Need a memory jog..............

[Bob Wright]

In the early 'Fifties, the Army sold off most of its remaining mules. I recall a story from about that time, in which an Army sergeant, maybe a retired one, bought one of these mules. (These the four legged ones, not the vehicle which bore the name.) He broke it to the saddle and trained it to run.

As the story goes, he entered the mule in a race, and won! But was disqualified because the race was open to thoroughbreds only.

As I recall, I read the story in This Week magazine, then a Sunday supplement to the daily paper.

Does this sound familiar to anyone?


Bob Wright

 

[Snake45]

Bob, I tried to google the story, but evidently there was a famous racehorse named "Army Mule" that is clogging up all the results.

 

[bogus bill]

I was in the National Park Service in 1960. (Yosemite) We had pack mules that were branded "U.S." I suspect they were from the army. I had a old friend that was in the Cavalry prior to world war two. He claimed to be the last horse breaker in the army. Someone once told me mules never die of old age. He said "Ya ever seen a dead mule?"

 

[caryc]

I was in the National Park Service in 1960. (Yosemite) We had pack mules that were branded "U.S." I suspect they were from the army. I had a old friend that was in the Cavalry prior to world war two. He claimed to be the last horse breaker in the army. Someone once told me mules never die of old age. He said "Ya ever seen a dead mule?"

I don't get it. I've never seen a dead horse either.

 

[Carrij]

I remember seeing something on TV; History, NG or somewhere. The horses started out stronger on a cross country race but by 2/3rds of the way across the country they were dropping out due to lack of stamina and the mule won.

 

[Bob Wright]

I was in the National Park Service in 1960. (Yosemite) We had pack mules that were branded "U.S." I suspect they were from the army. I had a old friend that was in the Cavalry prior to world war two. He claimed to be the last horse breaker in the army. Someone once told me mules never die of old age. He said "Ya ever seen a dead mule?"

I don't get it. I've never seen a dead horse either.

Around 1993 or so, "Hurricane Elvis" came through Memphis and Shelby County, uprooting some big trees, among other catastrophic damage. One large tree was uprooted, leaving a large deep crater. During the night a horse fell into the crater and was killed. Several days later I was riding nearby when my horse suddenly shied. Coaxing him gently closer, much against his will, we found the dead horse and notified the stablehands.

For weeks afterwards, my horse sort of walked warily around the spot where we had found the dead horse.

Bob Wright