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PROGNOSTICATIONS OF THE WEATHER (from Robert
Merry's Museum, November 1844, pp. 154-159)
Asses.--When asses bray more
than ordinary, particularly if they shake their ears if
uneasy, it is said they predict rain, and particularly
showers. We have noticed, that, in showery weather, a
donkey, confined in a yard near the house, has brayed before
every shower, and generally some minutes before the rain has
fallen, as if some electrical influence, produced by the
concentrating power of the approaching rain-cloud, caused a
tickling in the windpipe of the animal, just before the
shower came up. Whatever this electric state of the air
preceding a shower may be, it seems to be the same that
causes in other animals some peculiar sensations,--which
makes the peacock squall the pintado call "come-back," and
which creates a variety of prognosticative motions in the
different species of the animal kingdom.
An expressive English adage says,
When the ass begins to bray,
Be sure we shall have rain that day.
We have, says the writer of the preceding, repeatedly been
able to give our hay-makers useful admonitions founded
solely on the braying of the ass. Thus the proverb says
truly,
Donkey,
Mule and Horse Information, Links and Articles. Below I
hope you find helpful information in your pursuit of
learning about the wonders of this adorable, loving animal.
This page has been a labor of love for me and I am
continually adding new information so check back often. Your
continuing support of our products or affiliate links
throughout this site help us promote the Miniature Donkey
breed and care for rescued equines here at Shadow Ridge.
Thanks so much! Cheryl and Chris
Donkey leggings are custom made to your measurements
I
just had to share this with you. Picasso didn't
have a fly mask with ears in it so here's what we
did--We took a regular horse one with ears & cut off the
ears. Then we took some soft flexible fiberglass
screen & cut out ears to fit. Reid sewed the ears
onto the mask with his sewing machine. Bingo!
It works! I've never been able to find a fly mask
with ears for donkeys. Feel free to pass this on.
The whole process didn't take more than about an hour to
do.
Companions.Donkeys are a very social animal and can
form very strong bonds with fellow donkeys
or other animals. It is often best to keep
two donkeys as they entertain each other and
provide companionship. They can also
reinforce each other and get up to mischief.
"First
and foremost, we were told NOT to try miniature donkeys, and
that only standard sized donkeys were effective deterrents
and dispatchers of predators"
A
number of anatomical differences between the horse and the
donkey can challenge the first-time donkey owner and their
veterinarian. Donkeys have an obscured jugular furrow (the
place where blood samples are taken or tranquilizers are
given).
The cutaneous coli muscle hides the middle third of the
jugular vein. (Burnham S. L. Anatomical Differences of the
Donkey and Mule In: Proceedings of the 48th Annual AAEP
Convention. 2002: 102-109}
Did you Know?
Donkeys are commonly used by the
Iraqi military to launch rockets...seriously.
In certain parts of the world,
donkey milk is used for feeding infants, its composition
being close to that of human milk. The jenny gives about 3
to 6 liters of milk per day. Donkey milk is very nourishing,
because it contains more milk sugar and less fat than cow
milk.
The quality of donkey milk is also appreciated in skin care.
Texts from classical times inform us that Cleopatra bathed
in it as a beauty treatment. Two hundred lactating jennies,
no less, were needed to provide milk for her baths.
In our time, donkey milk is used to make skin-care soaps.
Donkeys should not be fed
bread or similar refined food products, as these are known
to contribute to the build up of acid conditions in the feet
lamina and directly cause laminitis
Did you know: Donkeys make a snoring or grunting sound when
they are being scratched meaning they are loving it. There
is nothing wrong with their breathing. : )
Foal Rejection:
This idea was brought to my attention by a donkey friend who
had read this idea in Brayer Magazine-- when such as that
happens, to have the mother and baby in the barn, then to
bring a dog into the barn. If the donkey is used to the
family dog and not afraid of it, bring in another dog. The
mother (even when not maternal toward the foal) will
instinctively protect the baby, thus should get closer to
the baby, hopefully allowing it to nurse.
There is an “old folk remedy” for sarcoids using Crest
toothpaste. Apply Crest to the sarcoid with a toothbrush. It
is suggested that either something in Crest kills the virus
causing the sarcoid and/or the brushing stimulates the
horse’s immune system. Works for Ringworm too.
Hoof Care:
"Train the donkey to lift his legs for
hoof inspection by getting him comfortable with grooming.
Use your hands and a soft broom to stroke down the legs all
the way to the knee. With gentle praises, lift his leg
without enclosing his ankle in your hand and put it back
down."
Happy Jack wasn't old, but he was a man.
He lived in the sand at the Isle of Man.
