Donkey Keeping
Own-A-Donkey
Costs
Booking
Location
Contact Us
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Join Us on a Clovelly Donkey Course Clovelly Donkey Keeping Courses |
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Donkey Keeping |
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Our Courses are available from January to
June excluding
Easter when we start our working season. Our donkeys are always pleased to have something interesting to do in what is often a boring time of year for them.
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This is a Hands-On Day-long course for adults in basic donkey care
and management based on our 30 years worth of experience in keeping
working donkeys. One of us and our herd of friendly donkeys will be
helping you to learn what donkeys need and like.
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We are a British Horse Society Approved Centre and are
fully insured. We will cover as much of the subjects below as we can in
the time and to suit the needs of all participants.
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Course Contents |
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Theory |
Hands - On |
| Stablework: |
What donkeys need from a stable. Safety in the stable and yard. Bedding . |
Mucking out and laying beds |
| Grooming: | Reasons for grooming, the tools we use and how to use them. | Grooming the donkeys for work |
| Feet: | Parts of a donkey's feet and how they compare with those of a horse. Donkey foot problems and how to cope with them. The Farrier. | Picking up the feet and treating problems |
| Tack: | Special needs of donkeys and how to solve them. Rugs | Putting on a saddle and bridle and rugs. |
| Donkey Behavior: | Why donkeys do what they do - Confidence, prey animal and herd behaviours, strategies for coping, getting what you want, keeping safe. | Fun and games with donkeys in the yard |
| Handling: | Aims and methods. Good and bad habits. | Take a donkey for a walk on the lead |
| Feeding: | Special needs of donkeys | Preparing Donk and Giffy's feed |
| Fields: | Fencing, shelters, poisonous plants, water, care of grass | Put the donkeys out and walk around their field. |
| Veterinary topics: | Common problems : weight gain and loss,parasites and worming, teeth, sweet itch, sunburn, colic, flies, wounds. | Judging the donkeys' weights and look at several donkeys' teeth - if they will let us ! |
| Work: | weight limit, working hours, water, shelter, safety |
| Timetable |  |
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| The timetable is flexible to suit the weather and people's needs. | ||
| 10 am | Meet in the Clovelly Donkey Stables. Coffee and introductions, short talk on safety in the yard, meet the donkeys. |
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| 10.15 | Stablework - tour the stables and talk about stabling and bedding. Join our helpers in some mucking out. |
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| 11 am | Grooming - a short talk, choose a donkey and get hands-on with a brush. Then learn to pick up feet. | |
| Visit the tack room and talk saddles and bridles. Learn to saddle up a donkey. | ||
| Lunch time | 1 hour to have lunch in our house in the Village. |
Training Baby Kiwi
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| After lunch | Donkey behaviour and handling demonstrations and practice. |
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| Take the donkeys for a walk in our woods for about 1 hour. | ||
| Put the donkeys in the field and discuss pastures and
their management. |
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| Coffee time | Discuss donkey health matters over refreshments. |
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| Questions and discussions of any other donkey subjects. | ||
| 6pm | Presentation of Certificates and Departure. |
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Basic Donkey Keeping Course Fees |
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The course fee is £50 per adult per day. Children over 8 years old are welcome but must be
accompanied by their adult.
We will present you with a Certificate to show that you have attended our Course. |
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This is for anyone who would love to own a donkey but
has never had the chance. |
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We are a British Horse Society Approved Centre and are
fully insured. You will spend the day looking after your donkey.
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| Timetable |  |
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| The timetable is flexible to suit the weather and people's needs. | ||
| 10 am | Meet in the Clovelly Donkey Stables. Coffee and introductions, short talk on safety in the yard, meet the donkeys and choose a donkey if you havn't already done so.. |
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| 10.15 | Stablework - Give the donkeys their morning feed and join our helpers in mucking out their shed and sweeping the yard. | |
| 11 am | Grooming - a short talk and get hands-on with a brush. Then learn to pick up feet. | |
| Visit the tack room and talk saddles and bridles. Learn to saddle up a donkey. Then give them their mid-day hay. | ||
| Lunch time | 1 hour to have lunch in our house in the Village. |
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| After lunch | Learn to lead your donkey safely and have a go at the obstacle course. | |
| Coffee time | Take the donkeys for a walk in our woods for about 1 hour. |
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| Put the donkeys in the field , lay their bed in the stables and put out their evening feed. | ||
| Coffee time | Questions and discussions of donkey subjects. | |
| 6pm | Presentation of Rosettes and Departure. | |
| You can return to bring the donkeys in at night if you would like to. | ||
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Own-A-Donkey Day Course Fees |
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The course fee is £50 per donkey per day. Children over 6 years old are welcome but must be accompanied by their adult. We will present you with a certificate and a rosette from your donkey. |
 
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Most of the day will be spent outdoors and there is no heating in the stables so please wear warm outdoor clothes and waterproof footwear and bring a waterproof coat. Bear in mind that you are likely to get dirty ! Coffee or tea and refreshments are available all day. We do not provide accommodation but there are two hotels in the village and many B&Bs both in the village and in Higher Clovelly.
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If you are not sure where Clovelly is please Click here To find us in Clovelly Click here Our postcode is EX39 5TL and our grid reference is SS 315 249
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Donkey Keeping Course £50 per adult per day Family £125 per day - 2 adults plus children Own-A-Donkey Day £50 per donkey per day
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Our Courses are available from 12th January to June 31st
but
not during the Easter holiday.
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Basic Donkey Keeping 
