Looking for information on donkeys

[Faith Hope]

We are considering buying a couple of donkeys. We have a small farm on 5 acres with sheep, goats, chickens, and turkeys. We have some pasture for the sheep and goats. We also free range them or tether them for part of the time in the summer. My daughters have had a couple of horse riding lessons, and my younger daughter just loves horses and would love to have one, but I don't feel we have enough room to ride a horse on our property and don't have the equipment (or desire) to transport them to places to ride. I would love to have the girls be able to ride something here. Thus my interest in donkeys.

Would donkeys be content on a small amount of acreage? Would they be content to wander around with goats? Also, can we, as inexperienced riders train them to ride and pull a cart ourselves?

Thanks for any advice you can give.

 

[Bunnylady]

Donkeys may or may not get along with goats. Some are fine with them, others, not so much. Mules, being half donkey, have very similar minds. When I got my mini mule, she spent the first 3 days chasing my goats around, and the goats were terrified. Eventually, they learned to tolerate each other, though the mule rules the roost (the funny thing is, I later added a couple of miniature horses. The horses outrank the mule, but they don't dominate the goats like the mule does!)

Most of the donkey people I have talked to agree that when it comes to donkeys, you can take anything you thought you knew about training horses, and just throw it right out the window. Donkeys are very, very different animals from horses. As far as training them yourselves - well, there's a saying, "green plus green equals black and blue." It is really important that at least one of you know what you are doing when it comes to riding, and driving is that x5.

The American Donkey and Mule Society's site is a good place to learn about donkeys and mules:
http://www.lovelongears.com/

 

[promiseacres]

x2 on they are very different than horses. get a semi retired horse they can tool around on, many many many people have horses on 5 acres or less. or a mini horse they can drive or stick with lessons.
We have 1 mini donkey...mostly as a lg for my sheep but hoping to eventually get thru her thick head so she'll be useful in other ways. IDK my sister loves donkeys and mules... and has one of each. I on the other hand will not be getting anymore if this one doesn't work out. Also they are not as hardy as they seem. I personally feel they will sulk themselves to death.... if you find one and it's truly broke and you like him/her then go for it otherwise I'd avoid them, also they tend to be food aggressive and know people who've lost sheep/goats due to them.

 

[taylorm17]

I would agree with the above posts. They can get along with most animals, but can be very protective, which is why some people have them, and can hurt your goats or sheep whatever you have. They can m=also make great companions though. I would also get an older one or close to retired one. x3 to donkeys/mules are much different to horses.