BELGIAN MULES PULE THEIR OWN WEIGHT

Stroder and his mules often compete in events designed to test the abilities of both the mules and their driver.

Missy and Lucky stand patiently as Rocky Stroder hooks up their harness and bridles. As Stroder stands between the two Belgian mules he is dwarfed by the size of the animals.

Stroder, of Jackson, raised and trained the unique animals himself. He and his mules take part in a number of competitions each year and also participate in a number of shows.

Belgian mules were originally used during the Civil War as pack animals. One strong characteristic of mules is their sure footedness, much more sure than a horse. A mule could pull supplies and artillery up hills and into trenches where a horse would shy away and refuse. The army used Belgian mules to pull wagons and cannon. Mules would also be used to clear an area for camping as well as to transport munitions, supplies or food in and out of camp and up and down battle lines. Mule-drawn wagons were as important to the military of the past as helicopters and trucks are for today's armies.

Stroder came by his fondness for the animals as a child. His father raised ponies so Stroder's love of horses and mules started at a young age.

"Dad would go to different fairs and buy ponies," he said. "Back then a pony didn't cost a lot of money."

Years later, Stroder owned Lucky and Missy's mother and broke them when the animals were just a year old. He did the same with Lucky and Missy.

"I broke these mules myself," a proud Stroder says. "Now they're tame and they work together as a team. I worked with Missy and Lucky for 23 days straight. After that they could pull any wagon anywhere I drove them.

"They are 8 years old and as strong today as they have ever been."

With their handler, Lucky and Missy are attentive and quick to respond to Stroder's verbal commands. As he continues to get the mules hitched to the wagon he speaks directly to one or the other. Their ears turn back to where he is and they respond quickly when Stroder speaks.

"They are gentle and smart," Stroder said of the mules. "They've stepped on me before and I guess it could break my foot, but they know right off and they move."

When mules were used as farm animals, acres were cleared, houses and barns were raised, crops were harvested and families were taken to town and church on Sunday.

"Mules are able to pull more than their weight," Stroder related, in explaining their practicality as utility animals. "Mules will pull as much weight as they have been trained. The heavier the weight they are given to pull the stronger they get."

Belgian mules were bred to combine the heavy muscles of a draft horse with the qualities of a donkey. They are much more muscular than most mules and have enormous hooves. Missy and Lucky both stand about 5 feet 4 inches tall and weigh around 1,250 pounds.

In order to demonstrate his animals' obedience and working aptitude, Stroder hitches the animals to a small, green wagon and heads out.

"Mules are more cautious animals than horses," Stroder says as he guides the wagon and mules. "They'll refuse certain ditches or terrains. But I can drive them in there. They won't go if you're out of the wagon trying to lead them across. But, if you drive the wagon into the ditch or ravine, they'll go. You can drive a mule into a place you wouldn't be able to lead them."

"Mules are called stubborn, but I've never had a mule or a team that refused my command," he continued. "Personally I'd say they are smarter than a horse and have great heart."

As Stroder leads the mules across the field, one sees how the animals can be guided with voice commands.

The familiar "whoa" is used to slow or stop the mules while the word "back" tells the animal to back-up. Unique to mule handling are the commands "haw" and "gee," which tell the mule to turn left and right, respectively.

As Stroder commands the mules they work as one. They are able to make terrifically sharp turns for their size, and can back a wagon to a loading dock or into a shelter with precision and grace.

As the wagon descends a hill Stroder speaks to Lucky and Missy. "Easy girls, easy." Stroder's wagon has no brake but the mules slow down gracefully from an uphill pull to nearly a crawl as Stroder guides the mare mules down the other side.

Stroder shows Lucky and Missy in events throughout Southeast Missouri. They have been in the Altenberg fair, the Jackson Christmas Parade and the Cape Girardeau Christmas Parade of Lights, in which the pair pulled a wagon for State Representative Mary Kasten.

Stroder also competes with his mules in several competitions at the Southeast Missouri District Fair in Cape Girardeau. They competed against 11 other teams last year and won top prize in the fair's obstacle course event.

The obstacle course is a timed event for the team. They are required to take sharp serpentine turns, back up to a loading shoot, cross a bridge and complete several other such challenges. Each team is required to pull the same loaded wagon.

Stroder hopes that next year his 10-year-old son will drive Lucky and Missy in his first competition.

"These mules love children," he said. "They'll come in from the field if they see a child or a baby, but they may not come for an adult. They are very gentle with children."

The life of Missy and Lucky isn't all play. Stroder also uses his mules for a variety of logging needs. Because the mules can skid logs from the woods without damaging the countryside or surrounding timber, they are preferable to heavy equipment. In addition, the animals can clear an area in about the same time as heavy equipment, said Stroder. The mules can be brought in, clear an area in about the same amount of time and not tear up the small timber which surrounds the area.

"I have these mules because I just like them," said Stroder as he brought the mules to the end of a ride. "Some people have their boat or race car or fishing but this is me.

When I come out to work with the mules, I take off my watch -- no hurry, no pressure. We work together as a team."