the male ass or jack and the mare; and the other, the offspring of the
stallion and female ass. The cross between the jack and the mare is
properly called the mule, while the other, the produce of the stallion
and female ass, is designated a hinny. The mule is the more valuable
animal of the two, having more size, finish, bone, and, in fact, all the
requisites which make that animal so much prized as a useful
burden-bearing animal. The hinny is small in size, and is wanting in the
qualities requisite to a great draught animal. This hybrid is supposed
not to breed, as no instance is known to us in which a stallion mule has
been prolific, although he seems to be physically perfect, and shows
great fondness for the female, and serves readily. There are instances
on record where the female has produced a foal, but these are rare.
“The mule partakes of the several characteristics of both its parents,
having the head, ear, foot, and bone of the jack, while in height and
body it follows the mare. It has the voice of neither, but is between
the two, and more nearly resembles the jack. It possesses the patience,
endurance, and sure-footedness of the jack, and the vigor, strength, and
courage of the horse. It is easily kept, very hardy, and no path is too
precipitous or mountain trail too difficult for one of them with its
burden. The mule enjoys comparative immunity from disease, and lives to
a comparatively great age. The writer knows of a mule in Middle
Tennessee that, when young, was a beautiful dapple gray, but is now
thirty years old, and is as white as snow. This mule is so faithful and
true, and has broken so many young things to work by his side, that he
bears the name of ‘Counsellor.’ The last time he was seen by the writer
he was in a team attached to a reaper, drawing at a rate sufficient to
cut fifteen acres of grain per day.
“Kentucky mules are showy, up-headed, fine-haired animals, their extra
qualities being attributable to the strong, Thoroughbred blood in the
greater part of their dams. The same may be said of Tennessee, where it
is thought the climactic influences produce a little better, smoother,
and finer hair, coupled with early maturity, which qualities are much
prized by an expert buyer.
“The mules in Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, and some of the so-called
Northwestern states, have large bone, foot, body, and substance, and
possess great strength, but they are wanting in that high style, finish,
and fine hair that characterize the produce of some of the states
further south, and are longer in maturing. Mule-breeding in these states
is one of the most important branches of industry, and is supposed to
date back prior to 1787.
“There is no kind of labor to which a horse can be put for which a mule
may not be made to answer, while there are many for which mules are more
peculiarly adapted than horses; and among the rest, that of mining,
where the mule is used, and many of them need no drivers. They can
endure more hardships than the horse, can live on less, and do more work
on the same feed than any other beast of burden we use in America.
“A cotton-planter in the South would feel unwilling to raise his crop
with horses for motive power. The horse and the labor of the cotton belt
could not harmonize, while the negro is at home with the mule.
“A mule may be worked until completely fagged, when a good feed and a
night’s rest will enable it to go; but it is not so with a horse.
“The mule being better adapted for carrying burdens, for the plough, the
wagon, building of railroads, and, in fact, all classes of heavy labor,
let us see how it compares with the noble animal, the horse, in cost of
maintenance.
“From repeated experiments that have come under my observation in the
past twenty-five years, I have found that three mules, 15 hands high,
that were constantly worked, consumed about as much forage as two
ordinary-sized horses worked in the same way, and while the mules were
fat the horses were only in good working order. Although a mule will
live and work on very low fare, he also responds as quickly as any
animal to good feed and kind treatment. True, it is charged that the
mule is vicious, stubborn, and slow, but an experience in handling many
mules on the farm has failed to sustain the charge, save in few
instances, and in these the propensities were brought about by bad
handling. They are truer pullers than the horse, and move more quickly
under the load. Their hearing and vision are better than the horse. The
writer has used them in all the different branches of farming, from the
plough to the carriage and buggy, and thinks they are less liable to
become frightened and start suddenly; and if they do start, they usually
stop before damage is done, while the horse seldom stops until
completely freed. The mule is more steady while at work than the horse,
and is not so liable to become exhausted, and often becomes so well
instructed as to need neither driver nor lines.
“In the town in which the writer lives, a cotton merchant, who is also
in the grocery trade, owned a large sorrel mule, 16 hands high, that he
worked to a dray to haul goods and cotton to the depot, half a mile from
his business house. This mule often went the route alone, and was never
known to strike anything, and what was more remarkable, would back up at
the proper place with the load, there being one place to unload
groceries and another for cotton.
“They are also good for light harness, many of them being very useful
buggy animals, traveling a day’s journey equal to some horses. The
writer obtained one from a firm of jack breeders in his vicinity, that
was bred by them, as an experiment, being out of a Thoroughbred mare by
a royally bred jack. She is 16 hands high, as courageous as most any
horse. In traveling a distance of thirty-two miles, this mule, with two
men and the baggage, made it, as the saying goes, ‘under a pull,’ in
four hours, and when arrived at the journey’s end seemed willing to go
on.
