Eat Bray Love: Why the best companionfor your horse might be a donkey

摘要

On his Facebook page, Odie Gravel reveals that he is "in a relationship"— which isn't unusual, except that Odie is a 31-inch Miniature Donkey. And his significant other is a 16-hand Irish Sport Horse.Odie and his pal, Rory, are the best of friends despite their differences in size, species and length of ears. Their relationship demonstrates why many horse owners have concluded that the ideal companion for their horses might not be another horse, buta donkey.As herd animals that rely on the structure of groups to feel safe, horses are usually miserable alone, but many people who keep horses at home don't have the desire—or money—for two. Even at boarding stables and ranches where horses are plentiful, a stallion or high-strung mare or gelding mayneed to be kept apart from other horses and would benefit from a nontraditional companion.