We love donkeys. We've had several over the years, beginning with the irreplaceable, beloved Donkeyotee. When he passed away, the farm was incomplete. Xavier was next. He came from a horsetrader via an auction. He was a very good boy, but he bonded closely with Gus the feral pony, so he left with his best friend. Rosie was our only jenny. She was sweet but only pasture sound. Our farm could not provide her with 24 hour turnout like she needed, So she became a companion to an older horse. For five months, we have been without a riveting bray to greet us at mealtimes. No bright brown eyes peering hopefully for attention. Nobody to stand in the way of the poop piles while we are cleaning, or knock over the wheelbarrow.
All the donkeys we've had were trained and loved. They were good for the vet and farrier. They went for hikes with us and played the role of Christmas donkey for the school Nativity. The big ones could be ridden and the smaller ones could carry packs. It's been a joy to have donkeys around.
This time, we decided to try to adopt a BLM burro. These descendants of the miner's best friend live in remote parts of Nevada and Arizona. They live in a world of rattlesnakes, mountain lions, javelinas and scorpions. They dig water holes with their hooves that wild animals actually depend on. Unfortunately, the rangeland (our public land) which supports them is in demand by oil, natural gas, mining operations and others looking to exploit the natural resources. Even ranchers are given leases to run their cattle in the fragile desert. The desert can only support so many wild animals on the remaining land, so the burros (and wild horses) are periodically rounded up and auctioned off. Many don't find homes and spend their days untamed but locked up in holding pens. The BLM offers them up for adoption, either live or online, several times per year. Those that are passed over too many times are sold for pittance to dealers, who then sell to slaughter (the middleman is necessary because the government is forbidden to sell directly to slaughterhouses). Many organizations try to help facilitate finding homes for the passed over animals to prevent a sad end. One is the Mustang Heritage Foundation. They sponsor Mustang Extreme Makeovers and TIP Challenges. These are opportunities for people to adopt and train a wild Mustang or burro and then present the animal in a special show 90 days later. The idea is to show how easy these animals can be gentled and learn to trust people. They are clean slates. Scared, but not scarred. Their bloodlines are not traceable by human records, but nature makes them hardy and tough. All equines have a sociable nature and that is what makes them bond closely with people. This is easy to see when you look at the amazing things people have taught Mustangs and burros in a short time. In the TIP Challenge, yearlings Mustangs and burros learn how to lead, pick up their feet, load in trailers, walk through obstacle courses, and some even learn how to do tricks. For the adult Mustangs, they are shown under saddle in everything from jumping and dressage to reining and cow work.
So, it was natural for me to wonder how well I would do with a burro in 90 days. All of our donkeys have had zero, or very little, training. I have taught them all of these things (and more). Could I answer this challenge? Could I teach a wild burro, like I've taught our domestic donkeys?
Many who take on this challenge are professional trainers. They train and then sell the burros to a good home. I'm not a professional trainer and this burro will be our new friend (so, if I mess up, we have to live with him!). We want a desert friend to go hiking and camping with. To give treats to and scratch their backs. To enjoy the unique personality of a long eared buddy.
We picked him up on Friday, September 4th, two hours from our farm. We are at the apex of Florida summer. The height of the crushing steamy heat.. Not exactly what a desert creature expects. It limits training times to mornings and evenings, but a lot can be done when you spend time with an animal.
I hope to keep you updated as to the progress (or lack thereof). Feel free to laugh at my mistakes or enjoy the little breakthroughs.
It will be a patient and thoughtful journey. Donkeys are not horses. They can move fast, but prefer to conserve their energy and think about things. The flashy round pen training techniques don't work on donkeys because they push too hard and too fast. If you push a donkey, they just shut down. On this journey, we will be on donkey time. It's a nice way to travel any road.
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