# Shaving



## crackerjackjack (Jun 25, 2008)

What is everyones opinion on shaving donkeys? I went to a donkey auction this past weekend and all the donkeys were shaved. As a matter of fact, it was a requirement to have your donkey for sale. I talked to a guy from a farm named Gardners Exotics. He had a dark brown wooly donkey that he had to shave for the sale. I saw this jenny in the catalogue and her wooly hair is what got my attention. I was so disappointed that all that hair was gone. Her owner was also very upset, he said that he is never doing that again and that it will take her two years to grow that hair back.

My little Crackerjack had rain scald and lost most of his hair in January so all winter he wore a blanket. He now has all his hair back, but it took it a while to grow back in. I think that they look good with their coats. I will admit that they do look really nice all shaved and shinned up, but why shave them. Our state fair is in mid August and winter is right around the corner, I would hate to have those poor little guys bald for winter.

Why do so many activities make it mandatory that they be shaved? Can't a donkey also be judged on his coat like a dog can? What is everyones opinion? This is only my opinion and I hope that I did not offend anyone. I would like to take my donks to the fair this year, but I don't want to shave them.


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## TN Belle (Jun 25, 2008)

I like to "cool clip" mine cause he just won't lose his hair, it's in the 90's here and is just starting to really blow his coat while my mini horse is slick. I clip their head, necks, and chest and some of the logest hair down his back to help keep him cool. If I don't help, he gets wet in his chest and face from fly masks and sweat. By the time his real coat all comes off, his shaved hair is growing back and even after two years of this routine, it all grows back evenly and thick come winter time. I am in Tennessee, so we have alot of humidity to deal with and he even has a shade tree too. Of course, all of those famous dirt baths seem to slide off the shaved area, keeping him clean, while his back half can get matted up just like he loves.







Here he is getting his clip, just to his cross markings.






Here he is au natural with all of the thick hair.

These were taken on the same day, a before and after.

I have been to many shows and they are so handsome clipped, it it so hard to believe that beautiful animal is under that coat. I don't show, so I have never fully shaved him. It grows back, I promise. To each his own I guess.


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## minimule (Jun 26, 2008)

I shave Kilroy every year. Our only shows here are in Aug. and Sept. but I don't shave him again for those. The shows we've attended shaving is optional. They do look better shaved but the judges we've had don't seem to mind if they aren't clipped.


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## GlacierRidge (Jun 27, 2008)

I only got my donkeys last summer, but I clipped them then, and just started clipping now. I got them in July last year, and the older one especially still had quite a bit of long hair and seemed quite hot. As did she this year already. They don't seem to shed out like my mini horses do. So I clip them. Not only that, they sure look nice all clipped up! Once they're clipped, I really start applying the fly spray regularly, because I think the extra hair seems to help provide some protection from the biting flies. I don't clip the hair on their ears or lower legs to help protect from bugs. But everything else comes off! And after last year, they still got huge wooly coats for our Wisconsin winter!

Angie


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## Emily's mom (Jun 27, 2008)

I much perfer the winter coats! I do not clip, and it took them a long time to shed out compared to the horse. They had about a month or so before the winter woolies started to grow. We've had some really warm days already, I guess in the wild they sought shelter......they have lots of water and shelter if they so desire


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## tifflunn (Jun 30, 2008)

I clip Hershey- more out of his need for attention as he sits there and watches me clip everyone else for days and knows when I am done everyone else so he then pouts and is miserable until he gets done- pretty funny- he did grow back a nice winter coat last year.


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