MULE CROSSING: Hoof Differences in Horses, Donkeys and Mules
By Meredith Hodges
The old saying, “No foot, no mule” is literally true, as it is in any nomadic animal. If the hooves are not trimmed and balanced properly, it will offset the balance of the equine’s entire body and can compromise longevity in the animal because his entire internal structure will be compromised. Most equines will need to be trimmed or shod every 6-8 weeks whether horse, mule or donkey.
Horse’s hooves in general are proportionately larger, rounder and more angled than that of the donkey or mule. The sole of the foot is flat on the ground promoting good circulation in the foot through the frog.
Regardless of the size of the animal, the hooves of the mule will be smaller and more upright than that of a horse of equal size, and should be well sprung and supported, not contracted. They should have a smooth appearance and look sleek and oily. No ribbing should be apparent and the frog should be well extended, healthy and make adequate contact with the ground for good circulation to the hooves. The shape of the mule or donkey foot is more oval and the bottom of the foot is slightly “cupped” which accounts for the surefootedness in the mule and donkey. When being trimmed, the mule should be left with more heel than the horse to maintain the often more upright position that complements the shoulders and hips. If the mule or donkey has a better slope to the shoulders, he might have an angle that is similar to the horse, but he will still grow more heel than the horse. The shape and condition of the hooves of the jack and the mare are both equally important when considering foot development in the mule.
Because donkey and mule hooves are different from a horse’s hoof in that they are more oblong, cupped in the sole, they need more heel left during a trim than the round, flat sole and low heels on a horse. There are, however, a few exceptions to the rule as there are in most generalizations. Most donkeys are relatively inactive and live on moderate ground, so they do grow out in that time period. Some donkeys, like my own Little Jack Horner, are much more active and will wear their feet down naturally.
Miniature Horse
Miniature Mule
Miniature Donkey
Saddle Horse
Saddle Mule
Saddle Donkey
Draft Horse
Draft Mule
Mammoth Donkey
Of course, those that do not have the benefit of good training and conditioning would still wear unevenly and would still need to be trimmed, however, with the correct training and conditioning, they may wear evenly and may not need to be trimmed more than once a year! The same goes for those who would live in rough terrain. They may wear their feet down, but they would still need to be trimmed for balance. Those who are moving correctly may wear down evenly and would not require trims as often.
Failure to have your mule’s hooves regularly trimmed in order to maintain their balance and shape can result in an imbalance in your mule’s feet, which will then cause an imbalance throughout his entire body, inhibiting his performance. However, if trimming is done consistently, the risk of imbalance, accident or injury will be greatly reduced.
There are a lot of things to consider when trimming and shoeing all equines. If the animal is to have shoes, for instance, then they would need to maintain the flat surface of the sole for the shoes to fit properly. It is important that the equine have relief from shoes when they are not being ridden as much. We usually take any shoes off during the winter which keeps the heels from becoming contracted from wearing shoes and promotes good circulation to the foot as the frog can then make contact with the ground more consistently than it can with shoes. A good understanding of the anatomical differences among horses, mules and donkeys is essential for healthy hoof care.
When your farrier is trimming your equine, he should take into account the angles of the shoulder, the forearm, the knees, the cannon bone, fetlock, pastern and the general angle to the entire body when at rest, not just trimming off the excess. This is an anatomical call and only people who are schooled and skilled in this profession should even attempt it or you could run the risk of injuring your animal.
It is commonly known that, when it comes to horses and mules, light-colored hooves are softer and more likely to break down under stress than are the darker, black hooves. Even though the black hoof is naturally harder than the light-colored hoof, if it does not contain sufficient moisture, it can become brittle and can chip away as destructively as can the lighter hoof. Whichever breed of equine you own and whatever the color of their feet, remember that good hoof care is essential for all domesticated equines.
For better or worse, an equine inherits his hooves through his genes. If your equine has inherited good feet—black, oily-looking, and with good shape—then you are fortunate and hoof care and maintenance should be relatively simple. If he has inherited a softer or misshapen foot, you will need to discuss more specialized care with your farrier. Beware of generalizations as they can often be misleading! Each animal should ultimately be assessed individually.
