Desert Donkey Experiences

Desert Donkey Experiences Desert Donkey Experiences is a way to spread joy, one donkey encounter at a time.
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06/01/2026

Daffodil, the boys, and I had a fun walk/jog/ wiggle cart ride yesterday evening! She is such an adventurous, bold, and willing little donkey!

Last week I had a fantastic time walking donkeys with Marcie and her nephew, Brynden. They have both been out to visit t...
05/31/2026

Last week I had a fantastic time walking donkeys with Marcie and her nephew, Brynden. They have both been out to visit the donkeys numerous times, and every year when Brynden comes to visit he requests a donkey experience. There is nothing like some much needed donkey therapy to put a smile on everyone's face! And Teddy is now venturing out on neighborhood walks during experiences (being led by me) and is doing wonderfully!

Donkey experiences can be scheduled year round, however in the summer they only take place early in the morning or later in the evening. If you are interested in scheduling, you can find out more at https://www.desertdonkeyexperiences.com/donkey-experiences or message me or text me at 480-372-3290.

There isn't much that is cuter than a baby donkey! This sweet jenny foal belongs to a wonderful client of mine, who adop...
05/27/2026

There isn't much that is cuter than a baby donkey! This sweet jenny foal belongs to a wonderful client of mine, who adopted two pregnant jennies a few months ago. Michelle has done an absolutely incredible job caring for these sweet donkeys, who came to her in pretty rough shape. They are now living a life of luxury and are the picture of health, and are the sweetest, kindest girls ever.

Monroe gave birth to little Maple a few weeks ago, and is just an amazing mom. Maple is social and loves attention, and is learning how to be a great donkey citizen. Training baby donkeys is SO important to set them up for a life of success and ease of handling! This foal is so incredibly blessed to have hit the absolute jackpot, and I am so thankful to be a part of her journey!

I haven't updated on Gracie in a while, and honestly, the lack of updates were due to some discouragement on my end. Aft...
05/24/2026

I haven't updated on Gracie in a while, and honestly, the lack of updates were due to some discouragement on my end. After her vet and farrier appointment the other week, Gracie regressed pretty significantly. She went from being easy to halter and flymask, and constantly following me around for attention and scratches, to very standoffish, and easily irritated and upset if I attempted to do more than pet or brush her.

I also got the result of her metabolic panel back, and she is posititive for PPID, or Cushing's disease, a hormonal disorder that affects the pituitary gland. This disorder can cause reoccurring laminitis, a pot-bellied appearance, and a long, curly coat that doesn't shed normally, among other issues. It can be treated with daily medication- however, this treatment can cause significant depression and lack of appetite. I am going to start her on a very small dose and see how she does, however, I will not rehome her until she is stable on medication (hopefully, some donkeys do not tolerate it) and back to being easily handleable. Unfortunately, this will limit my ability to take in more than one training donkey at a time until she leaves.

On a happier note, she is back to following me around and asking for scratches, and is getting more social with strangers again. It is always so interesting to me how one "bad" experience can affect every donkey so drastically differently. To be fair, as I have found out more about her life before coming to me, it isn't that surprising she was extremely upset from the trauma of being restrained. This poor girl was not treated fairly or well, and has both the physical and emotional scars to show for it. I have made a concerted effort to just spend time loving on her, and she is allowing me to touch all the way down her front legs, and even offering them to me to pick up briefly. I am trying some even lower-pressure techniques with her, asking her to lift her leg to target my hand, instead of holding her leg to ask, and she is actually responding well to that. She seems to do best with being allowed to choose to opt in, and I am ok with that for now, as I rebuild her confidence and trust. She is teaching me a lot, and really putting my patience and skills to the test!

