ONKEY DIGEST D The Magazine of the Affiliated Societies of Australia SEPTEMBER 2018

Miss Daisy greets the world while Mum, Luna shows off her new baby.

Registered by Australia Post Print Post Approved PP 100001912 DONKEY DIGEST ISSN 2208• September – 1364 2018 1

DONKEY DIGEST ONKEY DIGEST D is produced by the Affiliated Donkey Societies of Australia

Affiliated Donkey Societies Australia Find us on the web – www.donkeysadsa.org inside OFFICERS OF THE AFFILIATION Registrar Kerrie Haynes-Lovell 104 Luthers Road Four issues are published per year in March, Halfway Creek, NSW 2460 June, September and December respectively. Ph: 0416 167 453 What have penny-farthing bikes got to do with REGISTRAR’S ROUNDUP 2 donkeys? Well, nothing much … at least on the surface. Email: [email protected] Last month Fiona Mottram stayed with us for a few Distributed to society members days. Fiona is currently President of the Donkey Society OVERSEAS NEWS 3 Administrator of Victoria and Editor of the state newsletter Brayings. EDITOR Christine Trotter Was she in Brisbane thawing out from a cold winter? 80 Noels Lane No (although that did happen). She was here on a HYBRID VS CROSSBRED 9 Christine Thelander Gherang, VIC 3240 non-donkey visit with her partner Ross West who was 199 Rosia Road Ph: 03-5288 7460 evening, 0417 348 819 day competing in a penny-farthing championship in Brisbane. WOOD CHEWING 10 Park Ridge South Email: [email protected] What little downtime we had together was filled with a Queensland 4125 mixture of donkey tales, music talk, travel adventures, Australia vintage car searches, a lot of laughter and the occasional SOUTH AUSTRALIAN ROUND-UP 14 AUSTRALIAN DONKEY SOCIETIES Dad joke (Why do chicken coops only have two doors? Because if they had four, they would be chicken sedans!). Email: [email protected] Donkey & Society of South Australia WIRE CUTTER WOES 16 www.donkeysocietysa.org Silliness aside, there are lots of interesting bits ‘n’ pieces Phone: 07-3802 1127, 0419 026 782 to read in this issue, in fact too many to pick out my Secretary: Jilden Reichardt favourites. I hope you enjoy this Donkey Digest and don’t DONKEY PHOTOSHOOT 18 Please send items to the editor for inclusion 97 Charlicks Road forget to contact me if you have a donkey story of your Crafers West, SA 5152 in the magazine. own that would be fun to share with our donkey family. Ph: 08-8339 2420 OUT & ABOUT WITH OLIVER 20 Email: [email protected] Happy Trails NEXT DEADLINE - 1ST DECEMBER FROM THE RIDGE 22 FOR THE DECEMBER 2018 EDITION Donkey Society of Queensland www.donkeysocietyqld.org Christine FOR THE BOOKWORMS 24 Annual overseas subscriptions Secretary: Julia Byatte 268 Blantyre Road, (includes airmail rate) Roadvale, Qld 4310 ASSVERTISEMENTS 25 New Zealand & southern hemisphere - $35 Aus Ph: 0419 995 534 Northern hemisphere including UK, Europe, Email: [email protected] Canada & USA - $45 Aus – new rate Donkey Society of Victoria Please contact the Administrator, Christine Trotter, www.donkey.org.au for details on payment by direct bank deposit to Secretary: Pat Streefkerk the ADSA 725 Dickins Road Freshwater Creek, VIC 3217 COVER PHOTO: Ph: 0409 962 660, 03-5264 5235 There’s nothing like new-born animals to signal the arrival of Copyright. All rights reserved. No part of this Email: [email protected] Spring. Here’s one of last year’s foals at Ecclestone Valley publication may be reproduced without written Miniature Donkeys, Tasmania. Two-day-old EV Annabella peeks permission from the editor. Donkey Society of Western Australia out from behind Mum, Clovercrest La Bella Donna (Imp NZ). www.donkeywa.org.au Annabella is another cutie by Quarter Moon Half Dollar (Imp USA). The views expressed in this magazine are those of Secretary: Pauline Galley Fiona demonstrates her skills at untangling dogs, a new Photo: Judy Finney 14 Hoop Place the individuals concerned and do not necessarily spectator sport she is particularly good at. . reflect the views of the editor or the officers of the Canningvale, WA 6155 Ph: 0406 625 477 Photo Top: Tiny the dog is added for correct weight as I Affiliated Donkey Societies of Australia. challenge Ross to a handicap race at Pennies by the Sea. Email: [email protected] ii DONKEY DIGEST • September 2018 DONKEY DIGEST • September 2018 1 OVERSEAS NEWS Story: Robyn Keyvar Event: 30 October 2016

Registrar’s Roundup with Kerrie Haynes-Lovell

Registrations Reg. number Owner Eagle Rock QTRegistrations 17/4/67CARegistration no. Jen DalitzOwner Eagle Rock JJWestern Downs Merrill 17/011GE18/019JE/EI Jen DalitzKim Dalton

Eagle Rock Western Downs MaybeeBobby 17/012GE18/020JE/EI Jen DalitzKim Dalton Eagle Rock Kayesibabe 17/031JE Jen Dalitz Keysoe Mulga 18/006JA (WC NT) Ruth Walker Eagle Rock Sassy 17/032JE Jen Dalitz Keysoe Merinda 18/021JE (WC NT) Ruth Walker Ardock Sem 17/013GE Ann Berrett Fangorn Jacob 18/014GE (large Standard) Sarina Caccamo Sunrise Vera 17/034JE Ruth Walker Modra Lu LuWestern Downs Maine 18/001JE18/015GE (Aus. Min) Irene PopeKim Dalton

Modra GiGiTaranganba Petula 18/002JE18/022JE (Aus. Min) Irene PopeKim Dalton

Modra MorganDSV Daphne 18/001GE18/023JE (Lg Standard) Irene PopeDSV surrender - c/- Ann Berrett Modra The Fonze 18/002GE Irene Pope DSV Tammy 18/024JE (Lg Standard) DSV surrender- c/- Ann Berrett Modra Monte Carlo 18/003GE Irene Pope Lady Tamar of Lucies 18/025JE (wild Lge Standard) Chase and Keith Day Modra Monarch 18/004GE Irene Pope Western Lord Dominick of LuciesDowns Florida 18/005GE18/016GE (wild Lge Standard) Kim Dalton Chase and Keith Day Wattlewoods Wee Ulla 18/026JE (Aus. Miniature) Hazel Knight VICTORY FOR WALLACE THE MULE AS TransfersWattlewoods Wee Tashmo Grace 18/027JE (Aus. Miniature) Hazel Knight

Wattlewoods Wee Tyrus Louie 18/017GE (Aus. Miniature) Hazel Knight BAN OVERTURNED Eagle Rock Bowie 17/007GE Jen Dalitz Ashley Browne 17/023 Wattlewoods Wee Tarak Alfie 18/018GE (Aus. Miniature) Hazel Knight Eagle Rock Shiler 17/008JE Jen Dalitz Ashley Browne 17/022 Keysoe Shane 18/019GE (Lge.Standard) Ruth Walker ritish Dressage was forced to change its rules after being accused of equine racism when it banned a mule from Keysoe Adina (wild NT) 18/029JE (Lge.Standard) Ruth Walker B competing in an official introductory dressage test at Gloucestershire. Wallace the Great’s owner Christie McLean Keyso Tinga (wild NT) 18/028JE (Lge.Standard) Ruth Walker refused to accept the ban and successfully campaigned for Keysoe Zeke (wild NT) 18/021GE (Lge.Standard) Ruth Walker to be treated equally within the sport. The 11-year-old mule then went on to become the first mule Keysoe Mathoura (wild NT) 18/020GE (Lge.Standard) Ruth Walker to take part in a British Dressage event. To add icing to the Transfers cake Wallace the Great beat eight other cob, and competitors to win his intro test with a score of 67.4%. Fangorn Elisha 15/004JE Sarina Caccamo Meeya Galloway 18/011 “He works in a beautiful outline, he’s very consistent with his Willowdale Karri 15/002JE Sarina Caccamo Sally Wynd 10/012 paces, just a unbalanced in canter as he’s still a bit weak,” said Christie. Fangorn Jacob 18/014GE Sarina Caccamo Susan Bennett 18/013 “I’ve never had a problem with taking him out,” she said. “If Fangorn Zelda 14/020JE Sarina Caccamo Susan Bennett 18/014 anything, it’s riders who get flappy, saying their will have a meltdown, but the horses just second-look him and are fine.”

