Saturday, February 18, 2017

Donkey, mule, burro or ass?

When I take the back road to our Groveland home, I drive along a field fence outlining the perimeter of a large pasture.  The acreage is grange land for a small herd of longhorn cattle, a pair of sandhill cranes and at least one American kestrel.  Lately it has also become home turf for two different kinds of mules. 
  

Two new members of my rural neighborhood 

But every time I pass them, I can't help but wonder...are the new additions to my neighbor's menagerie really mules or are they something else?  Maybe they're donkeys or burros or just a couple of asses?

Since my equine knowledge is sketchy at best, I decided to do some research.  Below are the results:

Definition of a mule:
A Mule is the offspring of a male donkey (called a jack) and a female horse (called a mare)

When a female donkey (called a jenny) mates with a male horse (stallion) the offspring is called a Hinny

A Burro is a small donkey - male or female - used as a pack animal

Ass is just another name for a male donkey, hence the word 'Jackass.'

This just goes to prove that (are you ready..?) females are never asses!  😉


One of my neighbor's livestock is a large shaggy donkey with messy looking corded coat called a Poitou Donkey.  I'm not sure what species his other donkey  




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