MeadowRidge Farm
Well-Known Member
I mentioned in a post about starting a topic on training and tips with donkeys. So, lets hear what works and dont work for you.
Training Tip #1~ TRUST, oh yeah...we have to start out with the basic.
All donkeys need to earn your trust. Once they have your complete trust you will find out that training will go so much smoother and faster. Always keep your hands low when you are working with donkeys, if you raise your hands above there wither area..you will be coming across as aggressive to them. They will fight you so much more in the training. You will have to prove to your donkey you have all the time in the world..you will never LOSE YOUR TEMPER, OR GIVE UP. (wow~ that was so easy to type those words, but actually dong it will be a good test of your patience
and there will be days you want to scream! ) Donkeys will test you every step of the way to see if you really are in control of yourself when you first start, and how and what you will do, that is why it is so important to never lose your temper or give up. If you do it will make the training process of a donkey be that much harder. If there are really getting to you...just go and tie them up for littlebit and relax, rethink what your doing and go back. Donkeys will know when they have you upset, and then they will test you that much more. Donkeys do not have the same responses as a horse does. They need to know what your asking them to do will NEVER EVER hurt them. Once they learn it they have it downpat..they also dont have the flight response as a horse does. Start out with short lessons and make them fun, always end on a positive note. I dont give treats while I am working with them. (not until I am done with there lesson and they are back in the dry lot)I am sure you all know OH!
that you only have a 3 second response to react to your donkey if he has done a NO NO. (kick, bite or run you down
) A good stern voice ...really meaning it ~~is usually enough. I also dont use a nylon web halter, (the flat web kind) for some reason it must be too easy on donkeys mine dont respond good with them. I use a rope halter with knots on it, (Only for training otherwise mine dont wear a halter) That has made alot of differance with some of my harder to work with donks. Just take everything in tiny baby steps and you will have a well trained donkey. DONT use a poll rope if you have no experience with one..they can kill a donkey. All you seasoned donkey/mule/hinny owners lets keep adding our training tips to this to help out the new ones on here who are having problems.
Corinne
Training Tip #1~ TRUST, oh yeah...we have to start out with the basic.
Corinne
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