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Fantasy Shopping—Mule mom edition

Photo from www.diamondbackmules.com
Tell me, friends—if you were going to get a wee baby mule, which mare might you like to get him out of? 

FarmWife is certainly not in the market for a horse, but if she were she might be dreaming of a mare with style, breeding, character, class, and a show record a mile long. This sort of a mare, bred to the right sort of a jack, might produce a prodigy mule—a foal of the same unparalleled heart and intelligence as me, Fenway Bartholomule. 

Here is a quick list of mares that caught FarmWife's eye on dreamhorse.com today. Keep in mind that this is not an exhaustive list; there are other mares which would do as nicely, but these ones are lovely enough to deserve mention. It is my hope that their breeders, owners and trainers will be flattered by my selection of them as worthy mule moms; you, dear reader, must understand this as the highest compliment.


Adelina—can't beat the baroque horses for style and class! This mare looks like a charmer.


Greta—temperament, temperament, temperament! FarmWife loves the big-bodied warmbloods but doesn't enjoy the fiery demeanor so often exhibited by talented athletes. A "thinking" warmblood, sound and stoic = the next best thing to a mule! 


Castiza—what is it with grays and chestnuts today? FarmWife would take a nice seal brown mare first, if she were choosing by color and color alone, but these mares are just too pretty to ignore—no matter what their color. This one's gorgeous, and the dapples are icing on the cake. 


Elektra—now here's nice bay mare . . . and for only a hundred grand. FarmWife could spend the first trimester schooling one tempis whilst awaiting her mule foal's arrival! (In her dreams.)


Charlotte—FarmWife generally likes a heavier horse, but this feminine beauty just can't be ignored. What a pretty little mare, and for a mere 50k! 

Now, tell me . . . what sort of mare would YOU breed if money were no object? Which mule mom do you like best? Take a moment to search dreamhorse.com or your favorite breeder websites, and tell me who you fancy. From whose womb shall spring the world's next Best Mule?

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Comments

  1. AnonymousOctober 29, 2010 at 9:08 AM

    Grete is my choice from those you mentioned. An Andi cross mule should be stunning and I'd love to see one.
    I searched within 300 miles of my home for a mare over 15.2 and 1000 pounds or over between 6 and 12 with a disposition of 5 or under and found nothing that I'd want to use as a broodmare. Went up in age to 15 and disposition to 8 and found one Arab/TB cross mare. Guess I must be really picky.

    ReplyDelete
  2. JaneOctober 29, 2010 at 11:37 AM

    Dear Fenway Bartholomule,

    Tell your mom I think she seriously needs to consider ZENYATTA!

    She'd be so fun. Love a mare that can outdo the boys. I tried to talk my mom into it, it's a no go. A guy can dream.
    regards,
    Hudson

    ReplyDelete
  3. Oaky's palOctober 29, 2010 at 12:19 PM

    I love them all, and want to comment in passing that there's a breed of horse in France that's very rare and that exists only to provide dams for Poitevin mules. The horses are called Mulassiers. They seem camped-out and heavy but I can only imagine there are certain characteristics a mare might pass on to mule progeny that wouldn't be savory in a horse filly or foal. Please make more mules!

    ReplyDelete
  4. BuddyOctober 29, 2010 at 1:15 PM

    Hay Fenway - they are all very beautiful - especially the gray girls! Mom said she would rather have the baby you posted a picture of - Gunny is her/his name. She thinks he/she is VERY cute.

    Your fren,

    ReplyDelete
  5. AnonymousOctober 29, 2010 at 1:55 PM

    You might consider the reverse cross, an Arabian stallion of good temperament and athletic ability and "trainability" - and by that I mean of the Crabbet lines, crossed on a mammoth jenny. You most likely will get: intelligence, calmness, a gorgeous head, surefootedness coupled with stamina, and did I mention a gorgeous head. Actually knew of some of these specific crosses years ago in Eastern WA, the stallion was a champ and could easily have produced outstanding more purebred equines but the humans loved mules, so that is what they bred. Do I recall correctly that this form of the donkey/horse cross are "hinny" rather than mule? Not sure of my terminology here!

    ReplyDelete
  6. AnnieRoseOctober 30, 2010 at 5:53 PM

    I'd say Greta all the way! I will be starting dressage lessons in the spring (I was the one who posted about the dressage mule)and I'd want that mare in shows with me! The last mare looks over the knee but I'm no expert and she does not have enough bone to her for my tastes. Like FarmWife I like my horses bigger and heavier.

    It's so funny this blog was posted literally days after I decided my first horse will have to be a mare so I can breed her and have a wonderful, well bred dressage mule all for myself! Of course this plan is a few years off.

    I'd personally go with a nice, big, well boned TB mare. I've seen some wonderful mules with TB in them.

    ReplyDelete

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