Pack mules used in mining operations in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, 1885, by Brazilian photographer Marc Ferrez.
Getty Research Institute
“People who work with them tend to “agree that mules possess the sobriety, patience, endurance, and sure-footedness of the donkey as well as the vigor, strength, and courage of the horse.”
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Mules were designed to survive challenging terrain and tasks. Mule vision, foot size, steadiness, and hearing make them better draft animals than horses and oxen.
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Their regular gait also makes them easier to ride. People who work with them tend to “agree that mules possess the sobriety, patience, endurance, and sure-footedness of the donkey as well as the vigor, strength, and courage of the horse.” Mules have tougher skin and hooves than horses and on average can carry 5% more of their body weight.
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Their hooves are more equipped to traverse prairie grass than oxen and can better withstand the shock and abrasion of crossing rocky, “boulder-strewn” terrain and the uncertainty of rainy or snowy trails.
Horses, on the other hand, require more water, special foods, and additional recovery time.Science History Institute Museum & Library
The parts of a mule and a detail of a mule assessment sheet, from Mule Production, a USDA Farmer’s Bulletin, 1949.
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Make it stand out.
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
