Special Qualities of Mules. Spooking behavior in animals can seriously threaten the safety of the riders and passengers. Mules have a gentler personality than horses and donkeys. They do not startle and-jump sideways easily under pressure. They pass through the trails …show more content…
Dr. Britta Osthaus, a senior lecturer in Applied Social Sciences at Canterbury University, Kent, found that mules are more capable of learning new tasks and adjusting to their surroundings. “Mules were faster in their initial learning than both donkeys and horses and they were also more flexible in their unlearning than dogs and horses,” said Dr. Osthaus. Her early findings suggested that mules are more intelligent than horses and donkeys. Mules are more capable to adapt to their surroundings, making them a safer mode of transportation in rugged …show more content…
Faith Burden, a British researcher, concluded in a study that mules require an extensive period of training before they can work with humans. This is necessary to ensure the safety of their future riders. A trainer must quickly gain the trust of the mule. Once that happens, says Burden, “You’ll have a partnership like no other.” Typically, trainers work with the mules for more than a month before taking them to the trails. Simmon Ashley, a mule trainer from Grand Canyon, agreed with this finding, noting “they know the trail by heart. That's how they are. They're really trusting and that's why they say, 'trust your