The "Wild" Burros of Oatman, AZ

by Linda Benson

Since I am a longear lover, and since it was on my bucket list to see this place, when my husband and I had a few days to tool around the Southwest, we made a point of searching out the old mining town of Oatman, Arizona. Because I'd heard that wild burros come out of the hills here, and hang around the streets. How cool is that? I thought. As it turned out - very cool!

After a long and winding road (not nearly as bad as I had envisioned) I knew we were getting close.

Suddenly, we rounded another bend and it was pretty obvious that we had arrived.

Oatman is a delightfully funky little town, right on an ancient part of old Route 66, and it has capitalized on the appeal of these delightful donkeys. They might have come from feral stock, but this group of burros is not really wild at all, and have learned that they basically have the run of the place. (Hint: the word "burro" is an old Spanish term. Donkeys and burros are the same animal.)

They learn from an early age how to stop traffic.

And where to get food.

Actually, some of the donkeys become pests, as tourists hand-feed them alfalfa cubes (in truth,  too rich for these desert beasts) but if they become too pesky, they are occasionally relocated to a rescue operation.

But most of the donkeys are quite mellow. This one is Harley.

And this one, a baby sleeping in the street, I just wanted to scoop up and take home with me.

Mama and baby donkeys are everywhere, and really, the best thing is not to try and hand feed them, but just stop and give them a good scratch (because donkeys like to be scratched anywhere.)

I had so much fun here, I could have stayed much longer. It's an old mining town with lots of history, and there are plenty of gift shops, restaurants, a museum, and much of it is donkey themed.

So if you're ever in NW Arizona, take the time to find Oatman. It could even be considered a long day trip from Las Vegas. And especially if you love donkeys, you've got to put this place on your bucket list, too.

In fact, I can't wait to go back.

End of an Era

by Linda Benson

Our barnyard seems so quiet. In fact, it is. Other than a couple of barn cats and a few remaining mice, nothing stirs there anymore. After 45 years of owning horses, and several more owning donkeys (I had to have something equine) I made preparations to find a great home for my last remaining animals, anticipating a move in our future.

I started this process early, because I didn't want to be in a hurry about it. As it is, I found them a wonderful home, with very knowledgeable donkey owners who will keep these two boys together as a pair. They are, after all, best friends.

We decided to deliver them, because we wanted to see where they were going to live. So we hitched up the trailer,

and got the boys ready to go. They obviously knew something was up.

Where are we going, Mom?

To your new home. You'll be fine.

Looks like a pretty nice place!

And in no time at all, they were all settled in. It made my heart glad to find such a good home for them.

But I have to admit, long after my donkeys were gone, years of long habit kept me glancing out to our own pastures and barn, over and over during the day, making sure they were okay. It's a horse person's instinct, to check on their animals' well being constantly. My husband parked his tractor inside the big stall they had shared, and every single time I glanced out the window, I thought I saw them in the barn. No, I had to remind myself, it's the tractor.

I wrote a post some time ago about being a horsewoman for life: http://equestrianink.blogspot.com/2011/08/on-being-horsewoman.html and many of you reassured me that I was. (Thank you.) But my husband and I are down-sizing: smaller acreage, smaller house, and less animals, so this feels like the end of an era for me. A very long era of owning equines.

But you want to know the very best part? Right next door to our new place, there's a nice barn with several horses, who stick their noses over the fence to be petted. Guess where I'll be every day??

Toys for the Equine

I've always felt sorry for horses that have to stand in a stall all day. Equines are much happier, I think, when they can get outside and "be a horse." To graze and roll and run, and do all those things horses naturally do, makes for a much happier and well-adjusted animal, in my opinion.

But not all of us have access to large pastures for our animals. Even if you keep one in a small paddock, though, there are things you might provide them with to alleviate boredom.

Here are a few: (You might notice that these models are actually *cough* donkeys. I used what was readily available, but hey - they're in the same family.)

Numero Uno requirement for equine happiness - the favorite rolling spot:

Because what equine doesn't feel better when they're covered in dirt?

Mr. Chocolate

And if you have any means at all of providing your horses with a hill in their corral, it will provide hours of entertainment and exercise as they go up the hill:

And down the hill:

We also have a large stump in the paddock, and it works well as a scratching post.

Of course there's always the ubiquitous horse ball:

Chester and Beau

And the orange cone:

What toys do your equines have?