“We’re not going to offend anyone or hurt anyone, and there’s a good chance we won’t be around any high-level dressage horses who might be upset by him, as they won’t be at the intro tests.” WORMING WARNING! “He’s very sweet and laid-back, and he never brays when we’re out. He just looks like a nice New Forest pony, with a bigger head and some pretty The local vet asked me to spread the message about the dangers of some types of wormers when ingested by dogs. Just the enormous ears, that’s it,” said Christie. previous week a large pup was taken to his practice after being found ingesting a mectin-based horse wormer that was on the Wallace was found abandoned in a village in Ireland and rescued by the back seat of a car in which the pup was travelling. Within hours, the pup was presenting unwell clinically and, sadly, died six days Donkey Sanctuary. He now lives in Dursely, Gloucestershire, with two donkeys later. Nothing could be done to save it. and another mule, which was so badly abused it could not be ridden. So please exercise care with chemical anthelmintics – keep them well out of reach of dogs and, of course, small inquisitive For the past six months, Wallace and Christie have been training together and Rescue mule Wallace the Great with owner/rider Christie the mule's aptitude for dressage became clear. Christie said she only wants children. As we know, some of these de-wormers are flavoured to make them palatable to horses and donkeys, which can also McLean were successful in overturning a ban, making history make them attractive to other non-target animals such as dogs. Spread the word and stay safe. Wallace to compete in some intro team quest tests and “see where it takes us”. for mules, and governing body British Dressage.

2 DONKEY DIGEST • September 2018 DONKEY DIGEST • September 2018 3 Can you help?

OVERSEAS NEWS

OVERSEAS NEWS Meanwhile back at MORE MULE HISTORY IN USA home … eart B Porter Creek is now the first mule in the history of the United States H Dressage Federation (USDF) to earn Pat Streefkerk writes: the Bronze Freestyle Bar. Trained and ridden by Audrey Goldsmith, Porter has successfully “We have bred both mules and and we competed in One Day earned qualifying scores at First, Second and Events (Horse Trials) and all other Riding Club events in Victoria’s Geelong Third Level Freestyles, peaking at a score of area in the 80s. Initially, my daughter Wendy rode Elum our 14hh mule at 69.6%. Drysdale/Leopold Pony Club. Our club also had three donkeys attending According to the USDF, rider medals (bronze, rallies at the time. However, when Wendy tried to enter a One Day Event, a silver, and gold) are awarded based on district meeting voted to exclude donkeys and mules from inter-club events, attaining the required scores at the necessary even though our own club was still happy to include donkeys and mules. levels throughout the competition year. Later I started riding Elum at Adult Riding Club. At first there was a bit of trouble from others who reckoned their horses were scared of him, but we Congratulations to Heart B Porter Creek soon were well accepted and most of my competition was at Riding Club. I and Audrey Goldsmith for this wonderful knew I would not have been accepted at EFA events and did not aspire to achievement. those levels!! Streefkerk-bred Twinkle with daughter Anne on board. Elum went on to win a One Day Event against 20 horses and was first in the dressage and first overall which was a very proud moment for me. We also rode in the Federation Ride 1988 which covered a distance of 1,000km in three weeks riding from Melbourne to Canberra. ROLL UP, ROLL Interestingly, more recently, when Kitty Byrnes took her part- mammoth donkey Susannah to Maldon Pony Club she was UP: Harley & welcomed and the zone welcomed her to inter club events! It’s good to see things are changing.” Hanna put on Mules and Hinnies “I was particularly interested in the Donkey Digest article on mules and hinnies as we have bred both. Our hinny, Twinkle, was ridden a show by my daughter Anne and I rode my mule Elum at our local Riding Club. Twinkle and Elum were both just on 14hh. ou would be forgiven for not recognising It was not true of them that the hinny was more horse-like. Twinkle him, but underneath the elephant costume certainly loved people, and was trained to be a good riding animal, Y is Harley, the Swedish part-bred Poitou we and had slightly shorter ears than Elum the mule. However, she featured in the last issue of the Donkey Digest. had a more donkey-like body in that when overweight she had fat deposits in lumps and a wide neck such as donkeys do. Her mane Harley and his owner Hanna Pettersson won even more fans when they appeared as the and tail were more donkey-like, and she had the shorter stride of the two. My I rode my mule Elum to win a one Day Event run by the local Adult daughter loved Twinkle, but Twinkle was also happy to be ridden by others. Riding Club. ‘Greatest Showman’ in a horse rally - 'hästrally' in Swedish, an event held yearly in the north Elum, the mule, had a more horse-like body. His neck did not get a donkey- of Sweden. Unsurprisingly, Hanna and Harley like crest, his mane and tail were a little longer and could be plaited when won the costume class beating no less than 53 competing in such things as dressage and he had a more horse-like stride. SHORTEARS ONLY horses. That win gave them a 30-point bonus He and I competed successfully in all events at Riding Club against the for the next two days of competition. horses. He had stamina and was my mount for several years. He was very Mules are still banned from official competitions run much my animal and never so keen to be ridden by others. by Equestrian Australia, formerly the EFA, the gov- Compared to Australia, Sweden’s horse erning body of the sport in this country. However, rallies sound pretty full on. For instance, they Twinkle was the offspring of a 11.3hh grey roan Australian donkey and a they are aware of the recent loud protests in Britain comprise 34km on Saturday and 20km 12.2hh bay pony stallion (whose mother was quite a bit bigger than him), which led to the overturning of the ban on mules on Sunday. You also do obstacles on the way – and Elum was from a 13.2hh palomino pony and a 12.2hh black donkey everything from throwing darts from the horse/ jack. Both matured at just on 14hh. competing in the U.K. and, I feel, are receptive to the idea of changing the rules here if approached. wagon to getting your harnessed animal to step We also later bred mules by our imported mammoth jack, Cokeley Major Now we only have to find a few mule-riding dres- on a concrete lid with the front foot. Leo, who sired nearly 40 mules altogether. All of these mules that I have sage or eventing competitors willing to challenge Points are accrued over the weekend and seen were very horse-like, although certainly mule personalities are very the system. Hands up anyone? Harley finished second overall. What a star! individual and not really like either donkey or horse!”

