Which is better for horse drawn farming- mule or draft horse? wanting all opinions!?

Question

We live in the south east and are wanting to utilize "green" methods to farm instead of tractors that use fuel. All opinions about the draft horse vs. the mule are welcome. Thanks!

Answer 1

It is strictly a personal choice. You will find people who swear by mules and the same for draft horses. A team of draft horses are a lot more impressive looking than a team of mules, but would also cost a lot more. Several years after tractors took over mules became scarce in this country, but they have made a big comeback in recent years. In the amount of work a team could do, I doubt that you could find any difference. Good luck with your farming. I think your biggest problem will be finding horse drawn equipment. Here is a site that might give you some goos advice.

http://www.ruralheritage.com/sale_barn/i...

Answer 2

most mules are as strong as a horse and require less feed and care. they are intelligent but they will live with you 20 years to get to kick you. for really heavy work like logging or stump pulling i would choose a large breed horse.

Answer 3

If you are actually serrious about adding horses or mules to your farm, you need to subscribe to "Small Farmers Journal."

Here's a link:

http://www.smallfarmersjournal.com/

I've recieved their magazine since the 1980's.  It's not like any magazine you've ever seen in your life.  It's dedicated to the people who farm with horses and mules.

You will learn tons of really valuable information from Small Farmers Journal.  I also highly sugest you lay your hands on every book Lynn Miller has written about working with draft horses and horse drawn equipment.

As for which is best, there are so many questions.  Do you have ANY equine experience?  If you have little to none, stick with the horses....the mules will be too smart for you.

Mules can work harder, longer, and with less feed than horses.....if they want to.  Of course a smart mule will just lay down, and let you hop around, and scream in frustration.

Mules have better hooves than horses.  Horses like people more-so than the mules tend to.

Draft horses (mares) can reproduce themselves.  Mules are sterile.

Mules live longer, and have longer working lives.

It may be easier to find a farier for a mule (which has more "normal" horse sized hooves) than it is to get a farier for the drafts which can have giant hooves.

Draft horses are flashier and prettier in harness than mules.

Mules may kill your dogs, and your neighbors dogs that venture into its pasture.  Draft horse mares with a foal are likely to chase, and possibly kill a dog.

Mules that have been ill treated, or not trained correctly are EXTREMELY difficult to bring around.  Draft horses are easier to re-train.

Mules (especially the Jacks) can become VERY attached to horses, especially the mares.  A mule may do everything in its power to get to a mare it loves, including running through, or climbing over fences.

A mules bray is VERY loud....when they holler for dinner you and your neighbors for a few miles around may know about it.

People are drawn to try and pet and touch the ears of mules....mules often become very touchy about their ears and start bitting people who try to touch their ears.  

You can build a bond with a mule that is more like a dog and human.  By that I mean the mule will die for you, if it trust and loves you.  A horse is going to leave your butt in a heartbeat if a cougar comes along.  If a mule loves you and conciders you its mama, or part of the herd, it will die, defending you from the cougar.

I've owned (and currently own) several draft horses.  My personal favorite of the draft breeds are Percherons.  I also love mules bred from Percheron mares.

Best team I ever saw?  A Percheron mare, and her Jack (male) mule foal (now adult).  They worked beautifully together.

~Garnet

Homesteading/Farming over 20 years

Horse owner over 30 years (currently owns 9 horses)