Halter breaking donkeys

[Helen_S]

My sister and brother-in-law thought it would be a good idea to buy a guard donkey for their goat flock. In fact, they thought it was such a good idea that they bought FOUR donkeys, two jacks and two jennys.

You can probably guess the rest of the story. Two knocked up jennys, two jacks, nobody will have anything to do with the goats (why hang around goats when you have other donkeys?), and they’re for all intents and purposes wild. One jenny is seriously preggo and looks like she’ll deliver by the end of next month. None of them have had their feet done in what looks like 6 months. God only knows what their teeth or parasite loads look like. They are, however, in excellent weight (not too fat, not too thin, except the very pregnant jenny, who could use an extra 100 or so pounds to help feed the foal), with very nice, shiny coats.

And surprise surprise, I’m going to be the one to break them, if they’re not already broke.

I think they have been handled at some point, since they let me approach and make introductions, and with appropriate bribes might actually let me touch them. With a round pen, a feed bucket, and a buddy I should be able to figure out whether they’re halter broke, and if so, give them a refresher course.

Anybody with experience breaking donkeys? If so, any suggestions or advice? All I plan to do is lead, pick up feet, tie, and stand for grooming.

[sublimequine]

Until the jacks are gelded, don’t bother.

[Helen_S]

My first goal is the super-pregnant jenny. I’m hoping that when we get a vet out to tranq the hell out of them to do their feet, they can also do brain surgery.

[SuperSTB]

Agreed… must get those jacks gelded!

I’ve only dealt with one jack and he was the abused rescue guy. Various training methods and little success so he’s at a donk sanctuary. Wish I could help, I love the long ears

[sublimequine]

[QUOTE=Helen_S;5083532]
My first goal is the super-pregnant jenny. I’m hoping that when we get a vet out to tranq the hell out of them to do their feet, they can also do brain surgery.[/QUOTE]

I’d have the vet out first, THEN start training. That way they’ll be more comfortable, too, with their feet trimmed properly.

[Foxtrot_s]

I met some race horse people that get their young racehorses halter broke by their old wise donkey.

They would put neck straps around the two and hitch them together with about two feet between them. Anywhere the donkey went the yearling had to go, to water, to eat, etc.

Saved on wages, they said!

[MEP]

I did halter/cart break a donkey who had virtually no handling when I got him as a 4 year old. He had a couple of issues, but basically he was just very scared.

There are books and videos out there with good advice, and if you get RFD tv, they have been showing Meredith Hodges donkey/mule training videos every week for years.

You can find information at the National Miniature Donkey Association

http://www.miniaturedonkeyassociation.com/

On the NMDA market page, they’ve got a training tape.

Also try the American Donkey and Mule Society

http://www.lovelongears.com/

They also have books:

http://www.lovelongears.com/books.html

I’d agree with the others who said geld the jacks pronto. But talk with your vet about it - there a some technicalities about donkey gelding - they tend to bleed more than horses.

Also, just spend some time hanging out with them, scratching and treats (if they are not too competitive with each other - In groups they can get too excited and grabby - see how these are with that issue).

I can only speak to the issues I had with the one gelding although now I’ve got 2 geldings and 2 jennies. They each arrived one at a time, not in a group and they had all been handled at least a bit more than my first guy. Of course they’re all individuals, and donkeys are a definitely different than working with horses. They are so much fun. Check out the resources on the net - you’ll find lots of info and tips.

[system]

Ia a UK forum reader I can thoroughly recommend the Donkey Sanctuary for information and help.

http://drupal.thedonkeysanctuary.org.uk/

My friend is a welfare officer for them-email the office and they may be able to send you some information.

[goodhors]

I would second your getting donkey information from the longears folks, not horse folks. Donkeys and mules DO NOT think or react like horses. They often do NOT back off, as you THINK they should, they ATTACK! This will happen if you corner semi-wild animals!

They are totally lethal from both ends and both sides, even tranquilized. Expect to have to tie the jack’s legs up for the gelding process, or someone probably will get hurt. Tie for SAFETY of all involved, even if they LOOK dead!!

Husband the farrier did not like how the flock protection donkeys stared right back at him after being tranquilized. He called the Vet back over, said they needed more juice. Vet laughed, walked over to donkey with the sleepy eyes, tied to a post, and leaned over to pick up a front hoof. Donkey gave him a NEW PART in his hair!! Got him with a hind hoof faster than you can blink. Vet had to go to emergency, get stitches, patched up. Vet DID give more juice, donkeys were no problem for trimming after that. They are trimmed twice a year, ferals from the BLM sales coming thru the State. Lady pays more than they cost to purchase, twice a year, for them to be tranq’d, trimmed. She tells husband the cost is still less than what the donkeys save her on lamb loss from dogs and coyotes. Donkey may LOOK fuzzy and sleepy, but they are killing machines when it comes to canines. She has not lost a lamb to predators since getting these two donkeys.

All the donkey and mule folks I know, say you have to gain their trust, to get donkey to cooperate. They just will resist or even fight you, if you push them the wrong way. I don’t THINK you can round pen one, even with a whip. They just are “not into” running around in circles when it seems pretty useless. I could never get my mule to lunge! Led well, knew the words, but just stood there looking at you even with the short line to start. Whip touches meant nothing. She thought it was dumb and refused. Just some things they won’t do. Though very horse-like, that molly was NOT thinking like a horse when you taught her stuff. She was good at other things, but we sold her before getting saddle trained. She went to a mule man who thought she was WONDERFUL, did we have any more?

