Monday, December 28, 2009

For the love of a Donkey!


Her name is Tonic. As is Gin and...She is now about 9 yrs. old. She loves anything and everything to eat which is why she has to be kept in a special lot without grass and only hay and small amounts of grain. It's a condition called founder, which causes lameness, in her case, in her back feet. But with proper care she gets along fine. And I do not give my horses/donkey/pony treats but Tonic loves a slice of plain white bread. You see the old man we bought her from was very poor and he could only afford to feed her stale bread. Which because of the high starch unfortunately led to the foot problem. but she loved him and he her, and she loves, loves, loves, a slice of white bread! SO ...once in a blue moon, a very blue moon I will give her a slice. She is a true donkey! She will only go where she intends to go, loading her on a trailer to move her here was truly a challenge, even feeding her is a game. If you do not place it directly in front of her she will bray until you give in. now I am not a soft hearted, horse spoiler. I have successfully trained my own show horses all my life and am very disicplined with them. Donkeys don't think like a horse, they don't respond like a horse. You have to make them think it was their idea....not yours...to even take a step...try to force them, or correct them and you are in for the battle of you life!

So Tonic has trained me on how to train her. And all for the love of a donkey!

5 comments:

  1. I cant wait to meet Tonic. I already know I will love~being a stubborn girl myself!
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  2. What a cutie! I wonder if the white bread brings back fond memories for her?

    It was SO wonderful to meet you at CBW's last Sunday! I hope the wonky teeth didn't scare you off. We don't wear them often, just in public;)

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  3. TONIC!!

    This proves why I love donkeys, although really I had no explanation before: their personality more closely resembles a cat, especially in the "You will feed me exactly as I want you to feed me" thing.

    Speaking of Blue Moon...there is one tomorrow/NYE.

    Hope you're doing OK.

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  4. p.s. If I saw Tonic in a field, I'd call her a mule. Do NOT tell her (or anyone else even though I just did) I said this!She's just a bigger donkey than I'm used to seeing.

    On second though, the only donkeys I've seen were (the equivalent of) colts. Foals? Babies.

    Never mind. Carry on.

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  5. Wonderful name .. I am so looking forward to meeting you this summer... thanks for your kind words about my snaps ... and for noticing I changed my header ...

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