anybody still own a mule

If so, do you ride yours or plow with her? My dad and granddad were mule traders. Our business often had 20-50 mules and a few horses. About once per year, we would get a nursing nanny goat when the town doctor "prescribed" goat's milk for a cholicky infant. The horses were usually Belgiums, for loggers.

I've never owned one been around a few. Impressed me enough that if I ever get another horse like critter it won't be a horse. I've always said horses are the most human of all animals, DUMB. Mules got a brain between those ears.

Charles I sure wish I had known you and your family in person I could have learned lots .I just sold a mare with sucking molly mule colt. I have been a horse man my entire life and that was the first mule for me .I have been around them (packing in the wilderness )for most of my life .I could see the difference in her as I was Halter breaking her compared to the many horse foals I have halter broke . I want a "garden and fire wood mule " I do not think I care to use one for a saddle mule in the mountains . We are headed to Billings tomorrow for their monthly sale and I am hoping to find a older "breaking "horse or mule to start green horses or mules in harness .I have owned and broke 3 teams and done lots of raking and manure spreading with them.Our firewood areas now have many gated USFS roads and I need a mule or horse to reach the easier wood .Nothing like the feeling of a good well shod between your legs or a team up on the lines . tally ho smith

My great started with horses…
Then steam
Then diesel

1976 diesel was .69 per gallon
Corn was 3.39

Now diesel is .??..
and corn is still 3 dollars

I know a cowboy who uses a mule often

in 1980 I watched a guy skid log with a team of horses, man they were something else

If anyone wants to watch some good mule/horse videos here's a link to some folks in Idaho that use both.

https://www.youtube.com/@MTN_BUILT

I kept some at my place for my uncle for years. Smart animals.

My dog made the mistake of going near one once. He luckily made it out alive.

I’m really interested in this thread. Got into horses 4 years ago and I love it. This summer I took a 17yr old green pony and got it trained up enough my daughter is gunna run barrels with it in two weeks. I know that’s nothing compared to others but I’m proud of it. That thing was pretty mean, and she’s smart. Anyways, I’ve convinced myself a mule sounds like my kind of critter and wanna add one to my herd next.

Love mules. Did a TSI spruce thinning and had a husband/wife team use mules to pull the trees down. I always request a mule over a horse when elk hunting.

We had them growing up

Most were small ones used for coon hunting in the woods but we did have one big red one for riding

Think dad had up to 10 at one time and no idea how many we went through

After packing both mules and horses for nigh on 12 years can say I'd rather pack a 12 mule string than a 4 horse string. As long as the packer does their thing right, less chance of a rodeo with a long string of mules than a short sting of horses. Horses will intentionally hit trees with packs while mules learn to avoid. In my experience mules more sure footed on shakey ground and IMO better riding.

There is a festival in Benson NC this weekend known as mule days

The ranch I lived on during the 80's had mules for packing in supplies when the sheep were in the high country. I rode one of them moving cows over the mountain to the permit. She did as good or better than most of the horses I rode.

I use to ride them coon hunting. A good mule is priceless. I’m going to get me one one day. Already have a name picked out “Whoopi”!

I want to take a riding mule in the ADKs and hunt off the mule all day. Get up and do it again.

Grew up around them and definitely miss having some around. Can't say the same about horses.

Link doesn't work.

In Missouri, coon hunting on a mule is a big thing, gotta train them to jump fence.

I have a few mules that I hunt off of

My grandfather logged with Belgiums. Wish I could have been there.

We have a festival in the summer in Denton, NC called the Threshers Reunion. Either Friday Or Saturday evening they have a horse pull. Percherons and Belgiums almost exclusively. It's a good show. Got a few guys who still log with their horses. Massive animals!!!

https://dentonfarmpark.com/southeast-old-threshers-reunion/

https://youtu.be/io2OM8SdZMM

Try this link. I'm not Youtube copy literate enough to make everything work correctly.

Maybe someone can fix if it won't open.

A great video. I just about bought one some years back and wish I had. If I lived at he ranch full time I would get one and would be a great project.

Im not a horseman more of a i can sit on the saddle and stay on if they dont get to frisky or make un expected moves guy. Add MS in the mix now so.. For a few years in reading a mule sounds better for me. Sure footed, less likely to bolt, and I dont need speed.

Had a 15 hands saddle broke 5 year old on craigs list not long back. Wife was not a fan and he did look better with the saddle on off his confirmation seemed off some. Wife said its a face only a mother can love.

I always wanted a mule, went to look at a 2 year old mule that was halter broke, sucker kicked me and broke my trigger finger, that was the end of my desire for a mule.

LOL!!!!

That’s the kind of stuff I figure will happen to me. I want one in the worst way. But I can see this happening

hang around them a bit before committing, the more time I spent around Mules the more I liked horses.

Get a gelded male donkey they seem to be a good fit for some. Find one that is above average size for riding and packing would be a fun project.

Hey Donner ! I owned one and was kicked by four ! My old friend is a shoer and i asked him "Wayne do you shoe mules " he lit up like a Christmas tree and said "I don't like the way they look,I don't like the way they smell and I don't even like the people that own them ." There are good ones ,bad ones and medium ones ,Just like people ,and horses ,

Grandson uses one to ride horses aint never been rode before. Tie down the green horse to the mule. Most of the time problems with mules are like problems with dogs and horses. Its the human not the animal.