Blunders and Near-Wrecks

When I was a young teen and knew no better, I walked right up behind a mare and she kicked me in the chest - hard enough to leave a hoof print on my shirt. I stood in the corral for a few minutes with the wind knocked out of me, not truly cognizant of the fact I had been inches away from broken ribs or a severe head injury. But it truly scared me, and I learned my lesson (the hard way) never to walk up behind a horse without speaking to it, and never from directly behind, in the horse's blind spot.

Now, when I'm teaching young people proper manners around horses (don't run and no sudden movements, keep your voices calm and steady, stay in close with your hand on their rump when you walk behind them, these are large animals and they can hurt you) I sound like a stern old fraidy-cat. In fact, my daughter used to chide me, "Mom, you have too many rules." But anyone who has been around horses for very long will get hurt at some point, and the rules come from not wishing those wrecks on other people.

But even after many years around horses, some of us who do know the rules make tiny mistakes that often cause a wreck, or a near-wreck. You know, those  moments when you think - Man, that could have been bad.

When I was in my twenties, and I'd had horses for a long time at this point, I was holding my saddled mare outside on the lawn. I needed to run inside for a moment (just a moment, right?) to grab something. I've long since forgotten what it was that was so important, but there was no good place to tie my mare. (Yes, we all know the rules, right?) Always tie to something sturdy that the horse can't break, always tie high enough they can't get a leg over it, always tie short . . . well, knowing all this, and knowing that young women can be in a hurry to go riding, and knowing I had a good mare that never panicked, I tied her (just momentarily mind you) to the ring on the propane tank!

Of course I wasn't worried, because this was a good mare that never did anything wrong, so when I came back out with whatever it is that I grabbed, the mare had taken two steps backward and the propane tank was moving! I cannot tell you how many bad movie scenarios played through my mind in the next few seconds. All I know is that I walked quickly (with no sudden movements LOL) over to my mare, mumbling every soothing word I knew and quickly untied her. Whew! Disaster averted. Then I hit myself up the side of the head about seventeen thousand times, saying Stupid, stupid stupid! What was I thinking?? Well, obviously, I wasn't.

Fast forward many years later - to the present. Lots of caution used, many wrecks avoided, and now I have two sweet, charming donkeys in my barnyard, who never do anything wrong. On a pouring rain day (and I mean pouring buckets) I decide to brush the little darlings in their large stall. While I'm in there, I decide to dust them for lice. The lice powder is outside on a shelf in the aisleway. I go out the gate, close it briefly behind me, but I don't chain it because I am only five steps away from the shelf with the lice powder. (Are you catching my drift?) In those five steps, Mr. Big (named for his attitude, not his size) decides he is bored from the long days of rainy weather, and he should push open the gate and run outside. And he does!! (The little stinker.) Well, of course he's only going to go eat grass at the edge of the driveway, so I close and chain the stall door (so Mr. Chocolate won't get out) grab a halter off the peg, and walk out in the rain to catch sweet Mr. Big. No problem - not a big deal, right? Donkeys, like horses, are herd animals, and Mr. Big will not leave his buddy, Mr. Chocolate.

But Mr. Big decides he is really bored, and will dart down the driveway to see what is there. And what is there is a busy road where people drive 50 miles an hour. I madly dash through the rain back into the house, grab my car keys and prepare to follow Mr. Big up the road, and perhaps cut him off at the proverbial pass. But Mr. Big, thank God, decides it's too big a world out there and comes rushing back on his own. He trots right past me, going back up the drive-way, and I quick-like park my rig sideways, jump out and flail my arms at him. (At this point I am sopping wet, and I'm calling him a few choice names, also.)

Mr. Big allowed me to catch him after about ten minutes. I do not want to to say how wet we both are, or how big of a wreck that could have been, or what a squished donkey on the road out front might have looked like. I was so mad at Mr. Big I almost forgot to think - Why hadn't I latched the %$#*& gate?? But I DO NOT walk through that gate anymore without latching it behind me.

Ever had any Blunders, Wrecks, or Near-Wrecks that were actually Your Fault??

Boys Will Be Boys

Several of you have been asking about my new donkeys, Mr. Chocolate and Mr. Big, so I thought I'd send some pictures.

