# help



## yellerroseintx (Jan 7, 2008)

hello...we finally found our new girls and brought them home last night. I know it will take a few days or so for them to settle in and find out this is going to be a great place to live




but, although very sweet and gentle..their leading skills are closer to zero. Was quite a workout just getting them in their corral-bless their hearts. Any advice on how to approach this with donkeys would be GREATLY appreciated!!!!!!! My horse tactics fell flat





forgot to add they are 95 and 98 models


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## FlatCreekFarm (Jan 7, 2008)

Congrats on the new members of your family



I'll bet after your new girls are settled in, there will be MUCH more cooperation





Oh, and of course we'd love to see pictures of your 95 and 98 models


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## MeadowRidge Farm (Jan 7, 2008)

horse tactics always seem to fall flat when working with donkeys



. Do they stand still when tied? If not your going to have to begin there, YUP--right at square one. Dont put them in a cross tie for this, use a really sturdy post. Once they stand tied, you can stand off to the side of your donkey and gently pull on the halter rope, ALWAYS keep your hands below there shoulder level, (or you'll come across as being aggressive and get no place



) as soon as there heads start to turn release the rope pressure, the faster you release the pressure the faster they will learn what the heck is expected of them.



just keep repeating this until you actually get a step...and then two, ( there weight will be shifting, so they will be forced to take a step, just remember to keep releasing any pressure) in the meantime you are actually working the donkey in a small circle but he dont have a clue about that



. Donkeys have a great memory, so dont ever be forceful or mean, it takes time to train a donkey, but once they learn it they have it down pat for life. ALot of times people just give up thinking the donkey is stubborn...they are not stubborn at all, they just have to be 100% sure of what you want and then 100% sure about doing it.



You'll have fun working with you donks but it does take alot of patience. If you have any questions email me. BTY~~~ PICTURES??????? Corinne


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## yellerroseintx (Jan 7, 2008)

yes..they are very polite..easy to approach and do stand tied.....they just don't wanna move hee hee or I should say hee haaaaw... here are my girls they come in a plain ole gray wrapper but we have waited soooo long to find just the right ones..so happy



I would like you to meet

Hooten Hollers Ginny 35" (darker head)

and

Hooten Hollers Lucy 35"..will have to measure as she seems a bit shorter


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## Bunnylady (Jan 7, 2008)

[/u]



MeadowRidge Farm said:


> they just have to be 100% sure of what you want and then 100% sure about doing it.


Boy, Corinne sure got that right! Especially the last part.





When Betsy (probable '97 hybrid model) wants to, she leads light as a feather.

when she doesn't . . . .

I have two tactics when I am sure that what I'm dealing with is a simple case of "I don't wanna." The first is as Corinne described, the sideways pull. Betsy and I go zigzagging down the road, staggering like a pair of drunks in slow motion.





I have also looped the lead behind her back legs and (gently) pulled/pushed her forward, as you would when training a foal to lead.

After a few attempts to lock up and me cheerfully encouraging her forward, she usually gives up in exasperation and comes along, not necessarily peacefully!

If, on the other hand, I believe something just doesn't look right to her, I just wait while she takes a good long look. When she's ready, she comes! She had a reputation for being difficult to load, but we managed to get her into a step-up trailer(twice!) by loading her buddy first and just waiting. If I had tried to drag her in, I think we'd still be trying! OH!

By the way, Pretty girls!!


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## MeadowRidge Farm (Jan 7, 2008)

Cute girls. They look so much like my Ella and Jenna. Sounds like you have a start at there training, if they stand good for you training to lead should go fast. Corinne


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## Emily's mom (Jan 7, 2008)

Welcome to donkey world, they are beautiful!!


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## iluvwalkers (Jan 7, 2008)

[SIZE=12pt]really cute girls



congrats! Nikki[/SIZE]


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## FlatCreekFarm (Jan 7, 2008)

Ginny & Lucy are gorgeous



Thank you for sharing... such pretty girls



Good luck with the lead work. Actually, I'm going to try some of these tips too. We definitely have room for improvement ~ Gracie, Ruby, and especially ME


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## PaintedPromiseRanch (Jan 8, 2008)

welcome the the donkey forum, Ginny, Lucy and yellowrose...

there was an article in the Brayer about leading your donkeys, what stuck in my head was the diagrams - they had a horse superimposed over a wagon, and a donkey superimposed over a wheelbarrow. something about the way they are built, you cannot PULL a donkey, but you can PUSH them. sometimes if i have one that wants to balk i will dangle a treat in front of her nose LOL. i also push them, not physically, but with noise - mine don't like raspberries <pphhhttt> but that gets old quick, i also make a noise like wwhhsstt and they move away from that.

Corinne is right about them not being stubborn - my standard soapbox when people ask me that question is, they just want to know that what you are asking them isn't going to hurt them, and sometimes it takes them a bit of time to figure it out, and quite often people refuse to give them the time they need. donkeys are not stubborn - PEOPLE ARE IMPATIENT! that said i must admit that there are times when we cannot wait for them, so we have one directing with the lead rope (not pulling, jus tmaking sure they go where we want them to go) and one pushing with noise from behind - or even physically if the noise doesn't work. even if i have to physically force one of mine to go where they don't want to, as soon as they step where i have asked, i release the pressure and praise them a whole bunch!

for instance, it took us almost 20 minutes to walk through the church the first time we practiced Christmas Eve, and it took several bouts of physical pushing. the second the third times we walked right through, no problem, in just a couple of minutes! once they feel safe, it's "been there done that"!

spend a lot of relaxed time with them, loving on them, scratching and talking to them. once they trust you they will more easily follow where you want to lead them


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## crackerjackjack (Jan 9, 2008)

Very beautiful donkeys. They look like our Lily. Good luck with the training. I am going through the same thing right now. My jack will let you do anything. He leads pretty good. But my jenny is another story. It took quite awhile just to get her to let me put the halter on her.

Good luck and keep us posted.

Thanks to everyone who replied, it sure did help me out.

Again, pretty girls.


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## yellerroseintx (Jan 9, 2008)

Thank you all for so many good ideas. You were right..seems like when they relax and finally do something..they are ok. The older one LOVES my 3 year old granddaughter...I tell ya, just WHERE have these two been all my life..i just ADORE them!!!!!!!


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## MeadowRidge Farm (Jan 9, 2008)

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW isnt LOVE great. Cute pic of you grandaughter with her new found loves. Corinne


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## FlatCreekFarm (Jan 9, 2008)

What a sweet picture


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## JumpinJackFarm (Jan 10, 2008)

Such Pretty Girls





I like the pointers too .... I guess I need to be more patient with Abbie and Zepp





they all learn eventually





*the sad thing is ..whenever I lead them they are being lead to "Jane"

LOL...our farrier





Of course they don't like that !


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