Top 10 Facts About Mules

Mules combine characteristics of both horse and donkey parents, creating a tougher, more resilient working animal.

A hinny, the offspring of a male horse and a female donkey, is much rarer than a mule and often resembles its mother more closely.

They are hardy, sure-footed working animals and are valued throughout the equestrian community.

The Top Ten

  1. Mules are 99.9% sterile

    This is due to an uneven chromosome count, although in very rare cases, female mules have been known to give birth to foals.

  2. Mules are hardier, eat less, and live longer than horses of an equivalent size

    Mules require less food and have more stamina than horses of the same weight and height, making them resilient working animals in some of the harshest environments. Their lifespan is also up to around 35 to 40 years, with some recorded making it to 50 years, while a horse's lifespan is about 25 to 30 years on average.

  3. Mules are less stubborn and more intelligent than donkeys

    Mules are thought to be more docile than their donkey sires. But a mule's intelligence also means that they are more cautious and aware of danger, making them safer to ride when crossing dangerous terrain.

  4. Mules have skin that is less sensitive than that of a horse and more resistant to sun and rain

    This makes mules a dependable option for owners who work outside in harsh weather and strong sunlight.

  5. Mules have harder hooves than horses

    Mules' hooves are less likely to split or crack and can withstand mountainous trails and rocky farm soil. For many owners around the world who may not be able to regularly replace horseshoes, this means that mules are cheaper to keep than a horse and sturdier than a donkey.

  6. Mules have been depended on by militaries for many years

    Mules have been used throughout history as reliable pack animals in combat, able to take on the tough terrain that other forms of transport can't reach. For example, in the 1980s, the United States Central Intelligence Agency provided roughly 10,000 mules to carry weapons and supplies through Afghanistan's rugged hills to Afghan mujahideen camps.

  7. Mules can kick sideways

    Although mules are usually docile, an angry mule can kick both backwards and to the side.

  8. Mules generally weigh between 800 and 1,000 pounds

  9. Mules that are male are called a John, while females are called Molly

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