Donkeys are among the most incredible animals on our planet. I love their eyes, soft bunny fur on their noses, unique fur painted by God in Jesus Christ’s name in multiple colors, big fluffy ears, pointy hooves, and deep emotional personalities. Donkeys are not horses with long ears; they have gifts and traits unique to surviving wild in the desert. Donkeys are not flight equine; they are deep thinkers and chess players—your move, my move. Donkeys are intelligent, not stubborn, as brilliant as dolphins, and have memories like elephants; donkeys forget nothing good or bad for life. This is why you must learn how to tame and train your donkey. Fixing an abused donkey will take longer, but I promise you that all donkeys can be tamed and trained. If you take the time to learn donkey behavior and personalities, you will become the Donkey Whisperer for your farm. We humans must learn how to have a plan and be patient. I call this On Donkey Time ®.
Melody Johnson, trainer Donkey Whisperer Farm ® riding Rio the Mammoth donkey, standing 16’2 hands tall at the withers, not the ears. My husband Scott and I brought home Rio as a baby mammoth donkey at nine months in 2007 with Rocket Man, a miniature donkey, and Miss Lily, a two-year-old quarter horse. We have six donkeys on the farm, three miniatures, two formerly wild burro’s we adopted, and one standard donkey plus Miss Lily, a quarter horse, and a rescue American saddle-bred mare named Miss Trophy. All of the equines live on our farm for life.
Did you know all donkeys have a cross on their withers? Yes, it’s true, the mark of Jesus Christ. One of the most impressive traits given to the donkey is the donkey’s ability to use his or her brain to survive. Donkeys are one of the most intelligent animals on the planet, as brilliant as dolphins, and donkeys have memories like elephants. Sadly, when humans do not have a plan for working with donkeys, the donkey’s brain and stress-coping skills frustrate even the best animal trainers. Unfortunately, in many cases, the humans rehome the magnificent donkey, frustrated as the donkey leads the human. Tears for the donkey as the donkey has simply been doing what donkeys do to survive. Sadly, the donkey has done nothing wrong; humans need to learn all about donkeys before attempting to teach a donkey. Stay a fair leader every time you are near your donkeys.
Learning to tame and train a donkey takes a little time and education, as everything begins with you, the human. How you control your emotions and energy, specifically interacting with your donkeys and all living things on the farm, is crucial to a donkey. Each time you step into your donkey space or eyesight, your donkey studies you, learning who you are as a human. Please stop and think about what I just taught you for a moment.
Donkeys meet a new human for the first time and think:
Treat dispenser; I will lead this human.
Bully or Abuser; I will never follow this human.
Fair Leader: I will follow this human for life.
Before you commit to bringing two donkeys home, yes, two donkeys. Watch my YouTube Video, Bringing Your Donkey Home.
If you want to learn how to set up your farm for success, care for donkeys, and tame and train your donkey using resistance-free, proven, short-quality exercises, order the Donkey 101 and Donkey 102 videos on demand, which are sold with my e-book. The videos are for donkeys, and the e-book teaches humans. Select Donkey Trainer to answer any questions you have for donkeys.
