MINI DONKEY ARTICLES

Driving Articles

florida driving show

The Tri-ass-letes are a hit at the Grand Oaks Classic Pleasure Driving Competition
February 2012
by Sally Armstrong
donkeyoaties@wildblue.net

I took my three Miniature Donkeys, known as The Tri-ass-letes, to The Grand Oaks Classic Pleasure Driving Competition held at the Grand Oaks Resort in Weirsdale, Florida. It is also home to the Florida Carriage Museum which is absolutely amazing. The resort itself is like something out of a movie; but then, add the carriages, horses, and elegantly dressed people and it is another world.

We were the only donkeys there and I must tell you, we were definitely the center of attention the entire weekend. We had our own "groupies" who actually followed us. They would come to our stalls; watch us hitch; follow us to the holding area; stand at the rail while we were in the ring; follow us back to the holding area; return to watch us unhitch and go to the stalls. People were asking, "Where are the little donkeys?"

Both the resort's general manager and equine manager told me later that one afternoon they followed our "groupies" because they had never seen that kind of a response at any of their events before. The general manager invited us to return next year and said that he would like to get the newspapers and the television people out the first day to feature the little donkeys and use them as a draw to bring more people out on Saturday and Sunday.

Following is Sally's description of her second class, Progressive Obstacles:

It is like a cones course but with only 6 gates. Everyone's vehicle is measured and the cones set accordingly so that everyone has the same clearance. Each gate is 4 inches less in clearance than the previous gate. Tennis balls are placed on top of the cones. It is a timed event. If you knock a ball down, the judge blows a whistle and you then stop and leave the ring. You don't finish the course.

Gate 1 - total clearance of 20" (10" each side)
Gate 2 - total clearance of "16"
Gate 3 -total clearance of "12"
Gate 4 - total clearance of "8"
Gate 5 -total clearance of "4"
Gate 6 - total clearance of "2" (1" each side)

Gate 4 would start to eliminate some people and Gate 5 caught the majority. Gate 6 got most everyone who made it through 5. Very few made it through Gate 6. I told Prissy Pitkin, who came with me as my groom, that I felt pretty confident we could make the first three and we would probably get the whistle on Gate 4. We went though the start line at a nice trot and had an easy line up to go through Gate 1. We kept our trot going as we made about a 45 degree angle to line up for Gate 2. We were able to stay on pretty much the same angle through Gate 3. At this point we had to make a wide loop to reverse direction and set up for Gate 4. As we started the loop we were headed toward the exit gate and the boys thought we were finished. I had to slow them to a walk and get them headed toward Gate 4. The crowd figured out that the boys were planning to leave and they really laughed. Some how we got through Gate 4 and Prissy said, "There's no whistle!" She looked back and said, "The balls are still there!". We then had to loop around to change direction and head to Gate 5. At that point the boys realized we were headed straight for the exit gate and they kicked it into a nice extended trot. The crowd was loving our daring speed (fast trot) approaching the Gate 5. They didn't know I was actually trying to slow them down and then Prissy was pounding me on the back yelling, "No whistle! No whistle!" The boys slowed to a walk as they were ready to exit and I had to crank them around to head back the other direction to Gate 6. At this point the crowd was loving it. As we passed by the judge's stand they were all laughing. I figured there was no way we'd make Gate 6 so I got them in a trot and then the crowd roared as Prissy screamed, "We did it!!!" And that was the moment the photo was taken.

Later that afternoon I crossed paths with the judge. I said, "Please excuse our lack of decorum in the cones." She cracked up and said it was the funniest thing she had seen. She also said she didn't know how we ever managed to get through all the gates. I had to admit I didn't know either. She said she had put the whistle in her mouth ready to blow it at Gate 4. After that she was laughing too hard to put the whistle back in her mouth. This was the highlight of the show for me.

A very special thanks to Pics of You for the outstanding photographs.
Sally was one of the very few of the 39 entries who had a clean run.

Many thanks to Sally Armstrong for sharing this historic event with Eeebray readers

gold hill tRiple challenge

The Gold Hill Triple Challenge - A great success!!!!!
Written by Elizabeth Moore
Pictures by Dream Riders Photography,
Elizabeth Moore, & Cindy Benson

Participants came from New Mexico, British Columbia, Canada, Idaho, Oregon, and California. Cindy and Mitch Benson generously opened up their home & ranch in Gold Hill, Oregon to approximately 40 visitors, allowing them to park/camp in their scenic pasture. She & her husband turned a very busy Miniature Donkey breeding facility in to a cross country driving and in-hand trail competition and educational event for Miniature Donkeys, the first ever of it’s kind held in the USA. All present participated, whether they brought a donkey or not. Anyone who has experienced a similar type event knows that it takes LOTS of volunteers to put one of these events on. Not only did the Bensons host this event, they fed all in attendance every night, morning, & lunch!!!!! This was a huge under taking in addition to the management of this event! Oh, Benson Ranch also had to house the 27 visiting donkeys!

The driving events offered were dressage, cones, & marathon. In addition, Cindy offered In-Hand Stadium Trail & Cross Country Trail classes. The Cross Country Trail class was designed to be a “reality” type trail experience during which the competitors had to negotiate streams, jump over logs, climb up & down hills, and lead their donkeys by Fiona, the miniature yak, all the while staying on pattern. What a treat!

Competitors and auditors all judged each other, which is a great way to learn more about the event. Scores were totaled and awards were given to competitors in each class, and the three championships (thus the title The Gold Hill Triple Challenge), Driving Champion, In-Hand Trail Champion, and the Versatility Champion (earning the highest combined driving & trail scores). This was a high honor indeed. Awards in the form of vouchers for photographs taken by Dream Riders Photography were a great new idea. Dream Riders’ photographers stationed themselves all around the event, offering donkey owners packages of photographs & videos for very reasonable rates. These photos are special because they were taken in the woods and meadow, rather than the show ring.

The judge, MargoHepner-Hart was busy not only with judging, but offering information about how she arrived at her scores and answering questions from participants. This was an unusual opportunity for competitors. Wayne Lyon, a well known Miniature Donkey trainer from Canada flew in just to help with the event. He generously offered his knowledge to competitors about driving challenges, while helping to keep the event on schedule. Maureen Harkom from Happ’s, Inc., a facility in Washington that hosts combined driving events, drove down on Sunday to watch the Marathon phase. Maureen hosts many events & has been interested in adding Miniature Donkey only sections to her events. She complimented Cindy on the marathon course. She said it was a nicer course than many professional marathon courses.

The meals shared by all provided an opportunity for people to meet & make new friends and spend the weekend talking donkeys!

The Gold Hill Triple Challenge could only be successful because of dedicated volunteers who also believed that the event could work. It could have been a logistics nightmare, but with Cindy’s organizational skills, her husband Mitch’s strong arm, and hard working volunteers, the event was definitely a success and next year's event is already in the planning stage!

longears driving play day

Longears Driving Play Day
Sally Armstrong
donkeyoaties@wildblue.net

In the spirit of Columbus Day weekend, many of us who drive longears were discovering new lands as well. It was a great adventure hosted by Tom O’Carroll and Marlene Collins at their Good Hands Training Center in Navasota, Texas.

There were Miniature Donkeys, standard donkeys and Miss Millicent mule making her debut. It was also exciting to have three pairs of Miniature Donkeys driving at the event! Saturday was spent “driving at will” to become acquainted with the course and the obstacles and a time for having just plain fun. Tom was kept busy fitting harnesses, modifying carts, and giving planned – as well as impromptu – lessons. Saturday evening was dinner at a local restaurant and we were “the party table”.

Sunday was the day of serious competition. It’s hard to call it “serious” competition when there was so much laughter and good-natured banter going back and forth, but there were ribbons and bragging rights at stake! A key volunteer who attends all the driving competitions there commented, “Y’all are funny! Not at all like the other events here.” She was laughing as she said it so I am assuming she meant “comical” as opposed to “strange”.

We had the chance to work on driving accuracy as we did a timed cones course and timed obstacles. We also did a mini-marathon with obstacles. Everyone left with new skills (mostly driving),the experience of a new driving venue outside of a show ring, new friends, and great memories. I could share some great stories with y’all, but I’m going to save those for possible blackmail opportunities. We all left Tom and Marlene telling them we want to do this again! So come join us the next time.

Combined Driving Events are the fastest growing equine sport in the country. They have a VSE (very small equine) division so Miniature Donkeys have a place. Mules fit right in too. There is even some movement afoot to create a longears division; so get out there with your longears and enjoy some competition outside of the traditional show ring.

For more information about Good Hands Training Center and future events, the website is www.tocarroll.com .

driving workshop

The Workshop Left Them Wanting More!
Sally Armstrong
donkeyoaties@wildblue.net

SDMS coordinated with Tom O’Carroll of Good Hands Training Center in Navasota, Texas to conduct an Introductory Combined Driving Event Workshop exclusively for longears. The workshop was held at Haven Hill on April 18th & 19th and was a huge success. Everyone left wanting to come back for more.

There were eleven participants and two auditors. We had people join us from Oregon and New Mexico. Gay Fowler, one of our SDMS members, was there and she is a certified equine massage therapist. She treated each of the longears to a massage. This was fascinating to watch and see the results.

It rained almost all day on Saturday. The morning was spent in the classroom while Tom O’Carroll and Marlene Collins defined and discussed all the elements of Combined Driving Events – dressage, the cones course, and the marathon. We learned about The Big E – not a good thing, such as excellent, exceptional, expert. It means the dreaded elimination. Needless to say, “The Big E” became a catch phrase for the weekend.

While it was raining during the afternoon, we went to the barn and brought a couple of our longears in at a time, harnessed them, and put them to their cart. Tom checked the harness for proper fit and instructed us on the use of the various harness parts. He also discussed different bits, proper whips and lengths, and how to teach your animal to stand quietly while being harnessed.

Several of us expressed interest in driving a team and Tom put a pairs harness on two of Stock Markets Miniature Donkeys – Ben & Rebate, and drove them as a team. Karen drove them as a team the rest of the weekend. The corners of her smile went all the way to the back of her head!

The rain stopped in the late afternoon and we walked the dressage pattern, the cones course, the obstacle and the mini marathon course which was about 1 ½ miles. We then got our animals and practiced.

Sunday we got to experience a CDE for real. When all the scores were totaled the overall winner was Lynda Cornell and Madison. Lynda is still waiting for their picture on the cover of Sports Illustrated and Driving Digest. (We just won’t tell her any differently)

A very special thanks to Lee Fuhrmann who assisted throughout the entire workshop and took photographs. She sent a CD of pictures to all who attended. Lee and her donkey, Whisper, compete in CDEs. They are doing very well and really making a name for themselves.

Plans are in the works for a CDE Play Day at Haven Hill in the fall. Make plans to attend because it is a great venue for your longears! And a lot of fun!

Photographs by Lee Fuhrmann and Elizabeth Moore
Many thanks to Sally Armstrong for her help in organizing the workshop

i was hoping for just one ribbon

I Was Hoping for Just One Ribbon…August, 2007
by Sally Armstrong, Donkey-Oaties in Johnson City, Texas

This article is being reprinted with permission of Sally Armstrong & Asset Magazine

I know, the ribbon is just a piece of colored cloth or sometimes a rosette. I know it’s not the only reason we go to a show. We go for the fun, the camaraderie, the chance to work with our Miniature Donkeys, to see if we have improved, etc. Coming home with a ribbon or two is an added bonus.

But…This was my first time to attend an NMDA National Show. It is my second year of showing. Not only that; this show was in Oregon! That’s a mighty far piece from Texas. This was really something special! And so, I was hoping for just one ribbon to mark this momentous occasion.

I started figuring my chances. I was taking two pre-green geldings. Each had two classes they could enter – halter and in-hand trail. We had to place in one of four chances. I was also going to show a green gelding for Stock Market’s Miniature Donkeys. SiSu Morris and Barbara Hilliard had encouraged me to make the trip with them.

It was a great relief to travel with some pros. Of course, it made me a bit more nervous to be showing someone else’s donkey. This donkey was new to driving and so was I. This was only our third show together and only our third time to drive.

In the back of my mind I could visualize Pleasure Driving turning into a demolition derby since I knew the class would have more than three or four entries. The only thing I knew for sure is that I would try to do my best. And of course, cope with stomach butterflies that felt more like hummingbirds.

We arrived along with others and everyone was busy getting settled into their stalls. RV’s started rolling in and soon I felt like I was observing a big family reunion. One of the greatest things about the entire weekend is that we were made to feel a part of this wonderful long-ear-lovin’ family. I can’t begin to adequately thank Marilane Jorgensen and everyone on her show committee for the best donkey outing I have ever experienced! Everything about the show was top rate and so well organized. Even the weather was perfect! Best of all, I met so many wonderful folks and made new friends. It is so gratifying to actually meet and visit with people you only knew by name from their advertisements.

I also learned a very important lesson from Matt MacLauchlin as I watched him construct, plumb, excavate, landscape, and run electricity to “The Trail”. I learned, “Trail is trail; it ain’t a bunch of that plastic sh… … (stuff).” I had never seen anything like it! What looked like something so difficult, if not impossible, turned out to be my favorite part of the show. It presented my donkeys and me a real challenge, and we did it.

That trail gave me more respect for my donkeys’ abilities and our bond of trust. What a wonderful thing to come away with from the show!

Thank you to NMDA and the Pacific Crest Classic for a weekend I’ll always treasure due to the fun, the camaraderie, the meals, the great spirit of competition & sportsmanship and new friendships.

And oh, I almost forgot… my boys brought home three ribbons!

showing articles

Getting started showing miniature donkeys

Getting Started In The Showring
by Carolyn Christian of Quarter Moon Ranch

This article is being reprinted with permission of Quarter Moon Ranch. Photos for this article courtesy of Cody Bartlett of CB Miniature Donkeys,
Kathy Loudamy of K&K Ranch, Tammy McCleney of Mini Moons Ago, and Mike Brown of North Gate Farm.

