About National Mule Day
October 26th 1785 marked the arrival in America of a Spanish donkey, specially requested by George Washington to breed American mules. The donkey was named Royal Gift and was a present from the Spanish King Carlos III.
The date of National Mule Day was officially proclaimed by President Ronald Reagan on the 200th anniversary of the gift, October 26th 1985.
A mule is the offspring of a male donkey and a female horse. The offspring of a female donkey and male horse is a hinny. A male mule is called a john; a female mule is called a molly or mare. Mules are almost always infertile but very rarely female mules have been known to give birth.
- Did you know? Aristotle was worried by the mule’s inability to reproduce as it contradicted his view of what constituted the essence of a species.
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