ride and drive either single or double. “We participate in several trail rides annually and some of our mules do well in halter show competitions,” Cyndi said. “We have several vehicles that the mules can pull single or as a team,” she continued. They own buckboards and box wagons, but dispersed their carriages. “We did offer mule carriage rides for several years in Cameron, but no longer do that,” Cyndi said. “Our mules aren’t called into doing farm work or pulling contests, but they could sure do it. “If a mule doesn’t fit our operations, it is marketed to another owner. We are very particular who we sell our mules to,” she declared.