“We do not wish to be understood as underrating the horse, for it is a
noble animal, well suited for man’s wants, but for burden-bearing and
drudgery is more than equaled by the patient, faithful, hardy mule.
“There are two kinds of jacks—the mule-breeding and the ass-breeding
jack, the latter being used chiefly in breeding jacks for stock
purposes. It is only with the mule-breeding jack that we will deal.
“A good mule-jack ought to be not less than 15 hands high, and have all
of the weight, head, ear, foot, bone, and length that can be obtained,
coupled with a broad chest, wide hips, and with all the style attainable
with these qualities. Smaller jacks are often fine breeders, and produce
some of our best mules, and when bred to the heavier, larger class of
mares show good results, but as ‘like produces like,’ the larger jacks
are preferable.
“Black, with light points, is the favorite color for a jack, but many of
our gray, blue, and even white jacks have produced good mules. In fact,
some of the nicest, smoothest, red-sorrel mules have been the product of
these off-colored jacks; but the black jacks get the largest proportion
of good-colored colts from all colored mares.
“The breed of the jack is also to be looked into. There are now so many
varieties of jacks in the United States, all of which have merits, that
it will be well to examine and see what jack has shown the best results.
We have the Catalonian, the Andalusian, the Maltese, the Majorca, the
Italian, and the Poitou—all of which are imported—and the native jack.
Of all the imported, the Catalonian is the finest type of animal, being
a good black, with white points, of fine style and action, and from 14½
to 15 hands high, rarely 16 hands, with a clean bone. The Andalusian is
about the same type of jack as the Catalonian having, perhaps, a little
more weight and bone, but are all off-colors. The Maltese is smaller
than the Catalonian, rarely being over 14½ hands high, but is nice and
smooth. The Majorca is the largest of the imported jacks, the heaviest
in weight, bone, head, and ear, and frequently grows to 16 hands. These
are raised in the rich island of Majorca, in the Mediterranean Sea.
While they excel in weight and size, they lack in style, finish and
action. The Italian is the smallest of all the imported jacks, being
usually from 13 to 14 hands high, but having good foot, bone, and
weight, and some of them make good breeders. The Poitou is the latest
importation of the jack, and is little known in the United States. He is
imported from France, and is reported to be the sire of some of the
finest mules in his native land. These jacks have long hair about the
neck, ears, and legs, and are, in some respects, to the jack race what
the Clydesdale is to other horses. He is heavy set, has good foot and
bone, fine head and ear, and of good size, being about 15 hands high.
“The native jack, as a class, is heavier in body, having a larger bone
and foot than the imported, and shows in his entire make-up the result
of the limestone soil and the grasses common in this country. He is of
all colors, having descended from all the breeds of imported jacks. But
the breeders of this country, seeing the fancy of their customers for
the black jack with light points, have discarded all other colors in
selecting their jacks, and the consequence is that a large proportion of
the jacks in the stud now, for mares, are of this color.
“The native jack, being acclimated, seems to give better satisfaction to
breeders of mules than any other kind. From observation and experience
it is believed that our native jacks, with good imported crosses behind
them, will sire the mules best suited to the wants of those who use them
in this country, and will supply the market with what is desired by the
dealers. The colts by this class of jacks are stronger in make-up,
having better body, with more length, larger head and ear, more foot and
bone, combined with style equal to the colts of the imported jacks.
“While many fine mules are sired by imported jacks, this is not to be
understood as meaning that imported jacks do not get good foals, yet,
taken as a class, we think that the mule by the native jack is superior
to any other class. This conclusion is borne out by an experience and
observation of some years, and by many of the best breeders and dealers
in the United States.
“As the mule partakes very largely in its body and shape of its mother,
it is necessary that care should be taken in selecting the dam. Many
suppose that when a mare becomes diseased and unfit for breeding to the
horse, then she is fit to breed to mules. This is a sad mistake, for a
good, growing, sound colt must have good, sound sire and dam.
“The jack may be ever so good, yet the result will be a disappointment
unless the mare is good, sound, and properly built for breeding. First,
she should be sound and of good color; black, bay, brown, or chestnut is
preferred. Her good color is needed to help to give the foals proper
color, and this is a matter of no small importance.
“This should not be understood as ignoring the other colors, for some of
the best mules ever seen were the produce of gray or light-colored
mares, as many dealers and breeders will attest. The mare should be well
bred; that is, she would give better results by having some good
crosses. By all means let her have a cross of Thoroughbred, say
one-quarter, supplemented with strong crosses of some of the larger
breeds, and the balance of the breeding may be made up of the better
class of the native stock. The mare should have good length, large,
well-rounded barrel, good head, long neck, good, broad, flat bone, broad
chest, wide between the hips, and good style.
