# Welcome to our new Long Eared Friend!



## Foxtail Ranch (Mar 10, 2012)

Two months ago, someone called us and said they had a jack that needed a home. Not sure how they got our number! 

The donkey they were offering had belonged to a 95 year old woman in the middle of a city. He was 14 years old, and was extremely overweight, mainly because he was on a lot at a busy intersection and people fed him junk constantly, like gumdrops and canned peaches! 

His name is Ruth, after a donkey on Gunsmoke. We went to get him yesterday. The executor of the estate told us to bring lots of friends because the last time someone tried to trailer him, they needed 12 people to get him in. 

When we arrived, I saw this handsome (if rotund) guy, wandering around on a lot full of junk. Oh, and by the way, he is intact. Hmmm.

He was not interested in me, since I had a rope and halter in my hand. We brought our jenny, Dusty, to help him along. 

This is Dusty below.









We easily roped him and led him into the trailer, start to finish in 30 minutes.

We were so excited, we forgot to take pictures yesterday. Here he is, this morning, on his good side. The other side is where his neck falls over. I checked on him as soon as it was light, hence the pink pajama pants LOL.









He has such a cute face! He doesn't bray at all, just does the "windup."










Welcome to Foxtail Ranch, Roo! Time for a weight-loss program!

Any advice is welcome from my HF friends.


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## Lockwood (Nov 8, 2011)

No advise that you don't already know...which is they are air ferns.

Welcome Roo!!... from a fellow long eared owner and tell your mum that pink jammies and barn boots are pretty snazzy.


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## littrella (Aug 28, 2010)

awwwwhhhh! he's cute! no advise other than GLED HIM ASAP! As for the fallen crest, I don't think there is any way to get rid of that


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## Foxtail Ranch (Mar 10, 2012)

Fatcamp has begun! We took Roo on his first of many walks up the hill by our house. He was surprisingly spry and jaunty, if not a little pushy. He was soon walking like a gentleman though.


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## Cacowgirl (Feb 19, 2011)

I read that once they have fat lumps & bumps they don't lose them. Do you think (know) if they can ever look leaner? My jenny came quite overweight to me about 3 months ago. I hardly feed her anything, but she's still "lumpy". I just got a book from the library on training donkeys, as they are all new to me. She can be quite stubborn, but does come when called.


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## Foxtail Ranch (Mar 10, 2012)

I understand that once the crest falls, it will always lay over. Our jenny was at least 50 lbs heavier when we got her, and we haven't been able to get her any leaner, but I was hoping that was because she was out with my herd of horses and even with a grazing muzzle, she gets too much feed with them. 

Now that we have two donkeys, they have their own small pasture that will become a dry lot, I am sure, and I will be able to control their feed much better. I am offering hay and straw for them to munch on.


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## Zexious (Aug 2, 2013)

He is adorable! You did a good thing taking him in  Andddd I'm sure you guessed that I'll be wanting more pics 8)


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## Foxtail Ranch (Mar 10, 2012)

Checked on the donkeys this morning. 

They are enjoying the straw more than the hay. Did not expect that! I am feeding straw for lower calorie/higher roughage. I thought I would need to phase it in slowly, but the donkeys really yum it up.

Dusty does not like being confined away from her horses and her green grassy pasture. She does NOT like Fatcamp! 

This is the face she gave me, after a good loud bellow:








How do you resist that face? Oh, this Fatcamp thing is REALLY HARD! Any ideas on how to resist the charms of my sweet little chubbies?


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## mulelady (Jan 8, 2014)

hi does anyone show there mule I mostly do trail .


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## Zexious (Aug 2, 2013)

tiffanyodonnell--My only suggest would be a blind fold  Poor Dusty, I bet fatcamp isn't any fun xD


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## littrella (Aug 28, 2010)

a few apple slices or a handfull of frosted mini wheats & you'll be forgiven


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## Foxtail Ranch (Mar 10, 2012)

The donks were very animated yesterday. lots of heads shaking, running, sparring gently. 

Dusty has come out in top so far, and Roo doesn't seem to mind. 

Roo seems to try to bray but doesn't make much noise. is it possible to be too fat to bray?
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## 2BigReds (Oct 7, 2011)

Foxtail Ranch said:


> Roo seems to try to bray but doesn't make much noise. is it possible to be too fat to bray?
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


Maybe?!?! :rofl: I know sometimes I'm too full to speak, though probably not the same thing haha.


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## Foxtail Ranch (Mar 10, 2012)

Update: Roo is slimming down nicely. His new halter required adjustment at the poll because his neck shrank!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Foxtail Ranch (Mar 10, 2012)

UPDATE: 

Ruthless has lost 20 lbs! He looks better, and seems to feel better too, as now he runs around quite a bit. He can also bray longer now. I guess he just needed to develop the muscles for it, and losing a little weight helps with that? 

Anyway, he is coming along very well, although he still tells me he is starving every chance he gets!


