Nero

How funny!  Are they buddies?  You'd think those sharp hooves would hurt!

Are they buddies? well, yes and no.
 
They're usually sleeping and playing together, but sometimes Nero chases and bites the goat, especially when i'm around (he's a bit jealous i think).
 
those little hooves do hurt, they're hard and sharp and there's a 100 lbs goat on top of them and if one ends up on your feet you will definitely *feel* it, but Nero is very patient and tolerates almost anything, he also has a thick strong skin over a thick muscle layer so maybe that helps too.

Maybe to a mule it feels like Swedish massage!

LOVE the picture!!!!!  It's wonderful!!  Nero's wonderful!

Have you considered an Australian stock saddle? 

This company will help fit saddles using a wither tracing method. 
http://www.aussiesaddle.com/
The advantage of Australian saddles on a wide horse or mule are 1) the stuffed serge panels on the underside will conform to the animal's back, unlike wood bars on a Western saddle 2) the back end of the saddle ends right under the cantle of the seat 3) very good spine clearance 4) the surcingle type of girthing system helps keep the saddle in place on animals wihtout withers.

I do not believe in treeless saddle at all, especially with a large rider, because they do nit distribute weight evenly across the animals back.  On wide horses and mule it is almost impossible to keep a treeless saddle from rolling (slipping over the back and depositing the rider on the ground or worse, under the animal's feet).

This American company makes an extra wide mule tree, most of their saddles run on a pretty short bar.
http://www.montanamountainhorse.com/store-categories-Mule-trail-saddles_1526108.html

you might be able to buy just a tree and have a local saddlemaker build a saddle for you.

[quote=Jimmyhaflinger]

Check this one out!!




That is to cute !  "Hey Buddy, A little more to the left. AAAAAAAhhhhhh ! "

The Gaucho saddle worked fine on Nero, but it didn't work as good for me, it just threw me way out of balance.
 
Luckily, i love bareback riding, and Nero has a wonderfully wide, soft, mutton withered back, so i'm just going to ride him bareback for now.
 
 

Luckily, i love bareback riding, and Nero has a wonderfully wide, soft, mutton withered back, so i'm just going to ride him bareback for now.

...just like my Haflingers!   I didn't have any kind of saddle to fit my Haflinger Sweet P for over a year and just rode her bareback, her back is more like a couch than a horse!

I hope my mule foal will turn out to be like Nero, he is awesome!

Nero along with his friends: Jimmy (20ish years old Haflinger) and Lampo (34 years old Italian Draft)
 

 
 

Those are some good looking buddies!!

Lampo is THAT old???  I'd never have guessed it!! They all look wonderful! Great job JH!!

Lampo was foaled on March 12, 1976
He's 15.7 hands and about 1400 lbs.
 
he's still incredibly healthy, i rarely have to call the vet for him apart for his yearly shots & coggins
 
He's also still&nbsperfectly rideable, he still has sound legs and lungs and good muscling, also his back is still very strong with almost no sway.
 
Italian draft horses are known for their hardiness and long lifespan, they can easily live to be 40,

Okay, the hands measurement threw me.  I'd let it go but now I'm curious about how big he is. []  15.7.... that would be 16.3? []

[quote=hunterseat]

Okay, the hands measurement threw me.  I'd let it go but now I'm curious about how big he is. []  15.7.... that would be 16.3? []


He's about 160 cm at the withers,
 
Italian Drafts are smaller than most draft breeds from Northern Europe like Shires, Belgians or Clydesdales