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| Story Date | Headline |
| 04/04/2005 | April Showers. |
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Well, we certainly have had our fair share of rain and cold here in Spain this year. This means of course that we have had very wet and very muddy donkeys! How they just loved to find the muddiest part and roll in it and then look you straight in the eye knowing that you would brush them and clean them up! So, much has happened this Spring, some good, some bad. One of the saddest was the loss of Pepa one of our Mammas. She suddenly became very unwell and just could not get herself back on track again. Despite all the loving care and watchful eyes day and night her blood test showed she was a no hoper. She slipped quietly away from us. However on a positive note she has left us two beautiful daughters that are growing so well. The hardest part of working with any animal project is when you lose one of the flock, especially when they are an endangered species. The paddock and stables up on the top terrace are being well used, as when we have a hot cookie, a girlie in season, they are put up there well away from the males. It keeps the boys calmer! As we shall not be factory breeding this is a hazard we have to cope with. Oh for more space! Marisma is also enjoying life upstairs in the new paddock. Her foot operation in February is progressing well and now the dead tissue has been cut away and the healing is off to a good start it will take only time and careful nursing for it all to grow again. The vet reckons on 10 months for the hoof to grow down completely. We would love any donations of the 3M vet bandage as we are changing dressings every two days!! We have managed to get a special hoof shoe from Germany and this keeps the whole hoof a lot cleaner and drier whilst she is out in the paddock. Our volunteers are shuttling in and out, and the latest members of the team, Simon and Charlotte are really enjoying the riding out, training and the outside fundraising on the beach. All the young stock from last year are growing on at an amazing rate and although they are still fluffy and very cuddly they are becoming teenagers and finding their feet and exploring life in every aspect! Whoever said that humans were the only delinquents! There are 5 donkeys trained up for riding out and they really enjoy the focus and the fact they are “working” They are tranquil and love to be out and about. Hopefully we shall soon have Chocolate or Segura proficient enough on the long reining to be put into the shafts of the flatbed cart which is sitting there in such a tantalizing fashion just waiting to go out on the country track. We are always looking for mature and responsible volunteers so if you are equine orientated, a good rider, perhaps have experience in training youngsters and lunging stallions etc we would love to hear from you. We can offer placements here with the opportunity to work with an endangered species on a totally unique project. The Giant Andaluz Donkey is very intelligent and loving and really enjoys working with humans. It is a wonderful experience. |
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