Hoof Trimming Clinic

Yesterday I got to attend a Donkey Hoof Trimming clinic. Its was a great experience, I got to see some difficult donkeys be handled well. A scotch hobble was used on the kickers.

These donkeys originally were great with their feet, but had a experience with a BAD farrier - from what it sounds like the farrier actually hit these donkeys or mistreated them in general. But it made them sour to having their feet to be handled - they went into was defensive mode when it was time to handle their feet. They're proof of rough handling/mistreatment can make an animal 'bad' or act worse - which usually ends up in more abuse if kept with the same trimmer. This is a man made problem. The animal acts up so the farrier gets angry ( which you DO NOT do with donkeys!!) and abuses the animal making things much worse. and it progresses. Many farriers will not deal with donkeys, mostly because they think they're like horses, which they're not. You can't force or scare a donkey into anything.

So I got to see how to help the animal overcome its fear while making sure the human is out of harms way.

I didn't get much pictures of this little gelding, but here he is after his session getting trimmed & standing quietly.






Here the guy isn't making her kick, he's asking her to pick up her foot using the rope as an extension of his hand. This is her kicking out in disagreement. he's not being forceful with her at all. The whole time he worked with her he was very low key, calm, patient & NEVER got upset, angry or agitated. Notice he's using his free hand to help keep the donkey from entering his space & getting close enough to land one of those kicks.





Here's what i call the *rodeo* ( this was a lucky pic btw) Here the Jennet is having a little melt down & trying her hardest to evade the trimmer or possibly kick him. This jennet is known to crowd you & squish you up against anything that she could.


after working the scotch hobble, the trimmer has gotten her to realize that it's ok to have her feet touched.