Mules powered boats along the Delaware Canal and were valued for being surefooted, eating less than horses, and having stronger endurance and better health. A team commonly traveled twenty-five miles or more a day, often pulling coal-laden boats through the channel with little strain. Canallers usually owned their mules and harnesses, often buying them from the coal company's stables and equipment stores, and outfitted them with harnesses, fly nets, bells, hats, and feed bags. Their working day began with grooming, light feeding, and harness fitting, and some drivers waited an hour before the first meal because they believed it kept the animals healthier. When the tow line went slack, drivers hung feed bags around the mules' necks so they could eat while still working, and if the animals seemed tired, they might be allowed to roll in a nearby field before continuing refreshed. Drivers often grew attached to their teams and praised their intelligence and instinct, as well-trained mules could travel the towpath unattended for miles while the driver rested on the boat.