“Having selected the sire and the dam, the next thing is to produce the
colt. The sire, if well kept and in good condition, is ready for
business, but not so with the mare. The dam is to be in season; that is,
in heat. Before being bred, to prevent accidents, the mare should be
hobbled or pitted. Having taken this precaution, the jack may be brought
out, and both will be ready for service. Care should be taken not to
over-serve the jack, as he should not be allowed to serve over two mares
a day.
“The mare, after being served, may be put to light work, or put upon
some quiet pasture by herself for several days until she passes out of
season, when she may be turned out with other stock to run until the
eighteenth day, when she should be taken up to be teased by a horse, to
ascertain if she be in season, and if so, she should be bred again. Some
breeders think the ninth, some the twelfth, and some the fifteenth day
after service is the proper day to tease, but observation has taught me
that the best results come from the eighteenth-day plan. After she
becomes impregnated she should have good treatment; light work will not
hurt her, but care should be taken not to over-exert. She should have
good, nutritious grass if she runs out and is not worked, but if worked
she should be well fed on good feed. The foal will be due in about 333
days. As the time approaches for foaling, the mare should be put in a
quiet place, away from other stock, until the foal is dropped. She will
not need any extra attention, as a rule, but should be looked after to
see that everything goes right.
“After the foal comes, it will not hurt the mare or colt for the dam to
do light work, provided she is well fed on good, nutritious food. Should
she not be worked and is on good grass, and fed lightly on grain, the
colt will grow finely, if the mare gives plenty of milk; if she does not
the foal should be taught to eat such feed as is most suitable.
“The colt should be well cared for at all times, and particularly while
following its mother, for the owner may want to sell at weaning time,
which is four months old, and its inches then will fix the price. Good
mules, at weaning time, usually bring from $75 to $90, and sometimes as
high as $100.
“Feeders, dealers, and buyers prefer the mare mule to the horse, and
they sell more readily. The females mature earlier, are plumper and
rounder of body, and fatten more readily than the male.
“In weaning the colt, much is accomplished by proper treatment
preparatory to this trying event in the mule’s life. It should be taught
to eat while following its mother, so that when weaned it will at once
know how to subsist on that which is fed to it. The best way to wean is
to take several colts and place them in a close barn, with plenty of
good, soft feed, such as bran and oats mixed, plenty of sound, sweet
hay, and, in season, cutgrass, remembering at all times that nothing can
make up for want of pure water in the stable. Many may be weaned
together properly. After they have remained in the stable for several
days they may be turned on good, rich pasture. Do not forget to feed, as
this is a trying time. The change from a milk to a dry diet is severe on
the colt. They may all be huddled in a barn together, as they seldom
hurt each other. Good, rich clover pastures are fine for mules at this
age, but if they are to be extra fine, feed them a little grain all the
while.
“There is little variety in the feed until the mules are two years old,
at which time they are very easily broken. If halter-broken as they grow
up, all there is to do in breaking one is to put on a harness, and place
the young animal beside a broken mule, and go to work. When it is
thoroughly used to the harness, the mule is already broken. Light work
in the spring, when the mule is two years old, will do no hurt, but, in
the opinion of many breeders and dealers, make it better, provided it is
carefully handled and fed.
“How to fatten the mule is one of the most important parts of
mule-raising, for when the mule is offered to a buyer, he will at once
ask: ‘Is he fat?’ and fat goes far in effecting a sale. A rough, poor
mule could hardly be sold, while if it is fat, the buyer will take it
because it is fat.
“The mule should be placed in the barn with plenty of room, and not much
light, about the 1st of November, before it is two years old, and fed
about twelve ears of (Indian) corn per day, and all the nice, well-cured
clover hay it will eat, and there kept until about the 1st of April.
Then, in the climate of Middle Tennessee, the clover is good, and the
mule may be turned out on it, and the corn increased to about twenty
ears or more per day. They will eat more grain, without fear of
‘firing;’ that is, heating so as to cause scratches, as the green clover
removes all danger from this source. During the time they run on the
clover they eat less hay, but this should always be kept by them. About
the 1st of May the clover blooms, and is large enough to cut, in the
latitude of Tennessee. The mules should be placed, then, in the barn,
with a nice smooth lot attached, and plenty of pure water. A manger
should be built in the lot, four feet wide by four feet high, and long
enough to accommodate the number of mules it is desired to feed. This
should be covered over by a shed high enough for the mule to stand
under, to prevent the clover from wilting. The clover should be cut
while the dew is on, as this preserves the aroma, and they like it
better. While this is going on in the lot, the troughs and racks in the
barns should be supplied with all the shelled corn (maize) the mules
will eat. ‘Why shell it?’ some one will ask. Because they eat more of
it, and relish it. A valuable addition at all times consists of either
short-cut sheaf oats, or shelled oats, and bran, if not too expensive.
