What is a Mule Skinner?

There are multiple definitions for the term “Mule skinner”, but the term originates from the professional individual (also called a teamster) whose sole purpose was to keep his wagon pulled by mules under control, and moving according to schedule.

The “Mule skinner” actually rode on one of the mules, guiding the entire team along a rein called a “Jerk line”. Poorly skilled mule skinners would often have a very hard time with the famously stubborn creatures, but veterans could run a team of mules with great success.

Mules can pull wagons at about 2 miles an hour, making them good for old western travel. A team of oxen, which require much more maintenance, could pull half an hour faster, but needed much more attention and resources. One of the big drawbacks was that mule feed had to be carried, if a team of mules was to be used. Indians were popular for stealing the mules, and riding them. Should one of the mules be injured or dead, the meat tasted horrible- at least less tasty than an oxen.

Mule skinners are commonly unheard of, for they were in short demand in many cases. A pair of mules cost two to four hundred dollars- a large sum of cash for those days. Oxen were the better way to go considering efficiency, in most cases.

As for the name mule skinner, it is most likely originated from the act of ‘skinning a hide’, or to out-think an animal for wrong doing. A mule skinner in this usage would be the one who would out-think and manage the mule team. It should be noted that mules are not flayed, skinning refers to the passive act of outsmarting the animal, not punishing it.

Jimmy Rodgers composed and sang a song on the topic of “Mule skinning”, a common misconception of the origination of the term. The term originates from the simplified word of “muleteer”. There are often confusions between the phrase “More than one way to skin a cat” and the term “Mule skinning”, however, there is no connection.

Out of the several possible variant originations, it is commonly known that when it comes down to it, the term refers to the man or woman guiding the mules along the trail, nothing more, nothing less.

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