Oh my he is absolutely adorable. Thank you for taking Tony in! I love the picture of him in the house…I used to bring my mini into the house when I was a teenager (to grab a drink or a snack between baths or grooming horses etc), drove my parents nuts 
.
1 Like
Tony is adorable and is a very lucky donkey to have landed with you. Officially adding to the enabling. He needs a donkey buddy to play soccer with. You won’t regret it. My pair of “mini-John’s” make me smile everyday. They are very busy boys.
2 Likes
Congrats on the new addition! Love that you’re teaching him his manners now, it will serve him well later in life in the event he ever needs to be moved on to another home. Although it sounds like you’re heading in the opposite direction to THAT with the possible acquisition of a friend for him 
1 Like
He is ADORABLE! And thank you for getting him gelded. There are so many little jack donks running around that need to be geldings and would be much better off and happier for it.
I had sworn off mini donks. We had jennys bought individually. Very cute and sweet; one even pulled a cart, but quite opinionated and challenging to catch at times. The next was a pregnant jenny who foaled an adorable jenny baby. I loved the baby, but Mom was not my fave. Mom also was a terrible termite and big on pawing up whole swathes of grass and eating the roots. I think that was a hold over of her previous life of benign neglect. All went on to great homes and I just kept horses for a while.
Then the week after Christmas last year, my little wry-nosed miniature horse mare got an obstruction, stopped eating and developed hyperlipidemia, and we weren’t able to save her. So I had two miniature horse geldings and room for one more. A friend of mine sent me a photo of a cute mini donk gelding a friend of hers had and I capitulated. Bought him for my husband who is not a horse person but does like the mini donks. So now we have Dapple (from Cervantes’ Don Quixote) and he and his two mini horse buddies are now The Three Amigos. They get along fabulously.
4 Likes
That’s great! The termite type behavior is actually innate for donkeys. They need woody stuff to chew on. You can give them safe branches or stumps. The big donkeys we’ve had in the past always needed something to chew. They’re a bit like rabbits, lol!
3 Likes
I didn’t know that. What a fun fact. Tony is a gem.
2 Likes
Yes, the browsing was expected. The pawing and digging and eating the grass roots was not. There is plenty of forage provided and available browse in the pastures. That jenny was the only one I’ve had who did that, but she did it a lot!
Tony got a better reception on his last visit. We let him in the yard to play while we’re outside and take him for walks.
7 Likes
Be careful that he does not decide the house will be more fun and come THRU the screen door or large windows at floor level or in the inner doors! That would be ugly. They can SEE IN, so pushing a bit might gain entrance!!
It is very cute having a tiny one in the house until donkey expects to come in and DEMANDS by wrecking your doors or windows.
1 Like
Wow! We had an old, beloved horse that came to our back door a lot when he was the yard horse He was never pushy, though.
We never have Tony in the yard unless he’s supervised, so I don’t think it will be an issue, (to keep him out of the orchard and veggie gardens) but thanks for the warning.
Do you have experience with a particularly pushy equine trying to get into the house?
Yes I did. Pet pony, smaller child, non-horsey parents. I guess they thought he was like horses on TV, just KNEW what was right and wrong, would not cross boundries. They left him in the backyard to graze, went off someplace. They were so surprised to come home, found that pony had waltzed into the house and caused a lot of havoc! Bent up the screen door, opened the inside door (kid taught him how) and had a ton of fun indoors. Could have been worse, no broken glass.
1 Like
Heartwarming day yesterday as the little man went in his first public trail hike. He led very well, with minimal silliness. He was polite and friendly to people (it’s a suburban area, not too far away, but they were smitten with him).
Today was the first formal introduction to the herd. They called to him when we left yesterday, so I thought the horses might be ready. The pony already accepts him, but she’s older and cranky. There was no fuss at all. He was so nervous, but the horses were very gentle and sweet. I think they realize he’s a baby. I didn’t see if he did the mouth thing to them or not. He’s grazing side by side to a horse he could walk underneath.
8 Likes
Can we start a petition for Tony to have his own Instagram account, please? I need more of this in my life.
2 Likes
During our walk, I tried running a few steps. Tony hates being still. He loved trotting next to me. Maybe I have a new run buddy
3 Likes
Hey, you can go for adventures and he can pack both of your lunch.
3 Likes
I live for Tony updates! Glad to hear he’s fitting in nicely.
1 Like
I have to do an update. Tony is awesome. He’s learning to be polite when meeting people. We take him for walks in the neighborhood. His paddock is next to the road and our neighbors stop to talk to him all the time (we’re on a private road, so not many people down here). It’s adorable. He is so responsive and friendly. Some guy in a box truck was talking baby talk to him for ten minutes. I had to stifle my giggles while in the barn. He couldn’t see me.
We put in an application to adopt a donkey buddy from a satellite center for a big donkey rescue out of Texas. We’re looking for a young small standard gelding or jenny to play with Tony. He gets lots of attention, but I think he would be happier with a friend.
5 Likes
Tony is gorgeous!
We have 3 mini dinks at the barn, and they are the reason it takes me so long to turn my guy out, because I simply can’t walk past these cuties.
5 Likes
Ah, good idea naming him Tony. St Tony when he is good. Tony Soprano when he is bad.
I have a cat named Bonnie. Bonnie is Scottish for cute or good. And there is also Bonnie from Bonnie and Clyde. Covers both sides of her personality.
2 Likes
