What is a Donkey?
Donkeys, zebras and mules all differ somewhat from horses in conformation.
The most noticeable difference is of course the ears. Donkeys ears are MUCH
longer in proportion to their size than a horse's. The necks are
characteristically straighter in the longears, and most donkeys and all zebras
lack a true wither. The croup and rump are also a different shape in the donkey
and it's hybrids, lacking the double-curve muscled haunch. The back is
straighter due to the lack of withers. Dipped loins or severely swayed
backs are a conformation fault, unless in old animals or brood jennies who have
produced many foals, and not due to genetic factors.
The mane and tail in the donkey are coarse. The mane is stiff and upright,
rarely laying over and the tail is more like a cow's, covered with short body
hair for most of the length, and ending in a tasseled switch. Donkeys do not
have a true forelock, although sometimes the mane grows long enough to comb down
between the ears toward the eyes. Because the mane is stiff and sometimes
flyaway, many donkeys, especially show stock, wear their manes clipped short or
shaved close to the neck.
Hoof shape varies as well, donkey hooves are smaller and rounder, with more
upright pasterns. The legs should have good bone, but many donkeys of common
breeding may appear to have long thin legs with tiny feet. Larger Asses such as
the Poitou or
Andalusian types may appear opposite, with huge, heavy shaggy legs and large
round feet. Good legs and feet are essential for breeding Mules, as a good foot
is much preferable to a large body on tiny stick legs and feet.
The vocal qualities are the frequently remembered differences in the long-ears.
The donkey's voice is a raspy, brassy Bray, the characteristic Aw-EE, Aw-EE
sound. Jacks especially seem enjoy braying, and will "sound off" at
any opportunity.
Although many donkeys are the familiar gray-dun color, there are many other coat
shades. Most donkeys, regardless of coat color, will have dorsal stripes and
shoulder crosses, dark ear marks, as well as the "light Points" -
white muzzle and eye rings, and white belly and inner leg. Leg barring
("garters" or "zebra stripes") may be present as well. Small
dark spots right at the throatlatch, called "collar buttons" are a
good identifying marking and occur occasionally. These typical donkey markings
may be passed on in part or whole to Mule or Hinny offspring.
Colors in the donkey range from the gray shades of Slate Gray (Gray-dun)
to brown, a rare bay (though not as red-toned as in horses) , black, light-faced
roan (both red and gray), variants of sorrel, the blue-eyed Ivory (also called
cream or white-phase), Frosted/spotted White, and a unique Spotted pattern.
True horse pinto, horse aging gray, horse appaloosa, palomino and buckskin do
not occur in the donkey.
The more unusual colors are the Dappled Roan, where the face and legs are light
and the body is marked with "reverse" dapples (dark spots on a light
background, as opposed to the horse dapple where the dapples themselves are
light on dark), frosted gray (with light faces and legs and some white hairs in
the coat) the pink-skinned, blue-eyed Ivory white, and the frosted spotted
white. The frosted spotted is an apparent combination of a graying or roan with
the spotted pattern, and can throw either more FSW, spotted, or frosty
roan colts. The animals are best defined as a spotted animal where the skin is
spotted but the color does not necessarily show through on the coat (it has
roaned or "grayed"; out) . Frosted spotted white (FSW) can be
identified from Ivory white by checking the skin around the eyes and muzzle.
Ivory (creams) will have blue eyes and true pink skin, while FSW will have
dark eyes, dark "eyeliner" and dark spotting on the skin.
Another unusual variant of the spotting line is the "tyger spot"
pattern. These donkeys vary from the typical large spots over the ears, eyes,
and topline. The body will be covered with small round spots resembling the
appaloosa type.
Donkeys come in a variety of sizes from the Miniature
Mediterranean (under 36 inches) to the elegant Mammoth Jackstock (14
hands and up ). The rare French Poitou donkey, characterized by it's huge head and ears, and very thick, shaggy,
curled black coat, can stand 14 to 15 hand high. (There are estimated to be
about 400 purebred Poitous left in the world today.)
The types of donkeys are labeled by their sizes; 36" and under, Miniature
Mediterranean, 36.01-48", Standard, 48.01" to 54" (jennets) or
56"; (jacks), Large Standard, and 54/56" and over, Mammoth Stock.
There are no real populations of BREEDS of donkeys left, such as the Catalonian,
Majorcan, or Andalusian. Modern donkeys can strongly resemble these
ancestral breeds in TYPE, but are not classified as those breeds unless they
have traceable pure-bred pedigrees to those lines.
Donkeys can be used just like horses under saddle and in harness, although
donkey are more laid back and self-preserving in nature. They prefer to do what
is good for the donkey, which is not always what the human thinks is best
(especially when it comes to getting their feet wet...). They are very friendly,
and their nature makes them excellent for children. Donkeys can perform all the
gaits horses or mules do (yes, some are even "gaited", exhibiting a
single-foot gait), but galloping is usually not on the program unless dinner is
being served.
Donkeys can also make wonderful guard animals - the right donkey gelding
or jennet will take care of an entire herd of cattle, sheep or goats - the
natural aversion to predators will inspire the donkey to severely
discourage any canine attacks on the herd. Dogs and donkeys usually don't mix,
although they can be trained to leave the house or farm dog alone!
Feeding Your Donkeys
Donkeys characteristically get by on less food than a horse of similar size, and
need a lower protein content in their feed. Good grass hay and pasture is
usually all a donkey needs. If grained, the protein should preferably be
lower than 12%. Donkeys can founder on rich food such as alfalfa and lush
spring grass. A fat donkey will develop a "roll"; on the
neck, pones of fat on the barrel and over the hips that are quite unsightly.
Once there, these are usually with the donkey for life. If the neck roll
of fat gets too heavy, it will fall or "break over" to one side and
never come upright again! Beware overfeeding these hearty creatures!
Your donkey should receive the same hoof care, worming and vaccinations that
horses receive. Although some basic research has been done in independent
studies on the results of vaccinations in donkeys, there is not enough
conclusive proof to show that regular horse medicines, wormers and vaccinations
are not effective in donkeys.
The hoof of the donkey is a little more round and upright than that of the
horse, although individual hoof shape may vary greatly. Many farriers are
nervous about working on donkeys - thinking the hooves are vastly different, or
that donkeys are too stubborn and will kick - but a well-trained donkey can be
just as easy to trim as any horse. Most donkeys don't need shoes -
but if they do lots of work on hard surfaces, they might be needed.
Regular trims to keep the hoof in shape are usually all that is needed.
The ADMS has a hoof packet available ($2 ppd) that can help farriers with
their first donkey trims.
FAQ
Donkeys bred to donkeys produced DONKEYS. Donkey, Burro, Ass, jackass,
jennet, Miniature Donkey, Mammoth, Jackstock, standard, Mexican Burro - they are
all terms for Donkeys.
A male donkey (Jack) bred to a female horse produces a MULE. Mules can be
either male or female.
A male horse (stallion) bred to a female donkey (jennet) produces a HINNY.
Hinnies can be either male or female.
American
Donkey Association
Flop-Eared Mule