So you’ve bought your new donkey and he’s everything you wanted. Just looking at him gives you such pride. He’s built well, has a wonderful personality, his color is striking, and you’re wanting to do more with him than simply admire him in the pasture. You find out that there is a donkey show within driving distance and the breeder from whom you bought him mentioned that you might want to show your boy.

In the beginning, the thought is absurd. I can’t show a miniature donkey. I’ve never done that before. I don’t know how. I’d be too nervous. I will embarrass myself. I can’t win with all those experienced exhibitors. But after several more days of thought and looking at your donkey who is the example of absolute perfection in Miniature Donkeys, you think you might need to rethink this decision.

If this sounds like you, you’re in luck. This article will help you get started showing Miniature Donkeys. But before I bombard you with more information than you probably wanted, let me say that this discussion is taken from my husband Pete’s and my own experiences and observations. Others may have other insights into this topic. You should ask lots of people about their show experiences, techniques, and philosophies. Most exhibitors are very free with their advice and willing to help those new to the show ring.

Let’s look at a few of those questions you asked yourself earlier. I can’t show a miniature donkey. If you can learn to dress yourself, you can learn to show a Miniature Donkey. I’ve never done that before. You never knew how to drive a car either, but you did it. I don’t know how. Unless you have an IQ of “1”, you can learn. I’d be too nervous. Even the most experienced exhibitor is anxious. If you don’t have a little nervousness, you aren’t taking it seriously.

The good news is that I’ve never seen an exhibitor who screwed up in the show ring jailed for public stupidity. I will embarrass myself. You won’t have to worry about that one. Your donkey will do that for you! I can’t win with all those experienced exhibitors. At every show, you will find experienced breeders who don’t place, screw up a pattern, their donkeys don’t behave, or their donkeys aren’t what the judge likes. We’re the ones in the bathroom with a box of Kleenex so that you don’t see us crying. At least if you do screw up, you’re in good company. The show ring isn’t nearly as scary as when your high school English teacher made you diagram a sentence in front of the whole class.

Besides, those screw ups are the fun things we remember and enjoy laughing about. Pete and Deacon were exhibiting in a showmanship class a couple of years ago. They were doing so well and looked so professional until Pete turned around. He didn’t realize that he had a white sweat towel about a foot and a half long hanging out of his back pocket. Every time he moved, it dangled like a flag in the breeze. Needless to say, he didn’t win. Now, this is the same man who two years earlier had won first place in showmanship in Houston competing with almost 40 exhibitors, some professional trainers. Experienced exhibitors can screw up just as well as new ones.

Then there was the time that Barney sat down on his rear end in the middle of a lead line class and refused to get up. Not only were the people in the stands laughing but the judge couldn't control himself either. Knowing there would be no ribbon today, Pete took off his hat and put it on Barney which caused the cameras to start snapping. Of course, that made no difference to Barney. He was NOT going to cross that tarp even though at home, he took the same kind and color tarp in his mouth and ran the pen with it. We wouldn’t trade these stories for ten successes because those are the things that we remember most and enjoy telling.

So what is showing all about? It’s a venue where you can have fun with this most precious animal that all of us are so fortunate to own and love…our Miniature Donkeys. You should show for the fun of it first and then for the marketing, competition, and social aspects. Some people mistakenly believe that in order to sell donkeys you MUST show. There are more Miniature Donkey breeders across the country who don’t show than those who do, and they sell their donkeys very well. Show for fun! The show ring is a place where family and friends can share experiences with their donkeys, and make lasting memories for everyone. It’s a lot of work when you do it correctly so it has to be a positive experience for you or you won’t stay with it. So let’s get started. There are basically two types of classes found in the show ring… halter and performance. Let’s look at each individually in order for you to determine which appeals to you more.

HALTER CLASSES
Halter classes judge your donkey solely on his conformation. The judge is looking for the donkey who most closely resembles the breed standard. He takes into consideration the donkey’s conformation, overall quality, movement, and show presence. You may not like the judge’s placings or understand why he placed the donkeys the way he did, but barring any rule infraction, there is nothing you can do about it. It’s his opinion and his alone.

Personal preference shouldn’t but does play a part in halter selection at times. Some judges like a more drafty than refined donkey. Others like to see a lot of width in the chest or hindquarter. Although color should not be a consideration and is not among the more qualified judges, occasionally you will encounter one who is struck by a certain color. For the most part, a judge’s decision in halter is very subjective and depends on his knowledge of the breed standard and his personal preference.

In most cases, you will be asked to walk your donkey to the judge then trot away from him so that he can see correctness in the legs, movement, and balance. You will then be asked to set your donkey up in a line with other donkeys. Therefore, the halter donkey needs not only to be a well-conformed animal, but he should lead well at the walk and trot and stand patiently for observation by the judge. GOOD LUCK!!!! All of us have donkeys who no matter how much they’ve been trained or how many shows they’ve been in, you’re just praying that they will even walk into the arena.

Ours is Quarter Moon Bonnie Blue. Bonnie is an NMDA champion and multiple halter champion, and has been in 16 shows in her career. But even with those credentials, we all place bets as to whether or not she is going to trot while in the ring or even enter it. She likes to play mind games with Pete. Just prior to walking to the judge, Bonnie hesitates for a mille-second to let Pete know that she’s just doing this out of the goodness of her heart. Occasionally, there are those who have shown her for us when we had another jennet to show. The word they use for Bonnie cannot be repeated in mixed company. That’s the fun and frustration of showing donkeys. They have good and bad days. It makes no difference whether you are experienced in the show ring or not, if it’s one of their bad days, take an aspirin and I hope you have a really good sense of humor.

If you choose to show at halter, there are some things that will help you succeed and enjoy the experience.

1. Do Your Homework
If possible, attend a show or two in order to sit in the stands and get a flavor of what showing is all about. Observe not only the conformation of the donkeys being exhibited, but the handlers, their dress, the judge, the procedure during the class, what’s going on in the warm-up arena, the way the handlers present their animals, their sportsmanship, etc. We learn more by doing than observing, but it helps some people to have seen a show at least once prior to actually participating. On the other hand, you can learn a lot by just jumping in there, so send in your entry fees now before you chicken out. We haven’t had a miniature donkey exhibitor who made an error in the show ring drawn and quartered in a very long time.

2. Conformation
Be very critical and realistic about the conformation of your halter donkey. Choose an animal based on his structure and conformation, not just because he’s your favorite. Halter classes are judged solely on conformation and you set yourself up for disappointment if you don’t make sure the animal you are exhibiting is a worthy candidate for a halter class. Just because you paid a lot of money for a certain animal or bought him from a certain big named ranch doesn’t automatically make him a halter donkey. Not every breeder, even those who have bred champions, produces only show champions. Understand conformation and the NMDA Breed Standard. You can purchase the NMDA Breed Standard in booklet form from NMDA and everyone who exhibits should have a copy.

Having said that though, it’s important to remember that there are very few “perfect” donkeys. Don’t eliminate a donkey from consideration because he doesn’t meet all the conformation requirements you would like to see in a miniature donkey. There are halter champions who may have a weak topline or one whose chest is narrower than you would like to see. The judge may have a personal preference that permits him to accept a weakness in one area over another. Halter classes are very subjective and are one judge’s opinion on any given day based on the donkeys presented to him that day. In all probability, another judge would place the same donkeys differently. We’ve been asked many times what makes a superior halter champion. When many different judges in many shows place your donkey first, you know you truly have an exceptional animal and a real champion. Those halter champions are few.

3. Grooming
A donkey shown in halter should be well-groomed. Depending on the area in which you live, the shows can be casual or more formal. Here in Texas, the days are long gone when you can yank your donkey out of the pasture, throw him in the trailer, trot him into the show ring, and expect to take home a ribbon. Your emphasis on grooming can make the difference between placing or not placing or winning first or winning fourth. Grooming involves body clipping your donkeys, maintaining a good healthy coat by means of good nutrition prior to the show, and finishing products (sprays and lotions) applied at the show.

We like a little hair growth on our show donkeys because the new growth will blend in any lines you have from clipping. We clip 7-10 days before a show rather than a few days prior to it. Some parts of the country like to see even more hair on the donkey so they may clip several weeks prior to a show. Regions vary relative to custom. Hooves are either blackened or a clear polish is applied. Manes and tails are trimmed based on personal preference.

4. Conditioning
Body condition is important in a halter class. I’m not talking about yours, I’m talking about your donkey’s! If left on pasture or on free feed hay, your halter donkey can easily get a grass or hay belly that’s unsightly. This can be prevented by special feeding. If you talk to 10 exhibitors, you will get 10 different feeding programs for their show donkeys, and all of them can be appropriate. If you have the facility available, putting your donkey up and feeding him twice a day with hay and supplemental feed is a good plan. Supplemental feed can be crimped oats, horse and mule feed (10, 12, or 14 percent), horse pellets, complete feeds such as Purina Strategy, Wendland’s One and Only, Omaline 100 or 200, special blends, and various others are some of the supplemental feeds some exhibitors use.

Do not put your donkey on a “crash” diet if he’s overweight. Any change of diet in preparation for a show should be done gradually over weeks rather than days. If your donkey is given a drastic change in his feed, you run the risk of colic, founder or hyperlipidemia, all serious conditions. Colic and especially hyperlipidemia can even be fatal. Adding mineral oil, corn oil, or products like Nu-Image or Super 14 to the feed can produce a healthy, shiny coat. Make sure your donkey is free of parasites to insure optimum health and condition.

Exercise is also an important element in conditioning. Some exhibitors have invested in a horse walker to help with body conditioning for the show ring. In lieu of that expense, taking your show donkey for a brisk walk around the ranch either on foot (which wouldn’t hurt the person on the other end of the lead rope either!) or with the help of your ranch Gator, Kawasaki Mule, or other vehicle, is of great benefit.

5. Dress
Dress in miniature donkey shows is dictated by either the rulebook under which the show is regulated or by regional custom. Most show committees will designate in their advertisement and entry forms that their show will be governed by a certain rulebook. If the show is sanctioned by one of the national associations, it always follows that organization’s rulebook, i.e. the rulebook of NMDA, NASMA, ACOSA, etc. Your area may have a local association who has their own rulebook as do we in Texas. It is up to the individual exhibitor to know under whose rules the show will be governed so that he can be knowledgeable about required dress in halter and performance.

As an example, our Texas rulebook requires exhibitors in halter to wear a long sleeved shirt or blouse with collar, long pants, and a hat. Some rulebooks require gloves for certain classes. You can purchase NMDA Rulebooks through NMDA. Some shows have more casual dress codes and some have no requirement at all. Whatever the dress in halter classes, you should look neat and clean. I would stay away from lots of dangling jewelry and flapping attire. Donkeys have been spooked by the noise and movement and it can draw attention to yourself rather than to your donkey. If you’re twenty, female, and a size 6…that might not be an entirely bad thing! Most exhibitors choose attire that is not garish or extremely loud in color or design.

6. Training
Now we come to a very important requirement for showing in halter. Too many people have been disappointed because, even though they have an outstanding donkey, they never seem to do well in the show ring. You are never going to succeed in halter if your donkey does not present himself well. We’ve seen very nice donkeys who merited a ribbon because of their outstanding conformation be excluded from consideration because they had to be dragged into the arena, wouldn’t trot, wouldn’t stand still in line, and basically fought the handler. How can the judge make any kind of determination about your donkey relating to conformation and movement if the donkey doesn’t show well?

99% of the preparation for halter or performance takes place AT HOME. Does this mean that your donkey must stand like the rocks at Stonehenge? Wouldn’t hurt. Does this mean that your donkey needs to trot with his head up like a Tennessee Walker? Wouldn’t hurt. Does this mean that if he doesn’t do those things, he will never place? Absolutely not. Remember our Bonnie Blue? The point is that you lessen your chance of placing if you have done nothing to train your donkey to do what he’s going to be asked to do in a halter class.

Your donkey must have some basic training either by you or a professional. Teach your halter donkey to lead well, walk and trot on command, and stand quietly. You can do it and it doesn’t take that much time. Working with him 3-4 times a week for 15-20 minutes will accomplish what you need. Donkeys are fast learners and remember things well. They do best with short frequent lessons. You will need to learn how to train your donkey for halter, but this can be done through books on the topic and asking advice of other exhibitors.

Of course, another option is to take your donkey to a professional trainer. Should you choose that approach, you will still need to reinforce his education periodically at home prior to a show. When choosing a trainer, make sure he or she understands the difference between the personality of a donkey and that of a horse. Some trainers don’t understand that a donkey must be trained differently than horses. These are extremely intelligent animals who think for themselves. Also, be sure the trainer doesn’t employ harsh training techniques that can physically or emotionally harm your donkey. No ribbon s worth having if it took abusing your donkey to get it.

Although a halter judge should be determining his placings based solely on conformation, there are times when he must look to other things to help him make his decision. That’s when grooming, training, and the handler’s ability can become a determining factor. As an example, suppose a judge is considering two donkeys for first place. Both in his mind are equal in conformation. If one is exquisitely groomed, well-behaved, and the handler has presented his animal well, any or all of those things can make the difference between first and second place.

The quality of miniature donkeys being exhibited today is much more superior and consistent than when Pete and I started years ago. There are so many good donkeys being shown and the classes are becoming so large in some shows that it’s quite an honor to win any ribbon. That tells us that conformation is improving not only in the show ring but in the breeding pasture as well. But because there are so many good donkeys in the show ring today, you need to make sure you do your job as well as the donkey does his.

7. Equipment
You will need to purchase a show halter. In some regions of the country, a simple leather or even nylon halter is sufficient. In others, you will want to invest in one that has some flash to it with silver or beading. In my opinion, it’s not the amount of silver you have on your show halter, but how tasteful it is and how well it looks on your donkey. You don’t want a halter that takes away from the overall presentation, but a halter that enhances it. As an example, you wouldn’t want a weanling halter to have wide leather loaded with a gaudy amount of silver conchos and bars on the cheek and noseband.

Conversely, your mature donkey should have a halter that matches his size and color. Show halters made of leather and biothane are popular. Biothane is easy to clean, doesn’t fray like leather, and keeps its leather appearance with use. It’s our favorite. You can purchase your show halter from many of our miniature donkey tack suppliers or from a local leather smith who will make your halter custom for you. It is also helpful to take a stroll in the stalling area where you will find exhibitors. Observe their set up, supplies, and storage items.

