# First time donkey training input needed



## george the mule (Dec 7, 2014)

Hi Jack!

The longears clan are different for sure. There are a number of on-line sites that have more specifics, but the basic process involves lots of praise and rewards (treats), and fairly minimal expectations. Never try to force things, or you will spend 10X the time undoing it. (Apologising for it 
Start off by making friends with them and life will be easier.
Meredith Hodges/Lucky Three Ranch would be a good place to start:
Lucky Three Ranch
'Bout all I can offer. Have fun, donks are a hoot.

ByeBye! Steve


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## ChitChatChet (Sep 9, 2013)

For riding, I saddled them up had somebody else ride an already broke donkey and we headed down a trail. They followed the other donkey down the trail and learned cues from me applying them each time they did whatever I had a cue for. Going down a trail kept their mind occupied by the newness and they didn't have as much time to think about me on their back. For me, it worked like a charm.

I had donkeys for 20 plus years and then I switched to horses. Oh. my. word. What a number that has done on my brain.


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## Mulefeather (Feb 22, 2014)

I recommend picking up Crystal Ward's "Donkey Training" DVD, it's got a lot of insight into how donkeys think and react. One nice difference is that they tend to "freeze" instead of flipping out like a horse would, which generally helps things stay a little safer. 

Crystal used pressure and release just like with horses, but keep it to short sessions with a lot of positive reinforcement. Clicker training also works REALLY well with donkeys, because they have a "what's in it for me" mindset. You really have to spend a lot of time on the ground with donkeys and make being with you the highlight of their day. 

Cruel treatment or punishment makes them shut down. Don't use physical force to make them do anything, they'll just resist you and they'll remember cruel treatment forever. They are more like dogs than horses.


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## Sherilee (Apr 29, 2015)

I have two mini donkeys and I just saddled one up, tied a leadline on the halter and put a brave kid on him. Luckily he didn't buck or really do anything. The kid can give him a light kick and he moves out and can pull his head around either way to steer. Now as for real training, no idea. I'm thinking when I'm comfortable that the kid isn't going to get hurt we will just add a horse and a saddle to the mix with an adult and have the donkey follow the horse around. I just bought a mini donk halter and attachable bit so steering should be a bit easier. Saddle fits terribly. Should probably get a bareback pad.


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