4 DONKEY DIGEST • September 2018 DONKEY DIGEST • September 2018 5 OVERSEAS NEWS OVERSEAS NEWS Showjumping yard shocked 'Fat' tourists causing donkeys spinal injuries by birth of ‘white’ mule

rare white-coloured mule foal has been got blue eyes but does have pink around on Greek island paradise, activists say born in the U.K. at the Hertfordshire- them. I’d say she’s nearly albino, but she A based Greenacres Equestrian much to has got some spots appearing on her rear the surprise of the yard’s owners Di and so maybe she will be an appaloosa,” added Animal activists say overweight tourists - Pennie Cornish. Pennie. “Even the vet can’t tell us. Also when she was first born, she had bad eyesight and mostly from the United States, Russia and One-week-old Daisy made her appearance couldn’t see anything.” the United Kingdom - are causing injury to the into the world rather unexpectedly after donkeys that carry them up and down the hills Pennie had purchased her dam, a 13.2hh However, it sounds like Daisy has made her on the Greek isle of Santorini. Connemara, for their riding school — not mark at the yard and won’t be going anywhere knowing she was in foal. soon. Animal activists working on improving the welfare of working donkeys and mules on “I bought the mare from friends who had “The kids love her so she has to stay now and Santorini have added another threat to their got her from Ireland, we had no idea and I am thinking of keeping her as a yard mascot. well-being: Fat tourists. nor did they,” said Pennie, who owns the If she’s well behaved enough I may take her showjumping yard and riding school with her around county shows next year and raise The donkeys that carry tourists up and down mother Di. some money for charity,” added Pennie, who the steep hills and cobbled steps on the island co-owns the Hickstead Derby-winning Caritiar “We only found out in the later stages of the are suffering bloody, open sores and Z with her mother and Nigel Eccles. pregnancy and then out popped this funny spinal injuries caused by carrying overweight looking thing with huge ears. I’ve bred quite “My seven-year-old daughter Chloe has fallen visitors, activists with a campaign called a few horses and had some surprises but in love with her. She’s a sweet filly and very Help the Santorini Donkeys have told British nothing like this.” brave — if you call her name in the field she publications. comes cantering over. The exact colouring of the filly is not known “Locals have even started breeding stronger and Pennie is also in the dark about who the “If I was paid a pound for every person at the donkeys and mules so it is easier for them to “The holiday season on islands is now a lot “What we found has really concerned us. sire is. riding school who has come and visited her, I carry fatter tourists,” writes The Mirror. longer than it used to be, meaning that the We are, quite simply, dismayed. And will be would be a millionaire,” she said. donkeys are pretty much in work the whole increasing our efforts to support the needs of “I know white horses are so rare, she hasn’t Christina Kaloudi, who moved to the island year round,” Kaloudi told the Sun. “If they are these hardworking donkeys and mules.” from Athens 10 years ago, founded a group not transporting tourists up the steps they called Santorini Animal Welfare Association Town hall officials said all parties had agreed are moving building materials or transporting which runs a shelter on the island. She told on measures that included giving the animals heavy bags of rubbish. Egyptian zoo accused of the Mirror that over the last decade, the shade during their rest times and making sure number of overweight American, Russian and “There are some good owners out there that they have plenty of water and food. follow the code but generally donkeys are British tourists has tripled. The loads they carry and the hours they painting donkeys to look worked into the ground and then disposed of During the peak summer holiday season work will also be limited, island officials said, when their working lives are over.” between May and October, thousands visit but nothing was said about how load limits, like the island where donkeys have traditionally Paula Legg from the UK-based The Donkey particularly of people passengers, would be been used to carry people up steep, stepped Sanctuary, agreed that the issue is an ongoing enforced. areas that vehicles can’t travel, according to priority. According to the Post, Santorini has struggled zoo in Egypt is facing some questions after a photo emerged The Sun. Legg was part of a team that had visited in recent years to deal with an increase A of a less-than-stellar looking . “The obese and overweight tourists, combined Santorini recently and “found that the welfare in tourists. The island, for instance, has Mahmoud Sarhan posted an image on Facebook with the animal at conditions for many of the working donkeys limited the number of cruise liners allowed to with the lack of shade and water as well as the Cairo's International Garden municipal park, and it has more than a and mules, especially the tourist taxis, is disgorge its passengers there. sheer heat and 568 cobbled steps, is what is passing resemblance to a donkey. causing such a problem,” the Sun wrote. inadequate. As well as being smaller than usual and with pointy ears, it appears the "zebra" has some black smudges on its face. Sarhan said he was Mahmoud Sarhan with the "zebra". suspicious straight away. "From the first sight, I knew that it was a donkey, not a zebra as I'm an artist I knew the shape of donkeys. I knew the shape of zebras, so it was easy to know." The zoo director denied the claim though and told a local radio station Nogoum FM the animal was not a fake, reports the BBC. Donkeys have been painted up to look like zebras before in zoos. In 2009 zookeepers in Marah Land Zoo, Gaza City put black and white patterns on their donkeys after the original zebras died of hunger when they were neglected during the Israel-Hamas war. The animals were too expensive to replace, so the keepers decided to paint the donkeys instead.

RIGHT - The animals are at Cairo's International Garden municipal park.

6 DONKEY DIGEST • September 2018 DONKEY DIGEST • September 2018 7 OVERSEAS NEWS Hybrid versus Crossbred Imposing camel and a mule’s

verywhere you turn in life you are faced with a barrage of specialised terminology. The E equine field is no exception. We have a whole range of specialised terms that make no head: Two more pieces for sense to a non-equine person (as illustrated in the joke below). We talk about tack (saddlery), posting (trotting) on the correct diagonal, canter strike-off, flying the World War 1 Trail change, , , loping along, hand gallop, sliding stop … the list goes on. We also have specialised lexicons for equine gear used, gaits, the sport, for colours and for breeding. A colourful 6ft high camel and a mule’s head Two of the most basic terms of confusion are hybrid and crossbred. This is not to be confused are now in place as part of the World War 1 with inbreeding and linebreeding, which have to do with the use of an animal more than one Trail, in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk U.K. time in a pedigree. A hybrid is an animal that is a cross between two distinct but related species. They are two more pieces created by Michelle Our beloved mule is often cited as the best example of a hybrid. Mules have a jack donkey for Freeman, who runs the Crafty Foxes creative a sire and a horse mare for a mother. The donkey and horse are both equids, but far enough workshops, and are on display in the Apex removed in evolution that they have different chromosome counts (62 vs 64) and distinctly and outside Beautiful Beers, in St John’s different physical features. They can produce a viable offspring, but as is true in many hybrid Street. situations, the offspring is usually sterile. They make up the 18 pieces of the trail which The hinny (horse stallion x jennet donkey) is the other cross of these two species. In our long- is now underway and which is being organised eared world, we also have zebra-hybrids, the crossing of zebra stallions with horse mares or Mules & hinnies are hybrids not crossbreds by the My WiSH Charity and Our Bury St donkey jennets, or the occasional reciprocal cross of a zebra mare to a jack or stallion. Again, Edmunds. It is aiming to raise £500,000 for these animals are related (being equids) but are distinctly different species. The hybrid strongly Horse crossbreds can be any of the myriad the charity’s Every Heart Matters appeal to shows characteristics of both parent types. This is similar in a way to hybrid cars that combine Anglo/Arabian, Quarter Pony, Gypsy help create a fully integrated cardiac centre at two power types – combustion and electric – to give characteristics of both worlds. Vanner, Irish , the West Suffolk Hospital. Crossbreeding, on the other hand, is taking two breeds and putting them together to make etc. These are two breeds of horses with Michelle’s other pieces for the trail include a a new and hopefully slightly better type of animal. The term we are most familiar with is the the same chromosome count but different horse bookcase and pigeons and she said: ‘Designer’ dogs – these are crossbreds, not hybrids. In the dog world, we have the Labradoodle, body characteristics. This is how new “These animal-themed creations aim to raise Schnoodle, Pekapoo, Pugle … the doggy list is endless. breeds are created. awareness of the contribution horses, camels, pigeons and mules made during the war. “Creating four individual pieces of art has been a real challenge and hugely satisfying; working alongside talented and recognised artists gives me a real buzz.” The lifesize camel, sponsored by heart support group Upbeat, is created out of a combination of medium-density fibreboard (MDF), disused carpet rolls, recycled plastic bottles, masking tape, wadding and 10 layers of marbled decoupage paper and glue. The mule’s head, sponsored by Beautiful Beers, is made from marine ply, jig-sawed and sprayed with chocolate textured suede A city couple stayed at a tourist sheep and cattle paint. station, wishing to experience ‘life on the farm’. “I guess I was thinking about the ‘wow factor’ The stockman prepared the horses and asked if for my pieces for the trail and I am hoping they the couple wanted Western or English . will be popular on the trail.” They looked at each other, then the young man Around 80,000 donkeys and mules were politely asked what the difference was. recruited during the war as they could carry Michelle Freeman with her mule's head for the World War 1 Trail in Bury St Edmunds. Picture: Russell Cook far more weight and were easier to maintain The stockman explained to them that one had a than horses. The downside was their braying horn and one didn’t. Camels were much easier to control than horses once they were made to kneel down and they during the night was so noisy it could reveal the were much less prone to panicking when exposed to enemy artillery and small fire-arms. The young woman contemplated this for a while troops position to the enemy. Consequently, Bishop Mule Days Baking Treat before she replied, “The one without the horn is many mules had their vocal chords removed. The pieces on the trail, commissioned by local artists and sculptor and dotted in prime town Look at this cookie sold at the 2018 Bishop centre sites, are on display through to Armistice Day, on November 11. At its culmination, an fine. I don’t expect we’ll run into too much traffic.” Meanwhile, domesticated camels were auction will take place to sell off all the pieces to go to the My WiSH Charity’s Every Heart Mule Days in California. Yum. used in battle, both for the transportation of Matters appeal. equipment and of warriors.