8. Halter Classes
Halter classes are customarily divided by age and sex. Most every show will have a halter class for jacks, jennets, and geldings. Many shows further divide these classes by age and sex such as foals, yearlings, two year old jacks, jennets, and geldings, etc. When entering your donkey in halter classes, you must enter him in the appropriate class according to his age. That isn’t always his ACTUAL age. Shows determine age by either the actual age of the donkey or by using a January 1st reference date. If the latter method of determining age is used, the age of your donkey is computed on the basis of a calendar year starting with January 1st of the year foaled. This means that your baby boy is a weanling during the calendar year in which he foaled and is a yearling during the first calendar year following his foaling date, regardless of the time of year he foaled. Clear as mud, huh?

Let me give you an example. If your precious baby boy was born in February of 2008, he will be considered a weanling until January 1st of 2009 when he becomes a yearling (or 1 year old for entry purposes). Even if he was born on December 1st of 2008, he would still be considered one year old on January 1st of 2009 even though he is only a month old. Got it? NMDA uses ACTUAL AGE in determining age at all NMDA sanctioned shows. Additionally, NMDA requires that a foal be at least 6 months old before he is eligible to be shown at an NMDA sanctioned show, be it halter or performance. Once again, be familiar with the rules regarding age of the show in which you plan to exhibit. You don’t want to enter him in the wrong class which would make him subject to disqualification.

9. Awards and Titles
Most shows will award ribbons to the top six exhibitors in each class. First and second place winners will go back into the arena for the judge to determine the Champion (sometimes referred to as Grand Champion or Model Donkey) and Reserve Champion (sometimes referred to as Reserve Grand Champion or Reserve Model Donkey). Because exhibitors in performance are accumulating “points” with each placing (including halter), their title for the best performance donkey in most cases is Champion and Reserve Champion High Point Donkey.
PERFORMANCE CLASSES
Performance classes judge your donkey solely on his ability to perform certain tasks either in hand, meaning with a lead rope and a handler at side, or in harness, meaning driving a cart or walking behind a donkey who is harnessed. (Although some of the in hand classes are categorized as “Gaming Classes”, for the purpose of simplicity for the beginner, I will refer to any class other than halter as a performance class. Also, some of the terminology found in this article may not be technically accurate for experienced exhibitors. Keep in mind that I am trying to make it less confusing for the beginner.)

Some performance classes are judged on the performance of the donkey, i.e. his manners, way of going, condition, appearance, and fit of the harness and cart as in Pleasure Driving. Others are judged on the ability and skill of the driver, i.e. his handling of the reins and whip, control, posture, and overall appearance as in Reinsmanship classes. Still other performance classes are judged on the ease with which the donkey maneuvers obstacles (Obstacle Driving and Lead Line Obstacle classes) or the timeliness in which the donkey and handler finish a course (In-Hand Jumping and Cloverleaf Barrel Racing). These are all fun classes but do require training.

Unlike halter classes, performance classes are judged much less subjectively. The exhibitor has requirements he must fulfill in order for him to place and receive points. You either fulfill the requirements of the pattern or you don’t which is different from halter. A pattern is your road map for performing in that class and is determined by the show rules and/or by the judge. It is posted in a visible location prior to the beginning of the show so that exhibitors can familiarize themselves with the patterns for each performance class.

1. Do Your Homework
As in our discussion of showing at halter, if possible, attend some shows in order to better understand what’s required for exhibiting in performance. There is a fundamental difference between halter and performance classes that can effect your safety, your donkey’s safety, and the safety of other donkeys and exhibitors in the ring. Remember, for many of the performance classes, you will be in harness. That is not the place for an untrained donkey who can be a danger to himself and others, or an untrained driver who does not practice safety nor know the rules. The judge has a responsibility to other exhibitors and will excuse anyone whose donkey is not under control or is preventing other exhibitors from showing their donkeys at their best. Preparation for the show ring begins at home.

2. Conformation
Unlike halter classes, conformation is not a consideration in performance classes. Of course, a donkey with a certain amount of eye appeal does present a pretty package in harness. Bad teeth, cow-hocks, and other conformation faults that would eliminate your donkey from halter classes are not a consideration for the performance donkey. The requirements of a good performance donkey have to do with fitness, movement and temperament. A good driving donkey is fluid when he moves, not choppy. His front feet reach out and his back legs dig in to propel him forward.
Most good driving donkeys are not tiny for the same reason that a runway model is not short. The taller the model, the more elegant the stride. The taller the donkey, the more graceful the movement. Additionally, smaller donkeys have a more difficult time pulling a cart and driver in some arenas due to the deep packing on the arena floor. A good chest and strong hindquarter is desirable. Even a slight cow-hock enables the driving animal to more easily get his feet under him in order to pull a cart. Balance and proportion permits the performance donkey to avoid putting strain on other parts of the body meaning that you want the neck, head, and body to be proportionate to each other.

Lastly and something that’s extremely important in choosing a performance donkey is a willingness to perform. Not every donkey can be successful as a performance animal. In many classes, you will be asking him to do things that he doesn’t like to do and is even fearful of doing. An even temperament, his willingness to trust you, and his desire to please will make your experiences in performance so much more enjoyable. As an example, there are classes where your donkey will be asked to jump over obstacles and ever increasing heights. Some donkeys love to jump. It’s a tremendous advantage if your donkey enjoys what he’s doing.
If your goal is to participate in both halter and performance, then you must select a donkey with good conformation as well as one with good performance characteristics. Jacks, jennets, or geldings are suitable for performance although jacks and jennets can have attention diverted at times due to, shall we say, “overactive hormones”.

NMDA encourages the use of geldings for driving. Toward that end, NMDA has introduced a Gelding Incentive Program that will pay $50 toward the cost of gelding your jack. Geldings make wonderful driving animals and are good candidates for the jacks we breeders raise who don’t have quite the conformation required for herd sires. The show ring is a wonderful place to showcase our geldings.

3. Grooming
A donkey shown in performance should be well-groomed like his halter counterpart. At some shows, body clipping is optional. At others, exhibitors prefer to body clip feeling that it presents a better image to the judge.

4. Conditioning
Body condition and fitness is everything in performance. The performance donkey is an athlete and like human athletes, he should be in good physical condition, neither overweight nor thin. Poor conditioning not only prevents him from performing at his best, but it fails to complete a fit overall picture when the judge observes him. The same feeding program as that of the halter donkey is applied to the performance donkey with the exception that the protein content in supplemental feeds may need to be increased due to a more stringent exercise program.

Exercise is critical for the driving donkey in order to insure that his muscles, heart, and lungs are up to the task you will be asking him to perform in the show ring. BTW, it also doesn’t hurt to have the HANDLER fit too! If you would like to shed a few pounds, exercise both you and your donkey by walking and trotting around the ranch. It will prevent the paramedics from being summoned during an in hand class. There’s nothing sadder than seeing a donkey finish his course while his handler is receiving oxygen from the show management.

5. Dress
Attire for those exhibiting in performance classes, like halter attire, is dictated by either the rulebook under which the show is regulated or by regional custom. Because each performance class is so diverse, there can be different requirements for different classes. As an example, some driving classes require a lap blanket or lap robe to be worn. Youth classes require protective head gear. It is up to the individual exhibitor to know the rules for each class in which he is participating. Having a copy of the rulebook and bringing it to the show is extremely helpful. In most cases, show attire for halter is sufficient for show attire in most performance classes.

6. Training
Driving is becoming a very popular activity for miniature donkey owners. Some owners enjoy driving around their ranch or on trail rides with other equine. Others enjoy the challenge of the show ring. In all of these disciplines, a carefully trained animal is so much more enjoyable. Because there are rules to be followed in showing in performance, your donkey must know more than simply to lead, walk, trot, and set up. He must back, side pass, jump, walk over hazards, pull a cart, do speed events, and much more. This requires special training that can be done by you or a trainer. Many people enjoy training their donkeys for performance themselves. It’s not difficult to teach your donkey to walk over obstacles or even to drive. It just takes patience, commitment, and consistency.

One source you might want to consider to help you get started is a booklet entitled “Training Your Miniature Donkey to Drive”. It’s published by NMDA and can be purchased though the NMDA Mini Market at a cost of $12.00. Dr. Judy Martens and I authored this publication primarily for driving instruction, but it also has some techniques that will help you train your halter donkey as well. It’s an uncomplicated approach to training and has an abundance of photos that illustrate the text. Additionally, there are many books out there that can help train your donkey for performance. The Hee Haw Book Club of ADMS is a good place to start for finding them.

You don’t have to exhibit in every performance class. There may be only one or two of them where you and your donkey have an interest. That can be fun too. Coon jumping may be your donkey’s cup of tea because he loves to jump. Lead Line Obstacle may have your and your donkey’s name all over it because you enjoy taking him through new challenges. Do the things you enjoy and enjoy the things you do.

7. Equipment
Showing in performance, namely the driving classes, requires much more of a monetary investment than showing at halter. You will need to purchase a cart, harness, and other driving accessories. A cart that is used quite often in shows, especially for beginning drivers, is the Easy Entry Cart which costs approximately $425 and up. This is a wonderful cart for use around the ranch as well. The pleasure cart and other show carts are typically more expensive depending on the type and where you purchase it. Another important piece of equipment is the driving harness. These can range in price from the nylon and biothane harness (easy to care for and looks like leather) which costs around $170 and up, to a leather or patent leather show harness that can cost $325 and more.

Should you desire to show in hand, you may want to either purchase or build your own obstacles for practice at home. With careful shopping, all of these items can sometimes be purchased used or on EBay. Do a search on the Internet for miniature donkey or miniature horse carts, harnesses, tack, and driving equipment. You can also find companies who sell these items in the ASSET and the BRAYER.

8. Performance Classes
Both performance and halter classes are usually divided by age of the exhibitor similar to the following:
Adult: Age 18 and up
Youth: Age 11-17
Sub-Youth: Age 6-10
Pee Wee: 5 and under
Open: A class in which both Adult and Youth may participate.
Performance classes can be further divided by your donkey’s show history and/or age similar to the following:
Green
The donkey shall not have been shown over a period of more than 2 years at any show in performance classes from the age of 3 years (actual age) and over.
Pre-Green
The donkey must be under 3 years of age (actual age).
Novice
The donkey shall not have won 3 first place ribbons in that class at any show.

NMDA Sanctioned Shows
All donkeys in jumping and driving classes shall be 3 years old or older (actual age). Foals shown in foal classes must be a minimum of 6 months of age.
Typical Performance Classes:
Lead Line Race
Coon Jumping
Pleasure Driving Reinsmanship
Obstacle Driving
Single Stake Driving
Keyhole Driving
Snigging

Lead Line Trail

In-Hand Jumping

Pleasure Driving

Cloverleaf Barrel Driving

Pole Bending Driving

9. Awards and Titles
Most shows will award ribbons to the top six exhibitors in each performance class. Points are tallied among the exhibitors who placed. The higher the placing, the more points they are awarded. The title of Champion High Point Donkey is given to the exhibitor with the most points. The title of Reserve Champion High Point Donkey is given to the exhibitor whose point standing was next. At some shows, Champion and Reserve Champion High Point Donkey are also awarded to Green, Gelding, and Youth classes.

GENERAL COMMENTS
Although a responsible exhibitor would NEVER knowingly bring a donkey who is ill to a show, sometimes it happens. There have been instances where sick donkeys have transmitted a flu virus to other donkeys at a show, then in turn, those donkeys brought the virus home to others in the herd with sometimes deadly consequences. Don’t worry. There are some steps you can take to avoid this from happening to you. You will want to protect your donkey from exposure at a show by giving him a flu shot 3 weeks prior to the show. In doing so, he is at peak immunity during the show and better able to fight off exposure or lessen the severity should he become ill. To avoid bringing a virus home to the herd, we isolate our donkeys for 2 weeks after a show at least 30’ from other donkeys. Even if your donkey doesn’t become ill himself, he could be a carrier. Flu viruses can be carried on show equipment and even your show clothes and shoes. If your facilities don’t permit you to isolate, do what you can to prevent nose to nose contact with other donkeys by separate stalling or some other arrangement. Just like a human virus, equine viruses are airborne.

Showing is an excellent way to not only have fun with your donkey, your family, and your friends, but it’s also good advertisement for your ranch if you are a breeder. When you show, your name is visible to other breeders and owners, other exhibitors, and new folks discovering miniature donkeys for the first time. It’s a great venue for meeting prospects, networking among donkey owners, learning how to better care for your donkey, and becoming involved in your local donkey association and miniature donkey community.

You might want to consider setting up a table in front of your stall with information about your ranch, your breeding program, your donkeys, and whatever information you would like to make available to the public. You might also want to be creative and make stall drapes to dress up your stalling area. Most stalls are 10’ x 10’ with the stall door being 4’ wide. Heights vary but are commonly 7’ to 8’. We set up the stall below for a national show so we went all out. You certainly don't have to go to this extreme but you get the idea of what you can do in stall decorations.

Probably the most fun Pete and I have at shows is sharing our donkeys with passersby. At the larger shows such as Houston, Fort Worth, and the Texas State Fair, most of these folks have never seen a miniature donkey nor will become owners or breeders. They are just attending the rodeo or fair and their travels bring them to the barns where we are stalled. The thrill on the faces of those discovering miniature donkeys for the first time helps us to remember how we felt when we did the same.

We take the time to let visitors pet the donkeys and learn more about them. We listen to the older folks tell their stories about when they owned a donkey or mule when they were young. We feel as though we are being ambassadors for the breed when we share our donkeys with others. It’s not all about winning. It’s also about sharing.

Well, we’re coming to the end of this article. Aren’t you glad? By now you’re either chomping at the bit to get started showing your boy (soon to be the next Champion Halter Jack or Champion High Point Donkey) or you’re on the floor in a coma thinking it’s too much to comprehend! Hopefully, it’s the former. Here’s just one more parting comment.

