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- Herausgeber: Old Pond Books
- Kategorie: Lebensstil
- Sprache: Englisch
- Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2020
Did you know that the Bourbonnais donkey drinks 4 gallons of water a day? In this pocket-sized guide, you'll discover loads of interesting facts about 34 popular breeds of donkeys and mules, including their appearance, history, breeding, and uses in agriculture and tourism. From the critically endangered Abyssinian, to the speedy Onager who can run at 40mph over a 15-mile stretch, this fascinating and fun guide will turn both young and old into a donkey and mule enthusiast.
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Know Your Donkeys and Mules
Old Pond Publishing is an imprint of Fox Chapel Publishers International Ltd.
Copyright © 2020 by Jack Byard and Fox Chapel Publishers International Ltd.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of Fox Chapel Publishers, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in an acknowledged review.
ISBN 978-1-912158-56-0(paperback)
978-1-913618-04-9(ebook)
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
Fox Chapel Publishing, 903 Square Street, Mount Joy, PA 17552, U.S.A.
Fox Chapel Publishers International Ltd., 7 Danefield Road, Selsey (Chichester), West Sussex PO20 9DA, U.K.
www.oldpond.com
Cover photo: Donkey at Song Kul Lake in Kyrgyzstan.
Contents
Foreword
What Is a Mule?
1 Abyssinian
2 American Mammoth
3 American Spotted
4 American Wild Burro
5 Amiata
6 Andalusian
7 Asinara
8 Balearic
9 Belgian Draft Mule
10 Bourbonnais
11 Catalan
12 Cotentin
13 Cypriot
14 Encartaciones
15 Gin Mule
16 Grand Noir du Berry
17 Irish
18 Kiang
19 Majorera
20 Martina Franca
21 Mary
22 Mediterranean Miniature
23 Normandy
24 Onager
25 Pantelleria
26 Poitou
27 Provence
28 Pyrenees
29 Ragusano
30 Romagnolo
31 Saddle Mule
32 Sardinian
33 Somali Wild Ass
34 Zamorano-Leonés
35 Zedonk and Zonkey
Acknowledgements
Photo Credits
Foreword
The donkey, also known as an ass, is genetically different from a horse and is a species that includes many distinctive breeds. At one time or another in their history, these sturdy, adaptable creatures have played many roles in almost every corner of the world. Whether they pulled farmers’ plows, carried equipment for wars, were ridden or driven as a mode of transport, or were simply kept for their milk, it is difficult to imagine where we might have been without them. Burro, the Spanish word for donkey, is mainly used in the United States.
Sadly, the steady mechanization of farming from the late 19th century reduced the need for working donkeys. Today, several traditional breeds are on the verge of extinction, although breeders and governments are setting up schemes to reverse this trend. Ever versatile, the donkey has found a new vocation in the tourist industry and as valuable support in animal-assisted therapies.
A packed mule on its way up to the refuge Spilios Agapitos on Mount Olympus, Greece.
What Is a Mule?
It is a common saying that mules can do anything a horse can do and they usually do it better and with a sense of humour.
A mule is a cross between a male donkey (a jack) and a female horse (a mare). Mules come in all shapes and sizes from a miniature 9 hands (92 cm) to a large 17 hands (173 cm), and are available from local dealers in most horse colours, except pinto.
Mules are neither stubborn nor stupid, but are highly intelligent, rugged, and sure-footed animals. It is because of these attributes that the mule is such a prized working animal. It has the ability to work in climatic extremes well beyond any that a horse can withstand. Treated well, a mule will work hard for its owner. And those foolish enough to abuse or ill-treat a mule beware: These animals have long memories. In a recreation environment, the mule is used as a pack animal for trail riding, for driving, and dressage.
Both mules and donkeys are highly intelligent animals with a great sense of self-preservation that may feel like stubbornness: if a donkey is unsure what it is being asked to do, it just won’t do it.
1 Abyssinian
Characteristics
Size: 12 hands (122 cm).Colour: Tan to grey with a grey/white underbelly, inner thighs, and muzzle; the ear surround is dark, as are the tips of the mane; a dorsal stripe and cross (a darker stripe that runs along the spine and across the shoulders).
Found throughout Ethiopia and bred in captivity worldwide, the Abyssinian donkey lives mainly in desert areas that vary from below sea level to 2,300 ft (700 m) above, where the rainfall seldom exceeds 7¾ in (200 mm) a year. The breed has developed the ability to survive on poor-quality grasses and forage plants. It tends to live in small groups of up to five animals, the number depending on available food and water. In some areas the Abyssinian is used for food and its milk is drunk for its health-giving properties. The donkeys often have to compete with domestic livestock for food and water.
