How to Wash and Care for your Donkey, pony, horse or mule Blanket:
Remember that no blanket is 100% waterproof for the entire winter. Once you start putting the blanket on your equine you must check for rubs and dampness daily. I keep two blankets ready to go for all of our eight equine, six donkeys and two horses. Why? As I stated above the blanket can get wet and I need to add a dry blanket until the weather breaks and we move back into rain. I remove the blanket as soon as we are out of the 20’s and move back to rain weather. I never blanket my equine during the rain as they all have shelters to move into and no blanket is 100% waterproof though the rainy season.
How often do I wash my blankets?
DO NOT OVER WASH YOUR BLANKETS. Scrape the poop of the blanket, before washing. I wash all of our blankets once a year in the summer, this way I can hang them out to dry. DO NOT PUT A WATER PROOF BLANKET IN THE DRYER. After they are dry I spray a water repellant on each blanket. Now I am ready for winter.
Are you looking to purchase a blanket for your donkey, horse, pony, mule or Zonk?
The Donkey Whisperer Farm ® is a dealer for Kensington Protective Products. You can order a miniature horse, pony or Donkey blanket in my store under Miniature Donkey Blanket. Send me an e-mail at Melody@donkeywhisperer.com to place an order that is not in my store as I can order anything from Kensington for a cheaper price than the MSRP price.
It’s almost Christmas on the Donkey Whisperer Farm ®. Life is really great, all the donkeys, horses and doggies are doing great. God bless you and your family two and four-legged!
Equus Africanus Asinus – This is the proper scientific name for the “donkey” a subspecies and Equus asinus. Burros evolved from Africa (desert equine), they were introduced to the Desert Southwest by the Spaniards in the 1500s. (The word “burro” is derived from the Spanish word “borrico,” meaning donkey.) A Spanish mission brought the first burros into what is now called Tuscon.
During the Gold Rush years of the 19th century, burros were used primarily in the Southwest as pack animals for prospectors. They worked tirelessly to carry supplies, water, food, and machinery to gold mining camps, the burros were a vital resource for the miners. When the gold rush ended the miners let all the burros loose with the gift of survival on desert food the burros reproduced and created large families across the United States Of America.
If you own a donkey please understand your donkey is a desert equine. The diet of a donkey is tested forage (hay, straw or mash) 10% or lower in sugar and protein is the goal. Portion control is very important, do not let your donkey overeat. Test forage in the USA at Equine Analytical Lab when you find low sugar/protein hay purchase enough for the entire year.
Where can I adopt a couple of wild burros? The Bureau of Land Management (BLM)has way too many burros waiting for a forever home. Donkeys are healthiest when getting to live with their own species sex matters, geldings with geldings and jennies with jennies in most cases. Jacks should be made into gelding with an experienced donkey vet. Donkeys digest drugs differently from a horse and gelding a donkey is a bit different from a horse. Read five questions you must ask your vet before sedation and gelding.
Donkeys come in three sizes and then there are donkeys that are a bit in between. Our soft yacht rope halters with matching lead lines come in over a dozen vibrant colors. FREE Shipping for orders $150.00 or more in the USA. Soft yacht rope will never mold or frail. Wash in a bucket of warm soapy water and dry.
Our miniature donkey soft yacht rope halter is adjustable under the jaw at age four-months to full-grown. Sold with a 6ft lead line, brass screw-on snap, black leather end. Order in our store Donkey Whisperer Farm ® Or choose to build a custom measured halter with matching lead line. Our easy to follow measurement template and form is in your e-mail with receipt of purchase.
Standard or Burro (medium size donkey) soft yacht donkey soft yacht rope halter is adjustable under the jaw at age four-months to full-grown. . Sold with a 9ft lead line, brass screw-on snap, black leather end. Order in our store Donkey Whisperer Farm ® Or choose to build a custom measured halter with matching lead line. Our easy to follow measurement template and form is in your e-mail with receipt of purchase.