Remember this. When we exhibit our donkeys in the show ring, we’re not only representing ourselves, our donkeys, and our individual ranches, but we’re representing Miniature Donkey owners and exhibitors as a whole. We should be mindful that there are people watching us to see if they like this group of little long ear owners. There are youngsters in the youth classes and alleyways watching us. They will become the exhibitors, owners, and breeders of tomorrow. There are new Miniature Donkey owners watching us. They want to know if showing is something they might want to do. If it’s obvious to them that we’re having a good time, they will want to participate.

There are people who attend these shows watching us to see if they would like to own or miniature donkey or even begin raising them. There are our fellow competitors who are observing whether we handle ourselves with dignity and each other with respect. We need to show a positive face to all of these. We need to be humble in our winning and gracious in our losing. Simply stated, we need to be good sports. Speak to every competitor. Wish them luck. If they place ahead of you, congratulate them. If you lose, don’t blame the judge, your donkey, the exhibitor next to you, the weather, your spouse, or the federal government. It just wasn’t your day. Your world will not fall apart. There are much more important things going on in this world than whether or not you win at a donkey show. You have your health, your children and grandchildren are wonderful, your donkeys love you, your family is blessed, and we’re a free people. Those are the truly important things in this world.

It goes without saying that winning is much more fun than losing. We should all go in the arena to win, not to beat someone else, but to win for yourself and your precious little donkey who has worked so hard for you. Understand that even those who seem to continually win top honors are never on top forever. The pendulum always swings and it will swing your way in time.

Your character is on trial in the show ring. People are looking to see how you behave when you take home 1st place and when you leave empty handed. Do your best but remember that people aren’t going to remember you for what you won but rather for who you are. Let your good sportsmanship be evident. Tell your donkey how much you love him when you leave the arena whether or not you’re holding a ribbon. If you do these things, your show experience will be full and rewarding. Now get out there and start working. You have a show coming up in a few weeks!

grooming your donkey for halter

Grooming Your Donkey For Halter
by Carolyn Christian of Quarter Moon Ranch
This article is reprinted with permission of Quarter Moon Ranch

What does it take to win in the show ring at halter? It begins with a well-conformed miniature donkey. It continues with a well-behaved animal who presents himself well. He needs to walk, trot, stand quietly while being judged and look alert. He also needs to be well-groomed. Although a halter class is looking for the donkey that most resembles the conformational excellence of the breed, when a judge is faced with several donkeys equal to that standard, something must set them apart. That something could very well be how well the animal is groomed.

Can grooming make a difference in a judge’s placings? You bet. It can be the difference between moving up or down a ribbon or two because grooming is a major part of the overall presentation. Hopefully, this article will prove helpful to you in learning some basics regarding grooming for halter classes. Additionally, good grooming is beneficial in performance classes because it too makes a better presentation under harness. Let me begin by saying that there is never one way to groom a donkey. The procedures that Pete and I use are what work for us. The key is to not be afraid to groom or clip your donkey. It's a time for both of you to enjoy.

CLIPPERS
There are several brands of clippers on the market today. They come in all sizes and with different types of blades and blade sizes. Some of the more popular brand names are Wahl, Oster, Lister, and Andis. Different sizes of clippers can be used on different parts of the body. Clippers can be purchased through equine catalogs, at feed and tack stores, and over the Net.

Our personal preference for a general purpose clipper, especially for the beginner, is the Wahl Stable Pro which is reasonably priced at approximately $75 to $80 (Fig. 1-B). For a miniature, these are easy to handle and the blades are adjustable which gives the groomer many options. Also, Wahl clippers get warm but not hot as some others do. The body of some clippers can become very hot. A hot blade will burn the donkey and reduce the life of the clipper and the blade so you must take time to let it cool down. Unfortunately, doing so also increases clipping time.

If you have adult donkeys and/or many donkeys you want to clip, you might want to invest in a larger clipper. We use the Wahl Star Clipper (Fig. 1-A) for the body of our yearlings and adults. The 3” blade dramatically cuts clipping time. We then can use smaller clippers for areas that are more difficult to reach. Large clippers such as these will cost between $200 and $300.
Other handy clippers that are smaller and more maneuverable are clippers like the Wahl Pro Series Rechargeable Clipper (Fig. 1-C) which costs approximately $44 and the Wahl Pocket Pro (Fig.1-D) costing around $15. These clippers are great for getting into fine areas such as the inside of ears and around the hoof. We keep a battery operated clipper in our grooming cart for minor touch-ups that need to be done while at the show and no electricity is available.
A. Wahl Star Clipper
B. Wahl Stable Pro
C. Wahl Pro Series Rechargeable Clipper
D. Wahl Pocket Pro

BLADES
Clipper blades come in various widths. For miniatures, we like to use a 2" and a 2 1/2" width blade depending on how much area we want to cover or how many "peaks and valleys" we encounter. The 2” blade can maneuver tight corners better than the wider blade, but requires more passes with the clippers. Blades are numbered such as #5, #10, #15, and #30. The higher the number, the closer the blade will cut. Most clippers the size of the Wahl Stable Pro come with a standard adjustable #30, #15, #10 chrome blade that is 2” wide. You can get the same blade in a 2 ½” width.

Always make sure your blades are sharp, clean, and oiled. Dull blades will not cut evenly and will pull the hair, occasionally resulting in a reflex that you may not like! If you are clipping several donkeys at one time, it’s also a good idea to have at least one set of sharpened blades handy in case the set you are using becomes dull. We send our blades to the repair department at Wahl for sharpening, and they are returned in about a week at a cost of $4 per set. Sharpening can be done locally so check your yellow pages for that service. Occasionally, there will be someone at a show who sharpens blades. The show chairman will know if that service will be provided.

PRE-CLIPPING CONDITIONING
It is very helpful to condition your donkey to the noise and feel of the clippers prior to actually clipping. You can teach youngsters, even as foals or weanlings, not to fear the clippers by introducing the clippers to them gradually. This is done by simply turning the clippers on, letting them listen to the noise it makes, and then rubbing them over the donkey's body. In this way, when the day comes to actually clip, your donkey won't be as frightened. After your donkey has been clipped many times, he usually will surrender to the process of body clipping. The key is patience.

Understand that he is fearful of the noise, clipping tickles, and he’d rather be playing with his friends. We would lose our patience too if we were subjected to the same treatment. BE PATIENT and take your time, especially when you clip your donkey for the first time. You may see it as a chore to be done for a halter class, but your donkey sees it much more personally!

WASHING
Always shampoo your donkey with an equine shampoo to remove all the dirt. We shampoo twice. This will prevent noticeable clip lines, will protect your blades from becoming dull, and the job will go much faster. Dry the donkey well. Wet hair is very difficult to clip and ruins blades. If the sun is bright and it’s warm, we tie them out in the sun to dry. If it’s cooler or if you want to cut drying time, you can blow them dry with a professional blower or your own blow dryer, being careful not to get too close to the skin.

HOW FAR AHEAD OF THE SHOW SHOULD I CLIP?
The best time to body clip prior to a show involves personal preference and the temperature in your area in the weeks prior to the show. You may prefer to have a slight amount of hair growth on your show donkey when he’s being exhibited. The advantage to that is it allows any clipping lines to blend together and causes the donkey to look more natural and even. The disadvantage is that the hair may grow out unevenly and/or darker in some spots than others on your darker donkeys. We like to have a little hair growth after the body clip so we clip our donkeys 7-10 days prior to a show in the summer months and 5-7 days prior to a show in the cooler months. Remember that cooler weather causes the hair to grow faster. If you’ve body clipped your donkey and the evenings are cool, you might want to blanket him to prevent too much re-growth.

CLIPPING LOCATION
Especially for the first few times, you must find a location where you can tie your donkey in such a manner that prevents the donkey from moving forward, sideways or back. An ideal location is to find a portion of your fence or stall that makes a 90-degree angle. Tie the donkey in the corner with his nose facing one side of the stall and his side resting on the other. This gives you a clear clipping side and prevents the donkey from escaping. Some folks like to cross-tie their donkeys for clipping. This is done by clipping a lead rope to each side of the halter and tying his head between a doorway or something similar to prevent excessive movement. Until your donkey is accustomed to being clipped, find an area with less traffic and as far away from other donkeys so that he will not be distracted. Also, plan a time to clip your donkey when you will not be rushed or during the heat of the day when both you and your donkey are exhausted. Make this a fun experience for both of you.

WHERE ON THE DONKEY DO I START?
We like to start clipping at the rear of the donkey on the hip and back and work forward, being careful to go against the grain (or the way the hair grows). Some people go with the grain in order to leave more hair on the donkey. This method makes it very difficult to avoid clipper lines. If you are clipping for the show ring, most exhibitors clip against the grain. Use short strokes, keeping the clipper at the same angle in order to keep the hair an even length. Using this same procedure, slowly move up the body from rear to front. It won't take you long to discover that clipping will make you twist, turn, and contort your body in ways you didn't know were possible. The hair on the underbelly is very soft and is more difficult to cut. To get this hair even may require going over it several times. We like to complete the entire body first, including the neck, before we move to the legs, head and ears. Brush the donkey as you go and look for places that you may have missed.

LEGS
The sensitive areas on most donkeys are the feet, head, nose (muzzle), and ears. You will find that most donkeys do NOT like at least one if not all of those areas clipped. Handling the feet and ears from birth will help in desensitizing for clipping. The front legs usually aren't as difficult as the rear ones so we begin with the front legs. We adjust the blade to the closest setting and go around the hoof wall then up the fetlock. Once you have completed the foot, adjust the blades back to the longest setting for clipping the legs. After the front legs are clipped, we move to the rear ones. Don't get in a hurry clipping the rear legs if your donkey is nervous. It's a learning experience for you both. Remember, if your donkey has a bad experience, the next time will be even worse because they don't forget. If he is putting up a real fight, clip elsewhere for a moment then come back to the legs.

HEAD
After completing the body, neck, and legs, we move to the head. Miniature donkeys' heads are small with lots of areas that are difficult to reach. Remove the halter and attach it around the neck. The entire head may require repeating several times to get everything clipped and to make sure it is even. Move up the sides of the cheek. Clip over and under the eyes being very careful in that area. Try to keep loose hair away from the eyes.

EARS
The ears are very sensitive to a donkey. Just think of it. How would you like a loud, buzzing, vibrating, tickling "thing" stuck down your ear? It is helpful to have someone hold the head still while clipping the ears. Clip the outside first then the inside and finally the edge of the ear. Try not to get hair inside the ear. Place cotton in the ear for this purpose, but don’t forget to take it out. The inside of the ears is where your smaller clippers really come in handy. Clip all the hair inside the ear. It takes away from the appearance if any is left.

NOSE
Adjust the clippers to the closest setting or you may choose to use a smaller clipper for this area. Clip all the long hair on the nose, lips, and below the lower lip, making sure that you got them all. Whiskers grow fast so you may have to do a touch-up on the muzzle before the show.

MANE
Be extremely careful when cutting around the mane. Should your donkey jerk his head, you may find yourself with a vacant space in the middle of his mane. If this should happen, cut the entire mane off. Some exhibitors do that anyway as part of their grooming for the show ring. It’s customary to clip a “bridle path” from the top of his mane to where his show halter ends. Cut all of the hair in this area.

Additionally, the mane is trimmed to a length that is flattering to the donkey. You don’t want a youngster sporting a long mane. If your donkey has a thin neck, leave the mane a bit longer to balance the look. The length of the mane is a personal preference. We like a shorter mane. You might prefer a longer one. Manes can either be trimmed by hand with scissors or by placing two dowel rods on either side and trimming the hairs between the rods. Good scissors are a must. You need ones that are capable of cutting through thick hair. (See Fig. 2)

TAIL
We’ve observed that most exhibitors trim the hair off the tail anywhere from 2” to 6” from the tail set. This is also a matter of preference. When clipping the tail for the first time, start by clipping down the tail just an inch or two. Step back and see how you like it, then proceed with more if you choose. You won’t be able to put hair back once you’ve cut it lower than you would have liked. (See Fig. 3)

AFTER CLIPPING CARE
Once you’ve body clipped your donkey, apply a coat conditioner over the body, mane, and tail. There are many types available. We use a product called Healthy Hair Care which is available through equine catalogs and feed and tack stores. It comes as a concentrate that you dilute with water. Spray the Healthy Hair in modest amounts on the donkey. Brush when wet and again lightly when dry. Your donkey will sparkle and feel like the handsome jack or beautiful jenny that he or she is. Some folks like to use healthy hair after shampooing and before you begin clipping to allow the blades to easily move through the hair. Using a conditioner under the blanket (if you blanket your donkey) will help moisturize the hair and make it shiny.

If your donkey is dark, you might want to consider putting him in a stall during the day and turning him out at night. The coat on a dark donkey can become sun damaged very quickly, especially when the hair is so short. If you can’t put him up, you might purchase an inexpensive hood and sheet to put on him while he’s out in the pasture. Sorrel donkeys have an advantage in this area because the sun reacts just the opposite on a sorrel. The sun brings out the rich color of a sorrel donkey so you WANT to leave him in the sun prior to the show. Be sure to spray your recently clipped donkey for flies. He has no protection from biting flies after he’s been clipped.

GROOMING AT THE SHOW
Your donkey will need a bath. You can either bathe him at home before you leave for the show or at the show where there are wash areas in most venues. If you bathe your donkey at home, you will need to keep him from rolling by putting him in a stall with shavings and blanketing him if possible. The morning of the show, we pull out our grooming cart. It’s a Stanley rolling toolbox that contains all of our clippers and grooming supplies (Fig. 4). It’s perfect for our needs and is around $80 at most home improvement stores.

THE MORNING OF THE SHOW
First, take your donkey from his stall and tie him in the alley. Brush him well and pick any dirt from his hooves with a hoof pick. This will permit him to walk and trot more freely. If you didn’t do any touch-up trimming upon arrival at the show, you will want to do it now. Trim his muzzle, around his hooves, his mane, his ears, and any stray hairs that may have grown since he was body clipped. Comb his tail and make a blunt cut at the end. We like to cut the tail level with the hock. (See Fig. 3) If your donkey’s tail has unsightly fly away hairs, either styling gel or hairspray will work to tame it down. We use a baby oil gel on the muzzle to make it look shiny and not so dull. This gel is also used on the ears both inside and out. You will want to apply a black hoof polish to your donkey’s hooves. Some folks prefer a clear polish for spotted donkeys.

