A very versatile, cute and stubborn creature- the Donkey

Donkeys can be a huge asset to a ranch. From acting as a guard animal for a herd of cow/calf pairs, to a companion animal for a fidgety horse, donkeys serve many purposes.

Years ago, we even used donkeys for team sorting competitions.

We have used donkeys many times to train colts to lead. A young colt can be stubborn, but not as stubborn as a donkey!

We’ve created a little saddle contraption to harness to the donkey. This way the rope stays put and the chance of stress or injury is decreased.

The donkey moves and the colt has to follow. Think of it similarly to a human attempting to lead a horse. If the horse stops and won’t follow, you can pull and pull. This sometimes leads to the horse backing or rearing, or even taking off- pulling the human along.

Using a donkey alleviates this risk. The horse may still stop and even attempt to go backwards or sideways, but the donkey will hold his ground. A few times of this and the colt quickly learns that it is just easier to follow along and not worth the struggle.

Does all of this sound fun or useful?

Don’t forget the added bonus: they are pretty cute to look at and sweet to have around.

Donkeys are a versatile addition to any operation and they are fairly affordable also. Maybe it is time you add donkeys to your acreage, farm or ranch.