One of the best decisions I’ve made was to add miniature donkeys to our farm! They have brought me unbelievable amounts of joy since the first one arrived.
As much as I love my large riding donkeys the miniatures are so much fun for driving and taking hiking trips with. They aren’t as intimidating as the big donkeys, nor do they take up as much room! They make great additions to smaller farms. Miniature donkey personalities are so interesting too.
If you are looking for fun, and you love donkeys but are afraid of the common reasons not to get a donkey (the large ones can be intimidating to a beginner, they are more expensive to feed, and need a lot more space) then a miniature donkey might be the answer!
- Driving miniature donkeys is one of the more expensive activities, but I got into it for less than the cost of a good riding donkey! Being able to take my grandson on a cart ride was priceless! I’ll never forget that big grin on his face. If this interests you check out: Driving a Donkey {Video Series from Start to Cart}
- Safer than a large donkey. Especially for someone with no prior equine experience. I’m talking about a well-trained mini here. Any equine can hurt you. For someone not used to large animals, the big guys can be very intimidating though. I learned the hard way that buying a 16 HH horse was not the best option for many reasons! As someone who is only 5’5 I felt awkward and intimidated training him. He knew it too! Meanwhile, training miniature donkeys isn’t intimidating at all! I also feel much better with my grandson around the little ones too. Even a docile large donkey can seriously hurt someone and not even mean too.
- Easier to train. I find them to be extremely fast learners! I can train a miniature donkey to drive typically in less time than a larger one. Once they understand what’s asked they really seem to enjoy driving and light work.
- Economical. Common sense is going to tell you they eat less than a big donkey! Much less! But did you know it actually cost more for one of my large dogs to keep a year than a mini donkey? I can farrier them myself easier too. That saves money. I do admit you can get a little crazy with the tiny cute tack! But it is not necessary for my miniature donkey to have purple leg boots! or is it 😉
- Pasture and yard maintenance No kidding around here! My miniature donkey eat weeds and browse better than my goats did! Keeps the pastures and the yard looking nicer!
- Get Fit! Sounds crazy, right? But donkeys make the best ever hiking/walking companions! I’m in the best shape of my life thanks to my donkey hiking buddies. They motivate me to be outside more, get fresh air and that relieves stress too. You can read more about that here Hiking with Donkeys
- Compost! All that donkey manure makes a nice addition to the compost pile for gardens! Before I had donkeys I had to buy compost. Not anymore!
There are many other reasons! Especially for a donkey lover who can’t or doesn’t want to ride or don’t have room or money for the upkeep of a big donkey. They are amazing little equine and have brought huge joy to me every day I go out to the barn and see them. Their energy is contagious! Its impossible to be unhappy when one of the little guys gives me a big bray and comes over for scratches. If I’m feeling a little lazy with my workouts I know I can halter up a mini donkey who is always ready for a nice hike. So many reasons to add a miniature donkey to your life, my friends, so many reasons 🙂
They have truly been a blessing on our farm.
I also want to say really quick, these things apply to small standard donkeys as well! I adore my small standard boy!
Want to Learn More About Donkeys?