Internet Laughs as Farm Reveals Cross Between Miniature Horse and Donkey

A pasture farm in Cleveland, North Carolina, is showing on social media what happens when a miniature horse and a donkey have a baby. In a TikTok video with over 1 million views, Sunset Acres Farm posted shots of the frolicking baby mule in a field. "This is what happens when a miniature horse and donkey make a baby," the text overlay reads. The caption asks: "Have you ever seen a honkey?!" In fact, an animal with one parent that is a donkey and the other a horse isn't called a "honkey." The animal in the video is a mule or a hinny—depending on the specific parentage. A mule is the offspring of a male donkey and a female horse. Initially bred for their strength, mules are known for their endurance and surefootedness and are used in various agricultural and recreational activities.

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While they're loved for their hardworking nature, mules are often sterile and cannot reproduce, meaning that they cannot produce a self-sustaining population. The hinny, on the other hand, is the result of breeding a male horse with a female donkey. Not as common as mules and typically smaller in size, they share many of the characteristics of mules, including their strength and work ethic.

Mules and hinnies inherit characteristics from both of their parents, making them valuable in working roles. In pop culture and folklore, the crossbreeds have gained a somewhat unfair reputation for being stubborn—as in the phrase "stubborn as a mule"—but they are actually very personable and easy-to-train animals. Properly trained, they are great for competing in dressage events, show jumping and endurance sports, and they are often used to transport people and materials. Mules and hinnies can also withstand extremes of climate and thrive in tough environments, making them prized in certain parts of the world. They are also unlikely to run away in fear and have been frequently used during wars. Viewers of the video were laughing in hundreds of comments, and many realized that the "honkey" was simply a mule or hinny. "Isn't a horse and donkey called a mule? That's common lol," wrote Melissa. Another said: "It's a mini mule duh." But others were in stitches over the new name created by the Sunset Acres Farm. One TikToker wrote: "I usually call them mules but now they have a different name." Some were simply obsessed with the animal's cuteness, whatever the animal it is called. "I want one," said Juliepodz£, while honeybree469 wrote: "He's so cute." "Omg I just died!!" said NottalottaAcresFarm. "I can't stop laughing! I'll never be able to look at her the same." Newsweek reached out to Sunset Acres Farm via email for comment. Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@newsweek.com with some details about your best friend and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.