Tag Archives: Mules

The Celebrated Jumping Mules of the Cimarron Grasslands

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Noted Mule Driver Lee Bailey performing with Mr. Jackson

Many of you are no doubt familiar with the Lipizzaner breed of Leaping horses made famous by the Spanish riding school from Vienna, Austria. They’re the big white horses that stand on their back feet and jump around while a Spanish guy tries to stay on its back. They leap and perform circus-like tricks all the while holding their heads in the air all snooty-like. Apparently being European does that to livestock, the putting on of airs and so on.

It is said that the Spanish riding school decided to come to America and put on demonstrations of how they can jump around and amaze people who aren’t used to that sort of thing. Americans had already decided early on that they didn’t need their animals jumping around and acting hoity-toity when they could be pulling a plow or a wagon, or carrying people normal-like without all that standing on their hind legs. After all we are first and foremost a serious hard working people here and need our animals to be likewise.

Having said that, while the Lipizzaner’s were on tour they gave a performance in the Cimarron National Grasslands near Elkhart, Kansas where most of the grasslands are located. The flattest, grassiest parts anyway, and as it happens there was a mule team made up of natural, all American, not snooty, mules passing through and saw them performing. Now mules are competitive by nature and after watching these jumping around horses for awhile formed the opinion that Lipizzaner’s were just silly. Why do all that when it was not only unnecessary but you didn’t get anything extra for it. Mules are practical creatures, you want them to stand on their hind feet and jump around you got to give them something for it. None of this “Good boy” “Nice Jump”, or I guess it would be “Buen Chico” and “Buen Salto” them being Spanish and all, for American mules. You better come up with a bunch of extra hay or one big bucket of oats for them if you want them to do anything fancy.

But, and it was a big one, they felt like those transient, immigrant-like horses were trying to intimidate them. Who did they think they were coming over here with all those airs. After all they put their shoes on their hooves the same as anybody else. They decided that if a mere horse could do that stuff a mule could do it much better. So they began working out when they weren’t hauling freight or tourists down the Grand Canyon, where by the way it was important that they didn’t do any of that standing up or jumping around stuff on that narrow Bright Angel trail, until they too could do all that jumping and leaping and carrying on. They just didn’t brag about it, or go looking for Spanish guys to ride them.

They saved those talents for when it was important and necessary like when they had to go up a hill. Many times it was easier and more efficient to stand up on their back feet and hop up the incline. They didn’t have so many feet to keep track of and it made the trip more interesting. With their powerful hind legs made up of natural grass fed mule muscle they could leap 8-10′ at a time making short work of any hill climbing. It was refreshing for the riders too.

Also mules love to polka. They will often break into a lively oberek or a shoddish or any of the more polka-like dances. If you watch mule trains for any length of time you will occasionally see a mule suddenly break into a polka and whirl about, jump, leap, backup, and try to catch their own tails, scattering riders and belongings all about the prairie. Which is why experienced riders try to keep their mules engaged and occupied with more mundane trail activities, like pulling heavy wagons, or talking to them about how soap is made.

Although jumping mules are not as common as they once were they are still found in the Cimarron grasslands where they first saw the Lipizzaner’s performing. It takes an extremely experienced mule rider to transverse the rolling grasslands where at any moment their steed may revert back to its origins of being America’s Jumping Mules and perform at will.

Along The Cimarron River

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A section of the Santa Fe trail runs through the Cimarron National Grasslands near Elkhart Kansas, a large expanse of semi-desert land covered with sand sagebrush, cactus, and various flowering plants. The Cimarron river flows alongside the trail and during the summer months is usually dry. Huge old cottonwoods line the bank and provide some much needed shade to travelers passing through. The land is mainly flat with gently rolling hills and bluffs that line the valley. This is the old prairie in all its glory. History can be felt here as you travel the same trail that countless travelers have traveled before you, mountain men, settlers, wagon trains, Indian hunters and warriors, cowboys driving cattle, every memory of the old west has seen this trail and made their own journeys along it.

In early June of this year five historical reenactors riding mules and horses recreated a portion of that journey. They made the journey along the same route traveled by countless journeyers before them. Carrying their own food and water and camping in primitive camps they experienced the same brutal heat with temperatures reaching way into the high 90’s and a 13-15 mph wind that sometimes felt like the inside of a convection oven during the day, and dropping back into the 60’s at night, a blessed relief after the heat of the day. Riding the original trail, seeking water wherever it was available for their stock, climbing the bluffs to look over the endless sea of prairie grass, they felt the history of this famous byway. The discomforts all part of the journey.

