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Once we found Cooper a new home, Eeyore and Sabrina were pals. Of course, then when I'd take Sabrina out, Eeyore would panic. Naturally, we had to get another donkey - Clementine. Eeyore is a small standard donkey - 10 hands tall (his back comes up about to my hip). He isn't big enough for adults to ride (and he isn't trained), so he is a pet, companion, and lawnmower. Eeyore's so cute, friendly, and smart! But what a punk! He used to nip, pull hair, shove people around... He isn't mean, just bratty. He'll throw a kick "in your direction" just to make a point, but if he meant to connect, he would - and he hasn't yet. But Eeyore's manners have improved by leaps and bounds since we got him. I've been doing a lot of clicker training with him, working on walking nicely (not pulling, shoving, or running away), and on letting me halter him (without having to get him in a head lock), and on picking up his feet to let me clean them, and so the farrier (horse shoer) can work on him. He's making terrific progress after only a few lessons (got through his recent hoof trimming without a rodeo, even). We hope that someday we will be able to take him for hikes, or let him pack lunch on trail rides. He needs more training before I'd feel safe taking him out though. He tends to freak out if he's confused, and if he loses sight of Sabrina there is nothing you can do to calm him down (or even hang on to the lead rope). Fortunately, he seems quite happy in their large pen, with the lawn for getting out and grazing a bit.
Eeyore enjoying a snack of watermelon on a hot August night in 1999
Donkey TalkDonkeys can be quite loud when they are hungry. lonely, bored, afraid... did I say hungry?. When you have a donkey you don't need an alarm clock! Michael captured these recordings at breakfast time on July 25, 1998, shortly after Eeyore came to live with us. Click on the images below to hear what Eeyore does every morning, at 5:30AM (be sure your sound is turned up!):
Eeyore's Photo Album
This is when we first met Eeyore, at the Humane Society.
Eeyore is really sweet, and likes attention. You have to be careful he doesn't pop his nose up and whack you in the chin, but he loves having his face petted.
Most donkeys love to have their ears rubbed! The stretched-out neck, half-closed eyes, and drooping lower lips are signs of a blissed-out donkey.
Grazing on the lawn. We haven't had to mow the backyard in ages.
Here's a typical day in ChickChick's life - scratching for bugs in the horse pen. She's up at dawn, and busy until just before sunset, when she flies up into a tree to roost. This is what the phrase "to get someone's hackles up" is talking about. The hackles are the long neck feathers. This is also what you see just before you get attacked for threatening to steal an egg. Eeyore, on alert! A worried look. Hoping for treats. Isn't he cute? |
Michael found Eeyore in an ad for adoption from the Large Animal Facility of the San Diego Humane Society and suggested we get him to keep Cooper company when I took Sabrina out for a ride. He and Cooper became great buddies, in that they could share their mutual panic when Sabrina went out. Actually, Eeyore did help to calm Cooper down quite a lot. 
