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Steve Edwards of Queen Valley Mule Ranch and I Talk Mules

Published April 29, 2021

I, Bernie Harberts, did not use generative AI to write or illustrate this article. Spell check and grammar check, yes. AI, no.

Cover image linking to Bernie Harberts' recorded chat with Steve Edwards about mules, saddles and hoof boots — Steve Edwards and I talk mules saddles, hoof boots and forage on the hoof (*Click on the photo to stream the video*).

Had a great online chat today with Steve Edwards about some of my long distance rides. Steve is the owner of Queen Valley Mule Ranch. In addition to be being a great saddle maker (I used one of his saddles on my latest mule voyage) he sure knows his mule. A few of the topics we discussed are:

Disastery to Mastery: finding the balance between just taking off with your horse or mule or waiting until you know it all
6,000 Miles, 2 Saddles: explaining the voyage of how I got to the saddle that I use (spoiler alert: it’s one of Steve’s Trail Lite saddles. You can read the review right here.)
10,000 Barefoot Mule Miles: discussing my experience with hoof boots on long-distance rides, especially with barefoot mules
Forage on the Hoof: showing you the ways I kept my mules fed on my unsupported long-distance trips

Steve and I had a lot of fun talking about all this. Big thanks to:

Steve Edwards of Queen Valley Mule Ranch for reaching out to me for a chat
Dave Shrein of The Blocks Agency for hosting our talk
Carlos Sandovos for lining all this up

New Book Update and Newsletter

I’m about a week away from finishing the first draft of the new book about my mule journey from North Carolina to Idaho. It’s weighing in at a whopping 300,000 words and I’m thrilled with how it’s coming out. I’m especially proud of how I’ve captured the feel of what it’s like to travel months on end through American with my mules. I think you’ll really enjoy it.

Map of Bernie Harberts' mule route across America for his new book — The route I took across America for my latest book.

Landri Loos walking her pet pig near Hazard, Nebraska — The book has great stories about folks I would probably not have ever met had I not bombed in to their lives with my mules. Here, Landri Loos walks her pig. Landri’s story is in the book. (Hazard, NE)

Mules Cracker and Brick after a saddle wreck outside Dannebrog, Nebraska — Like all great travel books, this one has plenty of adventure. Here, Cracker and Brick post-wreck… (Outside Dannebrog, NE)

Get A Free Copy of my New Photo Book “19 Million Mule Steps”

I’ve been working on a photo book while I’m editing “Two Mules to Triumph” into a manageable length. It’s called “19 Million Mule Steps” and contains 134 pages of photos, musings and sketches that didn’t fit into “Two Mules to Triumph.” Yes, “19 Million Mule Steps” contains plenty of photos of one of Steve’s Queen Valley Mule Ranch (QVM) saddles going through its paces.

I’d love for you to have a copy.

Just enter your details below, hit Subscribe and download your free eBook. Enjoy!

More from this series at Two Mules to Triumph.

More about:

hoof boots and keeping horses and mules barefoot.
Julia's and my Horseing Around adventures.
what escapes categories on the homestead in the Splinters pile.

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