8 DONKEY DIGEST • September 2018 DONKEY DIGEST • September 2018 9 HELP! My donkey’s turned into a beaver

Story: Christine Thelander & Hanna Silversides Trees also need to be carefully chosen and protected as poorly ringbarking will die, as the layer protected by the bark is necessary managed they can uproot building foundations, reduce pasture and to move nutrients around the tree. Donkeys can ringbark a tree increase fire risk. You also do not want to plant poisonous trees or within a few hours. In addition, trampling and chewing around the Are there chewed-off trees in your donkey paddocks? Do your fences appear to have been shrubs in your donkey paddocks. base weakens the root system, compacts and erodes surrounding soil and generally causes a decline in the tree’s health. attacked by an army of termites? Do your stables have ‘decorated edging’ that looks like it was Why do trees need protection? Why do donkeys love chewing wood? fashioned with a giant pair of pinking shears? Stock of any sort, but equines in particular, can cause extreme damage to trees through chewing bark, rubbing and pushing trunks, trampling The answer lies in the donkeys’ DNA. Because food availability is and chewing around the base. Once bark is even partially removed sparse in their native settings of arid, desert regions, they don’t only the tree is exposed to infection and becomes weakened. If all the eat grass. They happily browse on woody shrubs, trees, broadleaf orry to say but termites or pinking shears aren’t the real culprits. Your darling little bark is chewed and the tree is ringbarked, anything above the line of and flowering plants. Over centuries nature adapted donkeys’ S part-beaver donkey is responsible for the very common problem of wood chewing. But digestive processes so that they could maintain their health why chew trees and wood? The experts tell us there are three reasons for this: Boredom or browsing on coarse, woody-type plants that, to us, do not even look Frustration; Nutritional Deficiencies; or Habit. edible. So no, donkeys are not grazers. They are browsers. Horses It’s true in the horse world that animals kept in stables, small paddocks, secluded from other are grazers. Donkeys have such a strong desire to browse they can horses, or fed largely concentrates without enough fodder to keep them chewing over a long become quite destructive when forage is limited and – frustratingly time may become bored and chew fences for something to do. Some horses too may have – sometimes even when it’s freely available. Providing sources of learned to gnaw wood from stable or pasture mates. Like mischievous kids, they try what the browse, such as brambles, tree branches and twigs from safe tree other kids are trying, even if they would never have thought of it on their own—and the habit species can give a donkey something to do and reduce destructive starts. This is how horses can pick up the problematic habits of cribbing or windsucking which tendencies. can be hard on timber, not to mention the horse. However, this isn’t true wood chewing, as we It’s not fully understood why donkeys chew wood in a domestic donkey owners know it and the solutions aren’t quite as easy. situation. Possible reasons include mineral deficiency, especially at certain times of the year such as spring. Rising sap in the trees Let’s talk trees at this time of the year may also be a sweet treat. I personally have Many of the gardeners amongst us like our properties dotted with decorative trees and don’t not found any particular diet-related catalyst for wood chewing with take too kindly to them being given a slow death sentence by our eager-beaver donkeys. As my horses and donkeys. My animals have been housed at two well as improving the aesthetics of a property, trees can greatly improve the microclimate, different properties and they still attack the trees and fences, even colour and diversity of the property in the following ways: though they are provided with salt and mineral licks (for equines, not ruminants) and a balanced food supply. I have noticed however • Preventing erosion by stabilizing the soil. that this beaver-like activity with my horses and donkeys usually • Controlling salinity by lowering ground water level. happens in spring. I have not noticed this behavior linked to mineral deficiency. But that’s only my experience. I’m sure you will all have • Providing a habitat for fauna – birds and insects. different stories and different results. That’s what makes the issue • Providing shelter and shade from wind, sun and rain for your donkey. so annoying. There’s no one-size-fits-all answer. • Adding economic value by providing firewood, timber fence posts and even fodder.

10 DONKEY DIGEST • September 2018 DONKEY DIGEST • September 2018 11 in the bark causing ringbarking, Tying the wire together with inner tubing, which allows for expansion, can prevent this. • Leaf litter can collect around the tree trunk (inside the wire) causing rotting of the bark. • Wiring around individual tree trunks must be checked every year and loosened and leaf build up removed. • Always avoid barbed wire or loose low wire that can get entangled in hooves, potentially causing serious injury. Other barriers Many donkey owners swear by mineral licks. These have been found to be effective in the past. However, it is not known if the licks diverted attention from the tree or indicated a lack of minerals in the diet that was previously supplied by the trees. Others use garlic sprayed onto the tree or painted around it. I have also heard of people having success with painting sump or motor oil onto fences (you would need to ensure anything like this sprayed on a tree was not going to be detrimental to the health of that tree). Anything that tastes yucky, such as hot pepper spray, can Before erecting a tree protection barrier, make certain the donkeys can’t get in – be useful. Plonka & Wonka’s Property Maintenance Tips. Adding a mixture of manure and water to the Prevention in lieu of cure trunk of the tree is also effective. The idea is Fencing them in – trees not donkeys – is the most reliable way to avoid • using an old drum, kept in place with a triangle of star pickets. that donkeys do not eat in areas where they tree damage or ‘death by donkey’. Permanent fencing can be erected Wire mesh could be added to the top of the drum for further smell their own manure. This helps them reduce around mature trees, as well as young trees. protection as the tree grows. their parasite burden. I tried this and found it worked a treat but like many other paint or spray- For donkey fences, leave enough space between the fence and the • constructing a guard around the trees using old wooden fence on solutions, you have to keep repeating the tree so that the animals cannot reach the leaves by stretching their posts. procedure as it washes off in the rain. necks. Avoid rough edges that may injure stock, and do not use barbed To allow unrestricted access to the area surrounding a mature wire if the paddock is for donkeys and horses. It has been said that rough-barked tree species tree (for shade or grazing) while maintaining some protection from are more attractive to browsers, thus smooth- Whist fencing is the best way to protect young trees from donkeys ringbarking, attach small-netted wire around the tree trunk, from the barked trees that have been protected in the first and other livestock, there are many imaginative other ways to protect ground to a height above the reach of livestock. three to four years should be okay. The sceptic smaller trees. These include: Do not use wire with a net size larger than chicken wire as it may in me doesn’t entirely believe that. My little • plastic tree guards and bamboo stakes. catch donkeys’ hooves. Attach the wire in a way that will not injure monkeys seem to delight in proving me wrong the stock and will permit future growth of the trees. Also keep the • stacking used tyres over the tree. The tyres can be kept in place every chance they get. It’s not enough, however, wire free from the tree as diameter growth will cause gaps in a few using three star pickets driven into the ground. to stop me planting and caring for trees that will years. This problem can be avoided by joining the two wire ends with add value to my property and add to the shady tyre tube to allow for expansion. comfort of paddocked animals during the long, Remember that allowing stock to graze freely around trees may sub-tropical summer season. damage the root system and degrade soil structure. This will affect the health of the tree and may eventually result in its death. Zap them Using an electric fence is an effective option to keep little mouths away from trees and shrubs. If you want to install electric fencing, it is important to plan carefully to ensure the fence is effective. To protect a tree close to an existing fence, connect high tensile wires to the fence and hoop them around the tree. Use a post or two to support the hoops. Every situation is different and what suits one won’t necessarily suit another. Tips for wiring individual tree trucks • The wire should stretch from the ground base to at least two metres high – donkeys are quite able to chew at height. • To protect the root system from chewing and digging place rocks or old logs around the base. This also helps to prevent soil compacting and erosion. • Allow space around the trunk for annual expansion as the tree grows. Otherwise the wire itself will become tight and embedded

