On Aug 26, 4:03 pm, "Fred" wrote:

I have horses and we are considering buying 2 small mules
I would like to ask you some questions about their teperament if it is OK by
you
Are they good pack animals as good or better than horses and do they have
any problems w horses?
We do have room for them in the barn and pastures

Fred, it'd take a novel to answer all that and besides I'm not expert
enough to do so anyways.

But, there are horse people and there are mule people and they are
different! You probably won't know until you try but if you find
you're a horse person then you won't like mules (though you may learn
to tolerate them).

Mule people are friendlier and smarter ;-)

Mules are better at everything than horses are, except perhaps
unquestioningly doing everything you demand them to do, no matter how
dangerous or stupid. They are always thinking and always have their
own opinion as to what should be done. This makes them safer, more
sure-footed, and less likely to cause a complete wreck; but it also
makes them "stubborn", though that's only the word that horse people
use to describe them ;-)

Mules typically respect horses (they were raised by one, after all),
but there are horses that can seriously dislike mules (and donkeys). I
know because I have one, though she's starting to come around.

Of course, there are bad mules just like there are bad horses (and bad
people). Unfortunately people rarely sell their good mules, so you've
got to really stumble into the right situation to buy some prime-aged
good mules, or buy young and raise your own, or spend alot of money.

Jon.