Today we go get our new donkey!! Fergus is his name, he's 12yrs old and HOPEFULLY will be good company for my 12 yr old horse.

Don't know what the dogs and cats will think of him!

The other animals will probably check him out and then just accept him into their barnyard family. Welcome Fergus...

Flossie, tomorrow I'm taking my grandbeauty Lea (almost 2) to see my sister's miniature donkey's, Gladys and Vernon. I think they are just the cutest things!

jawjaw, the minis are very expensive here, $5,000 to $20,000!! 'Cute As' though. Fergus is a bigger fellow so my horse can actually get a neck and back scratch!

I love his name. We had two miniature donkeys. Bernie & Belle. They were so cute and the male was always getting into things. He could open the nylon stall guards with his mouth and would let the horses out of their stalls. He could open the door to the tack room and get locked in there and just make the biggest mess.

Ours were only $500 a piece. I can't believe they cost that much where you live!

I lived in Columbia, Tennessee - which is a lovely southern town with it's claim to fame as the one-time mule capital of the US. Of course, the breeding of mules for beasts of burden is no longer necessary - but, they have a festival every year in their honor. Mule Days is the epitome of a small town affair not unlike a state fair. They choose a Mule Day queen which reigns over a ball, there is a parade with team after team of mules (along with the floats and clowns.) which draws the likes of some prominet political names such as the Governor of TN, etc. (if it's an election year.) But, to me, the highlight (OR lowlight depending on your views on animal abuse) is the Mule Pull. This goes on for two days. Team after team of mules pull a sled stacked with cement blocks. Each run, the load gets heavier. One team will take the prize and out-pull all others. The mules are so amazing and so powerful, but I wonder if they're having as much fun as the crowds of people in the stands. They bring the mules in from all over to compete - it's a big deal. Being a city girl myself, I didn't know (and still don't) what to think about it. They are such magnificent creatures - so strong yet so docile and sweet.

Browser, that is so interesting. Mule Day...do mules come from all over or just local?

Fergus by the way has settled in well.....it's like he always lived here!!

My Daddy used to have mules and he would hitch up his wagon and bring them to the Elemenatry school every year when my sister was principal and ride the kids around during recess...it was their very own mule day! He also did the mules and buggy in the Christmas parade sometimes.

A mule is the offspring of a female horse and a male donkey. The mule cannot reproduce, it is sterile. They were bread for their strength - remember the "20 Mule Team Borax" etc. They were used for mining, farming and military. But, the invention of the tractor put them out of business.

Have you seen the Mammoth donkey?

http://www.rarebreeds.co.nz/mammoth.html

They are very mule like!