Donkeys and Minis Are Great Companion Animals!

And that’s just the first thing to know.

Too many people think donkeys are stubborn or just plain stupid. We’re happy to bust that myth once and for all. Donkeys are highly intelligent animals and reliable helpers in many countries and in many situations. They’re also great to have around the ranch. Check out these donkey facts.

And what about minis? A true mini doesn’t exceed 34 inches at the withers and typically weighs 100 to 250 lbs. Ideally, they have all the characteristics of a full-sized horse, only in miniature. Unfortunately, some uneducated or unethical breeders try to create and sell dwarves. These little ones have lifelong health issues. Read Munchie’s story to learn more about what happens when unethical people try to create a tiny horse. And check out these mini-horse facts.

10 Fun Facts about Donkeys

• Donkeys can live for over 50 years.
• A donkey is stronger than a horse of the same size.
• Donkeys have an incredible memory. They can recognize places and other donkeys they last saw 25 years ago.
• What appears to be stubbornness is actually a highly developed sense of self-preservation. Donkeys won’t do something they see as contrary to their own best interest or safety.
• Training a donkey relies upon showing them, by words and actions, that they can trust you to protect them from harm. They learn what it is we want them to do if we take time to show them.
• The donkey’s original habitat is the desert. In that environment, a donkey can hear the call of another donkey 60 miles away. Their large ears also help keep them cool.
• They don’t like the rain, and being out in it for long periods can damage their health as their fur is not waterproof.
• Donkeys don’t like being kept on their own, although a single donkey will live quite happily with goats.
• A herd chooses the strongest donkey to be their leader, even if they’re domesticated. In the wild, the lead donkey would stay to ward off an attack by a wolf or other predator in order to allow the rest of the herd to escape to safety.
• Donkeys in a herd groom each other in the same way that monkeys and chimps do.

These wonderful facts came from Mike’s Donkeys. Visit their site to learn more interesting facts!

10 Fun Facts about Mini Horses

• Minis originated in Europe in the 1600s and got so tiny through selective breeding.
• Minis and ponies are different equine species. Ponies are bred to be taller and stockier than minis.
• Minis can make great companion animals. They have been widely used in equine therapy and as assistants to people with disabilities.
• Like their full-sized counterparts, minis can be trained to drive, halter, jump obstacles and more.
• They can be trained to work indoors as well as outdoors.
• A well-cared for and carefully bred mini can live 25 to 35 years — longer than a full-sized horse.
• Minis are prone to obesity and colic, so it’s important to watch their food intake.
• A miniature horse named Thumbelina holds the world record for tiniest mini — just 17.5 inches tall.
• While dwarf horses are impossibly cute and loveable, the American Miniature Horse Association (AMHA) says that, due to the health problems of dwarfism, no dwarf horse should be a part of a breeding program.
• Dwarf horses appear to be fat, but that’s because their organs don’t fit well in their tiny skeletons. They also are prone to numerous health problems, need extra care and live shorter lives.