Sunday, February 24, 2008

It's A Boy!

We have a new addition to our four-legged menagerie. Meet Cory, our five month old miniature donkey.
Cory came to us because our llama needed a friend with whom to share the pasture. I'm not sure a donkey is what she had in mind. She seems to be ignoring him right now. The rest of us are doing quite the opposite. Cory is an incredible animal - beautiful, sweet and loving. He wants to be right by our sides. He will let you hug on him and he will give you a donkey hug right back. (A donkey hug involves a huge equine head with its baby soft facial hair resting firmly on your shoulder.) It is an awesome experience. Animals have so much to teach humans about trust and love.

Right now, Cory is the size of a large dog, barely reaching my waist with his head. And, as has been pointed out to me recently by my assignment to the front row in choir, I am not a particularly tall person.
This morning when I went to the pasture to check on him, I called his name from the gate and he responded with a loud "Hee-haw" (Yes, it really does sound like that.) and came running. He behaves better than my dogs!
We did a little work this afternoon with the halter. Though he has not spent much time with the halter, he was perfectly happy to have me put it on him and then walk him around the pasture. I think as long as he is close to people, he will cooperate. And, as long as there are of plenty of hugs, we will all be happy!