Mules VS. Horses.
Now, the horse has more status. But mules have the reputation of being better workers, not as flighty as horses.
Has anyone had actual experiences with mules (the four-legged kind)? Could you share your experience with us?
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The first problem she had was convincing the officials it was not against the rules. Then she had to get the judges to stop staring at her mule's ears. After a couple of years they finally began evaluating the mule on the work he actually was doing and he got decent scores.
Mules are not that bad at dressage it turns out!
ETA - here is a different mule doing dressage:
If you google "dressage mule" you'll find lots of examples!
carry moonbeams home in a jar,
and be better off than you are?
horses. Mules were used on his Fathers farm and my Father was hitching up, and driving their team from the age of six. He had horses until he retired. When he was 60 he brought home a mule. Never rode it, he didn't have a wagon to hitch it to but it would follow him every where.
Been around mostly good cow horses my whole life. There is huge range in the TYPES of horses - breeds and lines in those breeds, then just individual personalities that generalizing is pretty hard. You are going to get anything from a flighty spoiled overfed high-energy animal to a good stable older ranch horse that has seen it all and can take care of a small child.
So far with my tiny bit of two weeks worth with this mule I have noticed she stops and stares at things a horse might shy at. Both behaviors are a little annoying in a riding animal but the difference was notable.
Old timers say a mule will QUIT working when it's own health is at risk where a horse will give you everything and die trying to give more. Mules can apparently carry a heavier load for longer periods of time - old packing advice says they can carry about 50lbs more than an equivalent sized horse. Proportionally burros can carry more but they are small animals.
In the old days necking a wild cow or steer to a mule to lead it out of rough country was common. Mules were preferred as burros tend to kick more, horses are unsuitable for that unless they have a rider too. (and that is how it is mostly done now)
Mules are supposed to be more sure-footed because they think about where they are putting their feet - I don't know the one I am riding has stumbled over rocks just like any horse would. Years ago a guy who rode mules came to help us with a round-up and as we were trotting out to line out for a circle his mule fell down. This was on pretty flat ground although a bit sandy with some random rocks but the same kind of country that mule should have been used to. It was a strange morning. Guy broke his arm too.
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