Medium – Not a miniature donkey and not a standard/burro size needs a custom halter measuredfor the head for a perfect fit. Medium sizes horses, welch, small mule, zonk, etc., Standard/burro halter/lead lineis sold with a 9ft lead line, brass screw-on snap, black leather end. Or customize to make the lead line any length you want.
Large – Mammoth donkeys, Full-grown horses, Draft Mules and Draft Horses. Build acustom measured halter with matching lead line,choose large. Sold with a 12ft lead line, stainless steel, solid brass screw-on snap, black leather end. Or customize to make the lead line any length you want.
We proudly ship worldwide, free shipping applies to international orders making the cost more reasonable. Send Melody Johnson and e-mail requesting a quote to ship, products, complete shipping address. Melody will get your order processed quickly.
How Do I adjust my Donkey Whisperer Farm ® soft yacht rope halter on the head?
Adjust the placement of the knots on the nose by tying snug under the jaw. The perfect place is on the cheek bone not the by the eyes or on the soft nose.
Watch this free video to learn how to tie the rope halter with the lead line attached to the halter and the emergency safety knot quick release.
GOD bless you and your family two and four-legged!
Hello donkey lovers and friends my name is Melody Johnson I am happy to meet you!
Donkeys evolved from the desert, their diet is serious we cannot let a donkey graze all day on grass, brush and trees without getting sick. If you live in the green and muddy part of the world create a dry paddock connected to the shelter with a gate to a track for exercise. The donkeys long fur coat is used to protect the donkey from insects and sunburn. The donkeys hooves are pointy compared to a horse made to walk on on dry hard ground.
Donkeys are intelligent not stubborn, donkeys are just as smart as dolphins and dogs their memory is comparable to elephants. Donkeys are game players and are seriously into self-preservation. Donkeys deserve to be trained using humane training techniques.
“Horses Dream Of Being Trained The Way A Donkey Demands To Be Trained” Melody Johnson, Donkey Whisperer Farm ® a worldwide trainer.
How can I purchase healthy food for my donkey?
Test all hay or forage before purchasing for the year. I test all of my hay at Equine Analytical Lab in the USA and I purchase enough hay for my six donkeys and two horses for the entire year. The goal is 10% or lower in sugar and protein for the desert equine and the easy keeper horses and mules. Straw is not always low in sugar be sure to test to make sure just because it is barley straw does not mean it is low in sugar. Color of hay is not an indicator of low sugar we must test before feeding to our donkeys.
Use a slow feeder, hay pillow never leave a big round bale out to eat on all day as portion control is very important to the desert equine. Obesity is the number one form of abuse in the USA for donkeys out of the USA it is being underfed and overworked.
Safe treats are a bite of a carrot. Never feed cookies, breads and sugar foods to the donkey.
Clean water, cool in the summer and warm in the winter. Donkeys drink way more water when its clean.
Salt get lose salt with selenium and minerals if your hay has no selenium, remove selenium if your hay has selenium.
Shelter is a must. Make sure your shelter is big enough for all of your donkeys to get out of the weather. Provide food and water in the shelter to help them get over the fear of the shelter.
Provide farrier appointments every six weeks in the spring and summer and seven in the fall and winter as the hoof grows slower in the cold seasons.
Provide dental checkups at least once a year with your vet. Why? Domesticated donkeys get high points and gums can get inflamed needing regular vet care.
Shots, five way is the best for your donkey in the spring of each year. Give your vet fresh poop for a fecal sample spring and fall before worming. Your vet will tell you to worm or not to worm. Over worming creates resistant parasites to wormer that are difficult to remove and in some cases cant be removed. Over worming destroys the donkeys immune system.
Ask your vet to check for insulin resistance (blood work) and cushings as your donkeys ages.
11. Donkeys are wood eaters this is not cribbing. Donkeys seek out wood to chew on and eat. If you use wood pellets bedding add water as the donkey will eat the pellets they will expand in the tummy and can cause colic and death.