Your last step is to apply a finishing product to the coat and tail to make your donkey shine. There are too many finishing products to mention and they’re all fun to try as you determine which of them works for you. Brand names for some of the more popular finishing sprays are Healthy Hair Care, World Champion, Grand Champion, Show Sheen, Cowboy Magic, Vellus products, and Ultra. Both Super 14 and Nu-Image are coat enhancing products that are fed to donkeys as a vitamin supplement to make the skin and coat healthy, sleek, and glossy. These products must be fed weeks prior to exhibiting your donkey or they will have no effect.

Finally, it’s time to put your donkey’s show halter on. Show halters come in varying prices depending on the degree of silver and embellishments. A show halter should fit well and complement the donkey, being neither too large nor too small for the size of the animal. You don’t want a halter that takes away from the overall presentation, but a halter that enhances it. Your show halter need not be expensive but it needs to be tasteful.

Be sure to polish any silver on your show halter prior to the show.

REWARDS OF GOOD GROOMING
Showing is not only hard work but it costs money. None of us go into the ring to lose. So if you intend to show your donkey at halter, make your investment of time and money pay for you by doing the things that can produce winning results. So many factors go into a judge’s decision on who to place at halter. The days are long gone in most shows where you can take a donkey from the pasture, give him a bath, and put him into the ring and expect to take home a ribbon. Although awarding the best conformation is the purpose of a halter class, it’s important to pay attention to other variables that will make your donkey stand out. He should be able to walk, trot, and stand for the judge. He must be in good condition which involves good and selective nutrition prior to the show. The handler should present himself well too. And yes….an animal who is well-groomed and healthy looking will get a second look from the judge over one who is not. Be patient with your donkey and this will be a pleasant experience for both of you. Do I hear the buzz of clippers? You can do it!

show equipment and supplies

Show Supplies and Equipment
by Carolyn Christian of Quarter Moon Ranch
This article is reprinted with permission of Quarter Moon Ranch

When you are just beginning to exhibit in the show ring, it’s difficult to know what you need to bring with you to the show in addition to your donkey, slave labor (otherwise known as your spouse), tranquilizers, and a checkbook! I've put this list together to help donkey owners be better prepared when exhibiting in their first few shows. Most of these items can be purchased from equine mail order catalogs or your local farm and ranch store. I hope you find this list helpful. Good luck and happy showing.

CLIPPERS:
Electric clippers
Rechargeable clippers should electricity be unavailable
Small trimming clippers for inside the ears, whiskers, and feet
Clipper Supplies

GROOMING KIT CONTAINING:
Equine Shampoo
Black Hoof Polish (Absorbine Supershine or Blacker Than Black by Farnam)
Clear Hoof Polish (for spots should you prefer rather than black)
A Finishing Spray (Healthy Hair Care, World Champion, Grand Champion, Show Sheen, Cowboy Magic, Vellus products, and Ultra)
Silverado Face Glo (for muzzle) or Baby Oil GEL (less expensive option)
Brushes
Hoof Pick
Scissors (for trimming mane)
Washing Glove or Plastic Groom-a-Mit (for deep scrubbing)

MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS:
Hay Bag (not the rope kind, they can get a head caught)
Hay and Grain
Bucket for Grain for each Donkey
Water Buckets
Poop Rake/Pooper Scooper
Fly Spray
Water Hose and Spray Nozzle
Towels
Flooring for Tack Stall such as carpet, mats, tarps, etc.
Muck Bucket (large bucket with handles to remove poop from stalls)
Bungee Cords
String
Plastic Ties
Plastic Gloves
Safety Pins
Staple Gun
Number Clips (easier than safety pins for your numbers, can find in equine catalogs)
Needle and Thread
Stall Hooks (to hang show attire, look in equine catalogs)
Halter and Leads (take an extra in case one breaks)
Show Halter and Lead (take an extra in case one breaks)
Hole Punch
Cooler with Water, Cold Drinks
Snacks
Paper Cups, Plastic Forks and Knives
Paper Towels
Trash Bags (for garbage, wet towels, etc.)
Lawn Chairs
Lock and Chain for your Tack Stall (if you want it locked)
Wet Ones (to wash hands without soap)
Fanny Pack (for money, class schedule, rulebook, etc.)
Fans (not needed in most shows)
Heat Lamps (not needed in most shows)
Extension Cords
Camera
Ranch Signs and Other Advertising
Table to Advertise Your Ranch (business cards, pictures, folding displays, etc.)

SHOW APPARREL:
Western Hat
Western Shirt and Pants
Western Boots
Leather Gloves
Belt

DRIVING EQUIPMENT:
Cart
Harness
Whip
Lap Blanket (not required in some shows, check the rules)
Repair Equipment for Tires and Cart
Tire Pump or Additional Tire
Hard Hat (youth only)

PAPERWORK:
Negative Coggins Test (not older than 1 year)
Health Certificate (not older than 45 days. Check show rules if this is needed.)

ADDITIONAL REMARKS:
You will want to know the rules under which each show is governed in order for you to comply with the rules for halter and performance. The organization or association putting on the show will tell you under whose rules they are following. You might then want to obtain a copy of that rulebook for your review prior to the show. Have fun in the show ring. Remember, these are memories we are making. Make them good ones!

i was hoping for just one ribbon

Trainers Spotlight

robert griswold

Spotlight on Northwest Trainers - Robert Griswold
By Melinda Ryan

Robert Griswold, Reitlehrer FN Robert was born and raised in Germany. At a young age he began as a Young Rider quickly advancing and earning a spot on the Senior Team. Robert apprenticed at the prestigious German Equestrian Federation Riding Academy at Warendorf where he became a licensed Bereiter, best known in the US as Reitlehrer FN. This master certification is awarded only after the completion of five years of rigorous coursework and extensive testing of the candidates riding ability. He graduated at the top of his class.

In 1986 he relocated to the US and is the owner/trainer at Edelweiss Training Center in Olympia, WA. The Reitlehrer FN designation allows Robert as a certified instructor to professionally train both horse and rider through the FEI level. He has 40+ years’ experience competing at the FEI level in Eventing and Grand Prix Level Dressage. His students have competed successfully at National and International competitions. Although qualified to teach, train, and show ridden horses, Robert’s particular area of interest is driving carriage horses. He is equally comfortable working with young horses just learning to drive, or the seasoned been there, done that veterans. His philosophy is to train horses with kindness, patience, and consistency. Additionally, he always emphasizes the rider, or driver, enjoy what they are doing. He has common sense and can calm the jittery nerves of a new student.

Robert has conducted clinics and private lessons specifically for Miniature Donkeys and their drivers. He takes an extraordinary amount of time to properly fit, or refit as the case may be, the harness and bit. He constantly emphasizes the need to not “drive the mouth” and is quite insistent his students drive with a somewhat loose rein. Additionally, he requires that all miniature donkeys, and horses too for that matter, be ground driven prior to being put to cart and again after being driven in cart. Doing this keeps the donkey from becoming “cart sour” as they learn a harness does not mean they have to pull right away. Robert knows donkeys are self-preserving so he takes a lot of time to foster their confidence and trust. Nothing about his training is hurried, rushed or loud. The result is a miniature donkey that is calm and willing. Robert has been a CDE judge for eight years. He is a Lifetime member of the American Driving Society and is a Certified Equine Appraiser, with an ASEA lifetime membership.

General articles

Performance donkey conformation

Miniature Donkey Conformation For Performance
by Jeannie Richards
Lilangelsdonkeys@gmail.com ; www.Heavenlydonkeys.com

Miniature Donkey Conformation For Performance
Teaching people about training miniature donkeys is one of the most fun things I do, but the most important thing in training is having an animal that is able to perform the tasks we are asking them to do.

For example, a donkey cannot pull a cart well in deep dirt if he (or she) is only 28” tall. Common sense tells us that. This article is not about size differences, but about the different types of animals we encounter, and what they are best suited for.

So, what other attributes are necessary to a performance donkey? And, are there any differences between a halter donkey and a performance donkey? The answer to the second question is a definite YES! The first question will be answered throughout this article.

So, let’s talk about halter donkeys first, and get that out of the way. The most important feature of a halter donkey is whether they have eye appeal. They need to be pretty. So, first they need to have a pretty head, and have that “show presence” everyone looks for. They need to catch the judge’s eye in a sea of donkeys.

They need to have a balanced profile, with a straight topline. They should have a pretty head, that ties in well at the neck, and the neck should be of adequate length to the body, and tie in well at the shoulder. The body parts should blend together in an appealing way. The body should not be long, and it should be well balanced. The legs should be set fairly wide, and should not have any deviations in any of the joints; in the knees, ankles, or hocks. The legs should be set under the animal in a way that he or she
stands naturally square, and the tail should be set properly. They should appear to have a good disposition (although this one can be impossible to know while they are standing in a line-up). Bone and muscling should be adequate. That’s about it. Or is it?

Well, no, not actually. They also need to have a nice haircoat, and be very well groomed. You really need to have a nice clip job if you want to win…oh, and you had better know how to show if you want to win! How you handle your animal is very important in the ring!

I’m trying to be a bit humorous, but all of these things are true. So, now that we have halter out of the way, let’s talk about performance.

The following statement is copied (in part) directly from the NMDA (National Miniature Donkey Association) Breed Standard.

GENERAL APPEARANCE
The Miniature Donkey should be attractive, sound, strong and sturdy. The animal should be well-balanced as the various parts blend together in a nicely coupled, compact picture. It should have an alert expression and "presence;" Jennets should look feminine and slightly more refined and jacks should be relatively stocky and masculine. A maximum height of 36" at the withers, measured at 3 years, is accepted by the Miniature Donkey Registry. Overall bone should be strong and in proportion to the size of the Donkey and
muscle development.

Rationale:
Overall balance in conformation and adequate bone is necessary for work, such as carrying packs and pulling carts efficiently.
While the NMDA Breed Standard is there for the purpose of setting a general “type” of animal we should be breeding for, there are some things that are not discussed in the Breed Standard, and I think they are important points. Please bear in mind that some of my ideas may actually conflict a bit with the Breed Standard, and some may merely expand on their statements.

The Breed Standard is not a thorough lesson in conformation, but simply a guideline for breeders. The ideas presented in this article are based on my opinion, and you may do with them as you wish. Note that in the “Rationale” of General Appearance, it says that the overall conformation of a miniature donkey should be such that they will be able to carry a pack, referring to a significant weight, and/or pull a cart, also of significant weight.

But not all donkeys will ever pull a cart, and many breeders will never train their donkeys to do anything except go into a halter class. And most breeders don’t actually even show.

So why should it be written that a donkey should be able to pull a cart, or carry a pack? Because that is what they have been used for, historically. In today’s world, in Columbus, TX, I do not drive my donkeys to town to buy my groceries. I drive a car. I also don’t go up and down mountains with a pack on my donkey. But when I train a donkey to pull a cart, for recreation, I certainly want the animal to be able to do it with ease. The easier it is for my donkey, the more fun he or she will have, and that means I’ll have more fun also.

When we show our animals in the ring, in the cart, the judge is looking for the donkey that pulls with ease, in a collected way, with nice extension. Good manners are instilled during training, but a good disposition makes the trainer’s job a lot easier. It just makes good sense to try to select animals that are best suited for the job at hand, and are readily able and willing to learn. All of these points improve the final result.

Everyone likes to see a pretty head. But, what role does the head play in the area of performance? In fact, a larger head may act as a ballast to help propel the animal forward; thus improving their ability to pull a cart, but an oversized head isn’t going to help you in halter. Why? Because halter is about PRETTY!

So, should you breed for big heads? Well, that’s up to you, I suppose, if you are a breeder. The Breed Standard refers to a “shorter” head, and a “dished” face. Those attributes are definitely more attractive, but how short does a head have to be? Is shorter always better? Does a larger head always indicate dwarfism? The answer to both questions is NO.

You need to decide the purpose of your animal in order to know how you want to breed, or select. And one more point here is that in the process of evolution the head can be bred down in size, with each generation, but the teeth do not “shrink” in just a few generations. It takes centuries for this to occur. So, breeding down to smaller heads could mean inviting teeth problems. This is where many overbites and underbites come from.

So, what about legs? I spent a long time talking to several veterinarians about this subject, and it’s almost comical when we learn the truth. We are told from the beginning of our association with miniature donkeys that the legs must be perfectly straight, but would it shock you to know that most veterinarians would agree that an animal that is a “little” cow-hocked and a “little” pidgin toed is going to be stronger at pulling? It certainly shocked me!

I say “most” veterinarians, because I have certainly not interviewed all of them, but I have not yet found one that disagreed. It was, in fact, one of my regular veterinarians that told me this, and he is known to be one of the best lameness vets in Texas.

So, why do we want perfectly straight legs? Does it really help the donkey to perform? We want them because they are prettier. It’s that simple. And no, they do not necessarily help them perform. Then, does it help them to stay sound? It might, but not necessarily. Remember that miniature donkeys are not really weight bearing. I don’t know of anyone that packs heavy weights on their donkeys in this country, but I know a lot of folks that drive them.

If the animal is weight bearing, lameness could occur if they have a serious deviation in the knee, or the ankle, but very few actual lameness issues occur within this breed due to deviations. Most lameness issues are due to founder and other management problems, or neglect.

My best driving donkey has horribly “incorrect” legs, and he is old, and he is perfectly sound. Hoof problems would be much more likely to occur in a driving donkey, due to wear and tear, so the size of the hoof is actually more important that the straightness of the leg. The size of the hoof also indicates the size of the bone, which is important for strength.

Strength is very important in driving, and jumping. But now, going back to halter, if you plan to show your donkey in both halter and performance, then a straighter leg suddenly becomes important. But does it mean the animal will be better at pulling? Not really. One point that I want to mention before we leave the subject of leg conformation is the pastern. A correct pastern has a nice angle to it; about 45 degrees would be ideal. This helps the donkey to have more spring and a smoother way of going. If the pastern is longer, it will help the donkey with flexion also. It is an important point to remember, since many donkeys tend to have short, upright pasterns.

