Mules

A mule is the offspring of a male donkey (jack) and a female horse (mare). A hinny is the offspring of a male horse (stallion) and a female donkey (jennet).
Unless you are talking to a professional horse breeder, most Scarterrans do not know (or care) about the difference between a mule an a hinny and collectively call them both "mules". For a variety of complicated reasons, mules are more commonly bred than hinnies on both Earth and Scarterra. For the rest of the article, "mules" will be used as the generic term for all horse-donkey hybrids.
In many respects, mules combine the best aspects of horses and donkeys. Their most useful trait is probably the fact that they are tougher than horses and donkeys which is handy in the untamed regions of Scarterra.
Mules combine the raw size and strength of a horse with the endurance and tenacity of donkeys. Mules generally have tougher hooves than horses or donkeys. Mules are generally more resistant to disease than horses or donkeys. They require a bit less food than horses of similar size and weight.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Mule in Summer by Barbara Rubele (I added the caption though)

There are many differences between mules and horses and donkeys.
Compared to donkeys, their most obvious difference is their large size. Compared to horses, there most obvious differences are proportionally larger ears and smaller hooves.

Genetics and Reproduction

Mules are famously sterile. Mules still have a sex drive, and in the case of males a fairly aggressive sex drive leaving to most of them being gelded.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Mules eat much the same feed as donkeys and horses. They can forage on their own with adequate pasture land. Without foraging, they can subsist on quality hay. Sometimes they get fruits or vegetables as a treat. Mules eat slightly less than horses of their similar size.

Behaviour

Mules are fairly intelligent and have a mostly deserved reputation for being stubborn.
Horses instinct is to flee from danger and donkeys instinct is to kick and fight. Mules tend to vaccilate between both sides of their heritage on this makign them somewhat unpredictable when stressed.

Additional Information

Uses, Products & Exploitation

Mules are often used as multipurpose beasts of burden, sometimes pulling carts or carrying riders and sometimes pulling loads or mills. Much like a "rouncy" horse.
In general an average mule is considered more valuable (and is thus more expensive) than an average horse but the best horses tend to sell for much than the best mules. Among other things, superior horses are used as breeding stock and superior mules are just as sterile as the regular mules.
Mules are disproportionally used as riding mounts by Scarterran clergy, especially the Cult of the Compact.

Metaphorical Mules

"Mule" is a common Scarterran slang term for half-breeds especially sterile hybrids. More often than not intended to be insulting.
While horse-donkey mules are valued and admired for their physical robustness, mortal mules are mostly looked down upon for their sterility. Many, though not all half-
The birds and the bees of Half-breed mortals in Scarterra are fairly complicated. Sometimes it results in sterility, sometimes not. Sometimes half-breed Scarterrans seem to take the best aspects of both sides of their parentage, sometimes not.

Genetic Ancestor(s)

• horses

Geographic Distribution

• Scarterra