Mules rarely have hoof problems. Mules that work on pavement, stony ground, etc. are shod, but most pleasure animals, or mules that work on softer ground, never see a shoe. Regular hoof trimming keeps them just fine. Their feet are strong, tough, flexible, and usually not as brittle and shelly as those of a horse. They have less of a problem with splitting, chipping, and contracted heels.
Mules excel in physical soundness.
Leg problems are far less likely in a mule than in a horse, and when leg problems do occur, they are far less severe. Mules live longer productive lives than horses do. Farm mules average 18 years to a horse's 15 years. Mules can more easily than horses be handled in large groups. Mules can be corraled on farms 30 or 40 to a group, or up to 500 in a feeding pen, without the injuries or other consequences commonly seen with horses.