Donkey Training:
Donkey 101 & 102 Video On Demand is sold with lifetime access. OrderDonkey Whisperer Farm ®
Purchase the Donkey Whisperer Farm ® adjustable soft yacht rope halter with matching lead line.
GOD bless you and your family two and four-legged!
Donkeys are truly emotional beings they truly love their families deeply two and four-legged.
As donkeys become senior citizens their teeth and gums start having some serious issues. The tooth starts turning round not pointy, gums start getting inflamed and the tooth starts pushing out. When the tooth starts wiggling and coming out it does not fall out on its own. The vet needs to extract the tooth and all the roots.
What happens if we do not make mash and keep feeding dry hay? The donkey can choke on the hay, colic and die. As you can see it is vital we have yearly veterinarian do the teeth and provide fecal samples, shots and health checks. Provide our donkeys with a hay pellet mash and feed twice a day. Donkeys can live up to fifty years in domestication. It is vital we learn how to care for our senior donkeys to have the best life possible.
Make sure and choose hay pellets low in sugar, fat and protein. After researching extensively I am using Standlee Orchard Hay Pellets as they are below 10% in sugar and protein and low in fat. Make sure to soak the hay pellets for at least ten minutes before feeding.
Thank you for investing in your donkeys!
GOD bless you and your family two and four-legged!
Learn how to train your donkeys to load in the trailer, ride in the trailer and stay safe. Learn how to load multiple donkeys and unload. Learn how to purchase the right trailer and how to have a safety plan in place. Donkey Trailer loading includes twelve teaching videos with over one hour of the training content by trainer Melody Johnson and a 10-page E-book (pdf) outlining key points to trailer loading.
Description
Donkey Trailer Loading Training Video On Demand:
Melody Johnson, introduction walking three miniature donkeys to the trailer.
Preparing the trailer for the donkeys.
Tying miniature donkeys to the outside of the trailer.
Loading three miniature donkeys.
Miniature donkeys lose in the trailer.
Unloading three miniature donkeys.
Providing miniature donkeys balance and consistency.
Tying two standard and a mammoth donkey to the outside of the trailer.
Loading a mammoth and standard donkey.
Mammoth and standard donkey lose in the trailer.
Unloading standard and mammoth donkey.
Providing big donkeys balance and consistency.
How to load the difficult donkey.
Video cameras inside the trailer.
Walking the donkeys back to the barn.
GOD bless you and your family two and four-legged!
Donkey Whisperer Farm ® On-Line Learning Is The Leader For On-Line Education Worldwide!
Teach your donkey to have social skills and manners via Donkey 101 & 102 Video On Demand. Use our soft yacht rope donkey halters with matching lead lines to speed up your donkey’s learning time.
Teach your donkey to follow you as a fair leader, not a treat dispenser, bully or abuser. Melody Johnson trains the owner or caretaker on how to scan the donkey for stress, relaxation, and naughty behavior and get your donkey excited to learn and follow you as a leader.
Teach your donkey to have excellent manners and act like a partner for the basics while standing for the vet, farrier, and traveling to new places. Call your donkey and watch your donkey run to you, stand and not leave you! Donkeys are intelligent, donkeys train the owner to do exactly what the donkey wants to do and nothing more.
GOD bless you and your family two and four-legged!
Donkeys are born with their unique personality, extroverts are more go than whoa. Introvert more whoa than go. Did you know introvert donkeys do not bray? Yes, it’s true the true deep introvert donkey will make a little bit of noise but will never let out a full bray.
Training the introvert takes a bunch of patience and a plan. Why? Everything the introvert does new takes longer to process the information and learn to trust. The donkeys’ gift is the ability to problem-solve and think. Donkeys do not want to do anything that may or may not hurt them or worse kill them. The horse’s gift is speed. Horses when scared fart, poop, and run.
GOD bless you and your family two and four-legged!
