YOU SAID:

would beating a dead mule be considered beating half a dead horse

INTO JAPANESE

死んだラバを殴ることは半分死んだ馬を殴ることとみなされる

BACK INTO ENGLISH

Hitting a dead mule counts as hitting a half-dead horse

INTO JAPANESE

死んだラバを殴ることは、半死の馬を殴ったこととみなされる

BACK INTO ENGLISH

Hitting a dead mule counts as hitting a half-dead horse