12 DONKEY DIGEST • September 2018 DONKEY DIGEST • September 2018 13 South Australia

ROUND UP

Fun in the sun: Shamus & Shamus & Angus are Best Friends whether in the stable or out playing in the Even though he really wanted to walk straight into the tack room, Anita short-eared friend cooling off paddock. made Shamus back in and wait at the tack room fridge. He’s so obedient & at Milang. patient. Who could resist that face? and very exciting. Since then we have ventured out and about to different places, attended clinics, working , ridden trails and most recently became involved in South Australia with Mounted Archery. Totally fitting for a mule that happily plods along on a loose rein when he has a job to do. All within his first year under saddle! I may return to endurance in the future with Shamus but for now I’m having too much fun exposing him to various activities to see what he enjoys most. Next it is Angus’s turn. He’s off to spend a few weeks in the hands of the trainer and come home ready to head off to Howlong to attend the Ty Evans Clinic in November. Exciting times ahead indeed. Jindi the grey nomad Longear Dreams Come True uper donkey Jindi has taken to the road and travelled from Adelaide to Victoria S for new adventures. Jindi (Blithe Moon Jindabyne) was an adored member of Story: Anita Bransden, SA Leanne Christie’s four-legged family where he soon showed everyone what a talented star he was. Jindi was educated to saddle, he’d jump and always tried hard for his Adelaide horse rider Anita Bransden recently took up endurance riding. The twist was handler/rider. Ongoing health issues reluctantly forced Leanne to rehome Jindi to someone who would Leanne Christie leads Jindi into the truck for his big journey east. she wanted to enjoy the sport on a riding-sized donkey. But it didn’t work out that way. continue working him, something he enjoyed very much. Enter Judy Wright. She and Here’s Anita’s story. husband John bought Jindi as a pair for Donnie (Blithe Moon Hubble). Donnie is actually Jindi’s father and was a breeding jack at Helen Robertson’s Blithe Moon stud for nine years before he was gelded. So Jindi the grey nomad set off from Leanne’s place south of Adelaide to his new home he time was finally right, my dream of having a longear to share trails and adventures with, so the search began. It was originally in in Bairnsdale, East Gippsland, Victoria. It was a four-day trip with a two-day rest in my mind that a Mammoth donkey was to be my new partner in all things under saddle, including endurance riding but after searching Melbourne. Jindi arrived looking fresh as a daisy and has now settled in to his new and seeking advice from a few very experienced and willing helpers here in Australia I was advised that a donkey may not be suitable T surroundings. for endurance. I was told that a mule would possibly fit the bill more so for me. So, where to find a suitable mule in Australia? Judy and John run Happy Hooves Experience where locals with disabilities and trauma The search was on. No stone was left unturned and it soon became obvious that to find a riding-sized mule here in Australia that was visit to have ‘therapeutic’ interactions with the donkeys and horses. Jindi will be trained already under saddle was almost impossible. Taking on a young one was my only way. With absolutely no longear experience at all I hit how to do the ‘therapy’. He will also be used to do trail riding and packsaddle. There are Google and YouTube to learn all that I could to help me along the way. plans to take Jindi and Donnie up into the mountains nearby, and also to regional shows I travelled to Queensland to meet Shamus the mule in person before the big decision. To me it was a huge deal and I needed to know the for ridden, agility and long reining events. decision was the right one as the relationship was always going to be long term. My first impression was ‘WOW what a beautiful boy’ and It looks like fun times ahead for all, including Leanne who will no doubt be planning trips instantly fell for those ears, but straight away I knew I was in for a huge task. This boy has an enormous personality, way greater than his to Victoria to see her ’boy’ in action ears! Shamus is rising four years old. He’s currently 14.3hh. His Mum was a 13.2hh Australian and his sire was the imported New Zealand Mammoth jack, Awapuni George Washington who stands at 15.1hh. At his new home: Rachel leads Jindi out to survey the surroundings. Shamus willingly loves to work, loves to get out and about and explore new places and meet new equines. He’s no longear elitist, he will happily befriend any horse and join them in play. But no play is like Mule play, so that is why we now also have Angus the Mule in the family, Prestige Transport sets off with the grey nomad aboard. half-brothers sharing the same sire. Angus came to us as a weanling pretty much, a sweet sensitive little fluffy boy when he arrived. Angus was used to getting along with other equines as he shared his dam with a young filly that had sadly lost her mother at a very young age. Angus is out of an Appaloosa/Arab mare who is 14.3hh. Now at rising three, Angus has already overtaken his mother in height and who knows when he will stop growing? I enlisted professional help from trainers Jessica and Christina Balacco when the time had come for putting Shamus under saddle. All the many hours of groundwork paid off greatly when I was able to back him myself on his first day under saddle, a huge achievement indeed When there’s food around, all is well in the donkey world. Jindi, Donnie, Plonka & Wonka 14 DONKEY DIGEST • September 2018 proving that food really does bring everyone together. DONKEY DIGEST • September 2018 15 MEMBER’S STORY EDITOR’S EXPOSE´

