|
|
Formerly Horse
Posts: 4552
  
Location: TEXAS | Just got our first donkey. Unknown age and history. She is skittish. I have always had horses and want to know how training a donkey is different. |
|
| |
|
 Winner winner chicken dinner
Posts: 2047
Location: California | My best advice is do not approach working with your donkey like you do with your horse. I tried that and failed! My non-horsey husband is great with the donkeys because he has no horse background and just treats them like donkeys. They are super smart...I swear you can see them process and think. When I go to put their fly masks on, they come up to me (even if there is food out) and I really think it's because they know that the masks keep the flies off and makes their lives better lol. I have mini-donks and they do not like to be man-handled. Mine love treats and bribery is part of the any task I need them to do. 
ETA: re-reading what I wrote, it's pretty obvious the donks have ME trained, not the other way around.
Edited by phillyincal 2016-10-26 5:00 PM
|
|
| |
|
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 489
| In my limited experience - donkeys don't respond well to pressure. If you take an attitude that I'm going to make you do something - they will have an equally strong attitude of "no you will not!" Pulling on one doesn't seem to work- they will just lock up. If I'm leading him and I pull to much - he will freeze up. If I loosen the rope - he will lead anywhere. He wants to please - he just wants to be asked. Donkeys will rarely hurt themselves- you can almost see the wheels turn as they are thinking their way through a situation. I don't give mine treats because I believe they can be pushy. But to him- a treat is a good scratch and pet. He also loves his fly mask and fly spray. Flies really do a number on their legs for some reason. |
|
| |
|
 Elite Veteran
Posts: 1117
Location: MI | Bumping this up - pretty sure we are getting two minis soon, as long as my horse gets along fine with them (they are with a horse now & do well). Met them last night- such fun personalities! |
|
| |
|
Married to a Louie Lover
Posts: 3303
| We have a mini donk that hangs out with my in laws horses. My 10 year old niece gets along with him a heck of a lot better than the rest of us do, although once you get him caught he agrees to let you do whatever you want.
He's a hoot - follows us out to the pasture to gather steers and some days you'd swear he was a cattle dog. Someday I'll get video of that.
He saved a kitten last week, we were roping and he kept chasing our dogs off of the fence away from something they had a lot of interest in. Niece goes to investigate and it's a wee kitten. I'm sure the dogs would have killed it if Romeo hadn't chased them off.
He's Mr Personality |
|
| |
|
 Shelter Dog Lover
Posts: 10277
| I have mini donkeys, they are totally different than horses. Treats, scratches and rewards is what works with them. If you make them mad they won't forget it, they can reason. I keep mine in a pen at night, the other morning I was letting them out and when I turned to open the gate I could see the moma ever so slowly reach out to try and nip me. When I looked at her she would stop, after about the third time I popped her on the nose and told her no and she stopped. I swear she was mad at me for keeping her up and wanted to give me a little pinch to let me know. She has never tried to bite or kick when handling her, even when doing something she does not like. My moma and baby came from a kill pen and she was halter broke and use to being handled, she loves the curry comb. There is a great FB page called donkeys only, full of good information. They definitely do better with another donkey, even if you have horses. Here are a couple of videos of my baby- I am in love! I picked up a 3 month old last week that had never been handled, it took hm about a week to get comfortable being touched and he is just now coming up to me asking to be scratched. Boudreaux who I got at 5 days old literally crawls in my lap.
Boudreaux Playing
Boudreaux playing
Edited by rodeomom3 2017-06-26 11:14 AM
|
|
| |
|
 Expert
Posts: 3815
Location: The best kept secret in TX | Teach them once.
If they learn how to do something correctly don't go over it again and again.
They learn and never forget.
If you get to repetitous with them they will become bored and naughty.
For example, if they pick up their correct lead the first time don't repete it. Pat them, tell them good job and hop off. Ride in 15 min internvals unless trail riding or asking the donkey to do a certain job. They are smart and have to be entertained while riding. Riding them around and around like we do our horses bores them. |
|
| |
|
 A Barrel Of Monkeys
Posts: 12972
Location: Texas | Besides all the other excellent comments, the #1 thing to remember about a donkey is that when it's scared, it is much more likely to lock up than run. And if it runs, it'll have to come back to examine the "monster".
They are funny. We had several on a ranch. I could see from the house as the donks dragged a water hose and several traffic cones past the window, just for entertainment. |
|
| |
|
Elite Veteran
Posts: 1117
Location: MI | rodeomom3 - 2017-06-26 11:52 AM I have mini donkeys, they are totally different than horses. Treats, scratches and rewards is what works with them. If you make them mad they won't forget it, they can reason. I keep mine in a pen at night, the other morning I was letting them out and when I turned to open the gate I could see the moma ever so slowly reach out to try and nip me. When I looked at her she would stop, after about the third time I popped her on the nose and told her no and she stopped. I swear she was mad at me for keeping her up and wanted to give me a little pinch to let me know. She has never tried to bite or kick when handling her, even when doing something she does not like. My moma and baby came from a kill pen and she was halter broke and use to being handled, she loves the curry comb. There is a great FB page called donkeys only, full of good information. They definitely do better with another donkey, even if you have horses. Here are a couple of videos of my baby- I am in love! I picked up a 3 month old last week that had never been handled, it took hm about a week to get comfortable being touched and he is just now coming up to me asking to be scratched. Boudreaux who I got at 5 days old literally crawls in my lap.
Boudreaux Playing
Boudreaux playing
I'm actually in that Facebook group already - learning lots & love seeing all the pictures.
Oh my gosh your baby is adorable!! We're pretty excited - will update with pictures once we get them! (Waiting on fence to get installed at our new house so I can bring my horse home and these two new girls) -- pasture is going in part of our hay field - all it's done for over a week is rain so we can't get the dang hay done. Think actually the next couple days it's going to cooperate so fence building party this weekend hopefully!
|
|
| |
|
 Quarter Horse HIstorian
Posts: 2878
Location: Aubrey, Texas | Donkeys make good guard animals for other livestock. They hate coyotes- I used to have one named Honky because no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't go through the whole hee-haw thing; he'd just kind of "honnnnnk." There is an old saying, "Women and elephants never forget an injury." You can add donkeys and mules to that category- |
|
| |
|
The Advice Guru
Posts: 6419
| You need to earn the donkies trust, and some will never come around, sadly.
As others have said they remember everything, good or bad.
When they are stressed, they shut down, so it appears they are quiet, timid, etc. Get them out of that stressful situation they will show their true colours.
Trimming feet, we always tied their leg up for the first few times, now they stand good.
|
|
| |
Folks on-line