The illustrations are striking—mountain man/scout/pioneer Kit Carson with a beautiful horse, ready to take on the toughest trails the West can offer.

But the illustrations are wrong.

For Carson generally preferred to ride mules, not horses. Carson was a practical man; mules were a practical mode of transportation. They were sturdy on trails horses couldn’t travel. They could carry heavier loads. They were dependable and reliable.

On at least a couple of occasions, Carson traveled across the continent—and much of it was on the back of a mule, not a horse.

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