GEORGIA MULES

Stiles/Akin

Sergeant Major
Joined
Apr 1, 2016
Location
Atlanta, Georgia
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Wade Peeblesto Georgia Folk and Farm Life
· May 27, 2016 ·
GEORGIA MULES.........................Georgia mules were considered to be good mules, but particularly stubborn. The mule has been around a couple of thousand years, since Europeans first crossed the horse and the donkey. Mules are a cross between a male "jack" donkey and a female "mare" horse, rarely the other way around but, it has happened, the results of which are referred to as a "hinny". Mules are generally sterile, meaning you can't raise mules by breeding mules, they ...are to be had for the most part, by the donkey-horse cross. As with many hybrids, the mule is somewhat superior to its progenitors. Mules are very intelligent and tougher, and heartier than horses in general. Since they can be produced from small horses, right on up to draft horses, mules can be small or large, depending on the work they are needed to do. A male mule is called a "horse mule", and a female is a "mare mule". Georgia farmers often had a "love-hate" relationship with their mules, but valued them highly. For over 150 years, mules were an integral part of farm life. I know that when I was a boy in the early 1960s, the Ford tractor dealer still had mule pens, to hold mules that had been traded in on two-row tractors. My Daddy loved to tell stories of how much they looked forward to going to Augusta to the Mule Sale on occasion, and what an adventure that was for a poor farm boy. I can recall a good many old mules living out their retirement years, as pampered members of the farm family. These mules having been replaced by a tractor long ago, but never in the hearts of the farmer and his family. I have seen old mules that had gone blind in their old age, but who could navigate the farmyard just fine, as long as nothing changed or was moved. When I was a boy, I well remember a few old black men who still had old mules and would pull their wagons to your house and unload a plow and plow gardens for folks that didn't have tractors. Also, a few who turpentined and still used their mules for hauling their "tar" to the still, and to work their ''stand''. Occasionally older mules were hitched to sleds during tobacco cropping time, and relived a bit of their glory days. I remember a story told on my older brother Joe, that he saw a mule and wagon coming down the road past our house and ran inside yelling " Momma, Momma, it's a 'moole', it's a 'moole' and a wagon is a 'pushin' he!!". Mules did their part to build, and in time of war, defend this country, and we owe them a debt that we rarely think of........wade
 
View attachment 197134
Wade Peeblesto Georgia Folk and Farm Life
· May 27, 2016 ·
GEORGIA MULES.........................Georgia mules were considered to be good mules, but particularly stubborn. The mule has been around a couple of thousand years, since Europeans first crossed the horse and the donkey. Mules are a cross between a male "jack" donkey and a female "mare" horse, rarely the other way around but, it has happened, the results of which are referred to as a "hinny". Mules are generally sterile, meaning you can't raise mules by breeding mules, they ...are to be had for the most part, by the donkey-horse cross. As with many hybrids, the mule is somewhat superior to its progenitors. Mules are very intelligent and tougher, and heartier than horses in general. Since they can be produced from small horses, right on up to draft horses, mules can be small or large, depending on the work they are needed to do. A male mule is called a "horse mule", and a female is a "mare mule". Georgia farmers often had a "love-hate" relationship with their mules, but valued them highly. For over 150 years, mules were an integral part of farm life. I know that when I was a boy in the early 1960s, the Ford tractor dealer still had mule pens, to hold mules that had been traded in on two-row tractors. My Daddy loved to tell stories of how much they looked forward to going to Augusta to the Mule Sale on occasion, and what an adventure that was for a poor farm boy. I can recall a good many old mules living out their retirement years, as pampered members of the farm family. These mules having been replaced by a tractor long ago, but never in the hearts of the farmer and his family. I have seen old mules that had gone blind in their old age, but who could navigate the farmyard just fine, as long as nothing changed or was moved. When I was a boy, I well remember a few old black men who still had old mules and would pull their wagons to your house and unload a plow and plow gardens for folks that didn't have tractors. Also, a few who turpentined and still used their mules for hauling their "tar" to the still, and to work their ''stand''. Occasionally older mules were hitched to sleds during tobacco cropping time, and relived a bit of their glory days. I remember a story told on my older brother Joe, that he saw a mule and wagon coming down the road past our house and ran inside yelling " Momma, Momma, it's a 'moole', it's a 'moole' and a wagon is a 'pushin' he!!". Mules did their part to build, and in time of war, defend this country, and we owe them a debt that we rarely think of........wade
I remember mule days as a boy. Great animals.
 
Returning home from the CW, my great grandfather and his father moved to central Texas and started a freight business. My great grandfather also raised horses and mules. A few years ago, I found a reference stating his mules were considered more valuable than most because he trained them to stay between the rows and not step on the plants when pulling farm equipment.
 
No offense to Georgia Mules, which are well known, but Missouri Mules were in demand for a long time. The Missouri Mule king who had his HQ in North Missouri, sold them for a long time. My grandfather sold them to the Army in WWI. He also sold them horses. He also sold the Army some mules in WWII. He did not live in Missouri though, but Illinois.
 
Thanks for posting this. I especially like the personal recollection.
A family friend served in the U. S. Cavalry in France in WW1. His unit's mounts were mules.
 
My Great Uncle has donkeys. I wish they had some mules after reading this! Nice post.
View attachment 197134
Wade Peeblesto Georgia Folk and Farm Life
· May 27, 2016 ·
GEORGIA MULES.........................Georgia mules were considered to be good mules, but particularly stubborn. The mule has been around a couple of thousand years, since Europeans first crossed the horse and the donkey. Mules are a cross between a male "jack" donkey and a female "mare" horse, rarely the other way around but, it has happened, the results of which are referred to as a "hinny". Mules are generally sterile, meaning you can't raise mules by breeding mules, they ...are to be had for the most part, by the donkey-horse cross. As with many hybrids, the mule is somewhat superior to its progenitors. Mules are very intelligent and tougher, and heartier than horses in general. Since they can be produced from small horses, right on up to draft horses, mules can be small or large, depending on the work they are needed to do. A male mule is called a "horse mule", and a female is a "mare mule". Georgia farmers often had a "love-hate" relationship with their mules, but valued them highly. For over 150 years, mules were an integral part of farm life. I know that when I was a boy in the early 1960s, the Ford tractor dealer still had mule pens, to hold mules that had been traded in on two-row tractors. My Daddy loved to tell stories of how much they looked forward to going to Augusta to the Mule Sale on occasion, and what an adventure that was for a poor farm boy. I can recall a good many old mules living out their retirement years, as pampered members of the farm family. These mules having been replaced by a tractor long ago, but never in the hearts of the farmer and his family. I have seen old mules that had gone blind in their old age, but who could navigate the farmyard just fine, as long as nothing changed or was moved. When I was a boy, I well remember a few old black men who still had old mules and would pull their wagons to your house and unload a plow and plow gardens for folks that didn't have tractors. Also, a few who turpentined and still used their mules for hauling their "tar" to the still, and to work their ''stand''. Occasionally older mules were hitched to sleds during tobacco cropping time, and relived a bit of their glory days. I remember a story told on my older brother Joe, that he saw a mule and wagon coming down the road past our house and ran inside yelling " Momma, Momma, it's a 'moole', it's a 'moole' and a wagon is a 'pushin' he!!". Mules did their part to build, and in time of war, defend this country, and we owe them a debt that we rarely think of........wade
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