I hope you can see throughout the following videos I’ve provided of Rocketman’s journey that driving a donkey is not a hard thing to accomplish. It’s something anyone can do as long as you have these 5 things to get started:
- Time to devote.
- Money to invest in equipment.
- Space to practice.
- A non-reactive friendly donkey (if you don’t have a donkey like this I can help with that too!)
- A training plan!
Driving a donkey is one of the most fun activities you can do with a donkey! Once they learn how they usually really enjoy it themselves. Donkeys are made to move and love to do things with their caregiver once they trust and have confidence in the caregiver. Driving is an excellent exercise too. Overweight donkeys are often unhealthy, and restricting food is sometimes not enough to keep their weight down. Movement is good!
Rocketman has been through my Level 1 training and my Level 2 training, so it only took me 4 weeks to have him hooked to the cart. I’ve found that most friendly, non-reative donkeys can be pulling a cart in 30 days of less.
Driving a Donkey
This study backs up what I’ve found in my training driving donkeys Evaluating Learning theory in Donkeys
If you’re not into reading studies, here is a quote from the driving training part of the experiment:
This study suggests that donkeys can be taught to drive with only a halter and reins
and/or a halter with reins plus a donkey motivator in a relatively short time frame. Seven
of the ten subjects were successfully hitched and driven to the cart within the first ten
days and 8 donkeys were hitched and driven to the cart within 18 days.
Rocketman Case Study: Journey to Driving a Donkey
I have to admit I find it easiest to teach a miniature donkey to drive because they tack up in harness so quickly! So even with the bad weather set backs I still managed to get in 14 driving training sessions in a 4 week period with Rocketman.
I have recorded every session and kept a journal of his progress and set backs. This always helps. Even though I always start out with my basic plan on how to train a driving donkey keeping a journal helps me think of ways I can better help the individual donkey if he’s having a problem.
ALL 14 full-length driving training sessions are in my Donkey Training Membership group.
But recaps and clips from all 14 sessions, from his 4 weeks of training are on Youtube for everyone to see!
I’ve also made videos on the bare basic equipment you need to get started driving your donkey, getting forward movement from your donkey and a video on the driving harness parts is coming. So make sure to subscribe and check them all out for your donkey driving journey.
I also have a video recap of Jeb’s driving training! Article about Jeb and videos here: How to Train a Driving Donkey {With Videos}
Donkey Training Videos: Making of a Driving Donkey
Here are all the videos on youtube of Rocketmans driving training journey. Please give him a thumbs up! It helps us with ranking on youtube so others can see and learn from his journey!
Other videos to help you on your driving donkey training journey:
The Bare Basics you need to get started ground driving
Getting Forward Movement from Your Donkey
I have a whole playlist devoted to driving donkeys on youtube!
Train Your Donkey To Drive a Cart
If you would like more in-depth donkey training information, including basic donkey training as well as seeing the full length donkey driving training videos on Rocketman and my donkey Jasper consider joining my Donkey Training Membership Group on Patreon.
I want you to be successful with your donkeys and your training goals. I want donkeys and humans to be happy together! The cost of my membership group starts at $3. A price everyone can afford. The money I earn helps pay for this website and video equipment so I can make more donkey training videos. It also goes toward the care, training, and rescue of donkeys. Win/Win! Help yourself with your own donkey and help other donkeys too!
You CAN train your own donkey! Check out my membership group!
Donkey Training Membership Group
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