190 THE PRACTICAL HORSE KEEPER. 



economy; but, as a general thing, the experiment proved a 

 failure, and they gave it up and returned to horses. The 

 great reason for this failure was, that the persons placed in 

 charge of them knew nothing of their disposition, and lacked 

 that experience in handling them which is so necessary to 

 success. But it must be admitted that, as a general thing, 

 they are not well adapted for road or city purposes, no matter 

 how much you may understand driving and handling them. 



'^ The mule may be made to do good service on the prairies, 

 in supplying our army, in towing canal boats, in hauling cars 

 inside of coal mines — these are his proper places, where he can 

 jog along and take his own time, patiently. Work of this 

 kind would, however, in nearly all cases, break down the spirit 

 of the horse, and render him useless in a very short time. ... 

 The mule, especially if large, cannot stand hard roads and 

 pavements. His limbs are too small for his body, and they 

 generally give out. You will notice that all good judges of 

 road and trotting horses like to see a good strong bone in the 

 leg. This is actually necessary. The mule, you will notice, is 

 very deficient in leg, and generally has poor muscle ; and many 

 of them are what is called cat-hammed." 



In harness they often prove remarkably serviceable in 

 heavy ground and in mountainous countries, where they are 

 said to be better than horses. An observer writes : " In South 

 America, mules are more used among the mountains (than 

 horses), a habit probably introduced from Spain. They are 

 perhaps better with the average driver, although they will 

 never make the pace that good horses will do. They are not 

 so excitable ; they are more easily made reliable at a pull ; 

 they are far more certain to take care of themselves ; they are 

 even more clever in ascending and descending excessively steep 

 places than either the horse, the ox, or the zebra ; but in run- 

 ning down ordinary hills they are far more liable to stumble or 

 fall on their knees than an ordinary horse." 



