April 28th
Monday afternoon we agreed to take in a owner surrender. 4 mini donkeys (two of which are very obese) living on over 15+ acres of field for several years. Due to unforeseen circumstances they couldn’t care for them and they were unable to give them the attention they needed. They had been allowed to roam free on a HUGE plot of land and if anyone knows anything about minis-is they get fat on air. They have to be kept on a smaller manageable lot. They can develop many issues including equine metabolic syndrome including fat deposits, inability to regulate insulin and laminitis. It literally can and WILL kill them. One problem however-they were almost impossible to catch!
These mini donkeys were very smart but had not been handled often. After several hours the first day we were able to lure 3 into a shelter with feed and treats and use a gate we brought to trap them. The 4th stood from afar, she was too smart for her own good. However we had to take the moment when we had it: one would scare the other to run out of the shelter and as time went on, they were playing Russian roulette picking when and who would go in and out. We knew we were better off catching 3 than one. They obviously hadent seen a halter or a lead in a while, if ever. It took 5 of us to load them into the trailer and they fought the whole way, if only they knew we needed to help them. They were 3 very strong and heavy minis.
We returned the 2nd day with 7 people/volunteers to try and catch the last mini but we spent hours and the field was too large and she knew how to get away at every moment. There was too much space uncovered and no real spot or corner anywhere to properly trap her. The 3rd day we returned with the help of 8 people. Animals like donkeys form strong bonds with each other. She had been alone in this huge field without her bonded friend and we knew it was a possibility she would get depressed and lonely as the days went on and stop eating and drinking. Many people are unaware that donkeys can essentially die of a broken heart. Unfortunately, donkeys are one of the most misunderstood animals. They are often thought of as being expendable, but they have feelings and emotions and love, it’s a real thing. We could not give up on her, we knew we had to help her, and we knew we were running out of options. She would not come near a single person. We had to hire the help of a professional-a real life cowboy-so we could get her the help she needed.
Now all of the herd are together and as happy as can be. They were just scared and unsure, as they haven’t had much interaction and attention in a while and we will work on helping them to trust us and feel safe. They all need to be vetted/ have their teeth floated as they have no idea how long it has been since they have even seen one. We will be working with them to get used to a halter and a lead. The white one has sunburn on the back of her ears and eyes so we will be working on helping her with her skin conditions. More importantly we will be helping them to lose the weight they so desperately need to become healthy again, hopefully before it causes too many problems that are irreversible. Special thanks to Sydney Peyton, Debby Jernigan Hoskin, Tori Besecker, Barbara Dameron and Deshaun Forbes for all your help over the last 3 days!
Please-any monetary donations towards their vetting and care would be very much appreciated so we are able to focus on their health!
Updates on the mini's!
May 22nd
Update on the 4 large minis (Alice, Roo, Jill and Mollie) who were roaming 15+acres! They have now been with us for a little less than a month. We have been working with them on a daily basis to help Mollie and Jill lose weight especially, have all four get used to us, and learn that halters aren’t so bad. They still spook each other from time to time over simple human movements, but for the most part they’ve come leaps and bounds!
From the look of Alice’s hooves, you can tell the lush tall green grass has affected poor Alice the most. A couple days after she got here, it was apparent her hoof wall must be weak as she cracked her hoof and chipped a big piece away. A couple days later it was easily confirmed that she has lived a life of frequent laminitis attacks (inflammation of sensitive layers of tissue inside the hoof most often cause from sugars in grass) which often cause extreme pain and lameness. All we can think of is how much pain and she’s experienced over the past several years as she wondered around the field unnoticed, the height of her head barely reached the height of the grass, slowly causing more and more damage to her hooves. She is currently on a dry lot which will be the best thing for her, and she is slowely feeling less painful. We were able to get a fly mask on her which should be able to help her with some of her sunburn.
Often times people think “oh they have tons of food, more grass than they could dream of!” Never thinking grass could be a bad thing. Ideally the goal is to watch your equines grass intake in the spring when sugar is high, cut it down when needed and keep them at a healthy weight. However, once laminitis happens a couple of times, it's that much easier for it to happen over and over again after. It is a painful and uncomfortable condition when it flares. The hope is to make lifestyle changes that lesson and prevent the flares as much as possible, but sometimes its unavoidable. A equine cannot live without their hooves, literally everything they do is on their feet! The best thing for a mini is to keep them on a smaller lot as they can quickly overeat and have them get plenty of excercise.
June 5th
We have been working with the minis for almost two months now and they have been moving in huge strides! They have lost tons of weight, been practing frequently with halters and leads and their fear of them has dramatically decreased. Originally, the first sight of a halter would send them jetting off in the opposite direction. We have also been trying to teach them to lift their hooves so that it will be easier to repair and treat their white line disease over time. They love to be brushed now and fight over who gets to go first. Alice is still quite hesitant in trying new things but we will continue to work with her and helping her overtime to heal the problems specifically with her hooves, as she has the most issues with them.
When your working with fearful minis, every single new event can be scary, but when you have a wonderful farrier it makes things so much easier. Wild At Heart Hoof Care is so patient and kind and worked carefully teaching them their first hoof trim here doesn’t have to be so frightening. After coaxing them into the shelter Tatum worked slowly with their feet to help calm their fears, always talking to them and treating them gently. We always appreciate the time and care that is taken! We will get there little ones!
Mollie and Roo!
Remember the extremely overweight and unhealthy mini’s loose on 15+ acres completely scared of leads, halters, the vet, farrier, etc.?
We’ve been working hard the past several months to have them lose weight and become healthy again! They have been doing wonderfully and have gained the confidence to trust halters and humans to get them the care they needed! They have learned to absolutely love human connection and want to be brushed and doted on all the time. They have learned to love and ask for affection and give so much love back in return.
Gabrielle came to visit the farm looking for a companion for one of her animals and fell in love as soon as she met them. She officially adopted the bonded pair Mollie and Roo and is over the moon to be able to provide them with their forever home and to ensure they will always get the care they need. We are so happy that they have found each other and are excited for their new future together!
Alice and Jill are still looking for their forever home!