Can anyone recommend a place (online) to buy a donkey harness? Nothing fancy, just for fun.
Do you have anyone local who can correct fit on a cheap harness?
I got my Tough-1 leather w/brass - in original package, unused - for $90 at a tack sale.
Then paid a local guy who does leather repairs $40 to correct the fit for my mini.
2yrs later it still works for shows & up until I got my biothane this Spring, for trail drives as well.
The worst thing I can say about the Tough-1 is the brass is already wearing off.
Definitely go with biothane for fun - it can sit a week -after a sweaty drive -w/o being cleaned & come out fine.
I use Dollar Tree leather wipes to clean it & sponge off with diluted Murphy’s oil soap first if it is especially grungy.
Here’s one off E-Bay - only thing I can’t see is if the saddle is padded.
It should be, to take pressure off donkey’s back from the shafts, but you can add a fleece or neoprene pad to help.
Thanks for the information. As far as I know, there’s not anyone local that could fit a harness. I have biothane bridles and breast collars and I like them a lot. I don’t even know if my donkey will be suitable to drive but I want to try.
Try anyone local that works on tack.
The guy I use makes Western saddles & does tack repairs.
He was not familiar with harness, but showing him what I wanted was all he needed to do a great job - both on leather & biothane.
BTW: when I say biothane, I mean beta-biothane. More flexible than original biothane & you can get it in a matte finish (that I prefer for harness over patent-shiny).
Now my turn for a question:
Do you have any Driving experience?
If not, find someone who does, especially with a donkey.
My mule-owning friends tell me they do NOT think like horses so you definitely want a new experience - like being harnessed - to come from someone who will know how to react.
If you have hitched an animal before, then go for it.
I have only a little driving experience. My first horse was an OTT Standardbred. I bought a harness and training cart and used it a bit. I’m looking for someone to help but so far no luck.
Contact Yonies Harness Shop! His biothane harnesses are the best quality of any synthetic harness I’ve driven with and I know he has custom-made harnesses for donkeys as well as a miniature donkey!
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I bought a biothane one for my mini-donkey at Chimacum Tack (https://chimacumtack.com/). I know nothing and have used it twice in the last 5 years, but it seems nice and since it’s biothane at least I don’t have to worry about taking care of it!
How large is your donkey? PM me if you’d be interested in giving mine a new home.
I use this provider for most of my driving needs. https://www.ivccarriage.com/ The harness they made for my 12.2 donkey is just perfect.
I first had a lesser quality harness for training her and it’s just not worth the risk to use inferior products. Sold it and upgraded.
Please advise online store where you can choose an inexpensive harness
Chimacum actually uses Brahma Web in some instances rather than Biothane products, which isn’t quite the same quality as the Beta. Biothane also comes in a matte finish called Granite and Beta is a slightly softer material that is less abrasion resistant.
Donkeys have different proportions than horses so measurements are important.
Yonies has a couple different styles of harness for different price points. Chimacum does advertise donkey-specific harness. Yonies will make to measure too. Camptown also makes a good harness.
Donkeys tend to have a low neck tie-in so I would recommend either a neck collar or a breastcollar with a deep V for their comfort.
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Donkeys are generally fairly easy because most of them are not as reactive as mules can be. OTOH, if a donkey doesn’t want to stop or turn he won’t, which is often a slow motion walkaway, although not always.
Mules can be difficult because they’re sometimes quite emotionally sensitive (fearful), but not very physically sensitive. Mules also tend to be more herd bound, so as counter-intuitive as it seems they often do better in pairs than as singles.
Looking back I can’t believe we did as much driving as we did, and often out in public, which would give me the vapors now.
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Last weekend for the fourth year, I loaned my standard size donkey to a local church for their Living Nativity which runs two nights. The church members who play Joseph aren’t horse guys and their job is to lead Mary on my donkey into Bethlehem. I give the guys a primer each night and tell them “All the power my donkey has is in her head and neck. If she gets her head down and pointed to the right you won’t make it into Bethlehem. You’ll end up doing a 180 and the story will have a different ending. Get your right elbow lodged into her neck to bend her to the left if she starts to drift away to the right.” 
I’m happy to report that my dear donkey takes her role seriously and hasn’t pranked any of the Josephs, yet.
It’s happened several times to me, the slow motion walkaway and it’s the damnedest funniest and maddest thing an equine can do to you. Nothing makes me swear louder or more X rated than when that has happened. Totally helpless!
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Mules are worse, because they just stiffen their entire body, wheel away, and leave. I still drop the lead rope when any equid starts to go because the mules have me trained. I know I can’t stop them so why get a rope burn trying to hang on!
Funny story about my first donkey, though. Little 12 hand guy who would just turn his butt to the little old lady who owned him, and once he had her behind him he’d just walk off. He’d been pushing through the wooden fence and getting out and then she couldn’t get him back in, so she gave him to me. I was in my 20’s then, so when he turned his butt to me and tried to drag me off I just ran up and jumped on his back. Surprise, surprise.
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I toy with the thought of teaching my two mini donkeys to drive, but like I need another expensive hobby? Plus they would fight non-stop the entire time, I’m sure :lol:
But then how can I live vicariously through you?
Rebecca
They are adorable! It would be fun to hear your experiences training them to drive.
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I’ve really liked everything I’ve bought from twohorsetack.com and they don’t charge extra for custom sizing
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I’m glad to read this!
I just ordered a Tough-1 leather pony-sized harness for my 12h standard donkey.
I really wanted synthetic/biothane (because, you know, laziness), but went with leather for the sake of adjustability. I’m thinking (hoping?) it will be easier to adjust it to fit, and hopefully without pricey and inconvenient professional modifications.
The harness is just for playing around. While the dream is to get her driving reliably, I’m not sure how that will work out. She’s a bit of a drama llama. :rolleyes: Neither of us really know what we’re doing; what I know about driving can fit in a thimble. If I end up over my head, I’ll probably just throw in the towel unless a competent pro to help us magically appears. :lol:
For basic training you can get away with the harness, but I would use a open bridle, squishing her head will do you no favors. I keep them open until shortly before hooking (and sometimes after!) the first time anyway. The couple of donkeys I’ve worked with haven’t minded the whip movements so the one drives open and the other is still in the basic stages.
The saddle will cause issues when you hook to a cart due to lack of padding and gullet space. I believe the Tough-1 harneses have wrap straps instead of a false belly hand and overgirth.
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Thanks @CERT !
Apart from trying on the harness, I haven’t done anything else. Mud and standing water everywhere here lately! Hoping for a freeze or a dry spell before I start playing around.
