Everyday he does something that just makes us shake our heads. He's gone from being out 2 hours a day after breakfast and then wanting back in his pen for the afternoon, to staying out after breakfast until time to do round-up for afternoon feeding.
Yesterday to add to the fun, some of the girls were giving the guys "spring" fever. Guess who was in on the orgy as a very interested bystander? He stayed with the herd all day. He hasn't been as ouchy on his legs and feet the last couple of days, so I would imagine if they keep improving, he might be ready for the next "orgy".......!!
He's not really one that "lives to eat", although to get as heavy as he is, he's obviously been eating much more than he needs. He had been getting half a flake of alfalfa twice a day and on pasture. Pasture this time of year in the Phoenix area doesn't look very appetizing and is very short, BUT, is still loaded with food value and his body obviously has been making the most of available food.
We started him out on 2 pounds of hay 3 times a day. You can tell he's use to having hay or something available at all times, so he's in no hurry to eat. We've been leaving him in overnight and he still doesn't finish his hay. He's a large standard and 6 pounds a day isn't overly generous, but we're dropping him to 5 pounds and I'm seriously thinking about letting him out overnight, for the exercise, which would help with the circulation in his feet. Guess I could set my alarm for 3 or 4 o'clock and go let him out.....!!! LOL
A woman is coming out today to learn about donkeys and how to feed them properly. She called Dr. Jeremy out for a donkey down a couple of weeks ago and he gave her our number to help her learn how to take care of donkeys properly. He told her the doughnuts had to go.......!!! Her donkey was foundered and when she called me a couple of days later, she said the donkey was doing much better. But she wants to "talk about donkeys" and how to take good care of them, which of course is one of our favorite subjects, so it should be a fun day. It's very rewarding when people that have been doing it wrong really want to make sure to do it right in the future.
We also have some of the kids from Caring Connections coming out. They usually come out 3 or 4 times a year and always seem to enjoy it.
When we did the Rodeo Parade in February, Georgette told us about a friend of hers that was 85 years old and had just lost his wife. They had 2 standard jennies, 1 mini donkey and a small hinny that the man didn't think he would be able to take care of much longer. Georgette had him call and he came out for a visit yesterday. He and a friend actually got here earlier than I expected and I got home from Benson, just as Lynn and Linda were finishing up the "tour" in the golf carts. We got to talking as they were getting ready to leave and he gave me his card. I put some of the talking we had been doing together with the name on the card and asked him if he remembered selling a donkey to us almost 20 years ago. I reminded him that his wife said he had too many animals and some needed to go. Bill is 85 and this happened in the late 90's but he remembered selling Eeyore, or as we have called him since, Buddy Brat to a couple that had a donkey (BlackJack) and had lost Cisco I and needed a friend for BJ. He even delivered Buddy because we didn't have a trailer. It's amazing sometimes as just how small the world really is.
This is BlackJack and Buddy playing in 2001
Cisco I and BlackJack, we only had Cisco I about 7 months and had to have him euthanized
Buddy 2002
Buddy and Jenny Big Girl, probably around 2012
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