The slope of the shoulder is important also. Again, 45 degrees is ideal, but we rarely find this in miniature donkeys. Donkeys tend to have very upright shoulders, which gives them a sort of a “piston” stride in the front end. This is very bad for performance.

And what about a level topline? In halter it is indispensible! But if you look at the conformation of a trotting horse, they are lower in the withers than the croup, or “downhill”, as we call it. This helps them move forward with more speed at the trot.

So, does it make sense that donkeys should be the same? I think so. Does speed matter with a cart donkey? It does to me! Slow donkeys are boring. Faster donkeys are a lot more fun to drive. We don’t go fast all the time, but it’s nice to be able to when we want. A typical donkey does not have speed, so this is something we have to look for in a driving donkey if we want it.

Now, as a breeder, I do want to be able to market my animals, so let me say that I definitely breed animals that fit the breed standard. My donkeys have gorgeous heads, and they do have very straight legs. But I breed for these traits because that is what most breeders want. When someone comes to me, however, to purchase a performance animal, the head and legs are not really the first things I look at. What is important to me in the selection of a performance animal is the way they move, and their trainability.

I like a pretty donkey as much as anyone, but a donkey needs to have extension, ease of movement, speed, willingness and intelligence in order to be a performance animal. If you can get all this in one package, and that same donkey can win in halter, then you really have something special. But an animal that is “pretty”, but can’t move well, is not going to be any fun to drive.

An additional point to consider is that one conformation trait may be compensated for by another. This can be very confusing if you try to bring the whole picture together, but the easiest way to sort this out is to watch the animal move.

We like to put our donkeys in the round pen and watch them very closely at the trot. Some donkeys are just natural movers, and others are very poor movers. You can certainly tell more by watching them move, than trying to figure them out while they are standing still.

Driving isn’t the only thing these animals do, but it’s probably the most important role of a performance animal. Most donkeys are pretty good jumpers, but they have to have a trainable disposition in order to get them to want to do it consistently.

The subject of conformation is one that can be studied in depth, and I’m not really trying to cover every point in this article. It may suffice to say that when we consider a donkey for a particular task, it may be wise to try to figure out if the donkey is suited for the task at hand. If he/she is not, then we may want to look further. It does not mean that the donkey is useless, or that he/she will not be well suited to another task, but learning the differences is surely your key to success.

benson ranch presents: tell me about miniature donkeys

BENSON RANCH PRESENTS:
TELL ME ABOUT MINIATURE DONKEYS
by Cindy Benson
choicesLu@aol.com ; www.bensonranch.com
Miniature Donkeys are intelligent, comical, friendly, endearing little creatures that create extraordinary human/equine bonds. A relationship with them is often more like owning a dog rather than what most people consider as an equine relationship. They really make an emotional bond with their owners, and with anyone else who gives them a chance. They will ask for your attention with nudges, brays, and funny little sounds. They learn quickly and are very eager to please. Miniature Donkeys are inexpensive to live with and almost trouble free as they are hardy and long lived. They are safe around small children and those with physical or mental considerations. They have highly adaptable personalities that lend themselves to a myriad of situations. Having Miniature Donkeys in your life is like bringing home new friends. They have enriched and broadened my life for many years and I don't expect to ever be without them.

ORIGIN AND HISTORY
Miniature Donkeys are native to the Mediterranean islands of Sicily and Sardinia. Bred to be small, tough, docile, and trainable, they were used to carry firewood, deliver freshly baked bread, pull carts filled with laundry, and were used to pull ore carts in mines. It is easy to observe today how the donkeys' demeanor fit the lives of rural people. Because these industries have changed native Miniature Donkeys are no longer used for these purposes and are almost extinct in their lands of origin. They have been crossed with standard sized donkeys to create a more versatile work animal. Because of this the Miniature Donkeys in North America have global genetic value. They were first introduced to this country in 1929. Today there are over 52,000 registered in the United States. Many more are registered in Canada, and recently they have become a popular export to Europe and other foreign countries.

CHARACTERISTICS
Miniature Donkeys must not measure more than 36" at the withers to be registered and come in a variety of colors including grey, brown, sorrel, black, or spotted. They are referred to as jacks, jennets, and geldings. The life expectancy of a well cared for Miniature Donkey is around 30-35 years and they can often do that with a minimum of special needs. Their conformation should be that of a well rounded animal standing on four straight legs with all parts in symmetry and balance. They should also look athletic and capable of performing a multitude of tasks. The average donkey will weigh 250 to 450 pounds and stand 30" to 36" high. Most are in the 32" to 34" range.

CARE AND HOUSING REQUIREMENTS
Miniature Donkeys are easy to live with and economical to keep. They need shelter from the elements but don't need to be fussed over. A three sided shelter is perfect for them as they will go in when they need to. They don't require blanketing or confinement in inclement weather as they have an excellent sense of self-preservation. Most are really disgusted with rain but don't seem to mind the cold. They need room to run and play but require much less space than a horse. Good quality grass or grain hay is perfect for them, with alfalfa and grain being rarely appropriate. They require a high fiber - low protein diet. They founder easily if overfed and this and related issues is the number one killer of Miniature Donkeys, other than advanced age. They need their hooves trimmed every six to eight weeks, should be de-wormed every two to three months, and require the same vaccinations and schedule as a horse does. One of the most important things to understand about these little guys is they need each other, even when kept with horses, sheep, goats, etcetera. They are tremendously social and their play behavior with each other is much like that of a young horse but they never outgrow it. They play with toys, rear and box at each other, and have several happy attacks a day. Watching donkeys play is a delight and I often sit back with a cup of tea or a glass of wine and enjoy the show!

BUT WHAT DO YOU DO WITH THEM??
Miniature donkeys are wonderful friends and companions. Children can be given great freedom with them because they seldom bite or kick and they crave attention. Even small children can be successful handling a friendly donkey and that can really foster self confidence and teach the benefits of nurturing. I have placed donkeys in group homes and therapy situations. They are also a great companion to the elderly or those who for various reasons are not able to interact the way they used to with their horses. Miniature Donkeys are very rewarding to train because of their quick intelligence, inquisitive nature, and eagerness to please.

Despite their small stature, Miniature Donkeys have the ability to pack fifty to eighty pounds. They are wonderful trail companions and can enrich any hiking or backpacking experience. They are people magnets so be prepared to be popular. Miniature Donkeys can readily be taught to pull carts and can be driven successfully by almost anyone. The necessary equipment for driving is readily available and inexpensive. Miniature Donkeys can be shown competitively in many classes including trail, speed events and obstacle driving in the cart. Most donkey owners/breeders are an inclusive group and are happy to lend a hand if asked so there is no need to be shy if you are new to all this. Miniature Donkeys also offer a great way to give back to your community by sharing them with science fairs, classrooms, nursing homes, Christmas and Easter celebrations, and many, many more situations. Let creativity be your guide! I have found that sometimes it is preferable to beg for forgiveness rather than ask for permission. Occasionally the folks in charge worry about the safety of being around an equine but when they find out how donkeys differ from horses they become comfortable with the idea. I have never been asked to leave and have never had anyone hurt or have a bad experience. These little guys will let you dress them up in foolish costumes and go just about anywhere for you! Sometimes in a busy life making the time for these experiences is challenging but at the end of the day I have always felt that these outings were memories I would cherish.

BREEDING
Breeding and raising Miniature Donkeys is lots of fun and is much less stressful than dealing with horses. They are considered of breeding age at three to four years old and can foal into their twenties. There is usually very little, if any, veterinary involvement in breeding donkeys. Because of their size most breeders don't routinely do pre or post foaling exams or ultrasound exams. Breeding fees are typically in the $300 - $500 range with top animals commanding up to $1000. These fees usually include "mare care" so typically this is the only cost to breed. Those of you who have broodmares know that the breeding fee is often only the beginning of the story. Not so with donkeys. Miniature Donkeys conceive and foal easily and are generally comfortable with sharing a newborn foal with their owner; the foals are often friendly at birth or shortly thereafter. I am a tad biased but I think there are few things cuter than a baby donkey. They weight about twenty pounds, range in size from 18" to 24" at birth, and will climb right up in your lap if let them. Only a cold heart could resist! The decision to breed comes with a responsibility. There is a difference between a wonderful pet and an animal worthy of adding to the Miniature Donkey gene pool. A conscientious breeder breeds the best jennet he/she can afford to a high quality jack, even if the intention is to produce "only a pet". Today's breeding animals provide the gene pool of the future. Donkeys live a long time and who can say what decisions will be made down the line and breeding "only pets" is not good for the future of Miniature Donkeys. If you are new to genetic principals and husbandry it would be helpful to you to find a knowledgeable, responsible breeder to ask questions of. Most breeders are happy to assist. I really enjoy mentoring new donkey owners.

INVESTMENT
Good quality Miniature Donkeys can be a wise investment. A donkey with correct conformation and that is registered with known pedigrees, preferably of those bloodlines proven to consistently produce quality offspring, is a valuable asset in a discerning breeding program. There is no free lunch and raising donkeys take time, money, and lots of work but the profitability is very different than it is for most horse breeders and the emotional reward is great. For instance, I estimate my annual cost per donkey to be something less than $400. Worthy breeding jennets can be purchased for $2000 to $4000 with better quality jennets sporting a price tag of up to $10,000 plus. Starting in the lower price range at an entry level is how most people begin and many breeders never go beyond that. There is a place for all of us and as long as you breed with an eye towards conformation and genetics you will do just fine. Breeding quality jacks should be in the top 5% of the population, quality wise, and will sell for $2000 to $6000 typically. Pet quality geldings bring $800 to $1000 and show quality geldings may bring up to $2500. Even the best breeders will produce pet quality animals from time to time and sometimes these are the most loved of all. Financially, you can see that whether you produce a jack, jennet, or a foal to be gelded the profit margin is very different than that of most horse breeders. Miniature Donkeys are also safer and less complicated to deal with making them a good choice for a beginner. I think there is a strong argument to be made regarding the wisdom of purchasing high quality donkeys; it costs the same to feed them as a lesser quality donkey but their foals bring a higher price which will help pay the bills. This will allow you to chase your donkey dreams and producing good quality foals is beneficial to all of us. It is very realistic to have your donkeys pay for themselves. Marketing skills and dealing with known, popular bloodlines will have much to do with the price your foals will bring. Now, even with these little guys it's work! This is not the next get rich scheme but your responsible efforts will be rewarded.

THE FUTURE IS BRIGHT!
The future of Miniature Donkeys is strong and secure. I have been a breeder since 1992 and have seen them steadily rise in popularity. Here at Benson Ranch we strive to produce high quality breeding stock and have just over 100 Miniature Donkeys, all with their own personalities and charm. We produce several pet quality donkeys a year, as well as top breeding animals, and do rescue work with donkeys. We always have donkeys for sale in a diverse price range. We are proud of our donkeys and share them readily with anyone who is interested in learning about these wonderful, special animals.

Please give us a call, or
better yet, treat yourself to a visit! The donkeys and I would love to meet you!

DO YOU HAVE DONKEYS IN YOUR FUTURE??
BENSON RANCH MINIATURE DONKEYS
WHERE DREAMS COME TRUE!!!!

DR. MITCH & CINDY BENSON
720 PELTON LANE, GOLD HILL, OREGON 97525
541-855-5503 WWW.BENSONRANCH.COM

You bought how many donkeys? part 1

YOU BOUGHT HOW MANY DONKEYS???
by Cindy Benson
choicesLu@aol.com ; www.bensonranch.com
You bought how many donkeys??? When I tell people about my purchase of the Cooke herd, almost without exception, this is the comment. Well, I bought eighty five donkeys, and this is one of the most challenging, and rewarding, times of my life. If this journey sounds interesting, read on!

I have been a miniature donkey breeder since 1994. I have extensive horse background, and am married to an equine veterinarian, so I bring a fair amount of experience to my donkey breeding endeavor. I feel strongly that a breeder has a responsibility to strive to improve on conformation and type with his parings; not just indiscriminately add to the gene pool. To that end I have gone to great efforts to fully understand the miniature donkey breed standard, conformation, and genetics, and have traveled all over the US and Canada to learn from the best. There is such a sense of satisfaction to me when I look out across my field of well conformed breeding stock. Also, when the next generations of donkey owners look back at the Benson Ranch contributions I want them to expect quality from those names in the pedigree.

I met the Cooke family, and the Circle C breeding herd, in the Summer of 2002. As I look back at it now it was the beginning of something incredible. I went to Cooke’s Alberta, Canada ranch because I had repeatedly been told they were at the very top of the donkey industry and that if I wanted to learn from the best I needed to make that trip. I drove my truck and 18 foot horse trailer the 27 hours one way, spent about a week with the Cooke’s, attended the Select Sale and the Calgary Stampede, and bought my herd sire “Circle C Silverado”. I have been back every year since. That first year was so amazing to me. For one thing, I am a bit shy, but I felt at home there on the ranch in the first ten minutes. I had never seen that many donkeys of this quality in one place and it was a beautiful sight. I fell in love at every corner. The donkeys were in good health, their feet were trimmed, they had room to run and play, the pens were clean, and the donkeys were friendly and trusting of strangers. If I was a donkey I would be happy to live there. They were all treated like cherished family members.

The Cooke’s are very gracious hosts. Over the years Grant, Sharon and Krista have patiently spent many, many hours helping me with my education. Krista took the time to teach me about conformation again and again, and every year I could understand and appreciate more of it. It really helps to look at lots of donkeys with someone as knowledgeable as she is to interpret and point out strengths and weaknesses. There are no perfect donkeys (Cooke’s are close!) and she was very open and honest with me about her animals. They allowed me to be part of the family for part of every year, welcomed me into their home, and allowed me to assist with the preparations for the Sale and Calgary Show. In the days following the Select Sale, the Calgary Stampede World Show takes place, and they even let me show donkeys for them. It was fun to win with Cooke donkeys! Sharon makes many trips out through the jennet herd during Sale time explaining to visitors about the genetics and performance accomplishments of her herd and I have shamelessly tagged along within ear shot whenever I could.