Mules and the Art of Pipe Lighting

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It may be hard for us to fathom now days but back in the 1830’s people smoked. They smoked cigarettes, cigars, pipes, sometimes bark, Indians smoked kinnikinic and they smoked it in anything that could hold tobacco. It wasn’t frowned upon or looked down on, people didn’t come up to a smoker and say “Hey! Put that out don’t you know second hand smoke is a major cause of cancer !?!” The ‘you imbecile’ being understood. In fact doing something that rash just might get you a lit cigar in the eyeball.

With all that smoking going on there were numerous ways to light your tobacco in whatever smoking device you employed. Back East and in certain bawdy houses you had matches made with sulphurous coated heads you struck on your enemies unshaven whiskery face to get them to burst into flame, the match not the enemy, right before the fight started. (See early spaghetti westerns for reference)

As you moved further West you didn’t have matches as they were hard to keep dry, they ran out and they made you look like a sissy if you used them. You could pull a burning twig out of the fire to light up and that worked great. It wasn’t much good when you were on the move however. One of the best uses of technology of the day and the most efficient form of tobacco ignition was the use of a magnifying glass. You just held it up for the sun to shine through it then pointed it at the tobacco and before you could say “Hey! Is that an Indian?” you were smoking. Usually about 2-3″ in diameter the magnifying glass hung in a custom made pouch around the smokers neck for easy use. It wasn’t just for burning ants anymore.

However since this was a form of technology there was a certain amount of science involved in its use. You needed a steady hand to use it. If you were standing on the ground you could lean up against something solid, a building, a rock, a tree, maybe someone steadier than you and aim the glass at your pipe. You could do it freestyle, and some did, but you needed to be sober to do it. Otherwise improper alignment could burn a hole in your fore finger before someone mentioned that you were on fire. Also as you had to carefully look at the point of ignition at the top of your pipe this could make you cross-eyed and dizzy and go all over wonky of a sudden. The results of that happening are too numerous to mention here.

The real trick however was to light your pipe while atop your mule. This is where a well trained mule was not only essential but mandatory if you wanted to light your pipe without dismounting. The mule had to be of a scientific nature to begin with, just any old mule out of the barn wouldn’t do. Many were bred just for their ability to recognize a scientific act in the raw and figure out how it could assist its rider in a way that would be the most beneficial to them both. This was done by the mule for a couple of reasons, one, to learn science and technology to enhance its life and two, to get extra oats as a reward. Mules being quick to learn soon saw the benefit of being the most help it could be. They found the extra oats to be a welcome stimulation to their mind and digestive track. There were some mules that were so smart and got so many rewards in the form of oats and other high calorie grains and legumes that you were seeing mules weighing 31 to 3200 lbs. standing in the corrals. Obviously these mules were then used for breeding purposes and not for normal drayage anymore.

In the image above you see how this system worked. You have a vaquero in desperate need of a smoke, his pipe in his mouth and his hand holding the magnifying glass up and pointed at the exact angle needed at sun, ready to suck in a big lungful of smoke as soon as it ignites. What you may not have taken in however is the work that the mule is doing to facilitate this procedure. Look at the way it has positioned the rider so he is at the correct angle needed for full ignition of the tobacco. See him studying the sun shining on the bright green grass watching for any change in its movement. Should a cloud come up casting a shadow over the rider the mule can move forward keeping the maximum amount of concentrated sun power passing through the magnifying glass. This is a well trained mule. It is also a valuable one as its worth to the smoking vaquero can barely be measured in money. Life was tough for those living during those times but as always is the case there were those that made it easier. Having a well trained mule that was adept at the art of pipe lighting made life better.

Crossing the Little Bighorn

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When on maneuvers the Quartermaster would pack up what was needed for the days activities such as ammunition, some medical supplies and whatever else might be useful and join the company on their march.

HIs usual position in the troops lineup was towards the rear of company where he was somewhat protected and could set up to dispense his wares as needed. HIs favorite mode of transport were his reliable mules who were steady and reliable under fire.

Being mobile and adaptable the Quartermaster was one of the most important members of the troop, bringing necessary supplies to wherever they were needed.

The Guide

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Back around Fort Uncompahgre in the early days if you were new to the area and you wanted to go out to make your fortune, you would best be advised to acquire a suitable guide. One that not only knew the area but knew the tribes and how they were particularly feeling at the moment. Did they feel peckish about folks wandering around in their hunting grounds, or were they amenable to visitors if they behaved themselves. That knowledge could be invaluable if you were to unexpectedly meet some of the locals.

This was knowledge that was normally gained the hard way on your own with little chance of a do over if you screwed it up. A good guide could mean the difference between success, which was measured not only materially, but in whether you stayed alive or not, always a desired outcome.

