Mules powered boats along the Delaware Canal. The mule, the offspring of a male donkey and a female horse, was favored over a horse because it was surefooted, ate less, had stronger endurance, and enjoyed better health. A team could naturally travel twenty-five miles or more each day. Their equipment included a harness, fly net, bells, hat, and feed bag, and canallers owned their mules and harness, often buying them from the coal company’s stables and equipment stores. The mules’ working day began with grooming, light feeding, and harness fitting. Some drivers gave the first meal after an hour of work because they believed the animals stayed healthier that way. When the tow line went slack, it was time to feed them, and the driver hung a feed bag around each mule’s neck so it could eat while working. If the mules seemed tired, drivers sometimes let them roll in a nearby field before continuing for several more hours. During their long hours together, drivers grew attached to their teams and praised their intelligence and instinct, and a well-trained team could travel the towpath unattended for miles while the driver rested on the boat.