I also learned a little of the history of the Cooke herd, and what has gone into creating such a group of consistently superior donkeys. In 1988 Grant and Sharon went to visit Fred Hartman, a donkey breeder in the US, hoping to buy a few donkeys, and came home having purchased his herd. That was the beginning. They kept the top quality animals, purchased top quality donkeys when they found them, and were willing to pay good money to get them. They believe that quality begets quality, and Grant will tell you your money is better spent buying one top quality animal rather than three medium quality ones. He shared with me, somewhere along the way, the story of Red Lightening. Grant purchased him as a three year old at a donkey sale in the Mid-West. Sharon was not with him, and when he called home to tell her of the beautiful young jack he had purchased and what he had paid for him there was some discussion. I won’t share here what that price was but even now it would be considered a very impressive amount of money. Now, fifteen years later, Red Lightening is himself a legend. In the show ring he was repeatedly a champion, and as a breeding jack he has been spectacular, having produced over 200 offspring; many, many of which are champions. Grant made a wise purchase indeed. Then came Motown, Future Link, and Desperado, who is a product of their breeding program. This breeding philosophy has benefited us all, as they have improved the quality of the miniature donkey gene pool by sharing these animals with the rest of us. Their influence is felt in breeding herds around the World.

Grant and Sharon are both third generation farmers and livestock breeders. They have bred and shown Arabian horses with great success, and have been producers of beef cattle most of their lives. They know a lot about the principals of genetics and conformation. I used to picture them having a quiet, peaceful time to rest up when winter came, but this year I have learned that I was quite mistaken! They expect 200 Angus calves this year over the winter months. They often have sub-zero weather during this time (sometimes 30 degrees below zero) so the calves need to be born indoors or they will freeze. Can you imagine housing and cleaning up after that many cows? Grant, Sharon, and Krista get up every three hours to check on the calving situation through the night, every night, and check all through the day, in addition to daytime chores. Don’t forget that they have had as many as 150 donkeys to tend to as well. It’s no wonder they felt the time had come to make their lives a little saner by parting with the responsibility of the donkeys.

I remember exactly where on the sidewalk I was when Sharon offered me the herd. We were headed into the Stampede grounds and I had been trying to get her to sell me a breeding jennet, (which she seldom does), and instead she suggested I purchase them all! I laughed because I thought she was kidding, and was stunned when I realized she was not. These donkeys are superstars to me! Now I have been known to dream pretty big, but never, never would I have dared to dream this big. When she gave me her reasons for offering the herd specifically to me I felt special and privileged indeed. In part, she selected me because she wanted the herd to stay together and continue the Cooke legacy. Some of her donkeys have been friends all their long lives. She didn’t want them separated, and she didn’t want what it took the family nineteen years to create to come to an end. Sharon and I have very similar beliefs about ethics and husbandry, and are both passionate about donkeys. That my husband is an equine veterinarian had no small part to play in her decision I am sure. She also wanted them to be loved and cared for because of who they are, not only because of their economic value.

It took me just over a year to make my decision to take Sharon up on her amazing offer. It was the opportunity of a lifetime but there was much to consider. For one thing, my husband and I had recently purchased a large ranch in Oregon. We moved from a populated area and a busy, demanding life to find tranquility and a slower pace on the new ranch. Having over 100 donkeys wasn’t quite our vision. Could I learn to manage and live with that many donkeys, and did I want to? Was it fair to ask of my husband? He enjoys the donkeys but would never buy them on his own.

However, he recognized how important this herd was to me and what a unique opportunity Grant and Sharon had offered me. He knew I would need his physical, moral, and veterinary, support. It is clear to me that he gave his blessing because he loves me, and he thinks I can do this! That’s pretty cool. Then there was the financial aspect to think about, which was serious business. We had reached a point of hard earned middle-aged comfort, and this was a big venture. Also, Sharon leaves BIG shoes to fill. Would I be able to learn enough to hold the herd to her standard of excellence? Mitch and I finally made our decision to reach for the stars. Working with Grant and Sharon we came up with a plan, and in September of 2006 the herd became mine. Wow! Talk about a play of emotions. Sharon wanted her herd to stay together and continue her legacy, and she had accomplished that, but now she had to say goodbye to her precious family of donkey friends, which has been difficult indeed. I was to live with these larger than life donkeys, and had to figure out how to make it all work. I vacillated between fear and feeling awe struck; I still do that from time to time. Sharon has pledged to teach me all I need to know, and to work closely with me for the next few years. That commitment has made all the difference .

So, OK, how do we do this?? Sharon lives a 19 hour one-way drive from me. I have a 20' horse trailer, but it will only hold 11 to 15 donkeys at one time, depending on their age, size, and where they are in their pregnancies. I wanted them to be very comfortable during the trip to Oregon. I could have put them all in a couple of big livestock trucks and transported them quickly, but I could not bring myself to trust them to strangers. Then there was housing to consider. Our Oregon ranch is 360 acres of lovely meadows and woodlands; without a fence or barn on it when we bought it!

We already owned seven horses, three mules, 15 miniature donkeys, and five miniature cows. We had been building fences and putting up barns as quickly as we could for the animals we had. We were far from prepared to house 85 more animals. We have lots of fences to build. My husband says that’s why I married him – because he can build a great fence! There is some truth to that….. It takes me the better part of five days to make a round trip to transport donkeys from Sharon’s ranch to mine, partly because I like to spend a little time there to learn from Sharon, rest up some, and I like to give the donkeys time to rest and eat along the way home. That’s a long time away from my existing chores, and when I am gone it all falls to my patient husband. I married well.

I brought the first 15 donkeys home in late September. They consisted of mostly young jacks or geldings, so they fit pretty well in the trailer. The next two loads were not so large because they were all pregnant jennets, (and Desperado’s Legacy, a seven year old jack), and I needed to give them more room. I was able to make three trips before the Winter weather became an issue. I am currently waiting for the roads to be safe and Spring to come before I bring the remaining 50 home. I make these trips alone because I need Mitch to stay home and look after the ranch, and because I am my own best company. The drive is beautiful. The country is wild and I see eagles, deer, elk, moose, and even a bear once. Thank you Sharon for living somewhere fun!

Here at the ranch we are getting ready for foaling to begin; with my original girls and the new Cooke jennets. I have two foals due in February/March, (as of this writing one of them is 29 days overdue), and the Cooke jennets begin foaling in late April, with as many as 30 foals due between April and September. As you might imagine, I have never had that many foals, and the logistics are a little staggering. I like jennets to have a nice bedded stall to foal in, with a run for the new foal to play in for a few days before they go back out to the herd, so slow up girls while we build more barns… Also, there is marketing and management to consider. I have not been idle through the winter. I bought an equine computer software program and recorded the information about the donkeys. I can now print out pedigrees, and can generate “to-do” lists for myself concerning breeding, vaccination, or farrier needs. Working with my graphic artist I have created a new business card, logo, brochure, and an advertising display. Money isn’t why I bought the herd but it is something I need to think about or I won’t be able to afford to keep them. I think it’s possible to treat this as the business venture it is while loving and respecting these donkeys as individuals. I do enjoy the challenges of marketing, and really enjoy talking donkeys, so this part is rewarding too.

It has been a pleasure to get to know these jennets. Sharon is an accomplished horsewoman, and the manners of her donkeys reflect that. Can you imagine what it would be like to have to chase down, or wrestle with, this many donkeys? It would take much of the fun out of it. These jennets are so trusting; it is clear they have been well loved. They are easy to catch, and stand for hoof trimming and shots. I have enjoyed beginning to understand their individual personalities. For a while I was doing well if I could tell them apart, but now they are my friends as well as Sharon’s.

There is a strategy required in keeping up with this many donkeys. Sharon has come up with many tricks along the way and one of my favorites is this: When she has hooves trimmed by the farrier she worms the donkeys and cuts off their manes. Then when she looks off across the backs of so many donkeys she can readily know when they were wormed and trimmed: so easy, and so cleaver. She also keeps a notebook with her through the day were she records EVERYTHING about the donkeys, and heaven help her if she were to loose it. I have decided to follow her lead, along with having records in the computer, for additional security. Sharon has kept a notebook for every year that she has been raising donkeys, and they are fascinating to look through. For instance, she awards one to five stars for every foal born with regard to quality at birth. I looked up some of the more famous donkeys to see how she had rated them at this early stage, and she was right most of the time! I have a lot to learn.

I am looking forward to warmer weather so I can resume my transport of the herd. I especially want the pregnant jennets to be transported at a safe point in their gestation, and I don’t want them to multiply while they are still in Canada. That would be working the wrong direction! I’ll keep you posted through the Spring and Summer as the foals come and the learning curve continues.

you bought how many donkeys? part 2

YOU BOUGHT HOW MANY DONKEYS???
ONE YEAR LATER
by Cindy Benson
choicesLu@aol.com ; www.bensonranch.com
In the fall of 2006 I purchased the Circle C herd of miniature donkeys from Grant and Sharon Cooke of Cooke Livestock, Alberta, Canada. I wrote an article called "You Bought How Many Donkeys???" about the story behind this opportunity which was published in the Asset, issue #66, Summer 2007. It can also be found by going to my web site, www.BensonRanch.com, and looking at the "Articles" page. In it I promised a follow-up, and here it is.

It took seven trips to Canada and $10,000 to bring all the donkeys home. I began transporting them in September 2006 and brought the last group home in April of 2007. I took a break in the middle to let the winter settle down - I have a low slither and slide threshold. I moved them all myself, (with the exception of letting my husband bring one load as I led the way), because I couldn't trust this precious cargo to a hauler. The other advantage to doing it this way was that it allowed us time to build new barns and fences, and I was able to get to know the donkeys gradually. They tended to look long at me. I was NOT Sharon, and where were they anyway! Earning a relationship with them took time and I really enjoyed the process. There are still a couple of hold-outs one year later but I have lots of patience for this sort of thing. My wonderful husband has put up almost a mile of new fencing for me and two more barns. I look forward to the time when we will have the facility aspect where we want it. He isn't going to know what to do with all
his free time.

Bringing the last group home was difficult. The geldings were moved in the first load, followed by the most pregnant jennets, then open and young stock, and so on. The last to head to Oregon were Sharon's dearest favorites, including MGF Future Link and Coco Channel of Circle C. I was inside the trailer positioning donkeys as the lead ropes were handed to me. At one point I looked up and into Sharon's eyes as she handed me Coco Channel. I will never forget this moment. I would walk through fire before I'd hurt Sharon but here I was, doing just that. For those of you who don't know, Coco Channel is Sharon's beloved favorite and she has been known to tell those who tried to buy her over the years that Grant, her husband, would leave before Coco did. That flashed across my mind as I took the lead rope. I know that Sharon and I planned our futures with her herd very carefully and we both knew this time would come but it was much, much more painful than I had expected. Future Link was the last to load and Sharon and I were careful not to let our eyes meet as Grant took him from her and put him in the trailer. The truck was running and everything was ready for this moment. I left quickly. For the first hour of the trip home I fought my tears and the urge to turn around and give these donkeys back, particularly Coco, but Sharon and I had made an educated business plan and it was time to stand up straight and look it in the eye. There would be many more joys as well as sorrows in the years to come with this herd and I needed to be strong enough to meet both.

All the donkeys tolerated the demands of travel with ease. They ate and drank as I drove along. I always took a look at them whenever I stopped, and often I would find several lying down and gazing tranquilly at me. They handled their new Oregon surroundings with ease as well, with the exception of Legend. For three days he was inconsolable. I put him in a nice field with jennets on all sides of him, and spent lots of time with him, but I couldn't make it easier for him. I am very grateful the other jacks didn't go through that. Foaling season began in April. We had 20 foals this year, and fourteen of them were jennets. It's a wonderful way to get started! Sometimes we had two foals born in a day, and one day we had two foals and a miniature calf born. The ranch was a happening place. In the midst of this I hired the extraordinary Miss Airica Cornwall. She is an eighteen year old super human who has tremendous work integrity and significant equine skills. Having her help has made all the difference. Airica is a part-time student, (an A student I might add), who is pursuing a Veterinary Technician Certificate. She earns school credits for working here and can fulfill many of her certificate requirements by learning what she does here at the ranch. She also is able to put up with working with me which can be challenging. I am very fussy about how the donkeys are handled, especially the jacks, and Airica has earned my respect. The donkeys love her. We do all breeding by hand cover and those of you who do this as well know how long it can take for a jack to get serious about the task at hand. There were times that Airica and I bred six jennets to six different jacks in one day. That is a significant time commitment and it can make getting anything else done a challenge. We did 140 live covers from April through November, and have settled better than 80% of the breeding age jennets. That simply would not have been possible without help. I have never been willing to trust an employee with my animals but having this many didn't give me a choice. Airica has become much more than a hired hand to me and I hope she stays FOREVER!

Our show season was interesting. I have been showing donkeys for fourteen years and have taken it seriously and learned a lot, but I sure can't show like Sharon and Krista Cooke. I took lessons over the winter and that really helped but those of you who show know that poor handling can make a good donkey look bad. I didn't want to be the reason my donkey didn't place well. Airica showed with me and as it turns out I have much to learn from her as well. We showed ten donkeys through 2007 and the NMDA National show was our first of the season. What a place to start. Most of the donkeys had never been shown, and were new to us, so we really earned our successes. They did very well but I look forward to the 2008 season. We will be ready!

The day before the National show we held an Open House here at the ranch. The show grounds are only about twenty minutes from the ranch and I wanted to take advantage of having so many out of the area donkey folks close by. Many of them knew about the Cooke herd but because it was so far away in Canada they hadn't met them and I wanted to change that. We worked hard for several months to be ready for the Open House. We had flowers everywhere, the event was catered, and we even had shuttle service by way of a padded 4-wheeler trailer from the parking area to the granary and pastures. I had made name collars for fifty of the donkeys and distributed lists with their names, sire and dam, and special items of interest, as well as some history of the ranch, so attendees could roam the pastures and snuggle donkeys while knowing who they were looking at! We even had root beer floats for dessert. There were over 100 people here and I think they had a good time. I'd like to make this an annual event so please join us for fun and great food in early August 2008.

