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FIGURE 5 Mules and horses threshing peas in the highland region of southeast Ethiopia.
FIGURE 4 The global mules and hinnies ' population growth trend from the year 1961 to 2021.
a seasonal practice, equines, particularly horses and mules, are in- creasingly being used to thresh harvested crops (Figure 5 ). Owing to their friendliness and manoeuvrability, equines are preferred over oxen for threshing crops. Equines transport harvested crops from fields to threshing floors. Animal traction power is used by a signifi- cant proportion of smallholder farmers because they are unable to purchase or rent motorised agricultural machinery. In northwestern Ethiopia, there is a long-standing practice of
ploughing crop fields with horses and, most likely, mules. Donkeys have occasionally been reported in ploughed crop fields in Ethiopia ' s rift valley, where loose, sandy soils require little tillage. For these traction methods, the ploughing implements that Ethiopia has used for millennia of oxen must be modified. Because of their faster trac- tion speed, equines can plough a larger area than oxen. Equines can plough for a longer time without being exhausted. When equines take over traction work, oxen can be finished and kept in better conditions to produce high-quality carcasses. Rows of crops can be weeded and harrowed with equines.
Sociocultural values
Equines are deeply ingrained in the daily lives of rural communities. Events that involve horse showmanship, such as festivals, weddings and funeral services, particularly dressed and trained horses, perform special jumps. The bride and groom are transported by mules and horses during their wedding days. In Ethiopia, it is not usual to ride and race on a donkey; however, the Middle East has many riding don- keys. Lord Jesus Christ is also depicted as riding a donkey in the Bible. The ability to maintain well-trained horses and mules is an indicator of wealth and prestige. On the other hand, it is thought to have a low social status to own a donkey. Equids can be used to transport tourists and their belongings in ecotourism and historical tourist attractions.
Horses can also be used for recreational hunting. Horse racing is widely adopted as a tournament. Renting an equine to ride or ferry can generate income and create informal employment opportunities. Trainers may also find employment through equine training programs. Equines serve as savings and safety nets for rural households.
Transportation services
Road networks may not be available for every household in rural areas, necessitating the use of equines in local transportation and freight systems. As many people in non-industrialised countries live in the countryside, there is an opportunity to use equines as transport and pack animals. Equines can be used to transport drink- ing water for livestock and home use. Equines are well integrated into the farming of domestic food animals because of their role in the transportation of feed and water. They also deliver water to construction sites. During construction, equines are used to carry materials, such as stone, sand, cement, brick, iron sheets and metal rods. Equines transport firewood from plantation sites and natural forests. Cart pulling was performed using the equines (Figure 6 ). Equids, however, typically serve as pack animals. Donkeys are
typically used as pack animals because of their small size and suit- ability for lifting and loading objects with little effort. Figure 7 shows that donkeys transport food grains to mills, where they are ground into flour. As a rural ambulance, equines can transport patients to healthcare facilities. Equines are used to transport people, grains, firewood, fruits, vegetables, sugarcane, milk, chickens and other items to weekly dedicated markets. Equids can be used to transport goods to distant locations during times of war. Equines alleviate rural women ' s need to practice head loading and walk long distances while carrying backpacks. Equines are involved in the collection of garbage. Equines can travel off-road.
Complementary grazing behaviour
Equines are thought to be tough animals that can survive on low- quality roughage and uncared-for swards. Because of this, they
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