june 26 2021
Her basic problem with the donkey ------which was a beautiful little donkey about 32 inches tall just like the ones I used to drive---- basic problem was that that donkey had discovered that he it was really in control of her --this happens a lot with animals dogs AND CHILDREN. ---- when he wanted to do something or go somewhere he could often get away with just walking in circles around her and just plain pulling her with his nose ----- HE had a halter on pulling it wherever he wanted to go and he was strong enough to do that donkeys are very strong so you just had to explain to him that that was unacceptable behavior in the horse world there is what's known as astallion lead strap rope whatever which starts with a chain which is very much like the the chain that goes on a dog training chain it goes over their nose or through their mouth or wherever you want to put it and hooks from side to side on the halter so that if he if he walks along a behaves it's absolutely no problem at all in it's just lovely and charming and things like that but it does discourage him from pulling people around by his nose especially if they give it a little bit of a tweaked.... doesn't really have to be a jerk but a tweak for the donkey to realize but life had changed a little bit----- so I did find a small piece of chain which I did put over his nose and by golly he behaved and he stood right there next to her just as polite as could be and he was fine the rest of the whole two or three hours that we spent until she put on the other hALTER ON --- he was back to drag her around so first lesson donkeys are smart donkeys are much smarter than horses but of course practically everything is --------there's not much well let me phrase it this way----- to say somebody has horse sense is one of the biggest insults I think you can give A PERSON..... horses don't have any sense donkeys do. FEAR FLIGHT...IS ALL THEY KNOW... HOW HUMAN...
So we graduated from that little mini donkeyTO pockets who has had some education and thoroughly enjoys the company of people and showing people what she knows how to do -------because she enjoys relating to people especially people who are inclined to carry little peppermint candies or apples and things like that-----one of the thinGS she knows best how to do is to pick up whatever you've dropped which puts her ahead of great Danes-- Karen bought her out with a towelAND pocket Knew that that she could grab hold that towel and pick it up ----which she did Do often----- you just have to be now that she knows something like that you have to be very careful with your fingers not involved in the towel somehow but pockets knows how to pick it up---- if you drop it anywhere or go get it and bring it back ----like the basket ---- also if you put it on her back like you're going to SadDle she'll turn around and pull it off her back which is the basis for a lot of comedy sketches with horses ---- put the saddle on they pull it off she would do that without any problem at all but she also knew that we would put the towel over the top of her and scratch her back with it and then put it underneath her and scratch her belly as she just stood there----- it was interesting that the other people who were in the circle really felt we had to have a lead ON TO HOLD HER===== that's not true she she's gotta stick around because fun things were happening and people had cookies and she was all set to hang around----
BIGGEST PROBLEM ---in my opinion----- is that with dogs donkeys and children we ----as supposed adult ----operate with a bunch of preconceived notions instead of looking at what we're dealing------- with with the dogs ----I have discouraged and forbidden the carrying of dog cookies because I know damn well the dog is going to be thinking about the cookies and not what you're trying to teach him------ they'll be totally focused on your pack back pocket or something when you're trying to teach them to walk up and down a flight of stairs----- so the total waste of time to distract the dog before you're trying to teach him---- there is logic there they basically have to look at you in a friendly manner and then the occasional treat in a very controlled situation is certainly necessary but treat carrying it in funny little pouches on your belt is contraindicated donkey training donkeys are very happy to be scratched or padded as a reward ----they are a very close equivalent to a dog -----plus you have the addED problem with donkeys especially donkeys who are used to having their way and realizing how strong they are ----- they might very well try and get the treats out of your back pocket by themselves and are very capable of picking you up by that blue jeans and carrying you around the yard ---- not a problem--- so it's a thing you don't necessarily want to start----- unfortunately with pockets it's already started--- so you have to be careful donkeys are inclined to get something in their teeth and then hang on to it and if it's your thumb it's a really bad situation-------- just as an educational sideline the very worst situation I was ever in for this problem is the candy canes at Christmas that every kid has ----an his slobbering on as they eat it they get that pepperman on their fingers which are the same size as the candy canes and then they come in to pat the donkeys -----so to get around that problem with my hitch I used to give donkeys treats by putting the treat between their eyes on their forehead and then sliding it down and putting it in their mouth this would get away from the little kid who comes along and sticks his hand out as he's been told to do with the dogs. and have the donkey thiNK OH great A candy CANE--- a walking candy game..
THIS KAREN’S CLASS OF “FRIDAY 101” IDEA WAS GREAT FUN AS WE GRADUATED TO THE HARNESSING AND GROUND DRIVING BEHIND POCKETS—WHO FINALLY JUST QUIT WALKING AROUND.. AND PEOPLE STARTED THINKING .. STUBBORN... BUT IF YOU LOOKED AT IT FROM HER STANDPOINT. SOMEONE WOOULD ASK HER TO WALK ON—AND SHE WOULD... BUT THE PERSON WOULD FORGET TO MOVE THEIR OWN FEET... SO SHE WOULD GET YANKED IN THE MOUTH WITH THE BIT. SHE VERY CLEARLY WAS SAYING ... WILL SOMEONE STRAIGHTEN OUT. THIS BUNCH. BECAUSE I AM NOT MOVING TIL YOU DO... CLEAR AS A BELL .
THIS WAS FUN.. COMMENTS WERE OFTEN WILD AND UNUSUAL... AS TO PROVE A POINT, I TRIED “DRIVING” KAREN WITH THE REINS HOOKED TO HER BRA STRAPS.... This was reminiscent of blindfolding a person and having then give commands to another person who is holding the guide dog harness sometimes you really have to take the viewpoint from 180 degrees.
Someone had bought 2 bags of apples as treats for the donkeys and I needed one to give to pockets after she had the bridle on because her mouth was dry and it just was going to work better if she had little saliva in there so I wanted to give her an apple and one of these my students turn to go get a knife to cut it up and I just putTHE APPLE on the ground and stopped on it with my foot breaking it up very nicely into five pieces people were amazed and never thought of that but we were standing in grass in the 1st place and there was nothing on the bottom of my shoe that shouldn't have been there ----A very good way to do that
This opened a very unusual door when one of the women who is from Scotland explained that in her youth she used to spend one month on an island off the coast of Scotland where the whole attitude toward life in general was just amazingly different she found in some books written by Lillian Beckwith and those 3 BOOKS are the ones I have pushed many times the sea for breakfast the hills is lonely and a rope with a ring a funny lady AND it's a very funny way of life but very practical ONE... I had a good time talking about that but to have anybody know of Lillian Beckwith was very strange it's almost a Goldie moment
WE DECIDED these Friday convocations were fun and educational and decided they should continue even if we had tO have these Friday convocations on some other day like Tuesday whatever.. my stipulation is that absolutely everyone is invited and somehow we have to figure out how to put that on a website or noticeboard or something so we are a work in progress but we are working tord having aN open discussion group of a peculiar nature about one day a week. to be decided stay tuned
and I never even got to the HARNESS OR ROPE SPLICING TOPICS...
I so loved this young lady and loved watching her with the pups. So sorry to hear this!
From Tina:
We've lost another past volunteer to cancer -
Mary Jo Driscoll
