by Patricia Stewart

Created on: March 22, 2009   Last Updated: June 25, 2009

Donkeys are wonderful! I recommend them to many people who are interested in getting a horse, but are intimidated by their size. Donkeys, in general, are smaller, and extremely easy to keep. They need little to no grain, though they will disagree. Naturally they would eat any plant they could find, and have an inherent way of knowing which foods to avoid. Because they are smaller they need less food, but they are very smart and often connive to get more treats.

While horses can easily get colic, donkeys tend not to overeat, are more aware of when they're full, and therefore don't get sick very often. When they do, it's often because their human gave them too much love and gave in to the donkey's manipulations. Donkeys love a good scratch inside those long ears or around the withers. It's a good way to gain their friendship. Watch a donkey herd for awhile and you'll see very loving rubbing around the withers, donkey hugs and other signs of affection. The more you can establish trust with your donk, the easier it will be tell when something's wrong.

Unlike horses, you can't really force a donkey to do anything. They have amazing memories, and don't have any blind spots in their vision. I've seen a donkey kick a fly off a leather chap and the person wearing the chap didn't feel a thing. They are that precise with their kicks. So building that bond of trust is crucial when working with a donkey. If you don't have that, hoof trimming is going to be a nightmare.

Donkey hooves are smaller and more upright than a horse's. They do need trimming, but rarely do they need shoes. My burro would have a fit if I tried to restrain him that way. To work with their hooves, it's best to use a "click and treat," form of training. This keeps the donkey's brain engaged in problem solving and teaches the idea that behaving gets him treats. The treat might be a cookie, or it might mean a scratch in the ear. That's up to you.

While you train a horse, I think you educate a donkey. Put a donkey in a round pen and you'll have a great face off with your burro friend, but he's not going to run away. Donkeys are very strong, and intellectual. They will reason their way out of a situation, or into one, more than they will run or use brute force. It's not that they can't push you around. They will. But they'd rather play with your mind a bit, so gaining and keeping a donkey's respect is pivotal to happy life with a donkey.

They do need to be wormed, and males should be castrated, or gelded, if they are going to be pets. A jack, an intact male, can be unpredictable and dangerous. However, a gelding is a sweet, predictable fellow in most cases. My burro was an intact jack who ran wild for 6 years before I adopted him. I could pet him and walk within a few weeks, but I didn't trust him, and I couldn't work on his hooves at all. After the castration, within 24 hours, I could work on any hoof I wanted to. Once that testosterone is out of their system, usually within a few weeks, they are much easier to work with.

Donkeys are social animals, and the females, jennets or jenneys, are great mothers. They are very protective though, and in my experience, slower to trust than a gelding or jack. But once that trust is gained, she will be a wonderful friend for a long time. Donkeys are very long lived, with few problems specific to them. They are great choice for a first equine, and generally they love children and will try to protect them, as long as they can trust the child.

I can't stress enough the need to work with a donkey and not "make" a donkey do anything. They will remember, and they will get you back eventually. But become his friend, and that donkey will work for you and be your friend for a long, long time.

Learn more about this author, Patricia Stewart.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.