Does anyone here do this? I have a training cart that I used with my OTT Standardbred many years ago. I have 2 standard size donkeys and thought it might be fun to teach one or both to drive. Not sure where to start, however.
The same place you start with a horse, but their motivations and reactions are slightly different and it is imperative you work with them.
Do you have experience teaching other equines to drive?
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Agree wit @CERT an experienced trainer is going to be your best resource - especially if you can find one experienced working with donkeys or mules.
My mule-owning friends tell me they are different to train than horses & that Negotiation comes into play a lot more.
That said, FWIW there was a lovely mule in the ADS Pleasure Driving show I went to last year.
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Yes, different than horses. Quite often, horse trainers don’t do well with donkeys or mules if they can’t change their techniques. They’re brighter, hate repetition when they feel they know what we want. Some donkeys like not going in blinkers and seeing what’s going on around them.
Take a look at Meridith Hodges “Lucky 3 Ranch” https://www.luckythreeranchstore.com/search?q=driving
She’s great with mules/donkeys and is very common sense…not a Parelli or Nat’l Horsemanship to be seen.
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Thanks, all. I have a little experience driving a horse, but not teaching. I do know donkeys are different as far as their training and learning, having had donkeys for 12 years. Yes, I’ve seen Meredith Hodges site- I’ll delve into it more. I’m not sure I’ll have any luck in finding an experienced trainer near me that has experience with donkeys, but I’ll keep looking.
You might be able to get away with finding an open-minded driving trainer. The donkey should know all the things a horse should know about driving, namely tolerating noises and movement behind them, pushing into the breeching and (breast)collar, the feel of the shafts or pole, whip and rein aids, etc. and just do it on donkey time.
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Finding an experienced donkey trainer has been my biggest hurdle for my girl. I want help from someone who knows what they are doing, since donkeys don’t always forgive and forget mistakes like a horse…
I clicked on this thread hoping for photos. Won’t anyone indulge me!?
OP, if you’re donkey savvy and have a basic understanding of the steps to get equines tolerant of the things they need to get OK with to drive, you’d probably do a fine job yourself.
The biggest thing I’ve found with donkeys (I have two minis, one is broke to drive):
- You do not need repetition. Once they understand something and have demonstrated they understand, move on. Keep your introductions and lessons simple and short and you’ll get very far very quickly.
- Know your animal: motivations to each individual are extremely important, more so than for horses because as I’m sure you know, donkeys don’t give a rat’s behind about pressure and release. Both of our boys love carrots, so we use them liberally for anything they are unsure about or need some motivation to do. It has worked with trailer loading, bridge crossing, navigating through water obstacles, jumping up onto and down off of things, tolerating the farrier/vet, etc.
- Use voice commands: it’s super common for driving anyway, but I have found donkeys respond really, really well to voice. I can drive our cart-broke jack off of voice alone.
- If something becomes bothersome, break it down more. Our guy did struggle with the blinders for a bit. We got crafty using a halter and some stiff-ish plastic sheeting we found at a craft supply store and created blinders that relegated his visual field in increments. We also went back and got him really, really comfortable with what whip cues felt like, got him solid on voice commands and got him OK with noises coming from behind him. That made the blinder training much easier because by that point, he knew the cues and didn’t feel so concerned about stuff coming from a place he couldn’t see.
Most of all ENJOY. Donkeys are amazing partners for pretty much any endeavor!
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What a pretty molly…wonderful to see long ears out beating the short ears.
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Thank you. It was Novice with 5 in the class. Second in Turnout and Working. Won Reinsmanship. I think that’s called Kicking Ass for her first ADS show. 
With my mule we’re only half-assed. Fun of long ears…get to do a lot of Shrek scenes and Yosemite Sam.
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