Goats are easy keepers. They cost very little although they don't live very long. Also low management in the field. I pretty much always had issues with them quitting when carrying a full load (30-40 lbs). Better training would probably help. Tack is much less expensive. Everything is less expensive.
Mules can be ridden and packed. They're expensive to buy and difficult to train. By difficult to train, I mean mean their minds do not mature as quickly as horses so they're very insecure up to 5 or 6. Then they can become very solid. They're "thinkers" so during training, they're always thinking if what your asking is a good idea. It takes patience to train a mule but in reality, horses "should" be trained the way mules "must" be trained. Mules require very little vet/doctor work. They live a long time and they're tough. If you've never had a mule before, you may want to buy an older/seasoned one. Colts require quite a bit of patience but in the end, they're worth it. A mule has a self-preservation instinct. In the mountains, that can be more valuable than you first realize. When a mule doesn't want to do something, you should consider that as "counseling", as in retrospect, I noted that I've avoided wrecks because of it.
I've had both and I currently have mules. Won't go back to goats but I've never been injured by a goat and have been hurt with horses/mules. Tough call. Still like mules. A good horse/mule will spoil you.
Mules can be ridden and packed. They're expensive to buy and difficult to train. By difficult to train, I mean mean their minds do not mature as quickly as horses so they're very insecure up to 5 or 6. Then they can become very solid. They're "thinkers" so during training, they're always thinking if what your asking is a good idea. It takes patience to train a mule but in reality, horses "should" be trained the way mules "must" be trained. Mules require very little vet/doctor work. They live a long time and they're tough. If you've never had a mule before, you may want to buy an older/seasoned one. Colts require quite a bit of patience but in the end, they're worth it. A mule has a self-preservation instinct. In the mountains, that can be more valuable than you first realize. When a mule doesn't want to do something, you should consider that as "counseling", as in retrospect, I noted that I've avoided wrecks because of it.
I've had both and I currently have mules. Won't go back to goats but I've never been injured by a goat and have been hurt with horses/mules. Tough call. Still like mules. A good horse/mule will spoil you.
Poor wording on my part. I know goats can transmit disease(I read the link I posted) but it's unlikely to kill them, that's my point. What the State's and WS state is not truthful IMO. They lump domestic goats in with domestic sheep together like there is the same number of these animals running around on public land. Nor do they state it was sub-lethal from the goats. That's not the case when domestic sheep pass on the disease to wild sheep. I also agree education is the key. Here is some good info.
