Tried using a trailer jack with a winch to pull shoes off a mule. Almost lost a finger.

Last week I was out at a ranch near Denton, had this stubborn mule that wouldn't let me near his back feet. Figured I'd get clever and use my trailer's winch to hold his leg steady while I pulled the shoe. Big mistake - the winch slipped and the leg swung back hard, almost took my hand with it. Now I'm wondering, is it better to just send these jobs to a vet or is there a safe way to handle an animal that won't cooperate? Has anyone else dealt with a kicker that just won't settle down?

3 comments

3 Comments

casey68226d ago

My buddy Dave tried something similar with a horse a few years back up near Gainesville. He rigged a come-along to a fence post to hold the leg steady and the whole thing came off the post, horse kicked back and caught him right in the shin. Broke his leg in two places. He ended up paying more for the hospital than he would've just calling the vet out. Sometimes you gotta just accept the mule's not gonna be your friend that day and let a professional handle it.

hannah_perry25d ago

3 years ago my buddy Carlos in Ocala tried to save a few bucks on a lame mule. He got the bright idea to tie a rope around the back leg and anchor it to his truck bumper. Mule spooked, yanked the rope tight, and pulled the truck right out of park. Rolled it into a ditch. Ended up calling a tow truck, a vet, and a fence repair guy. Cost him way more than just calling the vet from the start, and he still had to pay the vet anyway.

mila_murphy2125d ago

Dave in Gainesville sounds like he's lucky it wasn't worse. That come-along trick is scary because the tension can snap back or the whole setup fails at once. People think they can outsmart a thousand pound animal, but it always ends up costing more in the end.