10 THE MULE. 



fore wheel, then pull the end through so that yon can 

 walk back with it to the hinder wheel (taking care to 

 keep it tight), then pass it through the same, and pull 

 the mule close to the wagon. In this position you can 

 bridle and harness him without fear of being crippled. 

 In putting the rope through the above places, it sliould 

 be put through the wheels, so as to bring it as high as 

 the mule's breast in front, and flaiiks in the rear. In 

 making them fast in this way, they frequently kick 

 until they get over tlie rope, or lariat ; hence the neces- 

 sity of keeping it as high up as possible. If you chance 

 upon a mule so wild that you cannot handle him in this 

 way, put a noose of the lariat in the mule's mouth, 

 and let the eye, or the part where 3'ou put the end of 

 the lariat through, be so as to form another noose. Set 

 this directly at the root of the mule's ear, pull it tight 

 on him, taking care to keep the noose in the same 

 place. But when you get it pulled tight enough, let 

 some one hold the end of the lariat, and, my word for 

 it, you will bridle the mule without much further 

 trouble. 



In hitching the mule to a wagon, if he be wild or 

 vicious, keep the lariat the same as I have described 

 until you get him hitched up, then slack it gently, as 

 nearly all mules will buck or jump stiff-legged as soon 

 as you ease up the lariat ; and be careful not to pull 

 the rope too tight when first put on, as by so doing you 

 might split the mule's mouth. Let me say here that I 

 have broken thousands of four and six-mtile teams that 

 not one of the animals had ever had a strap of harness 

 on when I began with them, and I have driven six- 



