THANKSGIVING IS OVER, ON TO CHRISTMAS.........

I'm not the most holiday orientated person on the planet, but with Linda and Suzanne around, I don't have much choice........!!!  I just try to stay out of the way..........!!! LOL  This week-end is the Open House in conjunction with the 39th annual Community Cascabel Fair here in the valley.  If all their plans fall into place, it's going to be busy around here.  They are setting up a photo booth, so people can take pictures with a donkey.  They are going to have packs on a couple of "beverage burros" carrying sodas to sell.  Of course all the pens will be full of donkeys for people to interact with.  

 

Leo is inviting everyone in the area to come on out and spend some time with him and his friends

Today they are visiting with a couple of BLM donkeys and their new family.  The people are so excited to have the donkeys, BUT are new donkey parents and wanted to get some ideas of the best way to train them.  

Lynn Linda and Suzanne are in the process of setting up a business called Burro Buddies, and one aspect of it will be training.  Both for just the basics,  but also teaching the owners how to work with donkeys.  If a donkey can be haltered, led, stand tied, allow all 4 feet to be picked up, and be trailered the battle is half won.  People need as much training as the donkeys in fact usually more.  If donkeys are easy to work with or have training for a job, such as pack burro racing, they have a better chance of getting a long term good home.  If the Burro Buddies can help people with their donkeys, or if the donkeys have a specific issue such as picking up their feet and they work with the donkey, the people or both, it's a win win for everyone.  

We will be getting in a new member of the family soon.  His owner called me a few weeks ago and wanted us to take her donkey.  He had a small problem, he was an intact jack, which we no longer accept.  She said she would get him gelded and this morning was his date with destiny.  I told her to call in a few days when he has recuperated and we'll come get him.  Haven't seen him, he's about 4-5 years old, who knows he might be a good racing candidate..........!!! 

We've had a lot of rain the last week or so.  Sure hope it's nice for the Open House.  The weather people are saying partly cloudy, 60s and 70s which would be pretty nice.  But, they aren't always accurate...........!! LOL  We always say if they got paid for being right, they'd starve to death.......!! 

Casper the little white mini mule is finally behaving himself again.  For some reason he took a personal affront to 5 of the donkeys Lynn and Linda brought down from Colorado.  What is really weird is one of them is Bunny a jenny and the boys usually don't chase the girls except for one reason and his mind wasn't on romance.  It got so bad, we started having him in his pen and them out, or them in their pens and him out.  This went on for days and I asked my herb expert Claire if there was anything we could give him to make him less reactive.  It took a few days, but he finally settled down with a little help from herbs and peace reigns again, thank goodness.  The reason we ended up with him in the first place was because he didn't play well with others, and he would try to kill full sized horses.  He's like a little buzz saw when he gets focused on a victim. 

If anyone would like to volunteer to help during the Open House, we'd love to have you come out.  Just let me know.....!!!