Mules are also rescued as they unfortunately suffer the same mistreatment as horses and need to be rehabilitated and housed until a good home can be found. Mules are very interesting animals as they are a "made" breed.

Mules have been bred and used for centuries as draft, pack, and riding animals. Mules come from the mating of a male donkey and a mare (female horse). Mules themselves are sterile and can not reproduce. There are mules mentioned in old texts thousands of years old as well as appearing in ancient wall carvings.

George Washington loved horses but felt they ate too much and wouldn't be suitable for a lot of work around his plantation so he imported jack stock from Spain and France and began breeding mules on his own. Some mules in America today are from this original Washington bloodline.

A mule's nose is usually lighter than their body color and all mules can be used for any purpose a horse or donkey can. Hauling, packing, jumping, racing, driving and riding, mules are very suited for all of these activities. Additionally, mules do not spook as easily as horses do and have a very calm demeanor.

Some Mule terminology to know :
Draft Mule = mule offspring from a draft horse male
Gelding = castrated stallion/jack
Hinny = hybrid of a stallion and a jenny
Horse Mule = proper term for a male mule
Jack = intact male donkey
Jenny = female donkey
John = informal term for a male mule
Mammoth Jack = jack at least 56" tall at the withers
Mare = female horse
Mare Mule = proper term for a female mule
Molly = informal term for a female mule
Mule = hybrid of jack and a mare
Muleskinner = driver of a hitch of mules

And that's just a few of the interesting facts about mules!