This is wrong! Very few donkeys make great livestock guardians. Please get a livestock guarding dog to protect your livestock. Donkeys will guard the animals they are bonded to if they are big enough. A miniature donkey is too small to guard anything. Domesticated dogs can kill a miniature donkey. Donkeys bond for life to their own species. If a donkey is placed in with a flock of sheep that it does not know, the donkey may grab the neck of the sheep and kill it. This is not a bad donkey it is simply donkey behavior. Donkeys do best when they get to live with another donkey. Donkeys will kill newborn baby cows, sheep and goats, pigs etc., so best to keep the babies away from donkeys. Donkeys grab the neck of another donkey in play and in battle, play tug with a ball, sleep, drink and eat together basically book ends. Dogs, most donkeys do not like dogs they resemble the wolf and coyote. We have hot wire fences to keep our donkeys in and the dogs out. Sadly farmers end up burying the donkey, re-sell give away a donkey who has not performed the job as livestock guarding to their satisfaction.
Donkey Diet& Care
Donkeys evolved from the desert. Donkeys need a serious diet and cannot eat all day and night on pasture or brush. Most livestock is fed an extremely rich diet full of grains and lush pasture. Donkeys who are fed rich food or overfed grass or brush will get insulin resistance, white line disease, fat deposits on the body, neck gets fat and can break over, hoof abscesses, laminitis. Hoof abscesses are common with a rich diet, the liver fails and soon the donkey dies a painfully slow death. Donkeys are stoic and will never show pain until it is too late.
Hay and all forage must be tested to come in at 10% or lower in sugar and protein along with portion control as donkeys gain weight quickly. Donkeys need shelter, clean water, warm in freezing climates and salt. Donkeys do not do well standing in the rain with no shelter due to their thick fur. Some donkeys need a blanket as they cant take the freezing temperatures and this blanket needs to be changed and checked. Donkeys need their hooves trimmed, vet care teeth, shots, fecal sample before worming spring and summer.
Donkeys need great fences and locks as donkeys can visually watch you do something and repeat the task.
Donkeys Are Intelligent, Not Stubborn
Donkeys are not flight animals like horses, most donkeys do not react to physical force to do a task. Donkeys push into pressure. Donkeys can freeze when scared or fight back. Please take the time to learn donkey behavior and personality. Extroverts bray and have more go than whoa, introverts do not bray and have more whoa than go. I teach about this in Donkey 102 video on demand. Donkeys need to see a reason for everything they do. Since donkeys evolved from the desert they learned how to survive with their mind as they do not have the speed of a horse to outrun the predator. Donkeys are deep thinkers game players. I call this ON DONKEY TIME ®. The donkey will never do anything that can hurt the donkey. Self-preservation is number one to a donkey. Donkeys ears back can mean anger, thinking, happy to see you. Learn to read the eyes of your donkey not the ears. The horse will jump off the grand canyon when scared, the donkey will not, do you see the difference? A donkeys’ gift is not sped it is a brain that can problem-solve to stay alive.
Donkeys are incredibly strong.
Donkeys have a reputation for being strong pack animals and while this is true, they are not stronger than another animal of the same size. Donkeys can only hold up to 20% of their weight. Donkeys must be full-grown and conditioned to do heavy work.
When Is A Donkey Full-Grown?
Miniature Donkeys age three
Standard or Burro age four
Mammoth Donkeys six to seven
If you would like to learn how to train your donkey go to the Donkey Whisperer Farm ® education center. Melody Johnson trains the owner or caretaker worldwide via Donkey 101 & 102 Video On Demand, use your smartphone to take Melody to the farm with you.
GOD bless you and your family two and four-legged!
Welcome donkey lovers, my name is Melody Johnson, I love donkeys. I began my business in 2013 after getting frustrated with the lack of tack and training available for donkeys. I am the voice for the donkey. I train the owner or caretaker worldwide how to tame and train the donkey using resistance-free exercises, never pain. I do not teach clicker training (R). I teach you how to use words, voice, facial expressions, timing and quality exercises that are powerful for you and your donkey to build a fantastic relationship. Donkeys are smart, not stubborn. Donkeys have a photographic memory. Donkeys bond for life to the animal or human they trust. Donkeys are gifts from God. All of my training series (video on demand) is sold with lifetime access and can be accessed using any smart device, take me to the farm with you.
