Redeeming Qualities of the Mule
(Pg. 353, 6-14-14). Loving LONGEARS is all about loving equines! It just wouldn’t be right to love mules and hinnies without loving the donkeys and horses that brought them into this world. What equine wins any contest is not as important as the relationship you can have with them due to the wonderful gifts that are given to the offspring by each parent. The horse contributes its beauty, size, athleticism and energy. The donkey contributes his affection, intelligence, patience, endurance, resistance to disease, toughness and sense of self-preservation. Both inherit the BEST traits from each parent resulting in an animal with a stronger sense of self-preservation, more endurance and physical strength for his size, more resistance to injury, or disease, with an athletic ability that exceeds that of his parents. Mules and hinnies can subsist on much less feed than horses (but they still need adequate nutrition) due to the contributions of the desert-born donkey.
The results are fewer and lower vet bills, less cost of feed and the ability to travel in rougher terrain, increasing the expanse of their uses. When the management and training approach is fair, consistent and equitable, they learn quickly and never forget what they have learned, no matter the time spans of inactivity. The offspring of a male donkey (62 chromosomes) and a female horse (64 chromosomes) is called a mule (63 chromosomes); the offspring of a male horse and female donkey is called a hinny.
Most mules and hinnies are sterile and simply cannot conceive because of the uneven number of chromosomes. Although, there have been cases where some molly (female) mules have been known to conceive to a jack or a stallion. There has been no documentation of a fertile male mule (john mule). Mules and donkeys have a natural affection for humans when treated humanely and can be a real handful when not treated fairly! Learn much more about our amazing Longears, their management and training in the various sections under TRAINING on my website at www.luckythreeranch.com.
