# It's time for a donkey update! =D



## Phly (Nov 14, 2012)

That's cool. Sounds like theyll work well together. 

On the "bondage bridle" I about had to laugh when I read that! There was a conversation the other day with a buddy of mine who sells tack. Lets just say that fits into the mix. Now I won't go to his house on Wednesdays!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Ashleysmardigrasgirl (Jun 28, 2012)

thanks for the pictures! it looks like you all are having a blast! Can't wait to see more!


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## BoldComic (Feb 26, 2012)

I need a donkey! Maybe after I get my minis driving.


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

How are the donks doing? More photos please!

:clap::clap::clap::clap::clap:


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## SlideStop (Dec 28, 2011)

Taffy, I'll get more photos next time. I almost got a super cute on of Venus resting her head on JJ's withers. They are good. Gotta get Venus up and moving a little more, I use JJ way more, he is a bit more willing to follow directions. :wink:


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## SlideStop (Dec 28, 2011)

We had a fun day! I took JJ for a ride in suburbia. I've taken him onto a very small quiet dead end residential street, but this was like a full on neighborhood. Dogs barking, cars passing, people approaching us, lawn mowers. He wasn't very sure about it, but he went willingly. Gotta remember to take the reins off the snaffle and bump them down a rung or two. He was pretty strong. If I can get him used to the road/neighborhood I would have *so* much more room to drive him! I'd have photos, but I didn't think it was safe. 

When we got back I gave both of them their first bath in... a very long time!! They still have a lot of hair though so I was kind of wishing I hadn't soaped them up. JJ enjoyed it, Venus just tolerated it. I also brought the clippers out today, both of them got wide eyed and freaky. A friend of mine is becoming a vet tech and is taking a class in large animal restraint. She wants to come down to learn a few things, so what better lesson in restraint then restraining a donkey for a body clip! :lol:

And more eye candy! 

Hitting the trail









Soapy!



























His mouth makes me laugh! :lol:









SMILE!









When I put them out the come to the fence and give them the "PLEASE DON'T GO!!" face and start braying lol. 









Don't leave me!


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## SlideStop (Dec 28, 2011)

Here are some pics of today's residential adventure! Needless to say he was a hit! He stood perfectly calm for 20+ people to pet him at random intervals. I was *very* impressed and proud of him. He is not a fan of trash bags though. 

Street veiw









He's a celeb! 









Are all donkeys as awesome as he is, or did I just luck out?!


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## MHFoundation Quarters (Feb 23, 2011)

Love it! They are adorable. I think that daily pictures should be a requirement.


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## michaelvanessa (Apr 25, 2012)

*donkeys*

hiya thanks for shareing your awesome pictures.
the post philly made made me laugh well as long as she was not shown a harness and a cart lol. thanks for shareing once again.


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## SlideStop (Dec 28, 2011)

Another day with the donks! ... well Saturday was at least. I wanted to get Venus up and moving again (I prefer to drive JJ) and I took JJ along with a halter and lead. I figured worst case I I can always just drop the lead if something doesn't work out. He would find the nearest patch of grass or follow Venus. He kept wanting to be up by her side so I went back to the barn and grabbed his bring and ground drove him from the cart next to her. Again, worst case I'd just drop the reins. Then I took them into the round pen and we did a little tandem ground driving. JJ out front works out much better for me! He is a much better listener! 

How did I get so lucky with these two?? 










It looks like the lines were on the ground from this angle, but they weren't. Either way neither of them care about ropes and stuff around their legs.


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

Too cute! I think you got pretty lucky indeed!


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## SlideStop (Dec 28, 2011)

Idk how many people keep up with this or if it belongs in another section at the point, but anyways *time for another update!*. 

What is cuter then a donkey? 






*NAKED DONKEYS!! *

















They didn't shed out very well this summer and I couldn't stand to watch them sit in the sun with all that hair on any more. Thank God my friend held them for me! I'm impressed at how well behaved they were. I was ready to go in for a wrestling, cornering, twitching match... not that I wanted that to happen but apparently that was the case the last time they were clipped. 

