The Donkey | ||
| ||
The Donkey | ||
|
| ||
Domestic Donkeys
The domestic donkey has its own history, progenated from the African wild ass. The wild ass was an elegant, fine-limbed equid that can gallop at great speed and came from a habitat of hot arid regions. This wild ass evolved into different races of domesticated donkeys in all sorts and sizes in different countries, in an opposite progression than that of the horse. Moving
northward, it became more stocky with the short-limbed, heavy headed, shaggy donkey
distinctive of Ireland having only the large ears and small hooves remaining to witness to its desert
origins. Donkeys cannot withstand extreme cold as well as a horse. Horses will paw aside snow
to graze, however neither cattle nor donkeys will. Even then, donkeys can flourish as successfully
on damp, peaty farms in Ireland as it can in the Mediterranean countries, the ability resulting by
natural selection in response to local conditions, climate and nutrition. The donkey is
considerably smaller than his wild ancestors, rather than most domesticated animals who are
usually larger and heavier.
Donkeys were commonly used for plowing, and were a common means of transport throughout Egypt and western Asia. Romans used them extensively for breeding Mules by removing male donkey foals considered suitable for breeding from their mothers and fostering them to a mare. The male donkey became more familiar with the behavioral patterns of the horse and could be persuaded more readily to mate with a mare when it was older. Donkeys from Persia were said to be the finest in the world, and eat little, carry heavy loads and travel long distances enduring toil beyond that of horses and mules.
Generally, a donkey will live longer than a horse. Donkeys come in all colors, and may be grey, very pale and elegant, or almost black, or various shades of brown, or completely black without a trace of brown or any other color other than the white underside which is so common to many of them. There are even white donkeys and roans. Rare is a real chestnut, but you might find pink (pale chestnut), apricot, broken-colored (piebalds and skewbalds), or possibly appaloosa, or how about with dapples!
Most donkeys are grey-dun with the characteristic "cross" and they also come in darker shades of grey, black, brown, sorrel, and spotted. They generally have light tan markings around the muzzle and eyes, though some are darker in these areas.
The size standards of American donkeys are as follows:
Donkeys have been used to protect sheep from predators, to halter break young calves or yearling horses, to reduce trauma when weaning foals, as stable companions, for riding companions (excellent for the handicapped), and recreational riding, driving, and packing, as well as breeding for mules. Even though the species of horse, ass, Onager, and zebra have many similarities, only two of these have been domesticated - the horse and the ass. Domestication proved to lead these equids from their natural species boundaries into environments that appear as unsuitable for natural selections. For the wild ass to go from being a true desert animal into a short-legged, long-coated donkey thousands of miles away from its natural range is a remarkable example of domestic evolution.
There may be a few wild asses surviving in the wild today. The wild ass should be of special value for conservationists of wildlife and breeders of livestock, as it provides a store of ancestral genetic material that can never be recovered once lost. For more information on wild asses and donkeys, write to The American Donkey and Mule Society, 2901 N. Elm Street, Denton, TX 762001; or to the American Council of Spotted Asses, Box 121, New Melle, MO 63365; or to the American Mammoth Jackstock Registry, Box 1132, London, KY 40741.
For more information, visit:
|
© 1997-2007
NW Breyer Horse Club & Refiner of Gold Creations Equinealities in place since 1997, Section in place 2001, Updated 3/13/2007 |
|
| ||
|
|||||
