Bath Time for My Five Donkeys
For donkeys, there's nothing quite like rolling in a fresh patch of dirt. And, while rolling on the ground helps to scratch their backs, it's also a natural behavior for donkeys to cover themselves in the dust, which provides great insulation and protection from extreme cold and heat.
Here at my farm, my five donkeys, Rufus, Clive, Billie, Jude “JJ” Junior, and Truman “TJ” Junior, are no different - they, too, “live to roll.” However this week, the donkeys also got bathed - each one was thoroughly washed, soaped, and rinsed. My stable crew does this often during the warmer months to keep them clean and healthy.
Enjoy these fun photos of “bath time.”
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- During the day, my donkeys spend their time in their paddock, where they are free to play. When they return to the stable every afternoon, they are groomed. On this day, they’re also getting the full “spa treatment” – baths. Rufus has a little to say about that.
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- Here are the two youngest donkeys, Jude “JJ” Junior and Truman “TJ” Junior, also getting called for their baths.
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- The shower stall is located at one end of my stable. It is a large stall with padded lower walls for the equines’ safety. The faucets are housed in the cabinet on the right to keep them out of the way. The shower stall is also equipped with heaters suspended from the ceiling if needed.
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- The boom sprayer is very flexible and can swivel around easily.
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- And the water is temperature-controlled – the thermometer is easy to read in the shower cabinet.
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- Donkeys are herd animals, so they don’t like being separated from other members of their pack, so baths for the donkeys are done just outside the stall, where there is more room. For this trio, as each one is bathed, the other two stand nearby.
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- For bath time, the donkeys are secured to a line near the shower. All three donkeys are very well-behaved and very patient. Rufus is first. Here, Helen starts by wetting his coat thoroughly with warm water.
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- Using a washing mitt specifically designed for equine coats, Dolma pours a good amount of shampoo onto the mitt. The donkeys are washed with a tea-tree oil-based shampoo. It’s derived from plant materials with no sulfates and contains tea tree oil, peppermint oil, and aloe vera.
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- Dolma begins to scrub the soap into the coat. The washing mitt also helps to loosen dirt and debris.
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- Dolma scrubs the shampoo until it lathers. Rufus doesn’t mind the back massage – he stays very still.
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- Donkey coats are very thick, and they hold lots of dust and dirt. It is important to get the entire coat wet and well soaped so it can be cleaned properly.
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- After a good scrub, Rufus is carefully rinsed. Donkeys are happiest when they are with their friends, so as long as he can see Clive and Billie, all is well.
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- Here, Clive is on the left, and Billie is on the right. It’s their turn to be soaped and cleaned. All three donkeys get along exceptionally well. They are also very friendly and love greeting anyone who visits.
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- Billie is wet first – much of the dust and dirt just rinses off before they are even soaped down. Billie is a female donkey, or jenny – Billie and JJ are the only females in my stable.
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- Here’s Clive getting soaped and massaged.
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- It’s also important to wash the hooves, legs, and belly. Helen rinses every leg thoroughly – so much dirt can accumulate in their coats.
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- Here, the rinsing begins – look at all the dirt and dust just washing out of the coat.
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- Warm water is always used to rinse the shampoo off the donkeys. And the baths are done as quickly as possible, so they don’t get chills. Fortunately, this day is very mild.
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- And lastly, Helen uses a moist hand towel to gently clean Clive’s face. It is important not to get any soap, shampoo, or water in their eyes. Clive doesn’t mind this at all.
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- The donkeys are left to dry naturally on this warm spring day. In very cold weather, they are covered with towels. And that’s it – they’re all clean and ready to return to their stall.
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- The two babies are a bit more challenging to coax into the shower. Here, Dolma uses a treat to lure JJ. TJ is several feet behind, but he doesn’t look too interested in having a bath either.
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- After a few minutes both donkeys are ready and relaxed. Helen quickly starts wetting their entire bodies. Once she feels the warm water, JJ seems to like bath time. Donkey coats come in various colors, such as black, brown, white, gray, or spotted. My donkeys have such pretty markings.
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- Helen lathers the rump and underneath TJ’s tail. The shampoo is very gentle and soothing to the skin. After they are completely lathered up, Helen and Dolma will wait a few minutes to allow the shampoo to soak into the coats.
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- Both donkeys are rinsed multiple times to be sure they are thoroughly clean and soap-free.
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- JJ looks and smells very clean. As warmer weather sets in, the donkeys will be washed as much as every other week.
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- And don’t forget the tail – it can also get quite dirty.
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- Two young donkeys washed and squeaky clean. They’re ready for the long holiday weekend.
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- JJ and TJ are led back to their stall to dry and eat dinner. Donkeys have a very keen sense of curiosity, as shown by their forward ear carriage in this photo – maybe they’re expecting more treats after their baths.
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- The three other donkeys next door are waiting patiently for their meal as well. That bath wasn’t so bad, Rufus, was it? Don’t tell them, but this week, they’re also scheduled for their summer haircuts.
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