The kids would all sing, he would take the wrong
key,
So they rode on ahead on their furry donkey.
The kids couldn't hurt Jack,
They tried, tried, tried.
They dropped things on his back,
They lied, lied, lied, lied, lied.
But they couldn't stop Jack, or the waters lapping,
And they couldn't prevent Jack from being happy.
But they couldn't stop Jack, or the waters lapping,
And they couldn't prevent Jack from being happy.
The kids couldn't hurt Jack,
They tried, tried, tried.
They dropped things on his back
They lied, lied, lied, lied, lied.
But they couldn't stop Jack, or the waters lapping.
And they couldn't prevent Jack from being happy.
Donkey Wishes
If you hear a donkey bray, make a wish. If it brays three times, it will help your wish come true.
If you hear a donkey bray in the morning, make a wish and recite this chant:
."Donkey, donkey, old and gray,
.Open your mouth and gently bray.
.Lift your ears and blow your horn,
.To grant my wish this early morn'."
.If the donkey brays again shortly after you say the chant, your wish will have a better chance of coming true.
"Familiarize the donkey with your and his environment. It is
necessary to establish a trust with the donkey to get him to
cooperate. Be friendly and consistent in your temperament,
approach, body language and tone."
Use your voice as the first tool of training and start with
small commands for following you, backing up, slowing down
and lifting her feet for the farrier to inspect. Make your
commands clear and consistent. Donkeys are slow learners and
they can get confused and startled by anything new.
Repetition is the key.
"Combine the voice commands with treats like carrots or
apples during the initial training phase. Use them only as
rewards and not as a bribe. Gradually change the rewards to
verbal praises and pats."
"Introduce the halter to the
donkey by rubbing his back with it and holding it near his
face while giving treats. This familiarizes the donkey with
the position in which the halter is fastened. Slide the
noseband on and praise him for his cooperation. Take off the
halter and repeat it until he is accustomed to it."
"Lead the donkey by pulling the rope gently with voice
commands. If she does not move, pull her on her side in a
circle, so she takes a step to maintain her balance."
Donkeys have
preference in a horse trailer to face the rear! Unless there
are other requirements I let my donkeys be untied, and
remove the dividing wall to allow some freedom of position.
Duty and the beast
By Stanley Johnson. Published in The Telegraph, Saturday
11th June 2005
The people of Darfur in western Sudan are still in desperate
need of aid. But so too, says Stanley Johnson, are the
donkeys that may be their only resource.
Mules are not always sterile!
The crossing of a horse with 64 chromosomes and a donkey
with 62 is thought to produce a sterile mule with 63
chromosomes. However, a report from Morocco indicates that a
mule mare produced a foal with 62 chromosomes. The cells of
the mule mare were a mosaic, some carrying 63 chromosomes
while others carried 62. The foal is believed to be fathered
by a donkey. This is the fourth female mule confirmed to be
fertile. (Kay G. Vet Record 2002; 152 (3, Jan. 18))
Shelter:
Donkeys are not waterproofed by
nature as they have evolved in dry desert
regions. If a horse is compared to a donkey
you will find that a donkey’s coat does not
contain the grease of a horse’s coat, nor
does the donkey have such a strong smell.
They will chill in a cold rain.
"Please don't tell people that minis make guard animals.
Ours were part of a herd of 18 and could not defend
themselves against a German Shepherd and a
Retriever/Irish Setter mix (owned by the same people). He
kept the donkey from running while the Shepherd did the
biting. While miniature donkeys may be able to fend off a
non aggressive pet dog that will enter their pasture or keep
coyotes out (which in my point of view pose a much lesser
danger to our animals than domestic dogs) - they are
defenseless toward viscous dog attacks because of
their size. I am not speaking for the large standard or
mammoth donkeys - but for animals the size of miniature
donkeys." source:
Nadia Attia-O'Bryan The Little Friends Ranch
Gelding:
When
gelding your donkey, be sure the vet knows to tie off the
cords as well as cut them. Some vets don't know this
because they've never gelded a donk. If the cords aren't tied
off, there is a great risk of bleeding to death! As soon as
all the testosterone is gone (2-3 months) he should become
more gentlemanly.
Most of the time you simply get
an onion with long ears,
but every once in awhile, you
get lucky
and get a piece of ass that brings tears to your eyes.
Your continuing support
of our products
and affiliate
links throughout this site help
us inform and promote the
Miniature Donkey breed and Donkeys everywhere whether you are just
starting out or
have your loved one already.
Thanks so much! Cheryl and Chris
We are shipping only to USA
addresses at this time. International orders may contact us for
additional shipping charges.
