very cunning animal; others assert that he is dull and stupid, and
cannot be made to understand what you want. He is, I admit, what may be
called a tricky animal; but, for experiment sake, just play one or two
tricks with him, and he will show you by his action that he understands
them well. Indeed, he knows a great deal more than he generally gets
credit for, and few animals are more capable of appreciating proper
treatment. Like many other species of animal, there are scarcely two to
be found of precisely the same temper and disposition, if we except the
single vice of kicking, which they will all do, especially when well fed
and rested. And we can excuse even this vice in consideration of the
fact, that the mule is not a natural animal, but only an invention of
man. Some persons are inclined to think that, when a mule is a kicker,
he has not been properly broken. I doubt if you can break a mule so that
he will not kick a stranger at sight, especially if he be under six
years old. The only way to keep a mule from kicking you is to handle it
a great deal when young, and accustom it to the ways and actions of men.
You must through kindness convince it that you are not going to harm or
abuse it; and you can do that best by taking hold of it in a gentle
manner every time it appears to be frightened. Such treatment I have
always found more effective than all the beating and abusing you can
apply.

There is another fault the mule has to contend against. It is the common
belief among teamsters and others that he has less confidence in man
than the horse has, and to improve this they almost invariably apply the
whip. The reason for this want of confidence is readily found in the
fact that mule colts are never handled with that degree of kindness and
care that horse colts are. They are naturally more stubborn than the
horse, and most of those persons who undertake to halter or harness them
for the first time are even more stubborn in their disposition than the