I’ve been looking into getting a donkey to be a companion for my two mares that just came home this month. I’ve read on several breeders sites that donkeys really need to have another donkey to be bonded to. Other sites say that some donkeys think they are horses if they are raised with horses.
I don’t want two small herds of 2. The point is to break up the dynamic of the herd of 2 I already have and also have another pair of eyes to protect the “herd”
Has anyone had an experience where a donkey with horses was not a happy donkey?
My donkey is perfectly happy with his horse friends. He came from a large herd of donkeys to my house. My neighbors got donkeys last year and he never talks to them or tried to spend time looking for them. He is fully integrated.
They do not need other donkeys. I have one, his buddy died and his quality of life is so improved now. You want to know why? He can free range on the property - hang out where ever he wants and he is the star of the farm. When he had a buddy, they would take off to the neighbors, go on walks and I hear that before I got them, they would be going far far away. I miss his buddy, but things have improved for him.
I have a mini donkey who LOVES her horse herd. She was at a rescue with other donkeys but doesn’t seem to mind. I will say the horses don’t really see her as an equal. I got her for my retired guy who stresses when he’s alone and she’s not enough for him. He needs an actual horse. I like her though. She’s easy to care for and very territorial. Nothing gets in that field !
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My friend has a mini donkey that she keeps with a horse and another mini. The donkey seems happy and well adjusted. He is cute as a button, too.
My donkey (donkey #1) is disgusted that a second donkey was introduced into his herd. As far as donkey #1 is concerned, donkey #2 can hit the road and not look back. Similarly, donkey #2 doesn’t understand why donkey #1 is so unpleasant, but whatever, who needs him when there are horses to be buddies with? And horses (at least mine) let donkeys share their grain, so my donkeys LOVE the horses.
That being said, I know donkey #1 was raised with horses, not donkeys, until he met donkey #2 at around age 30 and I believe donkey #2 was similarly raised with horses until he met donkey #1 at around age 20.
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The only time my Mini Donk does not like her horse company is when the horse wants to go out grazing in the rain and she has to decide if she wants to stay dry.
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Do you think there is a gender effect? Would a gelded donkey or a jenny be happier with 2 mares? The one mare is wild for the boys…always had been. I’m wondering if she would let a boy integrate more easily
I have a small standard, he’s been with my horse herd for well over 15 years and he seems very content, he fits right in.
My donkey thinks he is a horse…in fact he thinks he’s the boss hoss! We call him Napoleon.
Donkeys are not herd animals like horses. From what I’ve read, in the wild, they spend most of their lives solitary, with the exception of jennets and their foals. This is because they are desert dwellers; a herd system is not practical for survival when food and water are scarce. Their inclination to “fight” over “flight” is also because of their solitary lifestyle; flight is less effective when you are alone! They are social in the sense that they will live together during breeding season or in the spring when resources are more plentiful.
While I don’t doubt the recommendation to own them in multiples has merit, in my experience, they are not as dependent on same-species friends as horses. Though I imagine it has a lot to do with personalities and how they were raised. My jennet has been raised with horses since weaning. The few times she has shared a fenceline with other donkeys, she has barely paid them any mind at all. While I plan on acquiring more donkeys someday, I imagine my girl might react like eosinophil’s donkeys!
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Thanks for all the replies. Now that I’ve decided that a donkey is for us, I’m having a heck of a time finding one. Virginia is not the donkey capital of the US.
I talked with a rescue who has a 12 y.o jenny, but she is very aloof and unlikely to change. She is a great guard donkey though.
Lol. Our mini is Boneparte.
our donkey dont need nobody…
but the horse, omg the horse needs the donkey.
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Stacie-
My Badonkadonk came from Peaceful Valley Donkey Rescue. I lived in Central VA and could not find one. They actually delivered him to me when they brought a truck load of donks through. He is a hot mess 
and makes us laugh a lot. His mare adores him and will go all ninja on any horse that even LOOKS at him.
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My mini donkey was much happier when I got him another donkey pal. It’s not like he was sad before, but he was joyful when he got another long ear. My horse was more bonded to him than he was to her.
Likewise, the horses bond much more strongly with other horses.
Odie was with horses from three to seven. He was “interested” in Argie when I got him last year, but once they were first out together, crash bang fight was on!! Literal knock down drag out fights a few times, and I was worried about Argie getting hurt… because even though he had been a breeding Jack for 12ish years and only recently gelded, Odie had been wrestling with a jerkish WB for years, and knew all the dirty tricks. Now they are bonded but Odie still pines for Rory and Rory still screams for Odie, but it was getting to be like a trailer park DV relationship. “I love you I hate you take him to jail no don’t…”
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Thanks Mellsmom. How old was he when he came?
The concord satellite site only has a couple available and none of them will work for my situation.
He was about 10 and freshly gelded. He came from Texas. I know that not that long ago there was a donkey rescue group/site operating in Va.
We brought our mini donkey home this morning. She is very sweet. 34 inches. She’s white with sorrel frosting, Our two mares think she is the devil. Thankfully, we have a separate paddock by the barn with it’s own stall that Lily (the donkey) can live in until the mares stop being silly.
She is a retired Jenny from a local breeder operation. She is 10.
Congratulations. She sounds wonderful
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