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Sally & Becky

Started by Patty, April 25, 2009, 03:32:22 PM

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Patty

As most of you know I have a Belgian mare named Becky. She is like a gigantic dog, a 2000 pound Labrador, if you can imagine.

Becky & black-dog were best of buddies for years. They played tag, killed my chickens, played kick the can (5 gallon bucket), and groomed each other every day. Then one day, black -dog was gone, and Becky was so lonely. She missed her little buddy, her pal and barnmate. She became depressed and sad.

Fast forward a few years, to Christmas '08. I decided Becky needed a new pal. She and yellow-dog weren't that close, in fact yellow-dog was scared of her and her huge hooves. So I purchased a tiny donkey, (Disguised as Norm's Christmas present), for Becky to play with. We named the donkey Sally. Sally was 5-6 months old the day I brought her home. We were in the middle of a good old Iowa blizzard that day, Christmas Eve. The wind was howling and snow was already a foot deep when I brought her home. She was so tiny, she walked right under Becky's belly, looking for a place to nurse.  ::)  Sally was so small she could waltz right under the fence, so we had to put her in with our chickens in the coop until the weather was good enough for us to string two more wires on the fence.

Norm was such a good sport about all this ; first the donkey getting out and us chasing her around during the blizzard, then keeping her in with the chickens, then chasing her around during a rain storm when she got out, ...then putting up new fence, then chasing her around in the mud of spring when she got out,.... and finally juicing up the fence to the point where the electric arc will reach out and grab you if you get within a foot of it! Norm's sense of humor left during the second chase, I believe.  :D

Now Sally is about 9-10 months old and she gets stuck and has to back out when she tries to walk under Becky. Sally has graduated up to a new pretty pink halter, and we spent the other afternoon grooming all the burrs out of her coat. I have never been around donkeys, so I don't know if she is still in her baby coat or if this is the way she will always look. I can't get a comb through her coat, so we have to settle with grooming her with our fingers and a pair of scissors. It is not a pretty sight. But she is still very cute in her own little way. (At least that is what I keep reminding Norm) She & Becky are pals, for the most part, except when she tries to suckle....much to Becky's dismay.  :o We watch them play out in the pasture and I feel good knowing Beck is no longer so lonely. And I just know that means alot to Norm as well.  ::) 









Women are Angels.
And when someone breaks our wings....
We simply continue to fly ........
on a broomstick.....
We are flexible like that.

Norm

My sense of humor ended about the 3rd time Sally got out on me. She's got very thick hair that insulates her from the hot wire so she would just walk through the fence and then run when she saw the lead rope.

I have a real effective way of dealing with this. I got on the 4 wheeler and ran her around the field giving her a gentle nudge with the front fender. After about 5 minutes of this she couldn't wait to get back inside of the fence. It took doing this twice before she got the message. Well that and the new fencer I bought. I knew it was a good one when the picture on the package showed a cow with 4 feet straight up in the air. It doesn't snap when touched but goes CRACK! She doesn't walk through it any more. ;D

SwampDonkey

She's quite bushy haired isn't she? I'd hate to have her get into the burdock patch. :D :D

Sally is a nice little donkey, I have no experience around them either, so i can't comment on her fur. She's almost as small as a burrow. ;D
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

beenthere

I think SD means a burro, which is the same name as a small donkey. HeeHaw.

Norm, does this one bray a bit? What is the breeding behind this one? Wondering where the long hair comes from, and wondered if there is Shetland in there somewhere.
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

Norm

She has a vocal range I've never heard before including some very loud braying. As far as I know she's pure breed. The guy we bought her from is very fussy in his breeding.

SwampDonkey

Quote from: beenthere on April 25, 2009, 04:59:29 PM
I think SD means a burro.

Ah, yes.

Didn't know they were the same as donkeys though. I remember "Sister Sarah" riding her burro and tapping it's rump with a stick. That was a funny Eastwood movie. :D

"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

Patty

Her "braying" starts out as a little squeak, and progressively gets louder until she gets into a full HEW HAW . It is a real hoot.  :D   she has to work up to it. I still can't get used to her squeaks and noises, they always catch me off guard.

She is really very social, loves to have you scratch behind her ears and on her rump..... :)

Van, the guy that I bought her from (did you know donkeys will live up to 30 years?!!), anyway, old Van said she was what is called a white tip donkey, because of her white nose and dark coat.

Roxie needs to chime in here and explain to us all about donkeys.  ;D
Women are Angels.
And when someone breaks our wings....
We simply continue to fly ........
on a broomstick.....
We are flexible like that.

WH_Conley

It cracks me up to hear them get up to speed on the braying, seems like a lot of work. :D :D
Bill

Roxie

She's adorable!   :)  I'm pretty sure that she has a combination of baby fur and her winter coat.  Donkey's shed out after horses in cool climates.  There is a breed of donkey that is "wooly" but they are large and somewhat rare.  Keep combing her out and she's gonna be gorgeous.  White tipped are my favorite!   

Norm, I will never forget when my mule jumped the fence and took off running up the road with Cowboy Bob in hot pursuit in his pickup truck.  That's about as mad at an animal that I've ever seen him get.  I found the whole situation hilarious.  We failed to take into account that mules and donkeys (inch for inch) are better jumpers that horses, and once a mule smells freedon, they are gone.   :D
Say when

sprucebunny

Sally is very cute and Becky is good looking, too !!

It's so sweet of you to make sure your animals have a pal  :)
MS193, MS192 and an 026  Weeding and Thinning. Gilbert Champion sawmill

scsmith42

Patty, you crack me up!  I think that you and the Doc have a lot in common...

Amongst the myriad of critters that we have, is what is affectionally referred to as "The Ponkey"...  TP is a cross between a pony and a mule, hence the name.