The American Donkey and Mule Association above, is an excellent reference source. My friends with the WELL-TRAINED longear equines, all got great information from them. Using that information prevented teaching the longear equines wrong stuff. Prevented even getting into resistance problems! Understanding how donkeys and mules think is the first step in being a successful trainer. Horse training knowledge is going to get you in trouble, you have to rethink the steps of training and methods to get the donkeys working with you.

I do NOT envy you the job. Hope you get thru with no problems on either side!! It is OK to give up, not make a bad thing worse or get hurt trying. NOT worth it. We were not mule or donkey thinkers, even working with her a lot. She was “alright” on the ground, being handled, but she wasn’t a horse!! So it was better to let my molly go on to a better mule owner, than mess her up!

[wireweiners]

I halter broke a yearling jack last year. It wasn’t very hard and he was still intact when I did it. He had gotten in a fight with our older jack who literally tried to “rip him a new one”. I had to separate and pen him in order to doctor his wounds.

I would suggest not having a buddy. He will come to you better if he has to depend on you for companionship. If you have a chute or can fashion one out of panels, use that to put the halter and a drag rope on him. Let him drag the rope for a while. He will step on it and learn to give to pressure. After a few days of this you can pick up the rope and start leading him. You can also start to rub or scratch on him. Donkeys love to be curried. Donkeys don’t need a lot of grain but a little sweet feed or cookies will go along way toward making them friendly.

Blackjack, aka Chewed Butt, is now gelded, halter broke, stands tied, lets you handle his feet and bathes (but he doesn’t really like baths). He is really friendly. If I can find a harness to fit him, I’m going to break him to harness.

[asb_own_me]

If a donkey trusts you, they will do anything - within reason - that you ask. They have very strong self-preservation instincts. If you allow them the time to stand back and take in each new situation, to “evaluate” it if you will, they will generally decide that it looks fine and they’ll try what you’re asking. It’s like the father from “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” - if it was made to seem like HIS idea, it was brilliant!

Force will get you nowhere fast, much faster than with the most stubborn horse. They are just wired differently.

[Helen_S]

Thanks, all

FWIW, when I said a buddy, I meant a human buddy…somebody right there with me in case things went to custard, or even if I just needed a second set of hands. Hopefully it will be my brother.

Brother-in-law is currently a candidate for Dingbat Crown of the Century. He got four donkeys for the price of a tank of gas and expects that he’ll be able to sell wild foals as guardian animals for decent money. Logic fail.

[DandyMatiz]

Yeah… and as most peopel will tell you… to get them to guard, you should usually on have 1, at most a pair… not a whole herd of them… ffs lol.

[Helen_S]

[QUOTE=DandyMatiz;5085098]
Yeah… and as most peopel will tell you… to get them to guard, you should usually on have 1, at most a pair… not a whole herd of them… ffs lol.[/QUOTE]

And not an entire jack.

[wireweiners]

HelenS, my donkey story is similar. We were at a low end horse sale. There was a pen of the sorriest looking jennies you ever saw, 2 black standard jennies and one grey, shaggy burro type. My sister, who has sheep, decided she wants the burro looking one as a guard donkey. They run all 3 jennies into the ring, high bidder takes choice. My dad is high bidder and decides to take all 3 jennies. Sister and I start making funeral plans as we figure mom’s going to kill him.

Sister takes burro jenny, dad keeps other two which are pregnant. Soon we have 4 donkeys. Then dad goes out and buys the fugliest spotted jack he can find because he’s decided to raise donkeys. Soon we have enough “guard donkeys” for each cow to have their own personal body guard. I convince dad to get rid of fugly jack. We are left with 2 intact jacks, JackJack and Blackjack. I go on campaign to geld all jacks. Poor JackJack, my favorite, very gentle and a pet, is killed by lightning. I get Blackjack gelded. I have managed to sell 5 donkeys. The last jack I sold, Barack Obama, went for $25. The most I ever got was $75 for a jenny. The last CL ad I ran for donkeys didn’t even get a spam response. Maybe you should pass this info along to your brother in law.

[spookhorse]

@Foxtrot's;5083737

I met some race horse people that get their young racehorses halter broke by their old wise donkey.

They would put neck straps around the two and hitch them together with about two feet between them. Anywhere the donkey went the yearling had to go, to water, to eat, etc.

Saved on wages, they said!

Seen it in action this year- it sure takes the wind out of those yearling’s sails LOL

[PonyNuts]

Whoops just realised that this wwas fromSO long ago

[2DogsFarm]

@Helen_S

Thanks, all
Brother-in-law is currently a candidate for Dingbat Crown of the Century. He got four donkeys for the price of a tank of gas and expects that he’ll be able to sell wild foals as guardian animals for decent money. Logic fail.

My Vote goes to Geld the BIL.
That kind of thinking should not be allowed to infiltrate your family’s gene pool.

ETA: Me 2, @PonyNuts sucked in by a catchy Zombie Title :rolleyes: