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["Lynda" <lurine AT com-pair.net>]

We had two.  A Jeruselum ass, a jenny, we got when she was 30+ years old. 
Sweet as the day was long.  The folks who had her left her in a field to 
"survive" which meant they provided water.  We got her home and fed her 
which seemed to have been a unique experience for her.  Our kids were quite 
young then.  She'd never been ridden or anything but the kidlets rode her 
and she was great with them.  Not too pleased with adults but she tolerated 
us.  When we moved to a colder area we found her a home with some older 
folks who wanted a lawn ornament.  They built her a house *I'd* have loved 
to live in!  We lost contact with them but the last time we talked to them 
she was 45.

Our other donkey was what is known as a burro.  He was one of the BLM 
donkeys.  He was intact and was between 5 and 10 years old when we got him. 
We broke him to pull a cart and to ride.  He was stereotypical of donkeys. 
He was stubborn.  He was smart.  He wouldn't work if he didn't want to.  He 
quit when he decided it was time to quit.  However, he didn't have a mean 
bone in his body although he dumped the ex several times <g>  He was also 
great with the kidlets (they were about 3 and 5 when we got the two 
donkeys).

I had them old with my calfing cows, my ewes when they were lambing, the 
horses in foal and after and with the goats.  Thomasina "hung out" with the 
horses.  Penteque hung out with the goats.  When we had dog problems the 
horses would form a circle with their foals and the sheep and goats in the 
middle and Penteque and Thomasina would run at the dogs and bray like crazy.

When we first got Penteque we had a major problem because he'd never been 
around running water and he wouldn't cross the creek.  We pulled, we pushed 
and we finally ran a rope around his middle and up between his legs and 
through his halter and dallyed up on the horn and had our big Quarter horse 
mare pull him across.  Boy was she peeved <g>  When we got him across she 
nailed him on the arse!  He crossed the creek after that without any 
problems.

I just don't really think there are that many problem with him unless dumb 
people buy them.  They're really quick figuring out someone is dumb and that 
they can do what they want and get away with it.  If you don't allow it, 
they know it and that's the end of that.

I have seen a couple that were foundered.  You can over feed them.  They 
don't need grain or alfalfa.  Oh, and they aren't just grazers, they'll 
browse, so your roses are fair game!

Lynda
Members of Congress should be compelled to wear uniforms like NASCAR drivers 
so we can identify their corporate sponsors.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "EarthNSky" <erthnsky AT bellsouth.net>
To: "Homestead List" <homestead AT lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Thursday, May 21, 2009 10:33 AM
Subject: [Homestead] Equus Asinus


> Ok, so my neighbor has given me an old special donkey issue of the
> magazine Equus Caballus, and now I want a donkey.  I actually might be
> able to talk my friend out of her 28 year old Jack.  I just love Jack.
> I love the way he brays when he is excited about eating or to say hello.
>  He is intact, yet gentle to people and only aggressive to horses if
> picked on.  I recall that Marie, I think, has donkeys.  I read that they
> can live 40 years or more.  I am thinking that I would like to keep Jack
> with a herd of sheep, and maybe later with goats.  I know they are good
> guard animals, good companions, and good pack animals, etc.  I've been
> reading about their nutritional needs, which I was amazed to learn how
> different they are from horses.
> I want to know as much as possible about donkeys from those who have
> owned them, especially the 'bad' stuff....
> If I were to acquire Jack, what could I reasonably expect to teach him
> at his age?  He's never worked, but he has been ridden.  Mostly, he has
> been a pasture ornament during his life.  My friend has owned him or
> known him for about 10 or more years I think.  He's in good health.
> He was thought to be sterile but lo and behold he did sire a mule just
> before my friend took possession of him.
>
> Bev
>
>
> --
> "The budget should be balanced, the Treasury should be refilled, public
> debt  should be reduced, the arrogance of officialdom should be tempered
> and controlled, and the assistance to foreign lands should be curtailed
> lest Rome become bankrupt.  People must again learn to work, instead of
> living on public assistance."
>
> --Cicero, 55 BC
> http://erthnsky.blogspot.com/
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