Miniature Donkeys

August 23 2013

Another Augie and Spuds Adventure: The Dirt Piles 8-23-13

Kyle Davidson Augie & Spuds Donkey training, mini donkeys, mini donkeys behavior training, Miniature Donkeys 2

There’s a lot of construction going on at the ranch, but Spuds and Augie sense the opportunity for adventure!

“Hey, Spuds, what’s with all this junk? It looks a little iffy to me!”
“Just chill, Augie! It’s just another great adventure…no sweat!”

“Oh wow, Spuds! We have our own Rocky Mountains in the driveway!”
“Hmmm…I don’t know about this , Augie!”

“You were right, Spuds…no sweat!”

“Wait a minute, Spuds, this doesn’t look so easy!”
“Can’t stop now…I’ll see you at the bottom, Augie!”

“I think I’ll try it this way…look out below! Here I come!”

“Whew! We made it! Now what’s going on over here?”

“Hi, Dean! Oh, well this isn’t all that exciting…been here, done this! No lead rope this time, eh?!”

“Your turn, Augie…come on over here!”

“Hey, Spuds, you don’t need a tie when you have oats! Oats are the tie that binds!”

“Get a load of this! Mini foot, draft trimming!”

“What do you think, Spuds, should we go for it?”

“You go first Augie. I’ll follow you this time!”

“Hang in there, Spuds! You can make it! I know you can!”

“We made it! YAY! Boy, that was quite an adventure!”

To learn more about Meredith Hodges and her comprehensive all-breed equine training program, visit LuckyThreeRanch.com or call 1-800-816-7566. Check out her children’s website at JasperTheMule.com. Also, find Meredith on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.

June 21 2013

Another Augie and Spuds Adventure: Baling & Stacking Hay 6-21-13

Kyle Davidson Augie & Spuds Donkey training, mini donkeys, mini donkeys behavior training, Miniature Donkeys 3

It’s summer time, and there are tons of adventures to be had for two mini donkeys on a bustling ranch like Lucky Three. Today, Spuds and Augie explore the hay field with Meredith and test their bravery against a fearsome, loud machine.

“Hey, Spuds! I hear Meredith calling…what’s up?”

“She’s kinda silly, Augie. Who ever heard of saying “how do you do” to a swather, Augie?”

“Whoa….look what’s coming!!!”

“WOW!!! That’s super noisy and REALLY BIG!”

“Oh look, Spuds, it’s not so scary. This is how they make our hay!”

“Yeah, and look how they pick it up with this other big machine so they can put it in the barn!”

“What a fun adventure in the hayfield…we learned a lot today!”

To learn more about Meredith Hodges and her comprehensive all-breed equine training program, visit LuckyThreeRanch.com or call 1-800-816-7566. Check out her children’s website at JasperTheMule.com.
Also, find Meredith on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.

April 24 2013

Another Augie and Spuds Adventure: Farrier & Grooming 4-24-13

Kyle Davidson Augie & Spuds Donkey training, mini donkeys, mini donkeys behavior training, Miniature Donkeys 0

“Hey, Augie…watcha doin’?!”
“I’m practicing my halter stance…you know, four-square!”

“Good idea, Augie! I guess I’ll practice my halter stance right here!”
“And I will wait for my turn at the hitch rail…I wonder what’s up today.”

“Hey Augie, you’ve got some pretty dirty feet down there!”
“Cut with the wise cracks, Spuds!”

“I sure like it when they come down to our eye level, Augie.”
“Yeah, it’s not as scary as it is when all you see is their legs…whatcha doin’ back there, Dean?”

“Your turn, Spuds! This isn’t bad at all!”
“Yeah, it’s all peace, love and OATS!”

“It doesn’t get any better than this!”

“Dang, I was working on a Mohawk…it’s the IN thing with donkeys, you know!”
“Just be happy with your crew cut, Spuds. Crew cuts are always IN!”

“Oooh, here comes the baby oil again!”
“Aah, nuts! Now I can’t chew on your mane and tail…baby oil tastes just awful!”

“Yeah, but we sure are handsome now!”

January 24 2013

Another Augie and Spuds Adventure: Surcingles and Obstacles 1-24-13

Kyle Davidson Augie & Spuds Donkey training, mini donkeys, mini donkeys behavior training, Miniature Donkeys 6

“Hurry up, Augie…we get to go to the indoor arena and play with the obstacles today!”

“Can’t we just go around this way, Augie?” I think we’re supposed to go over, Spuds, but she’s so tall I can’t tell by her face!”

“Oh good, now she’s at our level!”

“Turning around in a tractor tire is kinda cool.”

“Doing a serpentine through the cones is easy as pie!”