When she brays, she starts with a whinny and finishes up with a "hee haw".  It's the funniest thing that I've ever heard.

Norm, what kind of fence charger do you have?  We have one that Laureen says will 'stop your heart', but it sounds like yours is more powerful.
Peterson 10" WPF with 65' of track
Smith - Gallagher dedicated slabber
Tom's 3638D Baker band mill
and a mix of log handling heavy equipment.

Patty

Scott, this new charger is unbelievable.......thank heavens he didn't buy the more powerful one.... The picture on it was a herd of dead cows!

This charger he got just had a pic of one cow with all 4 legs up in the air.  :D

We opened up a new pasture yesterday for the dynamic duo  ::) . I was standing about 100 yards away when he plugged the charger in.  ;) I could hear it cracking way down in the corner of the new pasture where it was grounded. YIKES!  :o

We all have learned a new respect for the electric fence.
Women are Angels.
And when someone breaks our wings....
We simply continue to fly ........
on a broomstick.....
We are flexible like that.

WDH

Sally is beautiful!  We had a mule called Sally when I was growing up.  This thread brings back old memories.  My Dad used to plow the garden with Sally.  One day, after the cotton was sprayed, Sally got out in the cotton, and the DDT did her in.  So, after that, my Dad hooked the mule plow to the tractor with a chain, and he then proceed to have me drive the tractor.  As you can imagine, he Geed and Hawed me somthing fierce ;D.

Electric fences have left a few marks on me, mentally and physically :D. 

Keep us posted on how the little sweet girl is doing.
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

scsmith42

Patty, I'll have to keep my eye open for one of those chargers; the local stores down here don't have them.  If you stumble across the brand name, please let me know.

The donkey's seem to be more immune to our regular electric fences - I guess because of the length and courseness of their coat.

We have a belgian that sounds very similar to Becky; albeit a little younger.  Georgia Brown joined the farm about 6 months ago, and she's the coolest horse out of all of them.  Just doesn't seem to have a lot of the hang-ups that the thoroughbred crosses have.
Peterson 10" WPF with 65' of track
Smith - Gallagher dedicated slabber
Tom's 3638D Baker band mill
and a mix of log handling heavy equipment.

Norm

Scott the Blitzer 8902 is the one I bought. It is 4 joules and is good for 75 miles. The 8900 is the biggest they make and is 6 joules.

http://www.farmandfleet.com/catalog/list.aspx?h=090404006

Not sure what farm supply stores you have near you but I'll bet you can get one in your area. If not let me know and I'll pick one up for you.

The donkey before was always putting her head through the middle of the fence and walking through. After putting this unit in I knew it worked after the first day when I noticed her ears were about 2"s shorter..... :o  ;D

Patty

Yea Scott the Belgians are way cool, pretty docile and easy going. I had never been around horses at all until we got Becky as a two year old, about 8 years ago. I had a shetland pony as a kid, but there is no comparing the two. Talk about from one extreme to the other!

We have really enjoyed her over the years.
Women are Angels.
And when someone breaks our wings....
We simply continue to fly ........
on a broomstick.....
We are flexible like that.

beenthere

Quote...when I noticed her ears were about 2"s shorter...

:D :D :D :D :D :D
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

SwampDonkey

My uncle raised a set of twin Belgians, Bud and Sailor, and worked them in the woods yarding. They lived 16 years. One of them was mild mannered and the other was wild when hooked to a log. When both were hooked together , like to a hay wagon or sled, the wild one was more calm. They were a little more red in color than Becky. ;D

He used to do a lot of yarding for the local Natives. They were scared to death of Sailor and would ask my uncle if it was the  wild one he brought to the woods that day. They used to run off the trails in retreat when he was hooked to a log. To here my uncle tell those stories it was funny as all get out. "Gee Reid, do you think your horse is tired?" "Yup, I think so" and it would be mid afternoon. It was more play than work. Got tired of running from the horse I guess. :D :D
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

scsmith42

Norm, thanks for the info and the link.  That appears to be much more powerful than the Southern States charger that I'm using.  I wonder if it will keep foxes out of the pasture...

Patty - you need to post a pix of you sitting up on Becky!

Peterson 10" WPF with 65' of track
Smith - Gallagher dedicated slabber
Tom's 3638D Baker band mill
and a mix of log handling heavy equipment.

Norm

Scott our chicken coop kept having problems with skunks and possums digging under the fence to get inside. I ran a wire from this fencer low to the ground outside of the coop fence. The next morning when I went out to do chores there was a distinct skunk smell. I wish I could have seen it put it's nose on that wire. Haven't had a problem since then but have really had to train myself to turn it off before I walk in the coop.

WH_Conley

Didn't take too many trips til the training was complete, did it? :D :D
Bill

isawlogs


The fun begins when you go out first , unplug the charger , and the boss follows and wunders why the charger is not plugged in and plugs it in  ::)  Barn here is 125 feet llong , " L " shape short part of the L is 24 feet long , so there is a while to get to the other end and out to unhook the wire , well it takes long enough for her to plug it in and the juice to get to the wire wich would be by that time in my hands  :o   ::)    :o    :'( 
A man does not always grow wise as he grows old , but he always grows old as he grows wise .

   Marcel

beenthere

Quote from: Norm on April 30, 2009, 07:28:17 AM
........... Haven't had a problem since then but have really had to train myself to turn it off before I walk in the coop.

Did ya leave any smell?

Isawlogs
Ya think that is just by accident, like she says.. ;D ;D ;D
She's ROFLOL   :) :)
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

Norm

About the first day I had it strung in front of the coop I was just about ready to pull the door open when I thought to myself..... :D

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