These are two of the sweetest donkeys I have owned (and I raised donkeys for a number of years, so I've had lots.) They are very gentle with people, and even our new pup, Penny (below.) Notice that they haven't shed out yet?

In the Northwest, donkeys usually don't shed all their hair until July, and then start hairing up again in August. This year, they are slower than usual to shed out, because we've had a very cool Spring and Summer, and in fact, it's still cloudy and cool in late June.

But when "the boys" start playing together, wow, do they play rough. They bite and rear and act like they're trying out for a nature show - "Wild Donkeys of the Cascades."

I have mostly owned jennies, so having two donkey geldings together is a new experience for me. Mr. Chocolate was a jack when I got him, but I had him gelded back in February, and I thought by now we should be done with this kind of behaviour.

They play rough, too, and I doctor them almost daily for bites on their neck. They also play tug-a-war with the ball in the background, and chase each other around and around. And around and around.

I have even thought of separating the two of them, but they've been together as best friends for about five years, so I have finally decided that . . .

boys will be boys. *Sigh*

Top Ten Reasons for Owning a Donkey

We have two new donkeys in our barn, and they fill me with joy. Let me introduce you to them.

This is Mr. Chocolate:

And the one below is Mr. Big:

Last year, when we had to put my old horse and my dear jenny, Josie down within a month of each other, I thought my sadness would never end. We had no animals at all in our barn for several months, but soon it was winter, and when the temperature dropped to eleven degrees, I had to admit it was nice not to drag on fifteen layers of clothes to go outside and feed each morning.


But my heart was broken, and I moped around the house depressed for months. Practically my entire life has been built around the morning and evening schedule of feeding livestock. It lent a certain rhythm to my days, and gave purpose to my life. So without animals in the barn something was deeply missing.


Out of old habit, I searched through online postings for horses and donkeys needing a home, but the truth is, I'm getting almost too damned old to ride, and with health and back problems plaguing me, the responsibility of a new horse was more than I wanted. Then I heard about two donkeys looking for a new home. Just right, I thought, and so Mr. Chocolate and Mr. Big were delivered to me, and with lots of hugs and tears and smiles, became my new boys.



These donkeys were both rescues at one time - Mr. Chocolate from an auction with long slipper feet, and Mr. Big from a pasture where no one wanted him. But they have been taken care of (with a lot of love) for several years by a caring woman who now passed them on to me.


As the rain lets up and we have the occasionally sunny day here in the Pacific Northwest, we are working on training. Mr. Big is very sure of himself (named for his attitude, not his size.) Mr. Chocolate is a bit shy and extremely bonded to his little friend, Mr. Big. Mr. Chocolate still needs a lot of work on leading, but is gaining confidence daily.


The donkeys and I are bonding, and my heart is full again. They are like big furry puppy dogs in the pasture - full of love and sweet equine kisses and brays.

So I will now share my

TOP TEN REASONS FOR OWNING A DONKEY.

10) You have a little pasture, and you need something to put in it.

9) You are too old, or too stove-up to ride anymore, but you still like to feed.

8) You love horses, but you want another equine mind to figure out.

7) You need a companion, or your horse, cow, sheep, llama, or goat needs one.

6) Compared to horses, donkeys are really low maintenance.

5) Your donkey is always happy to see you.

4) Donkeys are teachers - they teach you how to be patient and kind.

3) Donkeys make you laugh, and laughter is good for the soul.

2) That wonderful sound they make, which endears you to all of your neighbors: Hee haw.

1) Those ears, those ears, have you ever see ears like that?

Donkeys in the Barnyard

Would it seem wrong in a blog such as this to admit that I love donkeys more than horses? Okay, I won't go that far, but let's just say that I love them both and for different qualities. And after owning and raising both donkeys and horses for quite a number of years, lets just say that I love Donkeys enough to devote an entire post to extolling their virtues, and their worth around the barnyard. So here goes:

1. Donkeys are funny. Their oversized ears, their comical bray, and their crazy antics around the barnyard will bring a smile to your face. And who doesn't need a little humor in their life?




2. They are downright adorable. Ever seen a donkey baby, with the fuzzy forehead that they keep for the first two years of their life? Trust me, there is nothing cuter.