“A little tricky through the tires, but she’s supportive! Hey, Spuds, whatcha doin’ back there?”

“It’s okay, Augie…just take it one step at a time!”

“Here I am Augie! Right behind ya all the way!”
“Sure you are, Spuds!”

“Oh no! I shouldn’t have made fun of Augie…now it’s my turn!”

“What was that you said to Augie…one step at a time?!”

“Cones…no sweat!”

“This tire’s a lot bigger than me! Augie, HELP!”

“I’m leaving…Hey, Augie…where are you?”

“Actually, this was pretty fun!”

“Yee Hah! Let’s play!”

“Oh yeah…the gate!”

“Well, Augie, I guess it’s time to go back to the barn until our next big adventure!”
“Darn it, Spuds… I was just getting warmed up!… ’til the next time!”

August 20 2012

Another Augie and Spuds Adventure: More Ground Driving 8-20-12

Kyle Davidson Augie & Spuds Donkey training, mini donkeys behavior training, Miniature Donkeys, Mni donkeys 0

“Hey, Augie! Vacuuming isn’t scary when Mom is the same size as us!”

“That is so true! And she is really careful not to hurt us!”

“Say Spuds, what are the long lines for?”…“Who cares, Augie, when there’s oats on the floor?!”

“Okay Augie, you get to go first! Walk on!”

“I get it! This is why she wanted us to go ahead of her the last lesson!”

“And Gee means go right! Wow! This is easy and even kinda fun!”

“I see what you mean, Augie! Haw means go left!”

“And then we just keep on walking ahead of her! This really is fun!”

“Okay, now she has us tied together again. What do you suppose she’s going to do now?”

“Hey Spuds, Now we get to walk on together. I think I like the games she plays with us!”

“And now a back up…we can do that!”

“You little guys are the best! Thanks for a great job!”

April 20 2012

Another Augie & Spuds Adventure: Castration 4-20-12

Kyle Davidson Augie & Spuds Donkey training, mini donkeys, mini donkeys behavior training, Miniature Donkeys 1

It’s a special time in any young equine’s life, when he makes the transition from boy to… gelding. Our brave mini donkeys Spuds and Augie recently made the switch, thanks to the steady hand of our trusted veterinarian and a little something to encourage their naptime. When they woke up, the procedure was already done… perhaps it was only a dream?

“Oh, boy…another big adventure!”

“Hey, Spuds, what’s she doing?!” “I don’t know Augie, but it sure tickles and my hair is falling off!”

“Hey, Mom, how come Augie’s not here?”

“Hmmmm…it must be nap time.”

“My nap is over already?…I’m still really sleepy!”

“It’s my turn for what?”

“I’m going to be a what? What’s a gelding?”

“You’ll find out soon enough!”

“Augie, it’s time to wake up!”

“I guess we’re two gelding mini donkeys now…whatever that means!”

January 10 2012

Another Augie and Spuds Adventure: Mini Mania 1-10-12

Kyle Davidson Augie & Spuds Donkey training, mini donkey behavior Training, mini donkeys, Miniature Donkeys 2

Spuds and Augie had a very special adventure this week. Though the two mini donkeys have been getting along with each other and the mules in the neighboring stalls, they’d never met the other “minis” on the ranch—Frances, Franklin and Mirage. That changed today when they all came out for a playdate in the indoor arena. Seeing all these little guys working together really proves that size doesn’t matter!

Yippee! It’s another adventure day!

Whoa…who’s this?!!!

Augie, Spuds, I would like you to meet Frances, Franklin and Mirage!

Hey, Augie, can we say we are now “Many Minis?!”

I wonder what’s next?!

I don’t know, but she still wants to clean our ears!

Oh, Spuds, quit being silly. It’s just the indoor arena!

Hey, where is she going? Don’t leave us here by ourselves!

Oh, wow! Here comes Mirage, Franklin and Frances!

Aha! Playtime! The more the merrier!

Okay Spuds, what’s next?!

So now we’re in a round pen with these guys and no harness! What’s up?!

Hey, Spuds, I think we’re supposed to follow the other guys!

Okay, I get it!

Hey, Spuds, did she say “Whoa?!”

Hey, Augie, I can’t get this horsey hotshot off my ass!

Hey, Spuds, they’re gone now!…Not now, Augie, I’m being praised!

Come on, Spuds! She’s calling us!

Hey hotshot, get outta here! It’s not your turn!

I told you so!!!

To learn more about Meredith Hodges and her comprehensive all-breed equine training program, visit LuckyThreeRanch.com or call 1-800-816-7566. Check out her children’s website at JasperTheMule.com.
Also, find Meredith on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.