Advice needed - how to get a headcollar on a scared donkey?

[tasteofchristmaschaos]

I volunteer at a family farm 2 days a week, and as I know the most about horses and donkeys, I do most of their training. They want to use their donkeys for donkey rides during the school holidays, so they have asked me to get them ready for that.

One of them was lightly broken in last year, leading nicely, headcollar and bridle on, and weight in the saddle. However, the director thought it would be a good idea to put their grandaughter on said hardly broken donkey. Queue donkey panicing, child panicing, child screaming, terrified donkey. Ever since, she has been impossible to put a headcollar onto, as she associates it with this horrible experience.

She is the sweetest donkey, who if you go into the field comes straight up to you, loves attention, begs to be fussed over and follows you round like a dog. However, as soon as she sees a headcollar, she is genuinly petrified. She will canter to the other side of the field, and stay there. I have been working with her for a few months, but have come to a sticking point which I can't seem to get past, no matter how slowly I progress. She will now let me slowly walk up to her, and get within about a foot of her head with a headcollar. However, any closer and she bolts. I have tried leaving the headcollars in the field so she can get used to it, food bribery, sitting in the field with a headcollar, putting it on her friend to show it doesn't 'bite'! But nothing is working. I don't want to grab hold of her and force it on, as that will just reinforce her belief that headcollars are scary. Any ideas?

 

[Enfys]

Don't even try to put a halter on her - yet.

Just go out there with a brush and a rope, brush her, do whatever she likes and just rub the rope around her, hang it over her back/neck whatever but don't hold her with it, give her a little bit of grain and take it the rope away again. Then an hour later go and do the same thing again, and again, and again. Sooner or later she'll figure out it isn't going to kill her.

Can you get her inside? It will be much easier to do if she hasn't got an entire field to run off in then.

There are other, quicker, ways but I can't be bothered to start a "OMG you are SO cruel!" flurry of posts.

 

[Sugarplum Furry]

You could try ringing Suzanne Marshall for a chat and some advice, she's a Monty Roberts RA in kent. Don't have her number offhand but you could try Google.

 

[Hollyberry]

I have two young donkeys and when they arrived one was very outgoing and the other very nervous. I got advice from my farrier who goes to the Donkey Sanctuary to do their feet. You just have to be incredibly patient with donkeys, they are not like horses and you cannot force them to do anything. They take their time and as soon as they trust you believe me you will have no problem, but you have to wait for them to turn that corner. Just keep being there and encourage her to accept you, try ginger biscuits as donkeys will do anything for them but take your time, just stand by her and be there for when she finally decides you are not going to harm her, you really can't force the issue no matter what people say, they are very much individual animals. Good luck.

 

[kirstyl]

I work for the Elisabeth Svendsen Trust which is part of the Donkey Sanctuary which in case you don't know, helps donkeys internationally. At EST we use our donkeys for riding therapy for children with special needs and disabilities. The Donkey Sanctuary run all sorts of training courses including psychology and clicker training, which are free (donations gratefully accepted!). They are also very happy to give advice over the phone. Give them a call - they will be very happy to hear from you!

 

[Donkeymad]

Ignore her. Do things all around, but ignore her. Donkeys are too inquisitive and will make their way over to humans in time. When tis happens, do as you would a horse, start petting her, do not try to catch her. In time, as with horses, she will soon learn that humans are nice, and you can quietly slip a headcollar on, then take it off. Just the same as horses. Offer Polo's when she has started walking up to you and nuzzling you.
The important thing though is to totally ignore her until she conatstantly comes and nuzzles you.

Why not join this friendly forum board for lots of ideas from other experienced donkey owners?

www.donkeyforum.proboards.com

 

[tasteofchristmaschaos]

Thanks for the replies- lots of helpful suggestions so thanks very much!
Enfys - I will try with just a rope to start with and see how it goes, very good idea.
Janey234 and nickyc - I will have a look at the Donkey sanctuary website!
Donklet - I will join, thanks. Without a headcollar in your hand she comes charging straight up to you, looking for attention. As soon as you have a headcollar in your hand, she does everything possible to avoid you. I've tried doing normal things with a headcollar attatched to me - poo picking, mucking out their shelter, grooming her fieldmate, but she always stays at the opposite side of the field. I have also just sat in the field, holding a headcollar, and also with the headcollar a few feet away, and still she won't come near me. It's like she is 2 different donkeys.

 

[Enfys]

ToC, perhaps ditch the headcollar too, use something that is completely different to the one that appears to be worrying her.

Good Luck

 

[tasteofchristmaschaos]

Enfys - Do you think a halter might work better than a headcollar, as they look quite different?
Something like this...
http://www.robinsons-uk.com/products/search.asp?keyword=halter&page=1#sku.56611

 

[Enfys]

Yes, just like that, or, one of the rope headcollars. You can pick up the American style ones on eBay, or maybe even tackshops in the UK now, I use them all the time. Sizing of those could be difficult, I can't find them in pony sizes here at all.

They would be easier maybe as you aren't pulling anything over her ears as you would a traditional dealers halter.

ha! I see they are calling them cord headcollars on that page, you can't lose at a fiver really.

Anything is worth a try, donkeys are smart animals it could be something as simple as that that makes a difference in her mind.

 

[AengusOg]

[ QUOTE ]
Can you get her inside? It will be much easier to do if she hasn't got an entire field to run off in then.

There are other, quicker, ways but I can't be bothered to start a "OMG you are SO cruel!" flurry of posts.

[/ QUOTE ]

Ok, I will then.......

Bring her inside with another, quiet donkey, and put them into a pen where you can move the gates to decrease the space they have to move around. It may help to hang rugs over the gates to keep them from getting a leg through.

Work away quietly and touch them all over, whilst standing outside the pen, then put the head collar on. If she objects, just go with her and keep contact till she calms, then carry on until it's done. It should take a few minutes.

Then let them out, preferably into a stable or yard where you can do some work with her.