Donkey Friends
Torrin and his friend DQ
Usually once a week I receive a picture of DQ. He’s become the sidekick of my former Norwegian Fjord horse Torrin at his new home in Oregon. DQ is a miniature donkey, and his full name is Don Quixote. He lives next door but can usually be found at the fence when Torrin is also at the fence. DQ has also captured the heart of Torrin’s owner which is of course why I receive pictures each week!
A more-than-three-decade friendship.
I have never been around a donkey, but when DQ first entered my life (virtually) via Torrin and his owner, I also heard around the same time two other stories of how donkeys had captured the hearts of humans. The first story came from my brother and sister-in-law. They traveled to Belgium to visit my sister-in-law’s family, and one cousin works as a caretaker of a park that has a farmstead. More than three decades ago, a donkey was born there and then orphaned. The cousin/caretaker bottle-fed the donkey and a relationship he treasures developed and has endured. Today the donkey in his old age receives frozen orange slices as treats during hot summer weather. That relationship has lasted longer than many human friendships do!
The second story came when a friend went to a driven horse clinic that spanned several days. She was surprised when the highlight of her time away from her family was not driving the draft horses. Instead her early morning moments shared with the resident donkey were what brought her the most joy. The donkey’s owners observed that my friend’s connection with the donkey far exceeded anyone else’s, despite the short duration of their relationship.
Torrin’s owner who is DQ’s admirer shares this in closing, “So what else would I say about donkeys? That they are much more than pint sized horses with ridiculous long ears and rough coats. They too are a strong and ancient link in the lifelong work partnerships that equus has had with humans. My guess is the size of their loads and the love they bring is far out of proportion to their diminutive stature.” I look forward to when I might have my first opportunity to befriend a donkey and experience the richness that these people have!
Joy at a driving clinic came from an unexpected place!
© Jenifer Morrissey, 2020
You can find more stories about how equines enrich our lives in my book The Partnered Pony, available internationally by clicking here or on the book cover below.
