Doc Mck Loc: Terrell,Texas

They are allowed to have phones. They may have a tinhornlike you fall off his mule and need to get you out with a helicopter. I happen to be a life long cowboy and know lots of them. We are a very versatile lot of folks.

fantom Loc: Colorado

They sure do, depending on the circumstances and location.
You should have asked "Why the Chaps?".

Doc Mck Loc: Terrell,Texas

He may not be a cowboy.he may be a wrangler, trained to manage a string of mules and horses going into the back country. They have Wrangler Schools to train folks to do this. In many of the national parks, or Wilderness areas, access is only available by mule or horseback trains. Hunting in the Bob Marshall wilderness area years ago, access was by mule train only. 25 miles over a pass with your stirrups dragging snow on both sides of the trail. No clue how the lead mule found the trail by memory. Precipitous drops on one side very often. No modern tools(chainsaws,etc.) allowed in the huge park. All wood was cut with axe or hand saw. Marvelous experience. A wrangler may not be a cowboy, and vice versa. I have always been a cowboy and usually without a horse. My horse came over on me 40 years ago and crushed my pelvis. Couldn’t walk any more. Wife put me on a4 wheeler from then on. I took a few hunting trips after that on horseback, that I didn’t tell her about. Now, I hire cowboys and try to stay out of their way. The south and west are still covered by cowboys. This industry has not died. Downside is, they don’t make much money, but food and board is supplied.

Doc Mck Loc: Terrell,Texas

And yes sir, they look and dress like cowboys. My room mate at Texas And M, years ago, had never owned a pair of shoes. All he had ever owned were cowboy boots.

Bison Bud

I think folks took the riding a mule comment a bit too seriously. After all, the initial poster did end his comment with LOL. In any case, not the picture in my mind of a cowboy, but in truth they do indeed also ride mules. As a side note and hopefully some humor, my family took a trip to Arizona when I was just a kid where we took a lengthy trail ride out into the back country. Somehow, I was elected to ride the only mule and the cowpoke that lead the ride had to lead (more like tow) him all the way out to the turn around point. Once we turned around that mule took off for the barn and we left everyone behind. I was back at the barn almost an hour before everyone else got back with some serious saddle sores. Frankly, I still get ribbed by family members about riding "Kitty the Mule" that day!

Doc Mck Loc: Terrell,Texas

On a bear hunt in Idaho on the “River Of no Return”. The string of guest “rides “ were all mules. The wrangler road a mare. He told us a mule would follow a mare forever as their only real friend in life had bern a mare. Their mother. Very well mannered group of mounts. Very sure footed going up and down the canyon walls every day. Omnitel a mule man, but, we were told by the wrangler that the chest strap and butt strap are necessary as a mule has no withers. The withers of a horse keep the saddle from sliding forward.

DickC Loc: NE Washington state

Very nice capture sir, but "Whar's his 'hog leg'?? LOL

bodiebill

Go "Mule Days" in Bishop, CA
Mule Skinners are a breed of their own.
There is an entire industry devoted to them.