Joe follows muleman and farmer John Coley as he grooms, hitches and drives a team of four draft mules. All the while John is telling us about his farm, his mules, and breeding.
First John tells us about his and his family's farming history. He has transitioned from row crop farming to a more diversified farming and mule breeding. He has Belgian mares and breeds to his own jack and three others.
John shows us his mules as he gets three of them ready to hitch. He talks about the difference in quarter horse, draft mules and quarter mules, their dispositions, temperaments and ease of breaking and training.
He does not pasture his mules because they tend to get fat. He does feed them grass starting in February as it is abundant on the farm at that time.
Next John grooms and harnesses his team. He shows how to best set the collar to prevent injury. He uses and shows the "yankee" or "Pennsylvania Dutch" harness and discusses the benefits. He uses a "hip backer" and explains why and for which horses.
He hitches four draft mules to his forecart and the manure spreader. We see John and the team spreading manure on his field.
John talks about his breeding program and we see his beautiful mares in the fields. He believes in using a variety of jacks to breed his Belgian mares. He has agreements with Amish friends to use their jacks and they work his stock in return.
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