Donkey Grooming

The Weather has been fantastic, I was busy earlier today, but still got a chance to go out and tie the donks and give a quick brush and clean their front feet. I've been working with Daisy, she's been really iffy bout her back feet, so right  now I'm just picking them up and rewarding her for good behavior, I think next time I will clean them out. She just gets so tense, so I've been going back to basics with her.

Loved brushing Rocky - after he got over the brush LOL, he wasn't sure what to make of it at first. He stood there like a statue while i gave a him a quick groom. I cleaned his front feet with no issues, I'm going to wait til he gets used to me a bit before i try the back. I know he's sticky on his left hind, which I believe is the same side Daisy is sticky on. We'll get there pretty soon. I just want him to know I'm his friend and I won't hurt him.

He also got to see the manure fork and wheel barrow, he wasn't too sure about all that, but he didn't bolt or anything crazy.  I love that it's dry out and I can get back to my daily poo cleanings, I hate when it's rainy and it's soggy out.

Here's pics from today!! (feeding was uneventful again lol)

todays stuff....

Cleaned out Daisy's hooves, she was very good, no resistance at all today. she got one pellet for each hoof. maybe that helped?? LOL a little incentive for being a good girl.

then I haltered Martha, who was in the stall, she was very good, let me put it right on her. Then i used the carrot stick to start touching her legs. Going very slowly and praising her when she let me put it on her legs. She did step back a couple times but nothing big, she soon let me touch them with no resistance.
I gave her breaks in between. i'm going very slow with her. She seems to get overwhelmed easily if you go to fast or ask too much.

She then was standing in the doorway of the stall. I petted down her left front leg a couple times praising her for when she stood still and accepted it. I was very soft with her. Then one time she picked up her leg, so i gently held it for a second, gave it back and praised the crap outta her! LOL. I did it a second time but held the leg a little bit longer! I praised her for the smallest amount of try.

I repeated it on the right front leg, i didn't get to hold it, but she got rewarded each time she let me pet it down to her pastern. Kept it all short, soft and lots of praise when she did well. I think she's getting it.

good day with the donks.

lunch time scratchings......

Today at lunch I went out to see the girls. I petted Daisy a bit, then started over towards Martha and of course I had to tell Daisy 'go do something else' and she did. I walked over to Martha & she didn't budge or even seem 'unsure', gave her some neck scratchings, worked down her back, and over her shoulders. I'm keeping everything extremely short so I don't overwhelm her.

This morning she got to take off her halter, I let her sniff it while it was bunched up in my hand, and gave her some love. Then I rearranged it into another 'shape' and let her see it again, and told her she was a good girl for sniffing the scary halter that just changed shapes LOL.