Missouri Mules, Gaited Mules, Mule Teams

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Clipart Courtesy of OCAL on Clkr.com

The mule is the Missouri state animal. And actually I was born in Missouri, in the southeast portion of the state known as the "boot-heel". So, I wear the label "stubborn as a Missouri mule" with pride.

I also have the honor of being "healthy as a MULE". The more common expression is "healthy as a horse", but mule owners will certainly tell you that mules are much healthier than horses because they are not as susceptible to diseases or insects, which can bear diseases and cause nasty sores. That is primarily because they have such thick, tough hides to protect them. They are fondly referred to as being "low maintenance". Me, too.

Furthermore, mules do not even have to wear shoes. That's one of the things I love best about them—I hate shoes, too!

Image used under Creative Commons from Luis Fernández García

The primary reason for writing this article is that I think mules are fascinating and beautiful creatures. Mules are hybrids, the result of cross-breeding horses and donkeys. They inherit very fine qualities from each of their parents, and the results are magnificent. (See next section for details of differences)

The secondary reason for writing about these spectacular animals is because I love mule collectibles and artwork. I have a friend who raises mules and has a home filled to every available inch with mule collectibles and artwork. While trying to find a gift for her years ago, I realized how very difficult it is to search online for just mule-the-animal topics. Today, it is even worse.

There are just too many usages of the word mule. Our beloved animal must compete with shoes, sports teams, colleges, software, ATVs, mule deer, rock bands, drug runners, motorcycles, video games and many more "things". You can easily see the problem.

Add to this the fact that many people can't tell the difference between mules, horses and donkeys. Therefore, they will "tag" items with all three. If you are not a mule-addict yourself, you may not be able to tell the difference either. However, present a donkey gift to a mule-lover "becauswe I know you love mules" and—uh-oh!

For a detailed explanation of why this is all so confusing, refer to the Missouri Mule Gift Guide, where I go into detail about this issue.

So, within this article, I will include many items that are perfect gifts for any mule-lover. I have already spent the time necessary to locate lots of perfect gifts - for yourself or the mule-addict that you love!

Because mules are hybrids born of crosses between horses and donkeys, they have characteristics of both and will differ depending on whether the animal is a mule or a hinny.

What the heck is a hinny? A hinny is a much rarer type of mule and is the result of the mating that created it.

• Female Horse + Male Donkey = Mule
• Female Donkey + Male Horse = Hinny

The differences between horses, donkeys and mules are distinct, however. Here are the most readily identifiable traits:

• Ears - Mules have ears that are shorter than those of a donkey, but much longer than those of a horse.
• Eyes - Horses have round eyes. Donkeys have D-shaped eyes. Mules have eyes that are somewhat D-shaped, but more oval and they have heavier brows.
• Coats - Horses have smooth, shiny coats, much like human hair. Donkeys have long, coarse hair. Mules have hair that is coarser than horses and shorter than donkeys. They have finer coats in the summer than winter, but not as smooth as a horse.
• Tails - The donkey's tail is covered with short, coarse hair and ends in a tuft of hair. A horse's tail is very full, flowing, and smooth. The mule's tail is much like a horse's except the hair is much coarser, and it is not as full at the top.

Photo courtesy of jandrew on morgueFile

While searching for mule artwork to offer you, I discovered Sue Kroll on Zazzle. Sue's ID on Zazzle is a_mule_a_day. Obviously, Sue is passionate about mules. Her paintings touched my heart so much that I decided to do an entire segment featuring her wonderful work. Since everyone who uses a computer needs a mousepad, why not gift yourself or a mule-addict that you love with a magnificent one featuring Sue's extraordinary work? I think the monotone one is my favorite!

This is truly a fantastic rendering of the ever-patient mule. Unfortunately, for some unknown reason, the image quite often fails to load. You really need to see it to appreciate it so, if the image doesn't load, please click the link to see this amazing drawing.

Mule - Patience is a Virtue by Gypsy_moon_creations

Work Mule Print 52x52 by MostlyAnimalArt

The mule image used in the table of contents and guestbook banners as well as the TOC link in each section is derived from an image whose copyright has expired.

Clipart Courtesy of OCAL on Clkr.com

guardianstar77 is a writer, graphics design artist, nature enthusiast and lover of everything that resembles a horse. She lives in Central Arkansas and shares her life with a husband of over 40 years, 2 sons, and 5 fabulous grandchildren. guardianstar77 is not domesticated, finding that spending time doing almost anything else beats doing housework. Her passions include recycling, frugal living, feeding the hungry, old-fashioned vintage everything, nature, reading, writing, flea markets and yard sales, Christmas, mystical creatures, carousels, and artwork filled with glorious earthy colors.

guardianstar77 is a devout Christian, a staunch conservative, a passionate American, and a defender of capitalism. Although she is, by her own definition, somewhat of a "professional hermit crab", guardianstar77 is deeply loyal to her family and those she chooses to have as friends. When not pursuing writing and artistic goals, she spends her time deepening those relationships.

Being born in the state of Missouri and having recently discovered a passion for the Missouri state animal— the mule—guardianstar77 developed yet another persona—that of a mule, specifically a Missouri Mule .

guardianstar77 is a long-standing member of Squidoo, and she shares her royalties with many Squidoo charities. View all my lenses!