To learn more about Meredith Hodges and her comprehensive all-breed equine training program, visit LuckyThreeRanch.com, MEREDITH HODGES PUBLIC FIGURE Facebook page, or call 1-800-816-7566. Check out her children’s website at JasperTheMule.com. Also, find Meredith on Pinterest, Instagram, MeWe, YouTube and Twitter.
© 2016, 2019, 2021, 2022 Lucky Three Ranch, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Leslie
August 12, 2019 @ 7:09 pm
Great info bout the hoof. It is not easy to find a farrier that has mule knowledge.
Meredith
August 19, 2019 @ 6:05 pm
Thank you for your kind words of support! It really is hard to find a good farrier for mules, but the American Farrier’s Association can be a big help if you Google them. They can find people in your own area if they are there.
~Cindy K Roberts (\_/)
August 12, 2019 @ 7:28 pm
Loved this article; so valuable to mule owners. Thank you Meredith!!
Meredith
August 19, 2019 @ 6:03 pm
You are so welcome!
Susan Smith
June 24, 2021 @ 8:48 am
New mule owner and having a terrible time getting anyone who will work in a mule.
Do you have any pros and cons about being barefoot vs shod?
Meredith
June 30, 2021 @ 12:14 pm
Please email me at meredith@luckythreeranch.com and I would be happy to send you a whole lot of free information about Longears management and training that is also applicable to horses and ponies. I do believe that all equines bond to the people who training them, so I do not recommend having anyone else work with your mule. The training I do can be done by anyone. It is a simple, logical and sequential way of training that can be done by anyone because it will never over-face you, or your mule, at any given stage. I do recommend keeping you mule or donkey (I never put shoes on my donkeys) barefoot unless they are being used regularly in rough terrain or doing excessive showing in classes that are hard on the feet (like Reining, Cattle work, etc.).
Candy Simons
September 29, 2021 @ 7:05 am
interested in information regarding Jerusalem donkey foot care in Spanish
Bailey Folker
September 29, 2021 @ 4:52 pm
Google Peet Ramey and ask about his hoof care video.
Busca en Google a Peet Ramey y pregunta por su vídeo sobre el cuidado de los cascos.
Nancy Karanda
May 21, 2022 @ 4:05 pm
I am very interested in your free mule care information please. This article is just what I need for my farrier to help him shoe my boy correctly! I have had films taken as well so the sole depth and bone structures are being studied by his vet who will pass on this information to the farrier.
Thank you so much
Nancy K
Bailey Folker
May 27, 2022 @ 4:02 pm
Hello Nancy,
If you would like more information please email Meredith at meredith@luckythreeranch.com. She would be happy to answer any questions you have.
Thanks,
Bailey
Lucky Three Ranch
Deanna
August 17, 2022 @ 3:14 pm
would love to see pictures of the bottom of a mule’s properly trimmed foot (for barefoot).
Bailey Folker
August 19, 2022 @ 12:51 pm
Hi Deanna,
I will email you the image of the best picture we could find.
Thanks,
Bailey
Lucky Three Ranch
Abby
September 10, 2022 @ 9:39 am
I would love a picture of the underside of a barefoot hoof also so I know how much heel to leave on my hinny.
Bailey Folker
September 12, 2022 @ 11:29 am
Hi Abby,
I will email you the image of the best picture we could find.
Thanks,
Bailey
Lucky Three Ranch
Sara Stilson
February 21, 2024 @ 5:01 pm
Hi Meredeth,
You have really helped me so much with my little mini mule I adopted from a rescue. I am in a very remote area of colorado and am limited as far as farriers. I am a little concerned about her feet. Do you have any tutorials on trimming. I may be able to do a better job myself. Also need diet tips for her. She has lost some weight but not nearly enough. Thanks. You are so great. Wish I lived nearer.
Sara Stilson
Bailey Folker
February 27, 2024 @ 2:31 pm
Hi Sarah,
You can email Meredith directly at meredith@luckythreeranch.com and she would be happy to answer any questions you may have there.
Thank you.
Meredith
March 1, 2024 @ 1:42 pm
Trimming equine hooves is not as easy as you might think. The feet need to be balanced according to the mule’s anatomy among a lot of other considerations that true farriers learn in farrier school. I would suggest looking for a competent Longears farrier. You can find one in your area by going to http://www.americanfarriers.org