Murdering my partner was something I seriously considered years ago. It WIRE CUTTER WOES was when we had a property with , including a stallion, mares and foals. Running a breeding stable, plus holding down a fulltime job in the city meant planning and routine were paramount for everything to run smoothly. Story: Elspeth Morgan, SA That was the way I operated anyway. Not so Ian (not his real name). He seemed to have been otherwise occupied when they handed out the ‘sensible’ gene. In a classic case of ‘Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus’, the two worlds collided over relatively menial discovered the hard way that wire cutters are just as cool as Dog assessed and given pain relief and antibiotics. things that mattered in an emergency. I had arranged everything in the stable chocolate and red wine, especially if you love your animals. to be within easy grasp. I always have a grooming bucket in the same place, Ian (not his real name) uses a fly mask to avoid identification. Husband, albeit pale faced, arrives home, he can take charge of the I with hoof pick, scissors and utility knife with blades at the ready and minor I am a donkey novice. We have two amazing donkeys at our place on home front now and other children. till it was empty of fuel, then because it was empty, he would drive the truck emergency supplies for certain situations. Halters are hung up in the same the outskirts of the Barossa Valley. However, much as I would like to until it too was empty. He would then use my car and, you guessed it, run Vet says get your daughter to medical attention immediately. place. I also have heavy duty torches located in the same place, along with gush on about the donkeys, I am writing about another riveting subject it till the fuel gauge flashed red. He would then return to his car – which he hammers, chisels, screwdrivers, wire cutters, rope etc. No, I am not Obsessive – wire cutters! So off we go – later on, antibiotics, injections and a sling for a few days always maintained still gave you an extra 80km even when the fuel gauge Compulsive, just as prepared as I can be for the odd emergency we all face as as swelling is so bad and needing re-assessment. flashed – and fill up at the petrol station. That left me with a car and a truck With a pinch of irony, international company Wonkee Donkee Tools owners of large livestock. provides us with the thrilling information that – quote ‘wire cutter pliers Daughter’s hand is like soaking a prune, doubled in size. that were unusable because they had no fuel. We lived out of town, and did I soon discovered that I needed to buy hoof picks in bulk, as they all are a simple modification of a straight forward cutting tool designed After the storm had passed I did a Facebook post about the event and not have drums of fuel on the property. disappeared – don’t ask me where. Luckily, I discovered screwdrivers make a to allow wires and nails to be cut closer to a solid surface’. I find this surprisingly I got some ‘interesting and informative comments’ from I tried to explain my problem with this – if there was a small animal emergency good substitute for cleaning out hooves. The fencing tools I always had in the borderline interesting but lacklustre informative. Let me relive my others who have experienced the same trauma, which we like to call and I was home alone I could not drive anyone to the vet, among other same place scattered, as Ian used them for a job and impatiently agreed to ghastly experience so you understand. ‘where the heck are my wire cutters? scenarios. This rationale did not work. So, I ratcheted the argument up a put them back where they came from. But he never did. I also discovered the Yesterday our beautiful border collie Rippa leapt over a fence and got notch and adopted the hysterical approach. I told him I refused to drive any Quote from donkey elder, Evelyn J Hay-van Es: ‘We learnt the hard hard way that not only were the torches missing from their usual abode, but his back leg severely caught in the top wire. Our beloved family pet of our cars once the petrol gauge went under a quarter. And I meant it. But way to always have wire cutters handy! A couple of years ago our when found all of them were flat. Batteries were never replaced nor the issue is hanging suspended from the fence - twisting badly, howling and young horse was chased into a fence and was hanging by his back the message was driven home only when I was a passenger in his car – mentioned to me so I could rectify it. the wire is so tight. Momentarily I don’t know what to do. It’s that leg. Thankfully he did not struggle too much however finding wire which, according to him, still had 80kms of fuel left – and it spluttered to a instant when you freeze. ‘Focus woman’, I tell myself and I call for cutters was another thing! We now keep them in the shed – easy to As a result, one moon-less night with – surprise, surprise – no working sensor stop after 5kms along the road. I didn‘t even have to say a word. Perhaps the children's assistance and request daughter to settle the dog. Bad find!’ stable lights and all torches being flat our poor vet had to operate on a foal the lengthy walk to the garage jolted him to his senses. idea or parenting, whatever. Now all I hear is my daughter screaming under the headlights of his car. Embarrassing for me. Completely unnecessary. Seeing our dog in distress was the most horrifying thing. Evelyn ends I’m pleased to say that Ian is now fully stable trained and animal emergencies as well as the dog howling. The most lovely, placid dog who is in Note to self: if foal dies so does husband. immense pain has bitten her. her Facebook post by stating – ‘it truly is awful watching an animal in are now well taken care of at our place. I still can’t find the four pressure pain’. Lame animals also had a longer wait to be attended to until I could find one of bandages I bought especially for snake bites. I think the mistake I made Mind says, ‘situation needs urgent assessment’. Daughter: will survive the 45 bulk hoof picks I had bought. Failing that, a screwdriver or a small chisel was putting each individual one in an area where it would be easy to reach (plus she has no concerns for herself as she loves her dog). Dog: It was awful. Be it your donkey, your dog or your horse – keep those that would pick out the feet. in the event of a reptile strike. Ah well, at least I’ve got a torch I can use to dunno wire cutters in an arranged place. And teach your children how to use them. Things came to a nasty head at our place over the ‘Petrol Crisis’. Let me identify the snake! So I run down to the shed…..where the hell are those wire cutters? I explain. We owned three cars - mine, Ian's and the truck we used for towing. can see every inconceivable object – zinc cream, garden snips, even Here is a photo of our family dog Rippa with our little donkey Myrtle. *Disclaimer: Likely to cause lengthy cold shoulder treatment at Editor’s For reasons I still cannot fathom to this day, Ian would repeatedly drive his car a cold sore cream. I can’t find – Wonkee Donkee wire cutters. Is it home…but heck, it’s worth it. getting a bit more interesting now? Probably not informative though. Children who have been with dog run down to shed and say ‘you need to call the vet’. So I call much-loved local vet who, praise be, was available and 15 minutes away. Run, puff puff – I’m not a natural athlete. I arrive back with no wire cutters and am an adult and have absolutely nothing to alleviate the DISPLAY ASSVERTISEMENT RATES DONKEY FOR SALE situation apart from the love my eyes can give this beautiful dog. It is a hopeless feeling.  Members: 1/8 page, $15, 1/4 page, $30, 1/2 page: $45 Got to have a strategy - kids: run back down to shed and FaceTime  Non-members: 1/8 page, $17, 1/4 page, $37, 1/2 page: $55 If you are selling a donkey or mule, why not Dad who is not home. Kids pick up every tool and say ‘is this a wire cutter’? After 5 minutes of ‘no that is not a wire cutter’ BINGO – ‘yes  Standing at Stud entries: include a Donkey Society membership in the that is a wire cutter’ – so the kids run back up the hill. Send son back $25 for 4 issues (4 lines approx.) down the hill to hold gate open for vet so sheep don’t escape. purchase price? So yes, back up at the hill…. Daughter does not know how to use wire Rates for other sizes or types of advertising available by cutters (maybe if we have animals it is not a stupid idea for all kids to That way the new owner can tap straight into: know how to use them). You see I cannot help her as I am holding a consultation with the Editor. dog in the air and am already buckling at the weight. So, FaceTime Advertising payment must be received before publication.  Friendship with like-minded people with Dad and he teaches her how to use wire cutters. She needs to make 3 cuts in the wire but it is difficult because her hand is damaged Payment is via direct debit to the ADSA account or by cheque or  Advice and ongoing education from the dog bite and it is painful. For a moment, I thought dog was money order written to ADSA and posted to the Administrator,  Events and social outings dead as was non-responsive and bleeding from the mouth (but he had Christine Trotter (details inside front cover). just bitten his gum). Advertising material to be sent to the Editor. Dog finally cut free. Hoofnote: Zehta, the daughter, is still wearing a sling but the wound Australian Donkey Societies are in Victoria, South Quotes can be given. Then the rain comes. looks like it is responding well to antibiotics. Rippa, the dog, escaped Australia, Western Australia and Queensland. with pulled muscles but no bones broken, thank heavens. Vet arrives. All contact details can be found inside the front cover of the Donkey Digest. 16 DONKEY DIGEST • September 2018 DONKEY DIGEST • September 2018 17 MEMBER’S STORY Donkey Photoshoot About Pete Denison

It’s long way from a cattle station in Tenterfield to the artist haven of Taos, New Mexico, USA but creativity often demands many twists and turns. For Pete Denison, the journey started as a French Polisher specialising in restoring antiques. After 20 years or so living in America, in Georgia and then New Mexico, Pete honed his craft and has become an exceptional sculpture artist whose work is displayed in many galleries. Specialising in the bas-relief style, Pete’s sculptures demand attention. Possibly because they are big pieces – 2m x 1.5m – of bears, birds, humans, everything. But something was missing. Pete wanted a (big) pair of donkeys for his Gold Coast garden. After coming across donkeys in the flesh in his travels, Pete was smitten. He particularly loves old animals of any kind, as they exude a wisdom and knowing that comes only with age. After doing his ‘research’ at Julia and Adolf’s property, Pete started creating his full-sized donkey at his Burleigh Heads workshop. Traditionally carvings would be made using clay or wax but Pete has opted to carve his donkeys from wood first, then have them cast in bronze at a foundry. This method is a first for him and I’m sure the outcome will be very exciting. Watch this space.

