How do Donkeys benefit society?

I’m an addict – I have an addiction to donkeys. A long time ago I was introduced to the idea of miniature donkeys. I instantly fell in love with the size and minimum requirements to care for these adorable little creatures. I also contemplated a whole miniature homesteading array of animals consisting of donkeys, horses, and even miniatures cows. I appreciated their smaller statue. I soon began to understand that you can learn a lot from a donkey, however, I was also warned that donkeys become an addiction. That was the best advice EVER and I started to see the correlation of the donkey herd to society. Donkeys are great teachers and their lessons can be an invaluable benefit and learning tool for modern society, we just have to ‘listen’ to the teachings of the donkey.

I truly believe that it is important that people (especially children) to understand the good-nature temperament and the ill-fated plight of the donkey. More people are needed to help join those of us working toward saving these gentle creatures. Donkeys are being slaughtered for meat in other countries and for use in Chinese Traditional Medicine. So I enjoy going to auctions and sale barns because I know, for that ONE donkey I bring home today, it’s a life I saved. I don’t run a big rescue (maybe someday), I just live on a Semi-Rural Homestead in PA. Now I know that there are some people who would probably enjoy the company of owning donkeys. I also believe that many of you might not think think that you would have the room for a donkey or two. Maybe you haven’t even thought about owning a donkey. Let me take this opportunity to shed some light on having a pet donkey, the benefits to you for having a pet donkey, donkey existence on the semi-rural homestead, the lessons we can learn from donkeys in our modern society, and enlighten you on “donkey therapy’ as a modern day social facilitator.

So call in your children, sit down, cuddle them tight, and take a moment to learn from a donkey…

Never approach a bull from the front, a horse from the rear, or a fool from any direction.

Old Western Proverb

When I was little I wanted a horse, but honestly I have a healthy fear of large animals (ie… horses, cows, buffalos… etc..). Donkeys however are on a smaller scale and are not quite so intimidating. When you own a donkey and you get to know them, you will understand that they are very smart, affectionate, analytical, but they also widely differ from that of a horse. This is where the horse aficionados and I split as they take over with their level of experience and knowledge on horses and where I part on the subject of donkeys.

The temperament and teachings of a donkey – Donkey’s benefit society

Donkeys are gentle, they like to cuddle, and they are very laid-back. They enjoy their ears scratched, a nice back rub, and appreciate being brushed. My Hank will walk over to me and lean his ears into my hand as if to ask sweetly “Please scratch!”. When I stop, he looks at me, steps closer and does it again. They talk to you to let you know what they want if you are willing to listen to them.

Donkeys don’t panic. While introducing my new Gracie to the pasture, my other two donkeys Leroy and Hank were interested and curious. Approaching slowly they wanted a sniff “A girl?” they inquired…while Snickers (my horse) reared up, ran around, and whinnied loudly “A GIRL!!” she demanded and refused to be a party to this outrage… Unafraid, the donkeys stood their ground calmly and stomped a hoof or two as Snickers veers off to approach with her disdain from another unsuccessful angle. A fact I learned was integrate donkeys and horses slowly. Change can be scary. They don’t know what to expect, but with calm inquisitiveness, patience, and an open mind, they learn to accept each other without condition, drama, or resistance.

Donkeys are analytical. When something makes a noise or comes into the pasture, it is greeted with curiosity. The donkeys study it, observe it, sniff it, try to taste it, and heaven forbid if you are trying to do work in the pasture… Those busy-bodies are into studying everything you are doing. The horse stands back in her stall hiding her head in her hay just wishing the scary thing would leave while the donkeys are assessing it for ‘friend or foe’.

Did you have a bad day at work? Donkeys are calming. Tell your worries to your donkey… they will listen. They don’t judge you or tell you that you are wrong or being silly. You don’t have to worry about saying the ‘wrong thing’ to your donkey. They won’t call you names, correct you, or argue against your political viewpoints. They get excited for your attention, calmly love you unconditionally, and will help to lower your heart-rate after your stressful day with their laid-back demeanor. I can walk down to the shed, say hello to my donkeys, and partake in what many proud donkey owners call ‘donkey therapy’ . They are so loving, they greet me happily, and in return I rub their neck, head, and back. Sure I complain because I heard distressing things on the news, stubbed my toe on the table, and can’t remember where I put my car keys, but they don’t judge. At times they may turn away from me, but that is donkey talk for “my butt…. scratch my butt….”, ahhhh. (They love it). I usually finish up brushing their coats as they stand contently enjoying my affection and listening to my rants. The brushing slows down as the rant becomes less important. Self talk to a donkey has a way of making you see that most times it is the dumbest things that bother us. Donkey therapy is spending time with my donkey until everything that has bothered me all day now seems so unimportant. Yes, it can all wait until tomorrow because for now, to my donkey, I AM (not the day, not the news, not the missing keys… but I AM)…the only thing that matters.

Donkey Therapy:

Donkey Therapy (aka Asinotherapy) – is the utilization of donkeys to provide modern beneficial therapy and treatment to intellectually disabled children and adults. The therapy is not only soothing to the patient, but it also is good for the donkey.