“From this time the mule should be pressed with all the richest of feed,
if it is desired to make it what is termed in mule parlance, ‘hog fat.’
Ground barley, shelled oats, bran, and shelled corn, should be given,
not forgetting to salt regularly all the while, nor omitting the hay and
green corn blades. While all those are essential, oats and bran,
although at some places expensive, are regarded as the _ne plus ultra_
for fattening a mule, and giving a fine suit of hair. Be sure to keep
the barn well bedded, for if the hair becomes soiled from rolling it
lowers the value, as the mule is much estimated for its fine coat.
“The grain makes the flesh, and the green stuff keeps the system of the
mule cool, and balances the excess of carbonaceous elements in the grain
fed.
“The manner of feeding, if properly carried out, with the proper
foundation to start with, will make mules, two years old past, weigh
from 1150 pounds to 1350 pounds by the 1st of September, at which time
the market opens.
“A feeder of eighteen years’ experience claims that oats and bran will
put on more fine flesh in a given time, coupled with a smoother,
glossier coat of hair, than any other known feed. The experienced feeder
follows this method from weaning till two years old.”
In war the mule is invaluable both as a pack animal and for army trains.
He can stand the hard usage of army life much better than horses. In our
great Civil War they were used very extensively. In his book General
Grant told of a certain army chaplain who always took an active part in
the battles. On one occasion the roads were blocked up with mule-drawn
trains, and it was most desirable for them to get out of the way. The
chaplain lent a hand to the teamsters. Now mule-drivers use language
more forceful and picturesque than pure or elegant. Well, the parson
“cussed and swore,” with the rest of them, and helped straighten out the
tangle. That evening the General thanked the chaplain, but said: “How do
you reconcile the language you used with your conscience?” “Oh,”
answered the chaplain, “do mules understand any other language?”
CHAPTER TWELVE
HOW TO BUY A HORSE
It is far from my purpose to give any advice on the purchasing of horses
to professionals or to amateurs who know the subject thoroughly. The
professional knows his business so well, or is apt to think that he
does, that my advice would be almost an impertinence, while the amateur
who thinks he knows is incapable of learning. It is, by the way, a most
astonishing thing how few men there are who are willing to confess
ignorance as to horses. A little experience makes them wondrous wise. I
once heard of a reader for a great publishing house who “turned down” a
treatise on the horse because “the writer did not know the subject
sufficiently well.” This reader, I learned on inquiry, had studied the
subject thoroughly, for one summer a friend lent him a polo pony which
was under his constant observation for nearly three months. This conceit
that we have in our knowledge of horses whets our appetite for gambling
on horse-races, and makes the opportunity of the bookmakers to undo us
much greater and surer. It also induces us to make unwise purchases and
then conclude that horses are delusions and snares while dealers are
rogues of deepest dye. Only a few days before this page was written, I
heard of a college professor who bought a pair of horses at a fancy
price and without an examination from a veterinary, only to find after
reaching his country place that one of the horses was blind. So, while I
am sure that advice is needed, I am not at all certain that it is in
demand.
We all recall the doggerel rule:
“One white leg, inspect him;
Two white legs, reject him;
Three white legs, sell him to your foes;
Four white legs, feed him to the crows!”
That is advice to which no attention should be paid at all, unless the
markings be such that a person looking for a horse positively dislikes.
And that is about the only rule I advise a person not to consider in
buying a horse. Everything else should be looked over carefully, for
pretty nearly everything about a horse has more or less importance,
usually more than less.
The first thing a prospective purchaser should determine is why he wants
a horse, and what he wants to do with him. Then he should decide whether
he means to buy the horse on his own judgment or on that of some one
else. If he means to be his own judge he should go alone; if he means to
have a friend select his horse he should let the friend go alone. But he
should never take his friend along with him to give advice and assist in
driving a bargain. This kind of thing is annoying to a dealer, and
tempts him to match his experienced and hard-worked wit with that of the
seldom-used judgment of the buyer. That the dealer will win in such a
contest goes without saying. I have taken for granted that the buyer
will go to a dealer for any advice of any kind is wasted upon one who
would buy a horse from a friend, unless he coveted his friend’s horse
and wanted that particular animal from personal knowledge of him.
Horse dealers are frequently spoken of as unconscionable rogues. And
there is no doubt that many of them do lack the virtue of probity and
straight speaking. But a reputable dealer in horses with an established
business can be as fair as any other business man, and I have known many
such. Such an horse dealer has a reputation to maintain that is as
valuable to him as that of a banker is to him. If you will place
confidence in him he is not apt to betray it, for he values his customer
and knows that there will probably be other sales to make.