Muddy Boots Ranch

Interesting read.

Ever wonder why a mule’s tail was trimmed into ‘bells’? Back in the day, the Army relied heavily on mules. A green, untrained mule had its tail shaved. Once it was trained to carry a pack, a single bell-shaped notch was cut into its tail. When it learned to pull a wagon, a second bell was added. If the mule was also trained to be ridden, a third tassel was trimmed below the others. So, a ‘three-bell mule’ was fully trained and highly versatile—making it easy to spot the right animal for the job just by glancing at its tail.