Wednesday, March 5, 2014

Today's appetizers

It doesn't matter that I feed my equines generous amounts of grass hay four times a day. 
It doesn't matter that they have unlimited access to 80 acres of rangeland pasture. 
It doesn't matter that they have never missed a meal in their lives. 
What does matter to them is that they have something to chew on. Every. Waking. Moment. 
I took these pictures in the hour before dinner, while they were working their way through the appetizer menu.

George tried the dirt-covered sticks first,



followed by the hay stuck between the stall guard and the wall...



...then the dried-up poop on the rake. He does not have a discriminating palate.



Alan selected the root end of a dead broom weed, which he cleverly pulled himself.



Lucy had a craving for tumbleweeds.



She didn't need a fork to pick them out of the tightest spaces.



Lucy: Want some? I'll share mine if you share yours.



11 comments:

  1. they are priceless with their antics

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  2. If you run short of tumbleweed, please do let me know. I have 6' high drifts just waiting for a few donkeys to come along.

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  3. Hilarious! Equines are so interesting but I guess the cows,sheep, goats and similar grazers have eating habits that we findamazing as well.

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  4. My goodness they have lots to chews (sp) from in the way of snacks, but their activity begs the question, why? The first time I saw tumbleweed served up as "treat" food to donkeys I was puzzled. But I guess tumbleweeds and choalla must give them something they like.

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  5. Wonder where all the stickers go from tumbleweeds and cholla? I can't imagine their tongues, gums and mouths being able to deal with it all.

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  6. I've learned that donkeys prefer browsing to grazing even if the grass and hay is top quality. It's like they prefer variety above all. When I open up a new pasture, the horse goes to the grass, and the donkey goes straight to the trees and starts nibbling branches. Spring grass? Boring. The donkeys decimated, no, that's not enough, obliterated a woodpile left in their paddock. I am careful to always have logs and fallen trees around for chewing on.

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  7. I've sometimes been called an ass and now I know why - I share their penchant for non-stop eating (though somewhat more discriminating about where and what I put in my mouth!) :)

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  8. GREAT news! I've been wondering just how long it was going to take me to clear the brush piles I've 'planted' throughout our woodlot. I'll now start thinking of them as 'snack bins'!

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  9. Here's an interesting blog entry about donkeys and roughage.

    http://thedancingdonkey.blogspot.com/2013/11/the-last-straw.html

    M in NC

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  10. Lucy you have an amazing mouth!

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  11. Reminds me of our Ruby ... gotta have something to chew on. No tumble weeds here, so bones and antlers and cow ears will have to do.

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