Taking Care of your Donkey

Donkeys need a good quality diet to stay healthy; it should consist of hay and barley straw. You can feed barley straw freely to your donkey but hay should be limited so they don't become overweight. During the winter when there is little grazing you need to supplement their diet to make sure they are getting everything they need. Pregnant and nursing Jennys and their foals need additional feed to ensure their nutritional needs are being met. As a specialist equine insurance company Animal Friends understands the importance of good donkey and horse care advice.

Donkeys, horses and ponies need fresh clean water that is available at all times. In the winter you want to make sure their water does not become frozen. They should also have a salt block available to them. You should not try to hand feed treats to your donkey like you would a horse. Donkeys are never satisfied with one treat and might think your fingers and hands are treats. You can give them treats but always put them in their feed bucket.

Your donkey will need shelter that they can easily go into and get out of by themselves. You don't have to stable them at night as long as they have shelter. You should clean your donkey's hooves daily. They should be picked out at least once a day. Their hooves require trimming several times a year. They should also have their teeth checked annually.

Your donkey will also need to be vaccinated against Equine Influenza yearly and have a Tetanus shot every other year. You can ask your vet about types of equine vaccinations and when your donkey should have them. Your donkey will need to be protected against flies when they are in season.

Donkeys enjoy being groomed, especially because they like the attention. You should groom them daily in the spring and summer to remove their winter coat and to keep them cooler. In the winter months you don't want to groom them as often because they need their winter coat to stay warm.

A well cared for donkey makes a good companion and will give you hours of enjoyment for many years to come.

Do you have any advice for our readers on keeping their horse or donkey entertained in their stable? Animal Friends Equine Insurance would love to hear what you have to say. Please post your comments below if you would like to share your opinions with other members of our Horse Community. Thank you and enjoy the blogs!