NOELLE HAS A NEW "FARM" NAME

 

We lovingly refer to her now as Miss Cranky.........!!!  Although she is warming up a little bit, she isn't the friendliest donkey we've ever had.  She acts like she has had very little interaction with humans.  She was a companion with a mare for years I think & maybe the people didn't pay any attention to her.  Her skin crawls like Tula's does if you touch her.  She spends quite a bit of time scratching her neck on trees, so if we do try to touch her we go for the neck.  Figure if it itches she'll appreciate the attention.  She is also a kicker if you get in what she classifies as her space, although if you approach her carefully you can put a rope around her neck & then put a halter on her.  The halter is not allowed as a stand alone process, the rope comes first, or "no halter".  She is not interested in treats, nor is she interested in eating bermuda hay.  One day I tried her on a little bit of the chicken's alfalfa hay, & she seemed to think that was just fine.  So I would imagine she has always been fed alfalfa.  She has finally started eating a little of the hay, but not enough to keep her going.  But she is now out most of the time, so I figure she is probably eating "wild" stuff, since "we don't know what to feed donkeys"....!!!  Since she only has those 2 little teeth in front, I don't know how the rest of her teeth are.  She doesn't quid, but she'll be on the "check" list when Bert comes thru again, in the spring.  Hopefully by then her manners will be better. 

She's kicked out at me a couple of times, & I let her know that wasn't allowed.  John, bless his heart, has never learned to react immediately when necessary.  Last night he had an opportunity to let her know kicking isn't a good thing, but spent too much time trying to get out of the way....!!! LOL  At least that's what he told me when I said he should have reacted quicker.

She knows where her pen is, but for some reason Quilla has decided it's his job to stand in front of the gate, so she can't get in.   And if she does try to go in he kicks at her, not with vengeance, just to let her know he's there.   But that means we get to do another lap around the pens, because she won't confront him or go around him.  The other day Buster got tired of her not going in & blocked her way, so she had to go in.  Maybe he was a cutting horse in a former life, who knows..........!!!  

I think we'll all be glad when it warms up.  The last couple of weeks have not been the type of weather people come to Arizona for, that's for sure.  I'm still having to blanket Sha'ba every night & don't see anything in the next few days that will change that.  Dreary days & nights in the teens.  

The first little mule has been born from the rescue of the 9 mares, 2 geldings & 4 jennies we went on a couple of weeks ago.  It's a little molly, the mother is a bay with black points, & the little girl looks like she is going to be quite a bit lighter.  Don't think she has a name yet.