The Strength of a Mule

Most think of mules as being stubborn. Those who have spent time with a mule know these four-legged animals are highly intelligent and spiritual beings. I met Clyde thanks to my friend Betsy. Clyde was a companion to Bruno. Betsy asked me to give Bruno massages to help with physical injuries. Right away, I could tell Clyde was not only studying everything that I did, he was helping. 

Clyde and Bruno are both rescues. Clyde was a draft mule for Amish farmers who use mules instead of modern farm equipment. When Clyde could no longer work, he was sent to an auction. Someone recognized his importance and rescued him before he ended up at a kill pen. In 2022, over 20,000 equines were sent to Mexico or Canada to be slaughtered. This number is lower than previous years but it is the dirty dark secret of the equine industry. 

It is not just the Amish animals that go to slaughter. Approximately 7,500 thoroughbred race horses are slaughtered each year. Many unwanted horses find themselves at a kill pen. These animals not only have intelligence, they offer their souls to the human experiment. 

Clyde is one of the success stories. He lives a good life at a private riding center, thanks to his current owners. I have been working with Clyde helping him with his rehabilitation. He has arthritis and is learning his new environment. Now, in his early to mid twenties, he is lonely and does not have a job. I am investigating if he can be a therapy mule. This is the first mule who I have worked with, and boy, I love him!

Our work together has been simple. Several days per week, we walk around the property together. I am teaching him basic commands. After our walk, I give him a body massage to help with his physical health and release some of his trauma. 

He is slowly learning to trust me. I am very deliberate and clear when I work with him but kind and offer tons of praise. He never experienced a partnership with a human. All his experiences were based on force. 

On a recent walk, something happened that I never experienced. We encountered a sculpture of a donkey at the edge of the road. Clyde is a mule which is a cross of a male donkey and a female horse. He spotted the artwork first and then snorted while spinning. I let him walk by the statue in both directions so he could see it from his left and right sides.

Horses and mules process information differently than humans. Equines have their own information-acquisition process. Their cognitive learning often cannot be seen. The horse or mule might store the information and use it in a future moment when needed. Clyde may have some past memory or experience with a figure that looked like this statue. 

After Clyde felt safe, he approached the perfectly still statue and sniffed its metal nose. I gave him time to inspect the statue. When I asked him to move on, he did not want to leave. This was his new friend. He reached his head over the back of the donkey to offer comfort. It was remarkable!

In Native American culture, the mule is a spiritual representation of balance and harmony. Clyde is searching for something much deeper than the material comforts of food, water or shelter. He wants to be seen by another who understands him. Mules are known for their hard work and being sure-footed. When I see Clyde, I see strength, patience and determination. He will not give up even when he has every reason to give up. Many have let him down in his lifetime. 

Mules are also known to be incredibly loyal and protective. Now that I have entered into Clyde’s world, I have a responsibility. I have to carry out his mission. And what is his mission? To help others who lost their way, either four-legged or two-legged. This old warrior wants to give back.

That is strength.