Donkey Trailer Loading video on demand.Print out my E-book located in the first video to speed up your learning time. I am training you to learn how to become a fair leader each time you step into your donkeys space.
Training a donkey is a bit different from a horse as donkeys are deep thinkers. Donkeys naturally push into pressure using our soft yacht rope halter with strategically placed fiador knots is a game-changer. Once you use our soft yacht rope halter and lead line you will never go back to the flat halter.
How can I clean my tack? Wash in a bucket of warm soapy water and dry. Donkey Whisperer Farm ® soft yacht rope will never shrink is mildew, frail, dirt, rot, and UV resistant. This means that your tack will stay in its original form longer, without breaking, fading saving you money.
Thank you for investing in your donkey,
Melody Johnson, Trainer, and Owner E-mail melody@donkeywhisperer.com Donkeywhisperer.com
“Horses Dream Of Being Trained The Way A Donkey Demands To Be Trained” Melody Johnson, Donkey Whisperer Farm ®
Select Donkey Whisperer Farm to order donkey halters, tack, training tools, stick and string. Donkey 101 & 102 Video On Demand, take Melody Johnson to the farm with you using any smart device. You own lifetime access to the video vault.
Donkey 101 & 102 is available for sale now. Order from our store Check your spam or junk folder after ordering. Take me Melody Johnson to the farm with you using your smart phone or any smart device. Print out my E-BOOK a PDF located in the first video to speed up your training time. I train the owner or caretaker world-wide to train the donkey.
Rio our Mammoth donkey is thirteen years old 2019.
Rio age six is 16”1 hands at the withers, not the ears and yes he still has one more year of growing to do. Rio is a Mammoth donkey 100% donkey no horse he will be full-grown at age seven, the bigger the equine the longer it takes for them to mature. As the human owner, it is our responsibility to learn what age the equine is full-grown and what it takes to keep them in optimum health mentally, physically, and emotionally.
Miniature donkeys are full-grown at age three.
Standard/burro age four.
Mammoth donkeys age six or seven. Rio was seven as he stands 16’2 hands tall.
Preparation is the key to preparing a donkey to ride.
As a baby mammoth donkey, we took Rio, Lily, and Rocket Man for lots of trail walks to prepare for trail riding. I highly suggest you do the same if your goal is to trail ride and you have an equine big enough and old enough to carry your weight. Training the equine to load (trailer and carry weight) without stress is the most important thing to do as you do not want to be trying to trailer load in an emergency. Any time you can spend with a youngster preparing them for what you want them to do as an adult is time well spent, it’s like laying a foundation on a house to make it strong and solid.
If you have young donkeys, mules, or horses please wait to do riding until they are full-grownas their bones, joints, and mind needs time to grow up. If you wait for them to physically mature you will have a healthy and happy equine into their senior years if you push ahead too much too fast you can cripple the equine for life.
Rio (mammoth donkey) two days old.
Rio nine months old – Look how GOD puts all the thick baby donkey fur on to keep him warm in the winter.
“Rio is 9 months old. this is the face I fell in love with a look at those eyes.
Rio at 9 months old
Rio at 1 year old
Rio with Lily at 1 year old just got home to our farm.
Taking Rio to another farm practicing trailer loading and meeting other horses – Rio is two years old here.
Going for trail walks not rides – Rio carried our lunch and water as he is still too young to ride age 3.
Rio and Melody age 3 (most famous photo) just got a bath and is wearing a cooler blanket after a bath.
Rio age 3.
Lily is five and Rio is almost four here Ponying up.
Rio age 5 2011
Rio age 6 summer 2012
Rio age 7.
Rio Johnson age 13 (2019) our Mammoth donkey with Melody Johnson.
GOD bless you and your family two and four-legged!
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