Donkeys - differences from horses?

[Hollycat]

What do you consider are the main behavioural and physical (excluding the obvious ears and bray!) differences between horses and donkeys?

 

[Donkeymad]

Donkeys do not have waterproof coats
Donkeys need a sparse high fibre diet - more so than horses
Donkeys are far more intelligent - they are thought of as stubborn due to thinking before reacting
Weight for weight they are much stronger than horses/ponies.

 

[Nailed]

Donkeys feet are very diffrent from horses.. Unexperience people should not trim donkey as the sole does not exfoliate like in horses and therefore it is easier to cut too much off..

The feet are also square, longer, and look clubbed.

Lou x

 

[MurphysMinder]

And if a donkey doesn't want to go where you want him to go, you haven't chance of winning the battle

My vet once told me of trying to take an x ray of a donkeys leg. The cable wasn't quite long enough to reach the donkey, after 30 minutes of trying to get the donkey to move she went back to the surgery to get an extension cable - says it all really !

 

[Donkeymad]

Sorry, but that is simply non understanding of donkeys.

 

[MurphysMinder]

Possibly,but we have had ours for 22 years and if he doesn't want to go somewhere, and it rarely happens nowadays I have to admit, then one person would struggle to move him. Would welcome any tips on donkey psychology

 

[hussar]

(Based on my limited experience of one donkey)
Small donkeys can be lifted into trailers ...
Donkeys have a different sense of humour to horses ...
If a donkey gets into trouble - eg, foot over rope - it will just stand and wait to be rescued. I found mine once clipped by his fillet string to a wire fence - goodness knows how long he'd been there but he'd obviously just stood still and waited. My horses would have been careering round the field with the fence attached.

 

[Hollycat]

Thanks guys. I have seen a farrier explain how different donkey feet are a couple of years ago and I watched him trim them which was great. I always understood that donkeys were very intelligent and that their fear response is not to run as ir is with a horse, but that if a donkey doen't want to move there is a VERY good reason for it.

I just bought a book - the QI book of animal ignorence and although I don't know how much of what it says is true, there a very interesting section on donkeys

 

[Nailed]

yes that is simply not understanding..

there exceptionally intelligent and clever creature who take a lot of stimulation.

i love donkeys.
The donkey in the case about is jsut holding off because she is unsue of the situation... If its broken summit why make it move

 

[JM07]

big ears???

 

[Donkeymad]

Extremely good point about the hooves, they are very different in make-up, build, shape care etc.

 

[Nailed]

lmao good old JM

hehehe

Lou x

 

[Nailed]

i also like trimming donkey =o) Makes me very proud of my training.

Lou x

 

[MurphysMinder]

Nailed, the donkey hadn't broken anything, was just suffering from intermittent lameness and the vet suspected arthritic changes. When our donkey (the one with the vet wasn't ours) refuses to move I accept he probably has a good reason, but if a horse does this you can usually negotiate through the problem, when Clint does it he just looks at you as if to say "forget it". I admit its probably my fault as he does make me laugh and I think he knows when he has me beaten

 

[Donkeymad]

Do you want to move down here Nailed, I think my farrier is thinking of retiring. Finding a farrier to do donkeys - properly - is a nightmare!

 

[NeilM]

What a fantastic thread. I had not realised donkeys were so different to horses.

The lady who owns the field next to ours has a donkey (and an Exmoor and two Newfies). I always talk to her, and gave her a couple of treats the other day (which she took very gently), as she was looking very fed up. She is a real cutie.

 

[Hollycat]

NeilM - the little book I mentioned was quite fascinating. It said (and I don't know how true this is) that donkey milk has been successfully tested on cancer and AIDS sufferers as it is so full of imunostimulents - and wait for it......has a similar effect to viagra!!!!!!

 

[Nailed]

wheer abouts moke??

A love doing donkeys feet. so rewarding

Lou x

Any its very rare a donkey puts all is weight on you.. Cause they trust you about as much as a gazel trusts a leapard.

Lou x

 

[Rainbowrider]

Moke - do you keep donkeys and horses together? What are the issues with lung worm, and how is it best to manage them?

I have never had a donkey, and not intending on getting one, but am just interested how it works, and you seem to know your donkey stuff!!

Thanks..

 

[Lobelia_Overhill]

I'm told donkeys are bloody nosey little b*ggers, by a friend who kept several, if she wasn't careful, she could have three of them in her kitchen to see what she was up to

 

[ladyt25]

Donkeys are soo intelligent they freak most horses out! hehe

We had a donkey for years - he came with a blue cross horse we took on as they were best mates. He was fantastic and was more like a big dog than an equine. We'd take him out for walks sometimes with the horses but we rarely ever had to actually lead him he just came to call.

He and our farrier had a mutual respect for one another (following a 'stand off' back in the early days!) and he used to love standing right by the farrier when he was hot shoeing the horses - he'd inhale the smoke (strange thing he was!).

Would love another, we never had any probs with lungworm. You just need a decent worming programme and it's fine. we're considering getting another but 'rescuing' one is a lot more difficult these days - everybody wants them!

 

[Murphy88]

Donkeys are the main source of lungworm infection for horses, but we've kept donkey and horses together for the past 22 years, and the pony I used to ride has lived with a donkey for most of his life - the donkey goes everywhere with him, including when he went out on loan, and they are stabled together, and there's never been any problem. As LadyT says, a good worming prgramme is all you need. I was taught Ivermectin is the most effective.

 

[MurphysMinder]

Another thing - I was told by my vet that you have to be very careful giving bute to donkeys as their systems cannot handle it well. Anyone else been told this ?

PS Hi, M88 - no lectures on a Friday afternoon ?

 

[Murphy88]

I've just looked through my pharmacology notes and the section on phenylbutazone doesn't mention donkeys, but think it has something to do with metabolism. Older donkeys especially metabolise it very slowly, so it builds up to toxic levels quickly.

MM - I don't go to Fri aft lectures cause they're boring bacteria ones and I fall asleep, I get more work done at home.