DEBORAH'S STORY
Meet Deborah the Donk. She is in her early thirties and has spent the vast majority of her life as a cattle guard. She is very protective of her herd, and has been known to very assertively escort unwanted guests (neighborhood dogs and coyotes alike) out of her pastures.
At some point in her life, we suspect Deborah was severely abused. She is incredibly nervous around new people and at times when she becomes overwhelmed she drops her head to the ground and literally stands catatonic, frozen in fear. It takes a lot to gain her trust, but once you have it you won’t find a sweeter or more loving donkey.
Due to years of being on rich grass while guarding her cattle, Deborah developed huge fat pads along her body and crest. The deposits along her neck became so heavy that her neck began to collapse over on itself. Even with a modified diet and living on a dry lot, she will never lose those deposits.
Deborah now lives with our mini horse herd on a dry lot so we can manage her diet more strictly. Her mere presence has been so positive for our minis, as they now all lie around flat out sleeping in the sunshine knowing that Deborah is there to watch over them. On any given morning, around 6:30 am, you can hear Deborah issuing her morning greeting as a reminder that it is time for breakfast.
