FORT PIERCE, Fla. — A mulemanship clinic is taking place in Fort Pierce this week.
Ty Evans with TS Mules travels the world helping horse and mule owners. WPTV wanted to know why people choose mules over the more popular choice, the horse.
"Why mules? You know, I ask myself that all the time," Evans said.
Mules are not commonly seen in South Florida because they are used in more mountainous areas. Evans, who is from Utah, travels the world to help owners establish a strong working connection with their animals.
“The easiest way I can put it without taking up your whole day is, they are a little more dog-like.” said Evans.
Participants in the three-day clinic said Mules are better than horses. One said he even made the switch from horses to mules.
“They like to connect with you. They're sure footed and they’re strong," said Sandy Sherman, who traveled to Fort Pierce from Georgia to attend the clinic.
“They’re going to process everything. There’s kind of a joke among the equine world that when you go to hire a mule or when the mule wants to hire you it wants to see your résumé.” Evans says, “The mule is a little more analytical, like I said they think, they analyze so they’ll freeze. And that’s the reason a lot of people will say you know like the old term stubborn as a mule, right? But the stubbornness is just confused a little bit. People call it stubborn but they’re just thinking”
All in all, Evans said it's just personal preference whether someone chooses to have a horse or mule as a companion.
"It would be really boring if we were all the same. If we all only rode one breed of horse, rode the same saddle.” said Evans. "They become part of your family."