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Is a Mare Mule or Horse Mule Better?

Published February 11, 2022

I, Bernie Harberts, did not use generative AI to write or illustrate this article. Spell check and grammar check, yes. AI, no.

A lot of folks I know that have experience with mules prefer mare mules over horse mules. A mare mule is a female mule, also called a “molly” mule. A horse mule is a male mule and is also called a “john” mule. So what’s better for you, a mare mule or a horse mule?

Mare mule Polly who traveled 2,500 miles across America with Bernie Harberts in the Lost Sea Expedition

Mare mules have a reputation among old-timers for being a little easier to handle than horse mules. When I look at the mules that my friends Ronald Hudson, Wayne Hussey and Kenny Tyndall use, most of them are mare mules. They say they’re just a bit easier to work with.

Wayne Hussey four-up team of mare mules at Robbins Farmers Day North Carolina — Wayne Hussey’s 4-up. They are all mare mules. Wayne has driven a big hitch through the Rose Bowl parade, the ultimate test of a team’s trustworthiness. This photo was taken at Robbins Farmers Day. I attended with my mule Polly and you can see a lot more of those photos right here.

Kenny Tyndall's mare mules pulling a yellow covered wagon past a surprised sunbather on Sunset Beach, North Carolina — My buddy Kenny Tyndall driving his mare mules Mary and Jane and wagon past a very surprised sunbather. This was at the end of our 110 mile covered wagon drive from Kenny’s farm in Raeford, North Carolina to Sunset Beach.

Ronald Hudson Kenny Tyndall and Bernie Harberts wagons at Sunset Beach North Carolina — Ronald Hudson, Kenny Tyndall and my wagons at Sunset Beach. Four out of five of the mules pictured are mare mules.

Polly, the mule I traveled across America with for the “Lost Sea Expedition” public TV series was a mare mule. Brick, the mule I rode from North Carolina to Virginia and back with my wife Julia, was a mare mule. I like mare mules.

Looking for a Mare Mule

When I started looking for a second mule to ride from North Carolina out west, I only looked at mare mules. There wasn’t much on the market. I looked at mules that were too fat and mules that were too long and mules that were too small. All of them were mare mules because that’s what I wanted.

Bernie Harberts test riding a mare mule prospect in North Carolina before Two Mules to Triumph journey — Me: Sir, do I look too big?
Him: Absolutely not.
Mare mule: Sir, please get off my back. You’re too big.
This was a great kid-broke mule. I was just looking for something a little larger.

The Best Mule is the One That Works For You

Six weeks before I left on my trip, I still didn’t have a mule. Julia heard of a nice one close by. I didn’t want to look at it because it was a horse mule. She said it might be worth it, so we went for a look.

Bernie Harberts trying out horse mule Cracker before buying him in Ronda North Carolina — Trying out the mule Julia thought I should look at. (Ronda, North Carolina)

He ended up being fantastic and I bought him. His name was Jethro. I renamed him. That’s how I ended up with my mule Cracker. He took great care of me on my trip from North Carolina to Idaho and I love him.

So much for hard and fast rules.

Watch Mule Polly in the Lost Sea Expedition Free on YouTube

Polly, my mare mule mentioned in this post, pulled our handmade wagon 2,500 miles from Neptune, Saskatchewan to Fort Hancock, Texas on the Rio Grande. Fourteen months. Across ten states. She never quit. If you want to see what a mare mule is made of, watch the Lost Sea Expedition.

The Lost Sea Expedition premiered on Rocky Mountain PBS and won the WINNIE Award at the EQUUS International Film Festival. For the first time, the full, uncut, original feature-length version is free to watch on YouTube.

Click to watch the Lost Sea Expedition trailer. Stream the full documentary free on YouTube.

Ride Along: Two Mules to Triumph

Brick the mare mule. Cracker the horse mule. The three of us spent 7 months traveling 2,300 miles from North Carolina to Idaho. If you want to know what it’s really like to travel America on the back of a mule, the whole story is in my book Two Mules to Triumph.

Two Mules to Triumph book cover by Bernie Harberts showing EQUUS award

Get your copy – digital, paperback or hardcover – right here.

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2 Responses to Is a Mare Mule or Horse Mule Better?

L Garou on November 7, 2023 at 4:23 pm

Beautiful picture of you and Jethro! Super!

Reply
- Bernie on November 7, 2023 at 7:03 pm
  
  Thanks! Jethro rocks! I got lucky and he’s served me incredibly well for many years. We call him Cracker now and I ride him a few times every week. I don’t think I’ll ever have another mule with such a swinging, free gate (and such a big head. Dang that boy’s got a noggin!)
  
  Reply