So onto somethings amazing! We have been doing camp this week for kids with disabilities (for anyone who doesn't know I work at a therapeutic riding barn). Of course I get the roughest kid. He is 11, autistic, in diapers, non-verbal and probably functions on the level of a 2 year old. Well I was hard pressed to find activities for them because he isn't into art or scavenger hunts like the others. So I bring the donkeys in and hook them up. Wouldn't you know it he sat in the cart for OVER AN HOUR while I drove one after the other!! The second day my plan is the same. We were working on our riding goals while we were in the cart. One of his main goals is signing "more walk" with no assistance. He has the more part down and will do walk if I touch (not move) his forearms. Well anyway this is what I got on the second day!! 

***Turn your volume on***





Yes, after the teeth grinding and grunting he *says "More Walk!"* Holy cow, I almost fell out of the cart when I heard him say it the first time. So I guess I can say my donkeys got a kid who is 100% non verbal to _talk!_ *Ugh, just when I thought I couldn't love them anymore!*

*Thanks for reading!*
(this was a few days ago with the fuzzies on!)


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## morganarab94 (May 16, 2013)

aww I love them! So cute


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## Cacowgirl (Feb 19, 2011)

They look so nice shaved-I'm sure they'll be much cooler. Hooray for you & the donks for encouraging the boy to talk-that is real progress.


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## SlideStop (Dec 28, 2011)

It's wasn't me! He wants to tell them, I'm just the middle man! :wink:
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## michaelvanessa (Apr 25, 2012)

*tandem.*

hiya it looks like thay are going well.
its an awesome thing when you have a pair that interact to geather and love each other.
and then its the added mix of the owner driver when all interact your on a role.
it takes time and can not be rushed but when you have them conected in multipuls it awesome and its a great learning curve for the donkeys ponys or horses which ever you have.
i miss tammy as she was a key ingrediant to tricky and me as she was vanessas.
i started to pair them up in the paddock when thay were turned out.
and slowley played and got them eating ect to geather so thay became an insepreble pair.
well you could say thay ended up as a pair like me and vanessa was.
thay were so good that i could drive them on voice alone in walk trot and canter and also turning as well thay knew there left and right as well.
but all i have is fond happy memorys now of tammy working with tricky.
i think like you have said there i was gifted and blessed to have such a beautiful pair of ponys like your pair of donkeys.
youll have to couple them up to geather and harness both of there draft and youll probley notice the difference in power.
keep us in the loop on how your doing ok thay look awesome i love looking at there pictures.


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## SlideStop (Dec 28, 2011)

JJ had quite the day today! One of the OTs at the barn used him as part of her lesson. He stood like a statue when a little girl with spastic CP was weight baring on him. With the help of the therapist she was able to stand with her feet on the ground and brush him. Purposeful movement is difficult for her, but she was having a blast! 

Then I drove him on the road again today. He care more about the puddles then he does about the car whizzing by (because you know nobody slows down!!), buses and even a guy towing a boat. I was able to talk to the woman who was friend with the woman who owned them previously, apparently all she did was drive them on the road because her property wasn't all the great for driving them. She also did parades with them! Hello new chapter of our adventure! 

I have a few pictures but I need a computer to upload them.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Foxtail Ranch (Mar 10, 2012)

I really enjoy reading your updates! I have one mini donk and just love her.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## SlideStop (Dec 28, 2011)

Oh, I also forgot to mention we had our first scare. We were coming down the road and a dog flew out at us. I said whoa, jumped out of the cart and made it to his head with my whip ready to beat this dog like it was second nature. Turns out the dog was a mutt pointer. He got within 20 feet stopped and pointed at us. Lucky dog... he probably would still be whining over the whip marks I was prepared to leave on him! :wink:


Chillin' on a dirt road long island style... aka its a drive way leading off the high tension wire field. :lol:


















So handsome! He could hear Venus braying for him.


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## SlideStop (Dec 28, 2011)

Of course only I would show up to work on one of the only Saturdays I have off! Since I was already there and it was early I asked me boss to take JJ on the main road, she approved! I stole the BM to come with me so I had another pair of hands on deck. He impressed me so much! Didn't bat an eyelash at cars, trucks or buses whizzing by at 40mph. The bikes didn't phase him either. We got to 711 and he stood like a CHAMP with slack in the reins and he leg cocked. I probably could of tie him up without a bother. The lucky boy got a few handfuls of cheerios out of the deal! 

