Mules are interesting animals. They are typically thought of as large, white donkeys with funny looking feet, but that is only part of what makes them unique. At their core, mules are hybrids!
They are born when an adult horse breeds with a donkey. The offspring have both horse and donkey DNA which means they can retain some traits from each parent. This mix also creates something new-mule!
There are many different types of mules. Some are recognized by breed, while others are not. No matter what kind you prefer, all mules share one common trait: they work hard!
Mules are valued for their work ethic. Because they combine qualities of horses and donkeys, they will consistently pull or push a load without rest until it is done. This is why most people use mules in heavy industry-mining, construction, agriculture.
Another reason to admire a mule’s work ethic is because it takes a lot of pride to do your job well. Like humans, every mule has a favorite thing to do, and they prove it time and time again.
History of the mule
In Africa, there were no domesticated horses until around 2,000 years ago. At that time, people began breeding donkeys together to get tall, strong donkeys with longer tails called zebu. These sturdy beasts are still popular as working animals today.
The Romans imported both horse-donkey hybrids and purebred Arabian horses and bred these two species together to make another hybrid breed. They referred to this new beast as a Μούλα, which means mix or crossbreed in Greek.
These mixed breeds are now known all over the world as mules. People use different names for individual mule types depending on where they live. For example, those in Spain call them burros, French refer to them as bélæse, and Arabs name theirs an Ḥarīb.
History
Most mules have at least one parent who is a zebu (referred to as a donor) and one who is a horse (the recipient).
Differences between a horse and a mule
Horses are mammals, while don’t technically belong to any specific group within the larger class of mammals called ‘mammalsia’ is usually referred to as either even-toed ungulates or hoofed animals.
Mules, however, are not actually horses! A mule is really an animal with two main parts that come together to create one working unit. The first part is a donkey, which has no hind legs but instead a strong back leg. This can be confusing because some refer to this as a zebra pattern (two striped legs) whereas others call it a takhi pattern (one long, thick furred leg).
The second component is what most people know as a horse. These have four well-developed feet and typically longer hairs for hair. Because they lack a heavy weight rider, horses need to work harder than their counterparts in order to satisfy the same needs – food, water, shelter and companionship.
This article will talk about the differences between owning a horse and owning a mule, why you might want one, and how much each cost. But before we get into the numbers, let us look at the term “horse”.
Mules in the workforce
As we mentioned earlier, mules are not popularly favored among employers these days. This is mostly due to their expensive cost per use. Because of this, many experienced muling companies will be let go so that other businesses can be started or expanded upon with less costly equipment.
This can sometimes make it difficult for individuals who want to start working as a muler because they may need time to find someone willing to hire them!
Luckily, there are ways to work as a mule trainer without having your own horse. Using horses as partners instead of paid employees can help you get employment while still practicing your passion.
Mule trainers must be careful how much power they give each partner horse during different stages of training. Too much power given at too early an age may result in poor behavioral control or even breaking down of the bond between the two animals.
Also, like any animal trainer, mule trainers must ensure that their lessons are logical and consistent before moving onto the next stage. When using a second horse as a partner, make sure both horses understand what you are teaching them so that their partnership does not break down over confusion.
Mules in the field
A mule is not a horse, nor is it a donkey. A mule is a hybrid animal that has both a donut and a saddlebred parent. This means that some of their genetics come from horses and zebra.
Mules are very popular all over the world. They are used for different purposes depending on what area they are in. Some areas use them for work as a plow or cart puller.
In Africa, where most mules live, they are an integral part of the culture. Due to their hard working nature, there are many ways to make money using a mule.
Some people breed them and sell off offspring either directly or through dog breeding facilities. The parents of these dogs get paid less than the puppies which makes it expensive to own a mule.
Another way to earn money with a mule is by helping other farmers transport goods. When you buy a pack of mules, you pay more per pound for each individual animal. But you get value for your money because they are much cheaper per trip than buying a horse or donkey.
Last but not least, people who have no access to land can hire a mule to help them grow crops or move heavy materials. Because they are cost effective, many wealthy individuals have one or several around the farm or property they reside at.
Mules in the zoo
There are many different types of mules, with some being closer relations to donkeys than horses. Some experts even consider them all to be one species!
The term ‘mule’ comes from the Old English word mylge, which means small horse or foal. In Europe, people were using donkey-horse hybrids as working animals for centuries before anyone thought to breed them.
When Europeans colonized North America, they brought their livestock with them. Horses were expensive so people made do by breeding ponies with donkeys or other less costly horses.
These hybrid horses became known as mules because they had both an equine and donkey ancestor. They are still popular today due to their hardworking nature.
Mules in the circus
There are many different types of mules, but most people recognize the kind that circuses use for work. These don’t look like ordinary horses or don’t have riders — they look more like large dogs.
These “museum breed” mules were bred to carry heavy loads without struggling too much. Because they’re also sturdy, they’re good at withstanding weather conditions while working.
That means they can survive winter rides outside before being brought back inside during cold seasons. They also learn how to pull carts and trucks quickly, so they’ll be trained as workers soon!
There are some breeds which are very soft-skinned, though. That makes them less resistant to heat when hot days are common, and they may need special care to protect them from overheating.
Some horse-like breeds never develop solid muscles, making them even softer still.
Mules in the horse racing industry
Many people are not familiar with mules, so let’s give an example of what they are before we talk about how much they cost.
A mule is a cross between a donkey and a horse. The donkeys maternal lineage comes from the wild ass, which no longer exists. Horses were tamed thousands of years ago, around 6-8 thousand years ago!
Donkey foetuses are still born alive today, even though their parents do not survive childbirth. This is because the foal receives enough nutrients and glucose (carbs) to fuel its body while it grows for several months through milk that the mother produces.
This isn’t the case for horses, who need food and shelter after birth. Because mules are half horse, they have slightly more horse DNA than donkey DNA, which gives them some extra perks like smooth hair coats and lateral movement when walking or running.
These dogs are very intelligent and trainable, making them ideal working companions or pets. However, due to their size, most people find this difficult to get along with unless raised together as puppies.
Mules in the agriculture industry
There are many types of horses that are not appropriate for some jobs. For example, working at high speeds or with large objects requires something more stable than an athletic horse.
A mule is a horse-hybrid used for work in the agricultural industry. They are typically either born without a tail or it is removed early to prevent injury during transport or use.
Because they have no proper hind legs, mules must be trained to pull using their front limbs and muscles. This makes them very versatile as you can put them anywhere and teach them any task!
Mules are also quite durable and will keep performing under heavy pressure. This is because they develop thick skin and strong musculature due to spending most of their time pulling things around.
Some people may find it funny to see how quickly a mule learns new tasks but this also means they may get hit or kicked much more often. People who deal with farm animals know that this does not phase them nor changes how friendly the animal becomes.