3. They are calm. Donkeys don't let very much upset them, which makes them an ideal companion for horses. While your horse might go winging around the paddock in an all out flight response, the donkey will be walking behind slowly, as if saying "hey, buddy, what's the problem here?" For this reason, they are wonderful to turn in with young or highstrung horses, or any horse that doesn't like to be left by itself. They are great partners for a horse that is low on the totem pole and not getting enough to eat, because almost any horse will lord it over a donkey, and become top dog again. And with time, after the initial newness wears off, they can even become best buddies.

4. Donkeys are easy to keep. They seem to have more of an innate sense of self-preservation than horses do, and rarely hurt themselves. They get the same shots, the same hoof trimming, and they do best on plain grass hay without anything rich in their diet.

5. Donkeys are smart. (And I dare say smarter than horses, if you all won't hate me for it.) If you show them something once, they generally learn it. And they won't forget it, unlike a horse which normally needs constant repetition to learn. They are a bit different in their learning process (which is a whole nother blog post) and require lots of love and patience, but what human doesn't need to become more kind and patient? At any rate, having a donkey around causes no guilt, because (unlike a horse) you don't feel like you need to constantly ride it and train it.

So there you have five reasons for keeping a donkey around the barnyard. They do really fit in quite well with horses, and if you ever own one, you'll quite possibly be hooked for life.

Have you owned a donkey? Ever kept one as a companion to horses? What was your experience?

The Grazing Muzzle, or Why My Donkey Hates Me

Have any of you ever used a grazing muzzle on your horse, donkey, or pony?

I recently bought one for my donkey, Josie. She is the sweetest donkey in the entire world, pushing twenty years old, and I’ve owned her for nine years. I love her to pieces.

Last year, Josie suffered an unexpected bout of laminitis. Her pain and lameness were so severe, and continued for so long, that we even considered putting her down. But after several months of treatment, she very gradually got better, and is now (hallelujah) moving soundly. She was even playfully galloping around the pasture the other day.

Josie has always been on a grass hay and pasture diet, but I am assuming the laminitis was caused from years of having free access to pasture (which never seemed to give her any problems before.) The timing of the laminitis issue was puzzling, though, because her symptoms appeared at the end of a long hot summer, when all of our grass was dried up. But since lush pasture is the most common cause of founder/laminitis, I’m determined not to ever let it happen again, if there is anything I can possibly do about it.

So I am practicing tough love. At the beginning of March, (about a month earlier than predicted due to an early spring here in the Northwest) we fenced Josie off the pasture and built her a nice size corral, still with access to the barn. Here she will live (eating only grass hay) until the pasture becomes less lush and dangerous for the year, maybe around the end of June or possibly July. And I bought her a grazing muzzle, (which should only allow her to eat tiny amounts of grass) so that she can be turned out in the pasture from time to time, for exercise and access to her favorite rolling spots and a little social time with her buddy, my horse. Sounds like an ideal arrangement to me (but of course not to Josie.)

The instructions for the grazing muzzle say it should have one to two fingers of clearance all around the muzzle area, and be adjusted so there is a ½ to 1 inch space at the bottom. It appears to fit her well. Supposedly, she will learn to eat small amounts with it, grabbed through the small hole in the rubber bottom.

But here’s what happens when I fasten the grazing muzzle on Josie. She just stands there and stares at me with those big soulful eyes. She looks at me like I have rocks in my head. As if, why (since I love her) would I subject her to this weird form of bondage/torture device? Then she begins breathing heavily – a sound somewhere between Darth Vader and a dying rhinoceros.

I ignore Josie’s complaints and shoo her into the pasture. She puts her head down a little as if to graze, but can’t seem to figure out what to do. She ends up just standing in one place looking miserable, until after awhile I go and bring her back into her corral, where I can take the grazing muzzle off. I have been attempting this routine for about a week, leaving this contraption on for gradually longer and longer periods of up to almost two hours, and it doesn’t appear as if we are making any headway. Maybe she will just have to stay in the corral by herself after all, unless I take her out for a walk.

So my question for you, dear readers, is this: have any of you used a grazing muzzle successfully? (Or unsuccessfully?) How long did it take before your animal figured it out? I am trying so hard to do the right thing for this animal that I love, but I’m not sure if this method is working.

Also, a reminder - there is still time to enter two different contests for horse books over at my other blog www.lindabenson.blogspot.com/ Look for the posts dated Feb. 26th and March 1st.

Thanks in advance for your comments and/or advice on this grazing muzzle dilemma!