Here's his view









and us 









When we got back I changed engines and took Venus out the residential area for the first time ever. She also doesn't care about traffic, but she is way more sensitive to the grates, manhole covers, and lines in the road. She was actually bunny hopping the white stop sign lines. Other then that she took it like a champ.


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## SlideStop (Dec 28, 2011)

Hi again!! 

JJ got all dressed up for Halloween this year and raised almost $200 for our barn by giving short rides. He was a police officer, I was an inmate and I got a piece of cardboard and made the cart into the paddy wagon! :lol: I have a bunch of photos but for some reason I don't see where I can upload a photo onto horse forum... did they change it? 

I've been trying to ground drive them side by side more, and tandem if I can get someone to help me out. I'm dying to have a cart/wagon where I can have both pulling! 

Just a few videos: 

Whoa means woah (except when there is food on the ground I guess, then it means stop and snack)





Hanging 6 feet from the road. I swear, there is typically so much traffic I have to wait to cross. He was pretty ready to just go home already since I had driven him around the neighborhood. 





My friend at the barn driving JJ. She cracks me up!


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## Zexious (Aug 2, 2013)

Cutest donkey ever. 

I'm writing all of my replies from the hospital, and this absolutely brightens my day <3


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## SlideStop (Dec 28, 2011)

Zexious said:


> Cutest donkey ever.
> 
> I'm writing all of my replies from the hospital, and this absolutely brightens my day <3


Now only if you could see the pics of him in his costume! You'd be burning up you feel so bright! 

I'm glad he could bring some happiness to your day!


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

They are darling!!


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## Golden Horse (Feb 20, 2010)

WHY haven't I found this before?? someone should have told me, such cuteness.

Now how do I even start trying to teach Poncho to drive?


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## SlideStop (Dec 28, 2011)

ok, I deleted some photos and uploaded the new ones! Here we go... 

Yeah, Venus is *not* into sharing! 










Not thrilled about getting to work.










I was sitting on a stump petting them and he decided his head was to heavy. His face hair hasn't quite grown in since i clipped him... he has schnauzer eyebrows! 










Here's the paddy wagon! 










My little police officer!










Me and the officer.. 










This one was from yesterday, look at the hansom stance! JJ is showing off his new rope halter.


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## Golden Horse (Feb 20, 2010)

SlideStop said:


> Yes, after the teeth grinding and grunting he *says "More Walk!"* Holy cow, I almost fell out of the cart when I heard him say it the first time. So I guess I can say my donkeys got a kid who is 100% non verbal to _talk!_ *Ugh, just when I thought I couldn't love them anymore!*


That is just such a fantastic moment, LOVE IT.


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## SlideStop (Dec 28, 2011)

Golden Horse said:


> That is just such a fantastic moment, LOVE IT.


It really was beyond words. Imagine enjoying something that much? This child doesn't say mama or dada... Nothing, zip, zilch. It's really defied everything everyone thought they knew about this child.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Ninamebo (May 25, 2013)

These cute little guys really have just made my day and night, this is positively wonderful.


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## SlideStop (Dec 28, 2011)

Thanks Ninamebo!! 
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Zexious (Aug 2, 2013)

xD Still in the hospital! Still loving these little fellas!! <3 I think I'm in love.

Hmm... think I can get a "therapy donkey"? ;D


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## ButtInTheDirt (Jan 16, 2011)

Isn't that the best sight? Riding on a cart and seeing the world between a donkey's ears? Makes me want to get my butt in gear and assemble my cart. I took it apart for improvements, such as a new paint job, more leg room, balancing it better, and putting a single tree on it. But now I'm really itching to get it done. Who knows, I may wake up tomorrow to snow on the ground! :shock: :lol: Your donkeys are magnificent, and I enjoy hearing of their tale. Have you considered driving them as a team? I think they would make a wonderful team, and it is a little bit easier than tandem. :wink:


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