I guess to sum it all up I would have to say that living with the responsibility of all these donkeys feels normal to me now. Sharon has been so good to work with. She has been very involved with breeding decisions and has taught me much. There is certainly more strategy required to keep up with the herd in a thorough and professional manner than it used to take me when I had twenty to forty. I leave nothing to my memory. It all goes in my donkey record book and in the computer. I print out "to do" lists at the beginning of each month for veterinary and farrier needs. All breeding information goes in my breeding binder, where I have a page for each of the jennets. I have enjoyed sharing the herd with new donkey enthusiasts and established breeders alike. The business side of things has sometimes been challenging but learning new skills is rewarding and I'm finding I have an aptitude for a lot of it. Sometimes I still worry about the enormity of what I have undertaken, and when that happens I just put one foot in front of the other and do my very best every day, a piece at a time. After the first article was published I had so many donkey breeders contact me to wish me well and to say they believed in me. That felt so good. Thank you!

From mid-December through March I get to take a little break from the pressures of foaling, breeding, and showing. Then it begins again! I've tremendously enjoyed 2007 and am looking forward to the future. If you're ever in the area please stop by!

The Trouble With Donkey Hooves, by Andrew bowe, master farrier

One of Andrew Bowe's articles is "The Trouble With Donkey Hooves", where he compares donkey hooves to horses is very informative.

Andrew Bowe is a career master farrier who specializes in the barefoot rehabilitation of horses that are either suffering from chronic lameness or are simply not performing as well as they should be. He works in conjunction with veterinarians and equine body therapists.
With many years of experience (with both traditional shoeing and barefooting), he is often called to help with those horses that are a challenge to return to soundness or even to transition from shod to barefoot performance.
Andrew also spends a large amount of his time educating both owner trimmers and aspiring professional trimmers. He is one of the lecturers for the Diploma of Equine Podiotherapy which commenced in early 2008.
Nowadays, Andrew is spending an increasing amount of time providing advice to people who send Email photos of problem hooves. To meet the ever increasing demand of enquiries from around the country and even abroad, he is setting up an online technical consultancy service. There will now be a fee for consultancy and this will enable him to allocate sufficient time to provide effective and adequate consultations.
Australia is a big country, but if your horse is having hoof related issues, we may be able to help from a distance with an Email consultation.
What about that name?The Barefoot Blacksmith ® is quite a contradictory tag, but it represents the new and the old with equine hoofcare. I have seen, studied and experienced ‘both sides of the anvil’. Even though my business is right at the cutting edge of equine bare-hoof-care science, I am fortunate to have a long term background in traditional farriery. I didn’t just turn up at the stables yesterday!
Experience only comes with high mileage.
I started learning the farriery trade in the 1980’s while I was also studying applied science. After graduating (B.App.Sc), I set up a farrier business in Central Victoria and have been “down under” horses ever since.
Right from the outset, it was more than just a job and I continued to study (and apply science!); searching for better ways to balance equine legs and feet and solve lameness problems. After shoeing about 20,000 horses (and probably trimming a similar number) I thought I knew a bit about horse’s feet. But then along came barefooting!
What sparked my change of direction?Why would a career master farrier with a successful business take such a sharp turn away from tradition; from the comfort zone of mainstream hoofcare ? Not only am I questioning a thousand years of solid tradition, but at the same time risking being ostracised by my contemporaries and the establishment? (too long in the sun maybe !)
Like many other farriers, I was on a quest to find a cure for navicular syndrome (a debilitating lameness that affects many performance horses and traditionally was considered incurable – see navicular page for more details). A cure for ‘navicular’ was the farriers’ holy grail.
A couple of my clients with American connections had been hearing about the successes that pioneers of barefooting were having with rehabbing of chronic lameness in general and navicular in particular and they ‘insisted’ that I look into it.
Being a cynical old farrier, I reluctantly agreed (thinking to myself “yeah right, there’s no way you can ride a sound horse without shoes, let alone a lame one!”) and I began to ‘barefoot’ some horses with navicular problems. Well, the results were nothing short of amazing with virtually every ‘navicular’ horse returning to usable soundness! This is even more incredible if you consider that my own barefooting skills at that stage were still in nappies!
Heartened by these navicular successes, I started applying barefoot principles to other horses with chronic lameness within my existing clientele as well as all the sound working horses at Mayfield – fine tuning my skills and trimming parameters as I went (there were several of us embarking on the barefoot journey in Australia together and we needed to develop trimming parameters that suited Australian conditions).
Fortunately, this expansion of barefooting coincided with the release of viable hoof boots onto the market (in particular the Easyboot Epic ™), which meant that a horse could have its shoes removed today, then be ‘booted up’ and ridden tomorrow. (Hoof boots are sometimes needed to protect the hooves during the transition and conditioning phase.) Suddenly barefoot riding became an easily accessible option for many horse riders. That’s about when the phone started ringing its head off and hasn’t stopped since!
This journey down the barefoot track remains a humbling one. Horses are teaching us new things every day. We have learnt much, but there is still far to go.
Andrew Bowe

The Chronicles of Nitro and randy

Prologue by Elizabeth Moore

Short Assets Nitro came to live at Victoria Mlady's in Albuquerque, New Mexico in 2016 as her new Miniature Donkey. He invited Cobra's Randy Travis to come winter with him at Victoria's newly remodeled donkey spa, since Randy has trouble with the cold temperatures in the East Mountains where he normally lives. (Randy is 22 in 2017 & not as resilient to the cold as he used to be).
Victoria made great efforts to educate herself about caring for Miniature Donkeys and realizing that too much sugar intake is damaging to donkeys, she embarked on an education program for everyone. The following are Victoria's notes about her education process of all around her.

the chronicles of nitro and randy, volume 1, edition 1

The Chronicles of Nitro and Randy
Vol. 1, Edition 1
Victoria Mlady
Today we pulled some chairs into a circle in the corral and tentatively introduced ourselves. Having been here only a few weeks, both Randy and Nitro were understandably nervous about the reason for the meeting, so they stood with heads lowered and ears pinned. I had posted a sign a few days earlier announcing the meeting, so was pleased to see that they both showed up on time. We had gathered together to talk about our addictions.
Rather than dilly dally around the subject matter, we cut right to the heart of the problem. Randy begrudgingly admitted that he has a problem with high-sugar grass. He stated he thinks about it all day and sneaks it when no one is watching. Nitro, on the other hand, was not as apt to share his feelings. He kept them tight to his shaggy chest, only answering questions with a flick of his tail or a turn of his ear. I can see he is going to require consistent patience and understanding to help him face his sugar demons.
I readily shared my problem with chocolate and told them about my recovery status and efforts to avoid buying it at the store. They were both very supportive, probably happy to have the spotlight turned away from them for the short interlude. As part of the therapy process in the first session, we got out the rake and started to pull the old dead high-sugar grass into small piles. Randy begrudgingly agreed the effort to be in his best interests. I suspect he is a bit of a people-pleaser, so will continue to monitor his reactions and encourage him to focus on himself and his needs. Nitro turned and walked away in disgust. I was able to soothe their angst somewhat with a small offering of low-sugar grass sprinkled into their tubs. Randy dug in with the understanding that it was ‘good-for-him-grass’. Nitro placidly stared at the green pile, effectively hiding the internal battle that was probably raging. He, too, finally dipped his head in the tub and grabbed a mouthful.
Overall, I feel the first session was a success. I made some headway into their thinking patterns, some of which can be modified to keep them healthy and happy. We clearly have a great deal of work ahead of us, but I am confident we can all find a path to wellness.
*All session notes are forwarded to Elizabeth of EeeBray.com so she can consult and provide tutelage.

NERO'S JOURNAL

Introduction to nero

Nero’s Journal: Introduction

Hi. My name is Nero, well my real name is Sunset Acres Mezzanotte Nero. Everybody calls me Nero. I am a Miniature Donkey, born in Nebraska 8 years ago but I don’t remember that part. I remember growing up at Tex & Annie Ruth Taylor’s inTexas where I lived with other donkeys. I was Tex ’s only Miniature Donkey most of the time & I hung around with all the other donkeys. (That’s me, the black one, in the middle of this picture hanging out with my pals.)

Tex taught me a bunch of tricks. He liked me because I am so smart & learn quickly. He took me places where I performed my tricks. My new owner doesn’t know most of the tricks I know. It’s best that way. It was between me & Tex anyway.
Now I live in New Mexico and I have new friends. My owner depends on me for lots of things. I help teach the other donkeys because I know more than they do because I am so smart. I am happy here because everyone likes me & gives me a lot of attention.
My new owner takes me a lot of places too. The last place we went was to Golondrinas in Santa Fe, New Mexico . It’s a living museum or something & everyone dresses up in period clothing. I met a lot of people who learned about me & other Donkeys. My owner made a video of the visit that you can see on this website.

I will be telling more stories about my trips & visits in the future. Please check back often for more stories of my travels.

New mexico mounted search and rescue despooking

Nero’s Journal: NMMS&R DESPOOKING

Every year the New Mexico Mounted Search & Rescue practices it’s despooking work before the New Mexico Balloon Fiesta event begins. The horses & their owners donate their time to the event to help keep the event as safe as possible by working crowd control. My owner chose me because she knows that she can count on me. This is a very serious group who does very important work like searching for people who are lost or injured. The group asked me & my owner to be a part of the despooking as one of the obstacles.

We drove around acting like a scary object. Most of the horses are well broke & used to different smells & smaller equines such as myself, but there were a few that had second thoughts. They even lit up the burners on a balloon gondola which made a really scary sound. I have to admit, even I was a little concerned about the sound & glad I wasn’t near the thing when they let it blow!

After we sufficiently scared a couple horses in the group, my owner unhooked the cart & we walked through the other obstacles. Obstacles are one of my many specialties & I always like to show the other equines how to negotiate the obstacles correctly.

Everyone got to eat at the end of the session & I got to snack on some horse goodies while my owner ate barbeque.

That’s my owner trying to get me to put my ears up for the camera so we can send the group our picture. If she just knew, she only needs to say “cheese”.

my friend randy travis

Nero’s Journal: MY FRIEND RANDY TRAVIS

I am writing for my friend Randy Travis. We brought him back from my friends’ Ken & Jeannie Richards in Texas on our last trip. At first I didn’t like him because my owner was giving him more attention than me, but then I realized she still likes me, and needs me to help teach him some things. He is older than me (he is 16, not that old in donkey years), but I know more than he does because he has been a jack mating with girls until now. I don’t want to talk about it (us geldings don’t like to talk about it much), but that is the one thing I have never done. One of the things I helped him learn was jumping. My owner put some low jumps up in front of him one day & he couldn’t figure out what she was asking him to do. She brought me in the round pen with him & I showed him that when you come to this jump, you JUMP over it, not bash through it. Geesh, you would think he could have figured that out, but once he saw me do it, he followed me over it. After that we started jumping over it together, it was kind of fun, really. One day my owner said he was ready to actually drive with the bit in his mouth.
The following is how he described his first ground driving experience:
"This metal thing? Let me get my tongue situated. Got it. What, walk? I was almost asleep you were fooling around with that harness thing so long. You want me to what? Turn? And turn again? Got it. The horse is in her pen eating, that's good. Go straight again? I can do that. Stop? Stand? There's that dog over there. Glad he's behind the fence. Walk? I was almost asleep again. Turn the other way? Turn again? and again? Got it. Go strait? The horse is in her pen eating, good. Stop? Stand? Back? Back again? Feels good when I back & the pressure is relieved from that thing in my mouth. Walk? Can I stop to see Nero as we go by him? No? Are you sure? Ok. Go straight. Got it. The horse is in her pen still eating. Good. Oh, we're done? I like it when you take the bridle & the harness off & brush me."

After that he went on to pull a log & then pull the cart. I’m still better than he is at it, but he’s learning.

nero in the civil war

Nero in the Civil War

Well, it was a reenactment, but I was there! It was our second visit to El Rancho de las Golondrinas, the living museum located on 200 acres south of Santa Fe, New Mexico. The museum is dedicated to the history, heritage, & culture of 18th & 19th century New Mexico. There are original colonial buildings on the site that date from the early 1700’s.

This time when we went, it was for the 150th anniversary of the Civil War fought in New Mexico. They had military drills, camp life set ups, demonstrations, and reenactments of battles.

It’s a good thing my owner chose me to represent the Miniature Donkey at the museum, because I am good with crowds and I do like people. My friend Festus, the standard donkey and I walked around pulling our carts educating visitors about donkeys. We are always one of the biggest attractions when we go.

And about the reenactments- there were canons going off that shook the ground! The battles had a lot of gun fire and were really noisy. Festus & I are good at that kind of thing, but between me & you, it was a little unnerving, even for us.

All in all, it was a good day. We met lots of people who loved us. I especially like the kids. They are always kind & want to give us a pet or hug.

THe Loss of A Friend

My friend Shakespere (AKA Willy) & I met when WIlly came to my owner's home in 2010. We became good friends from the start, maybe because, as you know, I was raised with big donkeys at Tex Taylor's before I came to my current owner's farm.
We did lots of things together, among which was traveling up to Northern Colorado to a Mule & Donkey Show in 2018, where we both came home with lots of medals & goodies.

The following picture is of us playing as recent as January 2019. Willy got yelled at many times when my owner thought we were playing too rough & he had my neck in his mouth. I knew Willy would never hurt me & I enjoyed playing with him a lot.

Like me, Willy pulled a cart, participating in many classes in Colorado & the New Mexico State Fair pulling a cart.

Unlike me, my owner rode Willy (I am too small to ride) & they had many wonderful experiences together. I knew they had a great time on many of their trips because when Willy came home, he was always happy to roll first, & then check in with all of his friends to see what he had missed.

I was there when Willy came to our home & I was there when he passed in November 2019.
Things are not the same without him. The rest of us are left without our big friend. My owner is left without her big longeared friend & it seems that even though the rest of us try to fill the hole left by his passing, things are just not the same without him. It will never be the same without him- & so it should be. He was our special friend.