HORSES AND MULES 



345 



The use of mules for draft purposes 

 in cities is increasing from year to year, 

 and for farm work they are also becom- 

 ing more popular. A Virginia farmer 

 writes: "For general purposes and last- 

 ing wear the well bred mule outclasses 

 and outlasts any horse." This statement 

 is based on a long experience with mules 

 bred from mares weighing 1400 to 1750 

 pounds, and a Kentucky jack for which 

 $1000 was paid. 



The opinion prevails quite widely that 

 the mule is more stubborn, vicious and 

 ill-tempered than the horse. The tem- 

 per and behavior of the mule, however, 

 depend largely on his breaking, training 

 and method of handling. Mules endure 

 abuse and rough handling with as much 

 patience as the horse. An Iowa breeder 

 considers "no team more gentle, more 

 safe or more agreeable to handle than a 

 pair of mules." In the South the mule 

 and the negro work together. Cotton 

 and sugar plantations are inconceivable 

 without mules. All these uses of the 

 mule constitute a market which is not 

 likely to be overstocked for some time 

 to come. Since the mule inherits much 

 of its form from the dam, it is neces- 

 sary to exercise as much care in select- 

 ing mares as in horse breeding. The 

 mare must be sound and well built, and 

 the color should be dark, preferably 

 black, bay or brown. "The mare should 

 have good length, large, well-rounded 

 barrel, good head, long neck, good, 

 broad, flat bone, broad chest and good 

 style." 



Best time to breed mares — The right 

 time for breeding is about April 1 in 

 Tennessee and at corresponding times 

 in other parts of the country. Before 

 being served, mares should be hobbled 

 or placed in pits or chutes. A suitable 

 breeding chute may easily be construct- 

 ed of plank, placed vertically and close 

 enough together so that the jack's feet 

 do not get caught. At the entrance to 

 the chute wings may be placed opening 

 out at a slight angle. Poles passing 

 through the chute in front and behind 

 the mare and also behind the fore legs 

 and in front of the hind legs just under 

 the belly, will prevent any accident from 

 kicking or squatting. Moreover, if sev- 

 eral mares are ready for service at the 

 same time, artificial insemination may 

 be accomplished by means of the syringe 

 or capsule method. (See Artificial Im- 

 pregnation.) The mare is returned to 



the jack on the eighteenth day after 

 service. 



For farm work, a mule should stand 

 15 to 15.2 hands high and weigh 1050 

 to 1100 pounds. Some users of mules 

 prefer a heavier animal — up to 1300 

 pounds. In order to get mules of this 

 size, Percheron mares and a jack 15.2 

 hands high may be used. In all cases, 

 both the mare and jack should be dark 

 in color, for the market demands dark 

 colored mules. A mature jack is a more 

 certain foal getter than a young one. 

 Wbile, therefore, jacks may be allowed 

 to do service sparingly at two years of 

 age, they should not be brought up to 

 a maximum till the age of four or five 

 years. Some breeders castrate male 

 mules during the first summer, while 

 they are still with the mares, but, as a 

 rule, it is better to wait till they are 

 one year old. In general, the market 

 prefers female to male mules. The 

 females mature a little earlier and are 

 plumper and more squarely built. Then 

 gnats and screw worm flies often irri- 

 tate the sheath of the male. 



Warder recommends that mules be 

 broken at two years of age, after which 

 they are to be put at light work during 

 the third year. It is believed that by 

 this system they develop a quicker step 

 than when broken after attaining full 

 maturity and put at hard work imme 1 

 diately. The same methods are to be 

 used in breaking mules as with horses. 

 Abuse and barbarous treatment are 

 quite uncalled for. "By kind treatment 

 mules may be rendered the most docile 

 and affectionate creatures among our 

 domestic animals and will often show 

 more intelligence than the horse." 



Hinnies, as already stated, are hybrids 

 obtained by crossing the stallion upon 

 the female ass or jennet. The hinny 

 is usually smaller than the mule and is 

 commonly considered less desirable in 

 every respect. One breeder states that 

 binnies are weak and stubborn and can- 

 not be compared with mules. They re- 

 semble the horse rather than the jennet 

 and have a neater head and heavier 

 mane and tail than the mule. In 

 Jamaica, the hinny is not considered so 

 unimportant. One noted breeder says, 

 "I can make bold to say that they are 

 hardier than the mule out of mares, will 

 grow to a serviceable size and are more 

 cheaply bred." Another breeder in 

 Jamaica states that hinnies "are larger, 

 more docile, and in all respects better 



