Buyer question
Is a Donkey horse good for beginners?
Yes: our Animal Library rates the Donkey horse 4 out of 5 for beginners (gentle, if understood).
Source: the Donkey horse page in the Everybarn Animal Library. Donkey horse in the Animal Library
The detail
A tough, long-lived equine bred for packing and guarding, from miniature to mammoth. Donkeys are clever, cautious and affectionate, and they differ from horses in diet, hoof care and how they show pain.
- Temperament
- Cautious, clever, loyal
- Best fit
- Companions, guarding, packing
- Trainability
- 3 out of 5 (Thinks before acting)
- Upkeep
- 2 out of 5 (Low feed, shelter needed)
- Energy
- 2 out of 5 (Steady and stoic)
What to weigh
Donkeys can live 40 years or more and need a donkey companion. They get fat on horse diets, and are prone to laminitis and hyperlipemia, a dangerous fat-metabolism crisis.