Comments on: By very popular demand, Sunday’s Brevity was pushed to the front of the queue

By: Keera

Keera — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 07:13:01 +0000

Actually, I’ve been riding on rented horses, and they do have a tendency to, well, not GAF about the rider or the trail. They will doze off. The guy in front on one ride rode a mule because they keep a steady pace unlike horses, which tend to vary their speed (this from the mule guy himself); he also warned us to keep a check on our horses to keep them from dozing off. I guess they just got so used to the habit of the trail, they would tune out. Pretty dumb, if you ask me.

What do I know about the Grand Canyon? Nothing, but there’s got to be a reason they don’t let horses on those trails, and you do name several. (I’ve been told a horse doesn’t like going straight down hills (or stairs) because it can’t see its front feet properly.) And your experience with that donkey, I’ve had with a horse. It’s their way of rebelling against the situation, I think. Can’t say I blame them. Even humans sometimes get fed up with (certain) paying customers.

By: The Bad Seed

The Bad Seed — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 23:14:49 +0000

Wow, Keera, you definitely got that biased information from a mule-lover. Horses aren’t “dumb enough” to fall asleep while walking a trail (wouldn’t we read news stories about them falling off mountains?), and donkeys aren’t any smarter than a horse. Horses and donkeys/mules/burros just generally have very different dispositions, and horses often tend to be more excitable and would be less suitable for greenhorn riders. In addition to being sure-footed, fairly strong for their size, and generally closer to the ground, donkeys et all tend to me more settled and stubborn, and will pretty-much follow the one in front of them no matter what the uneducated rider does or what else happens. But I rode the trails in the Smokies on an old trail horse, and - aside from being a smoother ride than a mule - he was as calm and stubborn as a mule. He insisted on walking along the very edge of all the trails, even though I had his head pulled away from the edge at an angle greater than 90 degrees, and flat-out refused to trot to catch up with the rest of the pack. They’re all creatures of habit and fairly easily trained, and neither species is consistently smarter than the other.

By: Keera

Keera — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 20:13:02 +0000

All I know about this is that they use mules/donkeys because horses are dumb enough to fall asleep on that trail, because horses are dumb enough to think the guy in the saddle is keeping track (no pun intended). Wait, I know one more thing: I doubt I would ever take this ride, me with my fear of heights.

By: paperboy

paperboy — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 20:07:06 +0000

It’s possible that Jeff S. #21 got it, but that would mean it’s just not funny, and I prefer to give the pros the benefit of the doubt. We’re just not seeing something.

By: Another Josh

Another Josh — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 16:37:49 +0000

Huh. When I did my Grand Canyon hike, they had suspended the mule tours due to accidents. They still used the mules to move supplies up and down the canyon, but no people other than the ranger guide. I hadn’t heard that they’d started them up again, but apparently they have.

Strangely, we were told that the mules prefer to be away from the canyon wall (and closer to the drop) and that mules get the right-of-way on the trail, so when the mules come by, stand against the canyon wall and let them pass. Then watch where you step.

By: Cidu Bill

Cidu Bill — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 16:28:29 +0000

padraig, that would have been the best Toyota gag of the month.

By: mkilby

mkilby — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 15:48:05 +0000

I have very unpleasant memories of a canyon tour on an old, decrepit mule that was so slow that there was no way that he could keep up with the pace, let alone stay in second place. I never heard a single word that the tour guide said for the whole trip. Forcing that mule to work was simple cruelty (both to the animal and to any tourist who had to ride it).

By: padraig

padraig — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 14:51:34 +0000

Well, at least he didn’t put a Toyota emblem on the mule’s forehead.

By: Jeff S.

Jeff S. — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 13:56:00 +0000

The second mule is old. Yeah, he’s made it down the Grand Canyon several times before, but that doesn’t help you when you are on his back the moment he finally slips off the edge.

It’s age discrimination, plain and simple.

By: Morris Keesan

Morris Keesan — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 13:47:04 +0000

I think Elyrest has it, but having seen at least one post here (about a different comic) purportedly from Guy (of Guy and Rodd), I think there’s a non-zero chance that this comic was intentionally confusing, with the intent of having it posted on CIDU.