Jasper’s Mule & Donkey Facts 2008

How are mules and donkeys different from horses?
First, a mule is half horse and half donkey. Most people have seen horses, but many have never even seen a picture of a mule or donkey and get them mixed up. People think horses are beautiful, but when they see a mule or donkey, they think they look funny because of the long ears. But mules and donkeys just look different than horses and once you get to know them, you can see what loving and affectionate animals they really are…and they love kids! Mules and donkeys just don’t care for people who are mean!

The easiest way to tell a donkey from a mule is to look at the tail. A donkey will have a shorter tail, with short hairs all the way down the tail and a switch of longer hair at the end. The mule’s tail looks more like a horse’s tail only with shorter hairs right at the top and thinner, longer hair all the way down the tail. You can’t really tell by the ears because length can differ from one animal to the next depending on what traits their parents have.

Mules and donkeys love people so much that most of the time they will come up to the fence to see you when you stop to visit. Though some horses will come to see you, most will look at you and then continue eating.

When you are training, horses will let themselves be bullied into doing things. Mules and donkeys would rather be asked politely and nicely and will not cooperate unless you do!

Are there clubs for mules and donkeys?
Yes, there are many clubs throughout the United States and around the world. You probably have one close by. If you would like to know about these mule and donkey clubs, write to the American Donkey & Mule Society at adms@juno.com or go to our website at www.LuckyThreeRanch.com and look on our list of “Mule Clubs.” They have many fun shows and events to attend, even if you are just a beginner!

What are hinnies, hules, jules, donkules, zorses, zebrasses, etc.?
The mule is called a hybrid because he is an animal that is manmade by crossing two different species of equines, for example, the horse and the donkey. When the donkey is the male parent and the horse is the female parent, the offspring is called a mule. But, when you breed a male horse to a female donkey, the offspring is called a hinny.

Male mules and hinnies are called johns, or horse mules and female mules and hinnies are called mollys.

Male donkeys are called jacks and female donkeys are called jennets or jennys.

Ordinarily hybrids cannot have offspring of their own, but there are exceptions to this rule. There have been female mules that have had babies when bred to a male donkey, or male horse. When a female mule is bred to a horse, the offspring is called a hule. When the female mule is bred to a jack, the offspring is called a jule, or donkule.

When a zebra is crossed with a horse, the offspring is called a zorse and when the zebra is crossed with a donkey, the offspring is called a zebrass.

Are mules and donkeys stubborn?
Mules and donkeys are not so different from us. They like to feel safe and don’t like to be forced into a situation they don’t trust. When they are treated with patience, kindness, understanding and respect, they will usually do what you want them to, but if you do not ask them nicely, they can get just as stubborn as we do. It doesn’t make them bad, or disobedient. They would just like people to treat them more kindly before they do what the people ask.

Do mules and donkeys forgive you if you make a mistake?
Yes, they will forgive you as long as you are truly sorry, you tell them that you are sorry and you then try to do things better.

Will mules and donkeys kick or bite?
If they are surprised or agitated, they might kick or bite, but not anymore than a horse would. You just need to learn good horsemanship manners and learn how to be around them safely.

Have mules been around for very long?
Mules and donkeys have been around for thousands of years. Donkeys are thought to have first been domesticated around 4,000 BC, and mention of them in the Bible can be found in several places.

Mules became very popular in this country when George Washington received the jack, Royal Gift, from the King of Spain in 1786 and started breeding the first mules in the United States at Mt. Vernon. Mules have certainly done their part since, helping to build this country into what it is today. They worked pulling supply wagons in the north, plowed cotton fields in the south, worked in the coal mines of Kentucky, mined gold in the Rocky Mountains and the Sierra Nevada Mountains, pulled covered wagons over the Great Plains, pulled the borax wagons in the deserts of Arizona and New Mexico, and even helped to build the Rose Bowl in Pasadena!

What sizes are mules and donkeys?
Donkeys come in as many different sizes as horses do, though the biggest donkey is still a little smaller than the largest draft horse. Donkeys are distinguished by size in this country as Miniatures (36” or less), Small Standard (36.01”– 40”), Standard (40.01-48”), Large Standard (jennets 48”-54”, jacks (48”-56”), and Mammoth (jennets 54” & over, jacks 56” & over).

Mules come in as many sizes as there are horse sizes because the horse is their mother. The mule offspring will generally be the mare’s height, two inches shorter, or two inches taller than her.