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Demented Donkey Dame
ParticipantRobert, I have a picture of a Side Backer Harness for you. It has the side backer straps running from the breeching D Ring to a front jockey yoke. This harness does not need quarter straps, breast and pole straps. I think this is a lot like the New England D Ring Harness in some aspects, just has extra side straps. Will bring pictures on our next donkey driving playday.
ParticipantI am thinking if a person added a back band, which seems to be missing, with a single driving hook up that includes shaft loops, shaft bearers with snap and belly band like what you would use to convert a team harness to a single harness it might work for her, if it could be tied into the side rings. I am just not sure if this would work with this syle of what I would call a New England D Ring Harness. Also she would need to add a set of holdback straps to the breeching rings. Has anyone tried to use this type of a harness to pull a cart with?
ParticipantOurs is in bloom but looking a bit on the sick side. We thought it was because of the unusal amount of rain we have been having. Keeping our fingers crossed the crops pull out and survive. Not looking good right now with fresh snow on the mountain side and still five feet on top and way to much rain on the prairie.
ParticipantThank you for doing this. It even has an update on a local small town rodeo here in Idaho.
ParticipantHey Robert that was a really important part of our playing with the donks. I’m still healing from the little road rash… when I hollered WHOAAAAAA, they stopped and I kept going till I hit the ground. LOL! Glad we weren’t hitched to that evener! Couldn’t have done it that day without your help…thanks!
ParticipantGeoff, yes I sure am! Do not have a forecart or any farming equipt but I have been wanting to give it a go for a long time now.
ParticipantHey Dave, next time you get up this way to float the Salmon River let me know! We used to show at Hells Canyon Mule Days also. Loved the photos. I use to have horse friends in Kuna. Thanks for the shout out!
ParticipantLove this story!! I had the same thing at the Montana State Fair. Wheelchairs, baby strollers, walkers, skateboards, scooters and people packed shoulder to shoulder. My boys were wonderful, I had hames bells on both of them but found folks could not hear them. Had an older gentleman who would stand next to them so he could hear the bells. Donkeys do wonderful in large crowds and are also just like the last time you drove them. I just restarted one that was driven 15 times 1.5 years ago, he was perfect!
ParticipantRod44, at three years old these girls are still babies! At 15 hhs they will grow till about 8 or 9 years old so they have a long way to go. They did wonderful! The huge 20-30-40 horse hitches that harvested grain in the Palouse Country of Idaho used donkeys as their pace setters. A donkey will go all day at a steady pace so the girls did not surprise me that way. Makes me wanna go hitch my teams to a plow and play!
ParticipantCharly, Thank You! 😀
ParticipantLane, you won’t find round penning a donkey very successful. A little round pen goes a long ways. Donkeys need a purpose and they’ll soon figure out going in circles serves no purpose. I start out with basic ground training, add the harness and begin ground driving. Pull objects, my favorite is metal eveners on gravel once they are use to having them pulled all around them before hitching them to the eveners. Attach a tire and really if everything is going well you are ready to hitch. We like to hitch to a been there done it mule, horse or donkey and let them learn to work as a team. I started a donkey in May and did a refresher on one that had been driven. I posted their progress to a blog at http://www.2011teamdonk.wordpress.com You may want to check it out. Here’s the best way to describe working with a donkey:
You tell a horse what to do,
You ask a mule and
you negotiate with a donkey! Good Luck!- AuthorPosts