Story: Julia Byatte, Qld

ur farm was recently visited by Gold Coast artist O Pete Denison, who wanted to take some photos of our donkeys. Pete is also a donkey lover, and a supporter of the UK Donkey Sanctuary. He recently travelled in Europe where he visited a donkey farm in Sardinia which has 100 miniature albino donkeys. However, he is not able to have donkeys of his own in the city, so he wants to make a life size sculpture of two donkeys so that he can ensure that he can have donkey cuddles every day. We have eight donkeys of various shapes, sizes and colours, so he had plenty to choose from. Adolf and I had to encourage them to pose by luring them with liquorice which worked quite well. Pete also took close ups of them from various angles. Of course, the donkeys loved all this attention, and put on their most charming behaviour as they always do when they have visitors. From this to the finished product will be quite a long, complicated process. Pete ended up with over a hundred photos from which he will make a composite image of the donkey in the pose that he wants. He will then make the initial sculpture in wood. From this he will make a mould and cast them in bronze to achieve the final sculpture. The whole process is expected to take about eight months. We are very much looking forward to seeing the end result, and to see if we can recognise our donkeys.

18 DONKEY DIGEST • September 2018 DONKEY DIGEST • September 2018 19 OUT ABOUT & with Oliver My fellow donkeys, I am still being subjected to much cruelty up here at the Prickle Farm. I am so exhausted that I am practically unable to leave my favourite sand-roll to eat my hay. A while ago the human took me up to Scone where I went in the Scone Horse Week Parade. The human has been in nearly every parade and he cannot remember a donkey being in the parade before. What a thrill for the big crowd that lined the streets to see such a magnificent creature, as I was the last equine in the parade and the people were probably disgusted after seeing about 300 dopey shorteared I had barely got over the exhaustion of this monumental drive drongos traipsing past with their moronic expressions. I think the parade distance when the human took me and stupid Araluen, the trick shorteared is about 50km, more or less. gooby up to Mudgee for the Small Farms Field Days where Benny has been featuring for the last ten years. This time they I was interviewed by the TV but of course the human did the talking. Drivel, as experienced the thrill of a lifetime as I was the feature donkey. usual. The next day was granddaughter Abbey's (my tormentor) birthday and of The first morning the temperature was -3 degrees. Even though course I had to go up and give donkey rides to what felt like about 1000 humans. I had two rugs on, my magnificent ears were covered in white And all this after the 100km procession at Scone the day before. frost. I had lots of people call at my stand which represented Then I was forced to go carriage driving a couple of days later. I had been to one the Donkey Society of Victoria and many questions were asked event a few weeks earlier and no-one turned up so I scoffed nice green grass for about donkey ownership and donkey uses, as we seem to be The human leading me at Abbey’s birthday party torture. an hour or so and went home without raising a sweat. No such luck this time! I considered novelty animals. I did several shows in my sulky but was unceremoniously hitched to the sulky and off I went out among the shortears. mostly stood around and let hundreds of people cuddle me and The human beat me severely and I trotted for the first time which felt pretty good give me treats. their show which was good. I showed them how I can trot which caused (the trotting not the beating). Soon I was trotting around of my own volition and the the enormous crowd to go wild. After that the human put me in my seat The next day the temperature was -7 and my mane and ears human even gave me to a lady for her to have a drive. What a thrill it must have belt snigging harness and the nice man from the draught were frozen and white. To make things even more distasteful been to actually drive a living God and one who can trot too! allowed me to try out his log snigging apparatus. the doors of the truck were frozen shut and the human could not open them till nearly 9am so we never had a morning feed until The people from the carriage driving club told the human that we could then. The only good thing about this is that he had no breakfast use their light snigging logs in my demonstration but the human cruelly either. After I’d regained my strength and dusted off the white said ‘No, Oliver will pull the draught horse logs’ which were about 4m long frost the carriage driving club allowed me to drive with them in and weighed over 100kg. The carriage driving man said the he didn't like our chances. Most of the carriage club shortears were Shetlands. The human connected me up to the logs and said ‘walk on’ and I did with no trouble at all in hauling the load which was probably almost as heavy as I am - I am only a little donkey (though a magnificent one). The carriage people were truly amazed and said to the draught horse man who lent us the logs that they thought it impossible for me to snig that weight. The draught horse man said he knew I could do it because he had seen Benny Scone Horse Week procession. I won the red ribbon for second place in the whole in action at many previous shows. equine procession judging. Goes to show you how easy it is to upstage the shortears. In the afternoon, I got many more cuddles and the human answered many questions about donkeys. Some of the people out in the west are now using us as guard animals which the human has been extolling the virtues of for the last few years and they are all satisfied with the job donkeys are doing in guarding their sheep. One lady said that they had actually found Minus seven degrees & frozen ears & mane had me phoning the RSPCA. a couple of dead foxes and a dog which had obviously got the treatment from their guard donkeys. That is about all I can write now as this weekend the human is taking either me or the silver maggot, Lightning, to a 5km carriage drive. He said that he might take the silver maggot because I am not really ready for a 5km ride yet so I have to take big steps to get out of the drive. Big steps to far north Queensland. Don't forget DONKEYS RULE!!! OLIVER

Oliver's personal assistant is Bob Pankhurst, I didn’t really need the Superman outfit at Mudgee Small Farm Field days. Everyone Celebrity Donkey Management, Somersby, NSW. knows already that I am Superman. Above: Snigging the draught horse log with ease, I made a great impression with the heavy horse people at Mudgee. 20 DONKEY DIGEST • September 2018 DONKEY DIGEST • September 2018 21 From the Ridge With Fiona Mottram

omorrow I deliver mules Bobby Sox and T Caboose to their new home near Ballarat. Inspecting the working water This home is just up the road from the place wheel which powers wood cutting where Bobby’s full sister Fairy went to live in equipment - initially Tambo was March. I do hope their owners will meet each fascinated by the movement and water noises but later ignored them. other and share mule experiences together. In the same trip, Ross and I will also transport two older jennies surrendered to the Donkey Society of Victoria (DSV) which are now being rehomed at Gherang, around the corner from where the DSV Treasurer Chris Trotter lives. It will be great if I also make new friends with these people who have all also joined the DSV. It’s a long trip to the Coal Creek - First across the railway tracks in front of the steam train then across the bridge - Fiona Mottram west side of Victoria so we will stay overnight and with Keysoe Tambo - Yurrah Frosty is behind but obscured. enjoy dinner with an extra two DSV members joining us. Poor Ross will find all the constant donkey conversation during the evening a bit tiring. And I will be sad that two mules I love will live elsewhere. However it will be a good home for them and I will concentrate on working longears that suit my needs best. Feeling that I’d like to swing back the herd balance to equal donkey and mule numbers and with future plans to do regular short packing trips now that I have retired, I have bought two Australian donkey geldings from Ruth Walker’s Keysoe Stud. One donkey is 12yo Keysoe Shane (who I am renaming for paddock/work purposes as Snowy River.) I haven’t measured Snowy but expect he is 12hh. As a young jack he spent several years in SA at Helen Robertson’s Blithe Moon Stud and has descendents down to great-grand offspring. He is a half brother on his father’s side to my excellent Keysoe Tambo and also to the terrific Farpoint Digby who I sold to Liz Poultney in WA. On his mother’s side, Snowy is half-brother to the now deceased and still much missed Keysoe Simon who was one of my best ever Children were especially attracted by the donkeys. donkeys. Their dam Stella was a wild caught jenny and Simon was conceived in the wild. Snowy’s younger full brother Keysoe Sandon was recently ridden at the Walmer Camp before being sold to a couple who are members of the Bendigo and District Donkey and Mule Club. Since Ross and I also sometimes attend that club, the boys will still see each other sometimes. They were inseparable paddock mates at Ruth’s place. The other donkey wo came to live here is one-year-old Keysoe Mathoura (who I will call Marlo). He is named after the Victorian town where the Fiona Mottram leading Keysoe Mathoura now Marlo on his first walk. Snowy River flows into the sea. Marlo is growing well and may likely make 13hh or close to it. He was also conceived in the wild but born at Ruth’s stud to a wild caught jenny Merinda bought at the Echuca sales. It is interesting to see that Marlo is bold, inquisitive and calm. He takes all day with the attention but Tambo reckoned he’d had the lead and Snowy follows behind at our place. Although they were not paddocked together in their previous home, they bonded closely on the enough of strangers touching him by lunchtime. Both lads float trip home. Possibly in joint awe/fright/disdain of my mule Callie who I had brought up to Ruth’s for a ride together. were impeccably behaved and calm about the environment Tambo and Frosty practically ignored the new arrivals when they came into their paddock after meeting them over the fence for 12 hours, and the and were very polite with the admirers at all times. I gave two new ‘boys’ currently stand off as a pair by themselves. I have kept all mules except Daisy away from Marlo as they can be physically rough them an hour’s rest at lunch and stopped people from on new arrivals and he’s still just a baby. Unfortunately I do not have enough space for a quarantine paddock where new longears can be kept touching them during that time. Wish I had given myself the out of touching distance from any resident equines. same treatment as I was still bombarded with questions and came home with a sore throat. Even when the festival was In August I took Tambo and Frosty to the Coal Creek Heritage Festival at Korumburra. Ross helped me put up a photographic display of historic packing up we still had families around us asking things and pictures of Australian donkeys doing a variety of work and photos of our own longears also busy with various tasks and gear. Ross then pedalled patting the donkeys while we put gear back in the float. While off on his pennyfarthing bicycle to win the moustache competition while I popped on the pack gear and led my donkeys around this fascinating my mules are good, the donkeys suit this type of outing venue. In addition to a large collection of historic buildings with demonstrations of old times skills, Coal Creek has coal mine tunnels, a real steam best as they are more patient about standing still and being train running and a huge water wheel. On the day about 1,400 people attended and all seemed to want to pat and admire my boys. Frosty blissed Ruth Walker takes Keysoe Shane on his second walk off the stud - practising road crossing. surrounded by strangers for an extended time.

