Western Mule Riders
By Randy Rutherford - Staff Writer | Jan 20, 2021
I bet you have heard it before that old saying “Stubborn as a mule!” My grandparents often used it when speaking about someone who wasn’t cooperative. This common conception that mules are stubborn is just not true. They are the opposite. Mules are smart and very trainable, but they have an instinct for self-preservation which makes them very careful and leads to the misconception of stubbornness.
I discovered this and much more when visiting Middlebourne, WV resident, Ronnie Fletcher. Ronnie has a unique hobby, or should I say passion. He belongs to the “Western Mule Riders.” This is a group of like minded riders from across the United States that believes mules, the offspring of a male donkey and female horse, are the perfect mounts. Ronnie and his mule “Podre” have been riding for six years, and they look forward each fall to a trip out west with other club members.