Caring for My Donkeys' Hooves
There's a lot of activity going on in my stable - it's time to trim the donkeys' hooves.
Every six to eight weeks, my farrier Marc Hill comes by the farm to check the donkeys' hooves and give them a good trim. Compared to the horse, a donkey's hooves are smaller, more upright, and more resistant, but like all equines, their hooves are constantly growing. Hooves support the entire weight of an animal's body, so if left unmaintained they can split or get too long causing uneven strides and soreness. Marc is an expert in equine hoof care; it doesn't take long for him to get all five of my Sicilian donkeys done.
Here are some photos, enjoy.
-
- I have five miniature Sicilian donkeys – Clive, Truman “TJ” Junior, Billie, Jude “JJ” Junior, and Rufus. Every day, during my tour around the property, I always stop in to see them in their paddock.
-
- Inside, Rufus is always one of the first to greet visitors when they stop at his stall. Donkeys are naturally friendly, social, and quite curious.
-
- And next door, in the “girls” stall, is Billie – always looking for attention.
-
- In general, donkeys thrive in semi-arid parts of the world, where the ground is dry and sometimes stony. Donkeys that spend lots of time on lush, grassy pastures, may not naturally wear down their hooves as quickly. It is important to check their hooves regularly and have them trimmed when needed.
-
- Marc visits my stable every couple of months to check all its equine residents – the donkeys, one Fell pony and four Friesians. These donkeys are very well behaved and easy to work with – they are accustomed to these routines because they are groomed and handled every day, but don’t underestimate the strength of a donkey. Donkeys have powerful rear legs, which they use to kick when they feel threatened or nervous.
-
- A farrier always has his or her box of important tools – this is Marc’s.
-
- Marc uses a hoof knife to remove any debris and to trim the hoof sole. Notice, there are no shoes on this donkey’s foot. Donkeys also don’t typically wear shoes.
-
- A farrier’s hoof knife is made of high quality stainless steel and has a sharp blade. It is used to clean up the exfoliating sole, to trim the shedding frog, and to cut the bars.
-
- This is called a nipper. It is used to cut and remove any overgrown hoof wall.
-
- Here is a piece of overgrown wall – not much. Removing pieces of the hoof wall requires considerable knowledge since the area is so close to the sole.
-
- Jude “JJ” Junior looks on. These donkeys are very close and do best when they can see all the other members of their herd.
-
- The next step is to clean up any rough edges around the hoof. Marc does this with a filing tool called a rasp. Rasps are made of high carbon steel and chrome.
-
- The finished hoof should look neat and well-rounded, and be free from any diseased tissue. Trimming them should be done often enough, so they don’t overgrow and cause issues with walking. Look closely, a donkey’s hoof is U-shaped. It is narrow, and longer than it is wide. The toe is rounded and the quarters are upright. In the center of the hoof is what is called the frog, identified by its V-shape. It consists of spongy, elastic tissue, marked by a central groove and two collateral grooves. This acts as the animal’s shock absorber.
-
- Marc also files the front and then feels all around the hoof to make sure there are no rough edges.
-
- Here is one all done, and one still left to do – can you tell which is which?
-
- Most of the time, donkeys are calm, intelligent, and have a natural inclination to like people. Donkeys show less obvious signs of fear than horses.
-
- Marc moves onto another donkey – always on the back feet first and then the front.
-
- Marc talks calmly to Jude “JJ” Junior while he is working to reassure her that this is a quick and painless procedure.
-
- Billie, who is one of our two resident jennys, or females, also wears special donkey sneakers to protect her sensitive hooves on the cobblestones.
-
- Here she is walking with Jude “JJ” Junior in the courtyard.
-
- Do you know… a donkey is capable of hearing another donkey from up to 60-miles away in the proper conditions? They have a great sense of hearing, in part because of their large ears. It is a big responsibility to care for 10 equines. With the proper care and maintenance, all of them continue to be very healthy and very happy.
Martha Pins
Martha Tweets
