Today, our podcast travels to Peru to talk about a very interesting topic: Mules. Sometimes called “the better horse”, mules are definitely different from our more common equine friends and they require a bit more care in riding and handling. They reward you with an exceptional strength, sure-footedness and hardiness on the trail. I am talking with Kyd Campbell who rides and trains mules in Peru. She is the perfect person to tell us all about mules and hinnies, their character and their training.
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Mule & Hinnies – Equine Hybrids
Mules and hinnies are equine hybrids, being the offspring from a donkey and a horse. In the case of mules, their mother is a horse and their father is a donkey. Hinnies have a donkey mother and a horse father.
As hybrids, mules and hinnies are usually sterile and cannot reproduce except in very rare cases which is due to the fact that horses and donkeys have a different number of chromosomes (horses have 64 and donkeys 62, so mules end up with 63).
Mules are stronger, hardier and more sure-footed than horses and bigger and less stubborn than donkeys. They excel in rough terrain and are still used for transportation, riding and packing in remote mountain regions.
Your Guest today:
Kyd Campbell (Peru)
Equestrian Adventuress from Canada living with her family in Peru, Kyd organises horseback rides and riding classes on horses and mules.
Don’t forget to check out the resources section in this article!
Highlights
- What are mules/hiennies?
- Riding & training mules
- Gaited mules
- Riding mules on trails
Thank you for tuning in and happy trails!
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Do you feel that we are missing out on an important topic? Or maybe you have an interesting story to tell? Contact Heather or Ute!
Resources
- How to Ride Mules in Columbia
- Podcast about Riding Mules in the Grand Canyon
- 13 Facts About Mules
- Horse Riding in every country
- Equestrian tools and resources
- EQA Online Shop
Thanks for listening to our horse podcast: Riding Mules in Peru!
