# Donkey Grooming



## starsunset (Sep 15, 2013)

I recently got a job at an educational barn for kids. Largly I work with the horses, but my boss has asked if I could start grooming the donkeys in the morning so they look nice for our visitors. Are there any major differences between grooming a donkey verses a horse, especialy about picking hooves?


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## NorthernMama (Mar 12, 2008)

Nope, not that I noticed. Fur is coarser but I just used the same brushes. Hooves are basically the same.


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## Mulefeather (Feb 22, 2014)

Donkeys and horses are pretty much the same, grooming-wise. My only advice would be to make sure you handle their ears gently when grooming or taking halters on/off, as rough handling can make them sensitive about having their ears handled. 

Most of the time they LOVE the inside of their ears scratched, though  Make your hand into a duck-mouth shape and slide it into their ear and scratch, you'll have friends for life.


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## SueC (Feb 22, 2014)

Totally second that. Mine come up and offer their ears now, saying, "Please scratch..." 

Hoof configuration is a little different and frogs more liable to rot if you're on moist ground. Stockholm tar helps there.


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## Zexious (Aug 2, 2013)

I never noticed anything different that hasn't already been said xD


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## SueC (Feb 22, 2014)

A donkey is kind of like a cross between a horse, a teddy bear and the Easter Bunny. They are actually a fair bit more touchy-feely and in-your-face than horses, but in a very polite way!

We spent four months living in a caravan with three donkeys around us while building this house. Sometimes I would wake up thinking there was an earthquake and it was just Mary Lou scratching herself on the axle. :rofl: And whenever we were cooking, the three of them would be standing at the door with their three noses poking in politely going, "If you have any interesting vegetable scraps, please donate them to us!"  Not pushy, just persistent and with big imploring eyes and irresistibly cute ears...


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