Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

homestead - Re: [Homestead] Beer for my Horses

homestead AT lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: Homestead mailing list

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: SJC <indexer AT localnet.com>
  • To: homestead AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [Homestead] Beer for my Horses
  • Date: Thu, 10 Apr 2008 11:42:41 -0400

Clansgian AT wmconnect.com wrote
Mules are the max! But they are half again to twice as expensive as a draft horse. </HTML>
Ah, but only initially....almost no vet bills, hoof bills, and much easier keep than a horse....

In all the years I had Herman (14, I think) I had zip in the way of non-elective expenses, and was able to easily feed him from what we grew right here (10 A of marginal Maine, part of which is coppiced). Elective expenses amounted to some tack, but even that was cheaper, as I managed, with some patience, to buy it pretty cheap after somebody got some tack for his horses that was "not right". Since I grew up around mules, I recognized it and took my chance and so ended up paying a total of $27 for half a wagon load of messed up mule tack, but I have an old industrial sewing machine just for such stressful moments... :)

Boy, James, you are right about the attack tendencies of the donkey/mule bunch. Herm was death on coyotes, made quick work of one (gory business, that) and got another a couple of days later (I didn't see that, happened at night) and they went so far away after the second one that we didn't even hear them around here until he'd been gone for 2 years! Took good care of "his" goats, loved humans after he was introduced but before that not much on them either. Nothing else went anywhere near him, either, except for one of my dogs, which seemed to be his 'bud' and would walk right under him when he was up to to barn. The other dogs would head for the house as soon as he came to the barn and I never saw them venture to the field when he was there. Even the cats (especially the cats, now that I think of it) didn't stick around where he was. Amazing how fast he was, fascinating to watch, really, for a critter that seemed to take time to "consider" everything else he did, including eat, he'd go into "instant mode" at the sight of any intruder. Crows used to tease him sometimes, funny to watch.

My first lesson on The Territorial Mule happened at the age of seven. I'd always been around mules, but at home. Visiting some friends, we thought to take a shortcut from the house to the river, which happened to be through a field where their mules were at the moment. One arrived by my side as soon as we were over the fence, picked me up by the right shoulder and flung me back over the fence. For 40 years I still had the tooth marks on my shoulder, front and back, but they have mostly disappeared now.....the lesson, however, left a permanent mark, as well it should.

Susan Jane, in Maine




Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.

Top of Page