Just a Teddy update to start the day off with a smile! Teddy is doing absolutely fantastic. He is the sweetest, kindest,...
05/20/2026

Just a Teddy update to start the day off with a smile! Teddy is doing absolutely fantastic. He is the sweetest, kindest, most sensible boy- truly probably one of the most pleasant donkeys I have ever worked with, right up alongside my heart donkey, Polly. He is my constant shadow- whenever I am out in the paddock he is right behind me, quietly looking for scratches and hugs.

Along with starting to use him in donkey experiences, I have also started taking him for walks in the neighborhood. The cement driveway was very concerning to him at first, which is quite typical. With patience and positive reinforcement, he went from barely putting a hoof on the cement to crossing the driveway multiple times in the span of about ten minutes. He stayed calm, engaged, and willing, and I could literally see his confidence increase each minute. (Video available at https://youtube.com/?si=eADBUwyEJZ6RKRdM)

Yesterday was only his third walk ever, and he calmly stood in my neighbor's driveway while I talked to her for quite awhile, and then quietly watched several cars, bikes, and dogs go by. The brain on this donkey is incredible- he is such a thinker and tries so hard. I also attempted to trim his hooves for the first time, which didn't work only because my nippers weren't strong enough to cut through his thick, rock hard hooves. He stood patiently on a loose lead while I trimmed his frogs and introduced the rasp, and his trust in me was so evident. I also introduced him to the ba****ck pad for the first time, and after an initial moment of concern, he quickly settled and allowed me to saddle and unsaddle him several times, then cruised around the obstacle course wearing it.

I absolutely adore this boy, and am having so much fun working with him and helping him turn into the amazing donkey he was destined to be!

Some of you may have noticed a donkey missing from my recent posts. I had been considering this for quite a while, but I...
05/17/2026

Some of you may have noticed a donkey missing from my recent posts. I had been considering this for quite a while, but I recently made the decision to rehome sweet Cannoli, our littlest miniature donkey. I didn't take this lightly, as I don't typically like rehoming animals, but in this case, I felt it was in her best interest.

Cannoli had been making it clear to me that she really did not enjoy experiences or hikes, or being handled by strangers on a regular basis. She did not enjoy interacting with groups of more than 2 or 3 people, and demonstrated this with numerous stress signals. After a lot of consideration, deliberation, and discussion, I felt she would be happiest in a home where she could just be a pet, not a working donkey. She absolutely adores being cuddled and loved on by "her people," and I found her the perfect home with an amazing client and her two jennies, one of whom is young and really needed a playmate.

We sold Cannoli two weeks ago, and she is settling into her new home wonderfully. Her new family absolutely adores her, and her new donkey companions are coming around as well. I am so impressed with how dedicated her new owner has been to her donkeys, and am so thrilled that this worked out. The best part is that she is only a few minutes away, and I even got to visit her last week and trim her tiny hooves! She didn't seem to be upset or hold a grudge, and also didn't seem overly excited to see me, both of which made me very happy. She seems very content and happy at her new home, and I am thrilled for Cannoli and her new family!

I have had some wonderful donkey experiences this month! It is always so much fun to introduce people to my sweet, perso...
05/17/2026

I have had some wonderful donkey experiences this month! It is always so much fun to introduce people to my sweet, personable, and engaging donkeys, and to educate them about just how intelligent and affectionate donkeys can be! I had local families come meet the donkeys, and even a visitor from England!

Teddy is getting more and more integrated into experiences, and is starting to be guided around the obstacle course by guests. Donkeys need to learn to be handleable by a variety of people, as they typically do not generalize well from one person to another. The only way they learn to be easily handled by anyone is with practice, and I have already seen a huge improvement in just the few sessions he has participated in.

I offer donkey experiences year round, although summer hours are limited to early mornings or later in the evening. If you are interested in scheduling an experience to meet Polly, P***y, Daffodil, and Teddy, please message me or contact me at 480-372-3290.

05/16/2026

Just Polly and Daffodil playing tug to start your weekend off with a smile!

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Queen Creek, AZ
85142

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+14803723290

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