Oboe one of our two rescue donkeys has no paperwork, lives with Tuba his long time buddy and Rio our Mammoth donkey full-time. I am constantly studying the behavior of the donkey and horses on our farm, teaching world-wide to my virtual students and studying everything I can get my hands on for the personality of equine and humans. Interesting fact; when my mares (horses) go into estrus (we have no female donkeys) Oboe wants to breed. He runs at them ready to reproduce in a hurry and braying frantically. When they go out of his sight on our farm he calls out to them in a panic as if to say ladies get back here now! Yesterday I brought the mares into the barn after getting out on the big pasture for an hour Oboe was looking through his stall like always at the girls and then he turned and mounted Rio our Mammoth donkey, Rio is 16’2 hands tall thank GOD, left liquid on the floor. This behavior is not normal as we have six geldings (donkeys) none of them do this except Obo. Rio lived with Miss Lily my Palomino mare and Rocket Man one of our three minis for almost seven years before moving to our new farm in Sequim, WA. Interesting fact; Rocket Man was a Jack for many years before being gelded and he has never acted like a Jack. “This behavior explains one of the reasons why he has been so very difficult to train, Oboe is no doubt proud cut.”
Jennies mount jennies when they are in estrus (heat) ready to get pregnant and the theory is in the wild they are in small groups and the frustration is not so bad as when they are forced to live in small spaces together in large numbers. Again, theory I am not a breeder. I was told that Donkeys prefer their own species to breed and this is clearly not true as Oboe wants to mate with my two horses, they would never tolerate this ever. I find this to be very interesting as why is this happening to this donkey? Lot’s of questions unanswered as he has no past I can trace. I called my vet asking what this means and what we can do to help him relax and become a regular gelding. I was told I can collect a sample of the liquid and bring it in for a sample if it happens again. So life on the Donkey Whisperer Farm is becoming more and more interesting by the day.
After the Jack (intact donkey) is gelded does his behavior change?
Depends on how long the donkey was a Jack (intact) and what behavior he was authorized to do. Sadly most people get a donkey and throw them out in a pasture and do not pick out the feet, put the halter on and off each day and most certainly do not teach them behavior and manners. Thus why most farriers want nothing to do with trimming a donkey. If a donkey has been authorized to be violent when mating or with another herd members or the owner for years and years and then you geld him more than likely his bad behavior will not change without an expert trainer. The same for females jennies (donkey) or mares (horses) that have been authorized to have naughty/dangerous behavior i.e., biting, kicking, striking, squirting urine and bolting/charging at the human. When this behavior is authorized the equine learns they have the power to be the leader over the human owner, these behaviors are very difficult to fix and in some cases can’t be fixed.
Resources:
I am a world-wide virtual coach for you the owner to learn how to train your donkey, horse or mule to have live in a domesticated farm. If you need help with your equine give me a call or send me an e-mail to see if virtual coaching will work for you.
How does virtual coaching work?
After completing Donkey 101 & 102 Video On Demand with my E-BOOk to print out if you need one-one one coaching and support sign up in my store. Donkey Trainer
GOD bless you and your family two and four-legged!
Melody Johnson, Trainer/Owner