A good guide was measured by many things. Did he appear to be a sober, substantial individual with a good grasp of the country and current conditions. Did he have all of his natural hair. Spots on his head minus hair were acceptable if they occurred naturally but were to be avoided at all cost if they appeared to be gone due to native surgery. Always ask the prospective guide to remove his hat before entering into serious negotiating.

The fellow above is one of the good guides, one of the best actually. Honest, intelligent, a man of few vices, smoking was not considered a vice, nor was spitting unless you were down wind of him. Drunken brawling in your Union suit was considered very bad form, but he was never seen engaging in that behavior so he had an excellent reputation and was sought after if he was in residence at the fort. Dependable, that’s what he was known for. And he didn’t beat his mules.

A good guide meant the difference between a successful trip where you’d finish above the grass or an unsuccessful one, where you’d get to meet some of the Utes who were mostly friendly, and maybe the Shoshone who were not so much, who could give you a more scary outcome. So be advised, if you’re headed out Ft Uncompahgre way and want to make sure you have a good trip check out the guide situation and if you’re lucky hire this guy.

Anybody Seen A Mule

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Anyone seen a mule? He’s 19 hands tall, sort of a creamy color with a big dark splotch on his face, one ear’s been chewed on pretty good and he’s got two different colored eyes. Tends to be moody and prone to bite. Occasionally answers to the name of Get Back Here.

Mountain men have a special relationship with their animals. They need them for every thing they do from riding them, packing on them, helping to keep watch at night by causing all kind of hell if there’s something around that shouldn’t be. Plus they’re good companions. Normally they’re well behaved and tend to stay close to their owners.

There are exceptions however, and old Get Back Here is a prime example of just how contrary they can be. He’s a master of the quick escape. Hobble him and he can jump walk three miles by morning. Tie him to a picket line and he’ll get that knot loose like Houdini. Stake him out on a tether and come morning he’s gone, stakes gone and you’re on foot thinking, just how tough would mule meat actually be.

Course the rest of the fellows in the group are going to make comments and suggestions about how to handle that mule. Nobody will laugh outright at him because the mules owner has been known to be unpredictable after he’s chased that mule all over the canyon.

He’s going to be fortunate this morning because some of the boys that were watering their own stock down at the creek latched on to him and he was soon back in camp. History does not relate what happened or was said between mule and owner but that’s probably a good thing. There’s a lot of sensitive folks that read the blog and we’re pretty darn careful about offending them.

The Palaver

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Palaver : A dictionary that purportedly knows something about the definition of words reports the following definition of the word Palaver. In this context where we have some trappers conversing with each other the following definitions of the word apply.


NOUN: pa·lav·er [pəˈlavər, pəˈlävər] unnecessarily elaborate or complex procedure. Examples: “there’s a lot of palaver involved” · “since I’ve started the whole palaver, I may as well carry it forward” · “getting into each building was a bit of a palaver” · “what a palaver!”

Historical: an improvised conference between two groups, or individuals, typically those without a shared language or culture.

VERB: talk unproductively and at length. Example: “it’s too hot for palavering”

However after talking with some of the participants in the Palaver shown above, it has been ascertained that there was another purpose for a Palaver. In this case the individuals or as they’re known here, the Palaver’s, have gathered to settle a small problem. One of the least favorite jobs on the packing trips was taking care of the mules. Packing and unpacking them, watering and feeding, hobbling them so they didn’t disappear during the night and so on. Mules were some times uncooperative during these routines and could cause the Muleteer to use language unfitting for more gentlemanly pursuits. Plus they sometimes got bit and stepped on and generally mistreated due to the mules peckishness. One did not usually volunteer to be a muleteer.

To establish the proper order of things so each member knew his place and responsibilities they begin by telling each other off-color jokes that get progressively more ribald. The first one to laugh out loud has to take care of the mules on the next trip. Now some of these jokes may not be considered politically correct today so they shan’t be repeated here but lets say they could get a little graphic. Remember there was no internet back then so entertainment was often hard to come by. Usually it was the one of the younger men that would suddenly let loose with a unrestrained belly laugh that earned him the privilege of mule tending much to his chagrin. After all a few of the older men had been clear to Iowa and back all their own and were much more worldly than the younger fellows so it took a lot for then to lose control.

An exception could occur where one of the older fellows would think his joke so humorous that he would start laughing while he was telling it, this was a deadly mistake, thereby earning him the less coveted role of muleteer by default. Plus untold ridicule by the other old timers during the trip. You really needed your best poker face during the palaver.

This procedure can still be found today amongst certain groups where a pecking order needs to be established, but usually they don’t even know they’re Palavering.