I have owned both mules and horses and agree with both Ray and Saddlesore.
Mules are only for guys who simply like mules.
If you are not drawn to mules you will most likely not enjoy their quirks of personality enough to get to the advantages they offer for packing and rough country travel.
I switched to riding mules in 2006 and have never looked back. The advantages for me are:
1. Mules travel faster and can go much longer than horses. A quarter horse type mule will beat a quarter horse and a gaited mule will beat a gaited horse in speed and distance when traveling in rough country. The mule can keep it up day after day.
2. I am less tired at the end of a 30 mile ride on a mule than a horse.
3. Mules can get by on less feed and less water. One friend of mine will go 2 � days without water in extreme situations and has never coliced any of his mules. I don�t ever do that but it would kill most horses.
4. Mules can out climb horses and carry more weight. I always felt like my horse was struggling to haul me and all the gear I stick on my saddle up really steep hillsides but my mule doesn�t seem to notice.
It seems to me that the mule has about the same level of advantage over the horse in rough country travel as the horse has over the mule in roping and other speed type events.
Watching someone roping off a mule looks just as awkward to me as watching a horse climb a really steep hill carrying a big load.
I like John Mules (gelded males) for riding and leading the string and mollies (female) for packing and letting friends ride.