22 DONKEY DIGEST • September 2018 DONKEY DIGEST • September 2018 23 FOR THE BOOKWORMS Assvertisements The Only Way Home Donkey & Mule Society of New Zealand Inc. www.donkey-mule.org.nz Donkey & mule care, welfare & training. Membership includes quarterly magazine Donkey & Mule Dispatch. Overseas Subscription NZ $50. Email: [email protected]

National Miniature Donkey Association www.nmdaasset.com ASSET Magazine – 4 issues annually Overseas subscription US$60 NMDA, 6450 Dewey Road, Rome, New York 13440 USA If you like donkeys and you like a good read, Australian author Liz Byron has written a page- The BRAYER Magazine. turner you’ll want to get a hold of. ‘The Only Way Newsletter of the American Donkey & Mule Society. www.lovelongears.com Home’ is a reflection of Liz’s life experiences Donkeys, minis, standards, mammoths, mules & zebra hybrids. with and without donkeys. It’s beautifully written Overseas subscription US $50. 6 issues pet year. Email: [email protected] with a plot that resonates with many. ADMS, PO Box 1210, Lewisville TX 75067 USA Liz very generously is offering the manuscript in its entirety for free to Donkey Digest readers. All you have to do is contact Liz on [email protected], make your request and she will either post out the British Mule Society www.britishmulesociety.co.uk manuscript or send you an electronic version depending on your preference. Overseas membership UK £25 + £1Joining fee. The Mule journal is published 3 times per year. Here’s a little background to the full story. Contact Helen Brodie, Little Paddocks, School Lane, Great Steeping, Spilsby, Lincs PE23 5PU, UK. Email: [email protected]

nce upon a time, I lived the perfect life. I had my very own Encounters on the trek highlighted the extraordinary that exists in the Canadian Donkey & Mule Association Prince Charming, was the mother of four gorgeous children ordinary life and ways of everyday people: battlers on social security; O www.donkeyandmule.com and believed myself to be a strong, competent woman. The sudden cattle-farmers owning huge tracts of land yet struggling to make death of my nine-year-old son shattered this fairy-tale world and ends meet; small-town dwellers and other rural Australians with such Canadian Donkey & Mule News – 4 issues per year exposed just how fragile I was. For years, I felt guilty for not coping. resilience as to make citified people appear delicate; and the simple Membership email – [email protected] or mail to Canadian Livestock Records Corporation, 4217 Holly Lane, I eventually realised I didn’t have to cope, that life could be muddled humanity of one of Australia’s wealthiest men, ruler of a cattle empire Ottawa, ON K1V OM7 through… for a while. When my eldest daughter revealed a ghastly the size of Switzerland. secret she had borne alone since the loss of her brother, my world This was 2004 when Central Queensland was enduring its worst was reduced to nothing but my own long-buried childhood. More drought conditions on record. For water and feed I had to turn to Donkey Breed Society years, more tears… until, from the ashes of my fairy-tale world arose those living and working on huge, remote, cattle stations, each a world www.donkeybreedsociety.co.uk a new story, one of acceptance and forgiveness. While I could not unto itself. Never one for chit chat, I found myself faced with social Membership £80 4 magazines annually (3 x Bray Talk & 1 x The Donkey) turn back the clock to make life better for my surviving grown-up expectations of people who couldn’t comprehend why anyone, let children, I could be a positive force in the lives of my grandchildren. Email: [email protected] alone a woman (and vegetarian at that), would choose to travel on foot I left behind 40 years of marriage and a stimulating, lucrative career, through harsh country that their forebears had only partially tamed. All Write to: Secretary Carol Morse, The Heritage, Pootings, Edenbridge, Kent TN8 6SD UK to trek the Bicentennial National Trail through Queensland for nine along the trail, my dislike for the values of most of these toughened months. My two staunch, wise donkeys carried all we needed for the Australians conflicted greatly with my appreciation for their remarkable Miniature Donkey Talk magazine 2,500-kilometre journey. At age 60, I was ready to live alone, prepared generosity. With kindness from strangers forthcoming whenever I to treat my own life as sacred. But I needed something to test my self- needed it, I didn’t exactly fail the test of self-reliance, but rather was www.web-donkeys.com reliance, my independence, and to settle any remaining emotional not obliged to sit the exam. Accepting dependence on other people Online & hard copy subscriptions dust. The drought-stricken trail accomplished this and more; it opened my heart instead, to the complex mix of good intentions and Email: [email protected] wrought a parallel journey into the heart and soul of my existence. ignorance in all of us (myself included). PO Box 982, Cripple Creek, Colorado 80813 USA My donkeys, Grace and Charley, did much more than carry our I also learned much from my donkeys – the importance of engaging physical load. Walking with them, day in, day out, revealed to me only when safe; being sensitive to people’s feelings and listening well the nature of relationships – with people I met, the donkeys, the in any interaction; communicating clearly about what’s important and Interested in livestock? environment and myself – not always a pretty picture, but ever- knowing when to politely withdraw. Slowly but surely on this journey, We focus on the care and management of stock and pets, plus food and recipes, gardening, farming, self- evolving. Events on the long trek seemed deliberately contrived to the old, habitual emotions, of pride vying with inadequacy, were sufficiency and more. It’s all in Grass Roots magazine. From newsagents or subscribe for $37.50. Grass Roots dismantle all vestiges of the capable and caring person I felt was replaced by feelings of gratitude, self-confidence and true humility. By “me”. My sanity was saved (almost) because at least I could laugh at the end, I was ready to enjoy my new life, responsible for no-one but Publishing, phone 03-5792 4000. PO Box 117, Seymour, Victoria 3661. myself; and I learned more about forgiveness. two donkeys and me.

24 DONKEY DIGEST • September 2018 DONKEY DIGEST • September 2018 25 Feeding and Grooming with the NRG Team . . .

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P.O.Box 98 Seville 3139. Australia [email protected] 26 DONKEY DIGEST • SeptemberPh/Fax: 2018 (03)5964 2999 www.nrgteam.com.au