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## rydernation (Mar 12, 2014)

Foxtail Ranch said:


> Checked on the donkeys this morning.
> 
> They are enjoying the straw more than the hay. Did not expect that! I am feeding straw for lower calorie/higher roughage. I thought I would need to phase it in slowly, but the donkeys really yum it up.
> 
> ...


Clearly she wonders what happened, do you not love her anymore! Look at those eyes, they are tragic. Perhaps a long petting session is in order....


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## Roux (Aug 23, 2013)

Donkey Newb here - when you guys are talking about fallen crest can you explain that a bit more?

He is too cute!


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## SueC (Feb 22, 2014)

Hi FR, what an interesting thread!

We took on three donkeys two years ago, and two of them were obese. It's really hard slimming them down and they always insist they are starving to death! Here's our three not so long after we got them. It's a hyperlink, when you get to it press the LEFT ARROW to get to the two other donkey photos.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/redmoonsanctuary/8503267256/

I started a slimming thread on this forum because I was so dismayed by the glacial progress of the weight loss. Even in grazing muzzles, they needed locking into a no-feed area at night as well...

About the lack of braying: Maybe it's something to do with being in a new area. Ours were really quiet when we got them. Two years later they are really noisy! Especially when they think they need sustenance. In the morning we have the 7am donkey alarm that tells us they think it's time for them to go on the pasture. It's got to the point where we talk to them, and they talk back - very cute.  My husband is totally besotted with them.

...and for anyone who hasn't seen this internet classic:


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## Ashkat128 (Nov 4, 2013)

Congrats on your new additions! Glad to hear they are doing so well  

I wanted to let you know that donkeys are apparently incredibly prone to tetanus... We found this out the hard way after loosing our little guy Rusty this past winter  like many horse owners we had no idea and just vaccinated as we vaccinate our horses. Apparently a lot of people give booster shots regularly and after injuries to be sure their long eared friends are safe... Random I know but if it saves others from going through what we and poor Rusty went through I figured its worth the post. Good luck!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Foxtail Ranch (Mar 10, 2012)

Roux said:


> Donkey Newb here - when you guys are talking about fallen crest can you explain that a bit more?
> 
> He is too cute!


Hi Roux! I will get a picture for you today and post it. My partner Kim didn't want me to take an "unflattering" picture of Ruthless, so it will have to be a new one.

A fallen crest is when the neck crest gets so fat, it falls over. Ruthless's stubby little donkey mane actually points to one side. This can happen to any equine if they are obese.


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## Foxtail Ranch (Mar 10, 2012)

SueC said:


> Hi FR, what an interesting thread!
> 
> We took on three donkeys two years ago, and two of them were obese. It's really hard slimming them down and they always insist they are starving to death! Here's our three not so long after we got them. It's a hyperlink, when you get to it press the LEFT ARROW to get to the two other donkey photos.
> 
> ...


Hi SueC!

Ruthless never brayed, just did the pre-bray panting. We know this because of his "fan club," a couple who were his neighbors in the city and come out to visit him weekly. They were really shocked the first time he brayed while they were here! I'm not sure what did it, but I am so glad he does bray now. His bray is deeper and warmer than the jenny's. 

They really are a joy to have around. Here is a little video of them playing one night when it was windy and we were fixing fence (every equine-lovers favorite pastime!).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8_6IB8RYfg

I hope that worked. its only my second attempt at video links.


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## Foxtail Ranch (Mar 10, 2012)

Ashkat, thank you for the information! I will check with my vet next week to see if they got the vaccine at our last check up. I don't recall her saying they did at the time, so they may need it. I love them to pieces and the thought of losing a donkey,well... no way if I can prevent it.

I promised pictures! I was taking them alone, which is hard because they follow me, so its a constant effort to get them to stand away from me, at the right angle on the right side!

























I know it still looks pretty bad, especially that last picture of his fallen crest. It is a huge improvement so far though. When Ruth first came to us, his fallen crest hung down to the bottom of his neck, and his mane did not stand up straight anywhere. Its hard to keep perspective, but he is coming along.

Their latest goofy thing is to run alongside the fence as I drive in. Of course I roll down my window and croon to them as I go. Roo just brays and brays when I come home now! He is really into his singing!


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## Foxtail Ranch (Mar 10, 2012)

SueC, I keep watching that "Trumpet & Donkey" video. I love it!!!! Thanks for that


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## SueC (Feb 22, 2014)

Yes quite, it has me in stitches!  Once we played it when our donkeys were just outside the window and our male joined right in! We noticed he brays immediately he hears a recorded bray of any description.


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## Zexious (Aug 2, 2013)

He's soo cute! 8D You lucky dog :>


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## Roux (Aug 23, 2013)

Thanks for the information and sharing with me. Its amazing how much there is to know! Even with the fallen crest he is cute as a button. I just love donkeys. 

There is one at my barn who has the run of the place and he has a little mini horse as a friend. When ever we ride out or come back in he runs up the fence in his pasture to greet us and hollers the whole time. We call it the parade, so I can imagine your guys doing the same thing! 

Also he has the same name as my horse, Roo and Roux!


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