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Thumper pics
Topic Started: Sep 20 2007, 12:44 PM (610 Views)
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SnackPack
Sep 21 2007, 09:45 AM
They're interesting creatures.  For how small they are, they sometimes intimidate me because I'm not sure how they are going to react.  Feeding seven mini donks that are focused on food and keeping everyone else away from their's can be harrowing.  I especially love when they put their ears back, head down, and then run at me.  :lol:  I have no desire to find out what being head-butted by a mini donkey is like.  Thankfully, they startle out of "rush" mode pretty easily.

SnackPack, are you feeding grain to 7 donkeys in 7 separate buckets? Getting the buckets down quickly in different spots is a challenge. It creates chaos...snorts, squeals, along with some other interesting sounds, whirling, kicking. When food is involved, donkeys can go from sweetness to bitchiness in a nanosecond. Inevitably, the fastest eater finishes hers and then tries to invade everyone else's bucket. I've had donkeys nose me a bit when I have the goodies, but they've never butted me. They'll quickly learn how to outsmart the person with the food, and on a number of occasions, I've thrown up my hands in frustration! Time-consuming, but neckstraps will work too, each one tied far enough apart so there's no pilfering, and no one's released until everyone's finished! Then, there's "Feed Pan Frisbie" if you really want to get the lesson across! :P

The three foals are the only donkeys getting any grain here now, and they've learned to come into the barn pen to have their dinner (each one in a different corner of the pen), while the moms and aunties are eating hay outside the pen. Then the foals get hay in the pen, and then I open the gate so all the moms and aunties can join them.

Stroking the ears...we call it "the stupid donkey trick" when we stroke the inside of their ears, the heads go down, and the lower lips droop ("camel lips" :lol:). They love it.
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snaffle
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Is the meadow on fire?
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SadiesMom
Sep 20 2007, 01:16 PM
DM, Thumper is precioussss!!!! I really, really wish you donkey people would please stop posting these absolutely adorable pics, I just can't take it anymore :lol:

Yes, darn you donkey people and your cute-a$$ donkeys!

(Note to self...make new life plan to buy property with enough room for donkeys.)
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Due's Mom
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Shunnnnn the unbeliever. Shunnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn.
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"I especially love when they put their ears back, head down, and then run at me"

When Thumper does this to me he is glad to see me and wants a hug. At first I thought it was aggression but it doesn't seem to be. He has never head butted me and except for a few nips has been a good boy. He has never offered to rear or strike at me either. He tried a driveby kick and I swatted him on the ass for that one.

Today I was working with one of the mares at feed time and she was being pissy and Thumper took exception to it and let out two huge brays. He obviously did not like my big mare getting my undivided attention :lol:

We put the halter on tonite and worked him from both sides on giving. Then I worked on backing a few steps with voice commands and then he actually let me lead him without a lead rope. Tomorrow I will add that to my routine. Hopefully soon he will allow me to halter him without putting him in the catchpen

I can't believe how much easier they are than horse foals
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Due's Mom
Sep 21 2007, 07:21 PM
He tried a driveby kick and I swatted him on the ass for that one.


Due's Mom, the drive-by kicks are practice. They usually stop and look back to see how they did :lol:.
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Due's Mom
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Shunnnnn the unbeliever. Shunnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn.
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Now THAT is funny! :lol:

Btw, I watched a Meredith Hodges show on RFD-TV and was surprised how she trained her mules and donkeys not to kick. Have you seen that before?
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No, I haven't seen any of her training tapes, but I am curious how she trains them not to kick.

My favorite "move" is the running, one-legged kick. Here's a youtube video that I love of a mini trying to get some horses to play. You can see the one-legged kick about 2/3 of the way through.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-fkdPGiDtY...related&search=
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Due's Mom
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Shunnnnn the unbeliever. Shunnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn.
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Now that was hilarious. The poor guy wanted someone to play and there were no takers. Our old burro used to do that with my old TB gelding. Those two would play very rough

Hodges will tie up her mule/donkey and try to aggravate it by stroking it's hind legs with a dressage whip and when he kicks out she strikes him very hard with the whip and yells "NO!" She also showed how she will train one to allow her to tie one leg up. It was interesting, to say the least.

I think her show is on RFD TV on Wed evenings and is about 30 minutes long
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OpticalIllusion
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That was just to cute! I want one so bad.
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DairyQueen2049
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DRAGON BREATH. DRAGGIN' BUTT
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Awww hims needs a playmate!!! What a cutie.
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SnackPack
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Sep 21 2007, 03:16 PM
SnackPack
Sep 21 2007, 09:45 AM
They're interesting creatures.  For how small they are, they sometimes intimidate me because I'm not sure how they are going to react.  Feeding seven mini donks that are focused on food and keeping everyone else away from their's can be harrowing.  I especially love when they put their ears back, head down, and then run at me.   :lol:   I have no desire to find out what being head-butted by a mini donkey is like.  Thankfully, they startle out of "rush" mode pretty easily.

SnackPack, are you feeding grain to 7 donkeys in 7 separate buckets? Getting the buckets down quickly in different spots is a challenge. It creates chaos...snorts, squeals, along with some other interesting sounds, whirling, kicking. When food is involved, donkeys can go from sweetness to bitchiness in a nanosecond.


Heh...no grain...'cept for the little ones who get it in the barn pen separated from the adults.

They definitely are funny little creatures, full of bizarre noises and behaviours. They haven't done anything to me yet, but I don't want to take the chance.

At the other house I watch, the two mini donks will sometimes do the rush thing at me when my back is turned and they are suppose to be following me. But the second I turn around, it's all sweetness and light...ears up and "What, me charge YOU? NEVER" Heh.

The one thing that cracks me up is how polite they are when taking a treat. It's lips only and VERY gentle. So mannerly. Maybe they think I'm trying to feed them a biscuit of poison, but it's just so cute.
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