He’s trembling and on the muscle. If I were attempting to lunge him in that state he’d be wild and fall and hurt himself. (He’s neuro). Hand walking is a hard no. I’d like to live and continue to have use of my right arm. 
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It would have to be the donkey owner and I don’t know when they’re at the barn. I’m sure she’d be fine doing that for us, though.
I don’t have any specific suggestions except to agree that time and exposure will probably work.
But I do have a funny (in hindsight) story. Back in the 1960s, when I was a teenager, I was riding my horse, Rocket, to a Pony Club lesson with Gordon Wright. The most direct way was on a relatively busy 2 lane state road, but I had NEVER ridden (any) horse along that road. The less direct way, on trails and dirt roads, was not that much longer. For reasons I no longer remember, I was riding by myself. My sister and other friends had gone ahead of me.
Near the end of the trip, I saw a tacked up donkey trotting along the road toward me. I knew whose it was. Some school friends had a donkey they rode on that road, as well as several ponies. Sometimes, if a car was approaching on the dirt road, the donkey would refuse to move to the side of the road. The kids had been told, in that case, to just dismount and get themselves to the edge of the road, and let the donkey fend for itself.
So I decided I would catch the donkey and hold it for the rider who would be following on foot.
But Rocket had other ideas. He ws terrified of the donkey. As soon as I dismounted he tried to turn and run away. So then my attention was on holding onto Rocket, rather than catching the donkey. We went back and forth across the dirt road several times, and then he somhow maneuvered so he was between me and the donkey. He knocked me over, jumped over me, and took off galloping down the road.
According to several other people who saw him, he galloped straight down the paved state road, and was still galloping when he turned into our driveway.
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I agree with the others sentiments of give him some time. If you like the barn and it works for you both, there are zero guarantees that a new barn won’t get a donkey or something else he isn’t used to.
I’m a big user of treats and R+; I’d start there.
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He should get over them in time. With neuro issues, though, it might take longer.
It took one horse on my farm like three weeks to get over two goats and a pig I brought home, and he was able to see them 24/7. Some of them just take a little while.
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When I bought my horse two years ago and brought her “home” she had to learn to cope with two goats, cows, and a pig.
In her view, the pig was definitely out to murder her. It just took time and patience for her to learn to cope. The pig is “free range” and he would hang out just outside her paddock gate chowing down on hay. When I would bring her in to groom/ride he would be waiting for any leftover grain in the stalls. Generally he just hangs around and is annoying. But she got over it.
Some days when she is particularly “up” the pig will still cause her distress but most days she’s fine.
The cows sometimes will get to her as well. She lived in a paddock beside them for 6 months, sharing a waterer on either side of the fence, (and the babies would climb through the fence to feast on her yummier round bale) and still if we’re working outside and she catches a glimpse of them from across the field it can send her brain spinning off. Sometimes the babies will wander in to the barn (which is NOT ALLOWED) and I think her brain goes “well, if they are in here, there could also be tigers and sharks and other dangers… I need to be on high alert!”
So… with time it will get better, but also sometimes the spookiness can return if the conditions are just right. Like some posters said, I spent time hand grazing her near-ish to the cows, and would give her a cookie when she would look at the pig with no major reaction.
Here’s a short video clip of her physical reaction to the pig outside her stall in early days:
IMG_6456
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I recognize that tremble!
I would give time just having the donkeys in the barn…then turn out your horse in a field with the donkeys…with enough room to let the horse put some “safe distance” between him and the horse eating donkeys.
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We had horses that never got over pigs! Assorted other barnyard creatures–no problem. Miniature Vietnamese Potbellied Pigs? No abiding them–even after years and years. Not just a few horses, either. I think there is something visceral about pigs to horses.
The donkey and mule have not been a problem after a few days adjustment from the horses.
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Thank you, everyone, for your suggestions and encouragement! I have good news to share.
Day 1: total panic
Day 2: frozen in fear but got closer to them
Day 3: walked past them twice to get to the trail, although was too tense to be safely hand walked. Instead, we walked on the property circling past the little monsters numerous times. Was only tense when in close proximity.
Day 4: donkeys were not that big of a deal! We were able to walk past them and go on a trail walk, where he was more tense than usual, but not horrible. We never had true relaxation, neither did he feel about to lose his mind.
So continued exposure seems to be working, and maybe by Saturday they’ll be a big yawn.
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When I got Charlie as a three year old, his previous owner said that the ONLY thing he ever batted an eye at was walking past a field of big hogs. He said he just planted his feet and the person doing the breaking thought he might have to get off him. He did walk past but didn’t much love it.
We have a barn pig! Charlie is pretty ok with him, the others on our side aren’t so convinced 
54652dcdb43348e6a94cda501c114976
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Yay! Good boy.
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Someone told me that horses see pigs as moving rocks.
I’ve had a few epic moments riding past pigs, too.
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That’s a pretty apt description. 
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Some of mine have enough problems with rocks that don’t move, I can’t imagine what a moving one would do.
Isolated rocks that look like they don’t belong are the worst and get very careful attention paid to them.
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He’ll get used to them. I used a donkey for a 4-H project one year. We took all the club horses to the leaders barn for a week before we had a big show. Our horses quickly got used to the donkey and were the only calm ones at the show.
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Yay!
What a cute donkey also
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Lucky you. My first 2 TBs were scared of donkeys, but never had to deal with them daily.
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A place I used to board at brought in 3 donkeys for a few-night-stay around Christmas - they were to be in a live nativity. Chaos ensued.
The whole place would sound like it was coming down when the donkeys were brought out. It was louder than the cacophony when a fresh foal would make a first appearance.
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