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Washington, D.C., circa 1918. "Emergency Fleet Corporation, building exterior." Harris & Ewing Collection glass negative. View full size.
I think Unka Jesse is right in that it's not a mule - not only because of the hooves (mules tend to have more upright, boxy hooves) but mules have a distinctive body type - in between the donkey and horse. The body type of this particular equine looks all horse.
As for breed of horse, even though this is black & white photo, I can see the legs are dark, body is light and there are signs of dappling - it looks like it was a gray horse in RL and my money is on a Percheron. Belgians are chestnuts (medium reddish-brown to non-horse folks) with flaxen mane & tail and light counter shading on the muzzle, lower belly, and legs.
Obviously, the horse is listening to Metallica on his iPod.
I doubt that the draft animal is a mule. The feet look too large to have donkey ancestry. Probably a Belgian draft horse like the ones I used to drive on ice routes.
Long gone now. Replaced with office buildings for lobbyists. You can still buy a shirt across the street at Banana Republic.
of you Shorpsters besides myself believe the beast of burden might be a mule and not a horse? Anyone?Anyone?
Second floor; Men's Wear, watch your step!
There's two ghosts in the picture, one blurring behind the horse's head, the other just in front of the wagon wheels. And Mr Muckle crossing the street there, preparing to wreak havoc on W.C. Fields's grocery store.
"Polarine Oil is the best! We use it in all our company cars (well as soon as we sell enough to buy one). Look how excited it makes our horses."
It closed in 1978 & was demolished a year later. (Cinema Treasures)
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