# mini donkey aggressive after training sessions



## littrella (Aug 28, 2010)

Danee has started a new "bad" behavior & I'm not sure if I'm handling this the right way. We have been working on standing tied. He's still worring back & forth, but no pulling back. He gets brushed, feet cleaned & some major loving on. Once I turn him loose, oh boy, is he MAD at me! If I turn my back & walk away, he will come at me, ears pinned, head down. I have been turning back to him and walking right back at him & using my knees to push him back out of my way. Any sugestions?


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## 2sammie (May 10, 2011)

What kind of training session have you had before he started doing this? 
How old is he and is he still in-tacked? I'm asking because some testosterone could be kicking in.

It sounds like he see you as a threat and is challenging you. Whats his herd like(if he is turned out with others)?

I think you should go out with a whip or crop and chase him away when he charges at you. Make his feel move. Another thing you could do is grab him and back him up 15 steps each time her run at you. You can also try bring him back in and working him some more.
I don't know that much about donkeys but some of this should help.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

Does he actually LIKE the major loving on? Some eguines don't like being touched or groomed. It is just a matter of "gritting their teeth" and enduring it. Of course, they have to be taught to do it. Maybe do this grooming session in short bursts. Work on him a bit, then leave him alone. Then come back and work on him some more. make it such that being tied isnt' always about being worked on. Some of the time he is just tied and left to stand and rest. or even fed some hay and left alone. So, your working on him is on and off, on and off.

Then, when you untie him, have a small whip in your hand. don't turn your back on him. YOu stay facing him and if he makes even the smallest disrespectful gesture toward you, use the whip to smack the ground and drive him away. Don't turn your back on him at all until he has left you or you have made him leave you.


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## ChingazMyBoy (Apr 16, 2009)

Some horse's don't like the 'love' and 'attention'. My TB 'Chinga' adores it, he'll sook up at cuddle forever - it's rather cute, although a pony I work with - he much prefers his training sessions and than to be left to 'chill out' quietly in the paddock.

Although this behavior is unacceptable, maybe your pony is trying to tell you something and as horse owners/riders it's our job to listen. The charging is him trying to be the dominant one, scare you. You need to show him that you are the stronger one and that he needs to respect you, when he comes at you - stand your ground and drive him away. Show him threw your body language and movement that you will not tolerate him being in charge. Make him move his feet, you need to be confident.

I know what it's like, except I had a 16.2hh TB doing it - you instantly want to move away from them it is 'scary'. Though, you need to stand up to them and be brave. Good luck!


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

By major loving on, what exactly do you mean?


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## Joe4d (Sep 1, 2011)

A handy 2X4 comes to mind. Seriously hes a donkey. Go on you tube and look at videos of donkeys killing mountain lions and coyotes. They are not all sweet and cudly. Even a smaller one can do some serious damage if he sets his mind to it. You need to nip this in the bud right now the very first time he does it. Look at what a lead horse will do in a herd, probably ought to stop babying him until he knows his place. If he is aggressive to you you need to be ten times aggressive to him, back him up pop him in the chest with a carrot stick if he violates your three feet space any time you are around him. You could also make him lunge in a circle, let him loose, if he is mean, make him lunge again repeat until he stops. At feed ing time put his food in the bowl and stand over bowl, Yell and pop him with carrot stick if he violates that 3 foot space, then walk away when he is standing and waiting. Dont call him or tell him it is ok just walk away from the food, Look at a herd of horses, with piles of hay out. The lead horse eats first till it is full then just walks away. Try to do the same,


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## Cherie (Dec 16, 2010)

I know their size makes them look like big dogs and make them look like they should be 'pets'. Many horses, mules and donkeys do not want to be your pet. If this is a prerequisite for an animal to be acceptable to you, maybe you need a different one. Some do not like to be pets. They accept what they are trained to accept and the greatest reward for them is to be 'left alone'.

I also wonder if he is still a Jack donkey. If he is, he needs to be handled like any stallion or Jack -- very carefully and with the skill that handling an intact male requires. They, for sure, are not good pets.

A Jack can bite viciously and has great strength in their jaws. They can do great damage. Just because he is a mini, he should not be taken lightly. We have owned Jacks and have raised mules. Even though they were like big Teddy Bears, they were treated like any other stallion -- with great respect, shown respect and respect was expected from them. They were always in a position where we could keep one eye on them. Just like my very well trained stallion I have now (that I have shown and won on in Reining), I never completely turn my back on one and do not get careless around one of them.

If he has been castrated and is a 'John', disregard the discussion about Jacks.


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## littrella (Aug 28, 2010)

Danee is just turning 6 months old, he has not "dropped" but I can feel them just a little way up there yet. He is super friendly, comes right up to you, rests his head against you or rubbs up against your leg. He loves being brushed, leans into it, eyes close. When I said "major loving on" scratching all his favorite places, petting, that sort of thing. He was not halter broke when I brought him home 4 weeks ago. He leads very well now. I have started working on tieing because if I don't tie or pen him up, when I try to brush & clean feet on my horse, he's under foot, putting his nose in my face, just being anoying & getting in the way. I've been keeping it short, like 15 minutes or so. When I un-tie him, he wont leave my side. He wants more petting & scratches. If I don't leave him, he wont leave me! When I go to leave the coral or open the pasture gate back up, that's when he gets mad & comes after me. I have been turing around and "charging" him back & using my knees to bump him back. Just wasn't sure if that was good enough or if I should start being harder on him.


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## loosie (Jun 19, 2008)

He's a colt/Jack baby too?? Seriously, get him gelded, yesterday! 

Donks don't think the same as horses and Jacks are renowned for their... assertive behaviour. I would not just keep challenging him when he challenges you, or one day soon he'll decide he can take you on. If you are going to take the punishment route however, agree with what others have said that you need to make a STRONG point - don't just tell him off, but punish him big time(tho of course, immediate & short), so that he'll seriously reconsider challenging you again. 

I would work on his training with 'Clicker training' principles - teach him that it's not a chore, but well worth his while to stand tied, etc, so he doesn't feel resentful towards you in the first place.


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## littrella (Aug 28, 2010)

loosie said:


> He's a colt/Jack baby too?? Seriously, get him gelded, yesterday!
> 
> I can't have him gelded until his testicles drop!


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## loosie (Jun 19, 2008)

Oh ok. Is there a medical prob or is it just that they haven't descended that you think he can't be done yet? It's also possible for testes to descend but not be felt, so if at all unsure about it I'd check with a good equine vet. Some vets arent comfortable doing the procedure in the paddock if its not a straight snip.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## candandy49 (Jan 16, 2011)

Back a few years ago my husband got the idea of raising donkeys for a retirement project. So we went shopping for breeding stock. We came home with 2 full blood sister jennets in foal by a spotted jack. Both jennets foaled spotted jack babies. So my DH goes back and buys the spotted jack that sired the spotted babies. We sold the first 2 babies for $400 a piece. Then with the next crop we had to literally give them away. We let the older jack and his solid colored son go to a livestock auction. They did get good homes.


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