Pin the tale of the donkey on the pony!
When is a donkey not a donkey? When it’s a pony that thinks it’s a donkey, which is exactly the case with Nuthatch – a Redwings resident who has spread her wings and become very happy living within a herd of donkeys.
Nuthatch, a very pretty 13.1hh Native pony, was very nervous when she arrived at Redwings. A rescue case, she was nervous of people and disliked being handled or caught – and hated being stabled. So when Nuthatch was ill with colic early last year, our staff decided to put her into their donkey barn instead of putting her in a stable so they could keep an eye on her but without causing her any upset and the donkeys could keep her company.
“Little did we know,” explains Kim Broad-Davis, Equine Centre manager, “what a fantastic effect it would have on Nuthatch! The donkeys fell in love with her and she fell in love with them - and the magic of ‘donkey therapy’ began to work. They got on so well that even when Nuthatch had made a full recovery she could not bear to be parted from them. As we want the best for all our equines, if Nuthatch and the donkeys were happy then that’s how it was going to stay.”
The settlement of Nuthatch with the donkeys has had a remarkable affect on her. “She has become very brave, “ continues Kim. “Nuthatch requests the fuss and cuddles from our staff she spurned before and we are now able to brush her tail, which we would previously have to sedate her to do, and we can even carry out other routine care such as grooming and feet trimming without fuss. Nuthatch has come an amazingly long way and we’re all very proud of her.”
Many people are unsure about keeping donkeys and horses together as they believe it may increase their chances of contracting diseases such as lungworm. However, providing all the animals are regularly wormed and vaccinated, as they are here at Redwings, the two species can live very happily together with no increased risks to their health.
Redwings ran a very successful appeal last year to create a Donkey and Special Needs Centre for the more elderly or delicate Redwings residents. The 65-acre site with a large barn is a special place for those ponies and donkeys that need lots of extra care. It is especially suitable for donkeys as there is a huge barn full of straw to keep them cosy and warm during the winter. Horses have special oils in their coats to keep them waterproof but donkeys do not have this and they always need to be able to run for cover when it rains.
“Donkeys make friends for life,” concludes Kim. “But we are all a little emotional to think they have extended that warmth and friendship to Nuthatch. Maybe they knew she needed them so they worked their donkey magic."
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