There's no time to blog any more, because I have a new friend! The dogs and I like to spread some grain around for the chickens, and Rufus and I sip our tasty beverages and watch the chickens scratch while we hang out.
There's a gap in the fence near my chair that he can stick his head through so he can get his forehead scratched. Or, we all take a walk around the field, with Rufus on the inside of the fence and the dogs and I on the outside. Rufus acts like he would like for Puck to come in the fence so he could kick him in the head again. They are not yet best friends.
He likes Wendigo much better, but sometimes paws the ground with his feet like he wants to play. Or maybe he wants to kick her in the head too. I'm afraid to find out! He likes me well enough, and brays really loud when I come home from work, but still gets nervous when I'm inside the fence with him. We're working on it though. Since donkeys can live for twenty years, I figure we've got plenty of time to get comfortable with each other.
The vegetation is so tall in his pasture, and he is so small, that sometimes it takes me a while to find him. Can you find the donkey in the picture? Where's Rufus?
Next summer I want to try some electric fencing and rotate his grazing, but for now he has the entire half acre. I can see trails through the vegetation - he seems to stick to his paths.
I never see or smell any donkey droppings near the barn or gates. I finally found his bathroom, which is at the bottom corner of the field. He piles his droppings in a tidy mound, which will be very handy for collecting for the garden. What a good donkey!
Hey Rufus, let me put this halter on your head. Hold still...
Wait, don't run away and hide, I didn't get a picture of you with the halter!
Come on Rufus, it's been hours, just let me see how it looks. I promise to take it right off.
I finally had to bribe him with some sweet feed, but he wouldn't let me touch him even to take the halter off. I had to get Brandon to do it from over the fence. Doesn't he look handsome though?
I don't think he likes it!
4 comments:
Rufus' little brother was born last weekend. Mom and I found him on Monday... he is super cute. I dunno, Rain, if you can wait 6 months, Rufus can have a friend and literally a brother. Applications for a name are open as Mom did not like my suggestion of Stanley!
-Tamara
I can't wait to tell Rufus he is a big brother! I'm sure he is super cute, there's not much cuter than a baby miniature donkey. I like the name Stanley. Rufus and Stanley. They sound good together.
Mom likes Chester, but now Emily has been to visit and has pointed out that Mom has terrible eyesight and she (Emily) doesn't see any (ahem) evidence that it actually is a he. Ah, the suspense is killing us all.
Either way, Rufus looks very happy in his jungle!
-Tamara
Ha! I guess it's hard to see miniature anatomy on a new born miniature donkey! Chester Stanley might be a girl?! The suspense is intense!
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