According to Donkey Wise:

“For children with disabilities, riding therapy donkeys provides a unique opportunity to improve their strength and coordination as well as boosting their confidence and self-esteem… Their slow and steady presence gives a feeling of security and comfort to the poorly, the elderly, and those feeling vulnerable or suffering from emotional difficulties. Touching, grooming and cuddling donkeys is a great social facilitator, allowing people to relax and feel a sense of nurturing and connection.“

The patient donkey:

Donkeys are patient. If you are in a hurry you’ll think twice around the donkey. Want to quickly get them onto a trailer, get them to move to the other side of the stall, or even to the other side of the pasture… it will happen… sometime. Horses can be given treats to follow you around on a halter, you bribe them, train them, and even threaten them (they can become-treat driven slaves to your whim if that’s how you want to look at it), but not donkeys. Donkeys are smart. You can try to give them a treat to move, but they will eat the treat and STILL NOT MOVE. If you threaten the donkey, it will just look at you. Try to pull, tug, hook a strong team of men together and they donkey still will not budge. Just because you have a treat doesn’t mean the donkey will obey your every command. They are confident yet question your intentions. However, if I pretend I have something REALLY interesting… something that they can’t see, smell, or taste… hide it in my hand, play a game with them that they can’t have it… they WILL follow me to the end of the Earth because they have to know what I have. Donkeys are independent thinkers and I know they love me to the Moon and back.

Did I say donkeys are smart? They know they are in control because they ARE in control. They respect your patience, your calm words, your affection and attention. They do NOT respond to yelling, screaming, or threats to get them to do something that they perceive they DO NOT want to do. You have to make them think they WANT to do something and being in the calm control that they are, whatever you desire will happen, just don’t rush it. If you scream, they will ‘hear’ you, but they are forced to ‘listen’ if you whisper. I found this out when I tried an experiment. If I want the horse to move fast enough, I can just smack the rope on the ground and yell ‘[he]ight’… the donkeys however just look up at me like “What the heck has gotten into her…? ” as they munch, munch, munch on hay without a care in the world. Seeming to them like an out of control maniac, my donkeys do not waiver. They will give me control and do as I wish, when I realize that by being calm like the donkey, it is a mutual respect and admiration for shared control. It’s finally being able to have a conversation with my donkey in donkey language.

Donkeys can tell time. Did you sleep in or are you doing that project in your yard where you lost track of time… I SWEAR donkeys can tell time. You’ll hear them bray… a little “hee haw” coming from the pasture to remind you that it is time to feed them. No, they aren’t yelling, bitching, or complaining. It is just their way of saying “Hello, I love you, I’m hungry” and it is music to a proud donkey mom’s ear.

Donkeys make great pets. They will love you, respect you, protect you, and be faithful to you. They will not bark at the cars coming up your driveway. They will not miss the litter box or eat your sofa. They are gentle around children they get to know and they are a great way to integrate children into larger animals like horses. They will calmly and quietly mill around their pasture grazing on grass and hay (and some donkeys do like to play with toys as well). I’ve even heard of people with miniature donkey house pets (but not in my Tiny House).

Donkey requirements on the Homestead:

Donkeys do not need much to keep them happy. The small requirements for a donkey are approximately ½ acre per donkey. Since donkeys are herd animals, they get lonely when you are not around, it is always best to have two… (that makes them twice the fun). They dry lot (don’t need fresh pasture) so having a dirt area where they can roll around (to bathe) is great. They just need some hay, some grain, water, and a block for minerals.

Donkeys are brave guardians and stand their ground. Most donkeys that bond with their herd and their owners will fiercely protect them from predators. Donkeys don’t just stick with their own kind or gang up on other species. They are known for protecting cattle, sheep, and other livestock from coyotes (the mild mannered donkey is a formidable opponent to the mean and fearless coyote). If a chicken or duck is milling around the pasture they can coexist nicely with the donkey. If coyotes encroach the herd, the horse will be cowering in the stall waiting while the donkey fights with determination. Poor coyote will not stand a chance.

Society and Donkeys:

So how do donkeys benefit society? They teach us how to be, how to re-act, and how to love each other unconditionally. They show us how to be analytical, question everything we see and hear, and to be inquisitive of the truth. They illustrate how not to become slaves to the whims of others, to stand up for what we believe in, and take a stand without judging who we are doing it for. They want us to have patience in one another just as they do and to not judge one-another.

The donkey shows us on one hand we can gently help children yet be fierce when we need. They understand that being in control is sometime letting others have the control and to accept change even when it’s scary. Let’s learn from the donkey and not panic. When we want others to hear us… scream, but when we want them to listen… whisper. We are just a herd of humans floating around on this great big rock so we need more tolerance, to calm down, be willing to listen, and to love one another. We need to find patience, be kind and analytical while we not jump to conclusions, be independent thinkers and share donkey therapy with each other. It might sound impossible but… society can change and we can become better people, as we benefit from the lessons of the donkey.

~Enjoy life simply…

Susan 😊