MAGIC ROPE TRICK
       teaching a donkey to stand quietly when tied
 
 

 

                 From:  Vicki/ladywife <ladywife@b...>
                 Date:  Mon May 29, 2000 2:04am
                 Subject:  Magic Rope Trick

 

                 Here is the recipe for the magic rope trick that teaches him there is
                 something invisible gluing his feet to the ground when he is tied.

                 one apple sliced into 16 pieces or one handful of carrot pieces
                 one donkey
                 one sturdy, close-fitting halter
                 one 6 foot COTTON lead rope with a bull snap
                 one 10x10 sturdy treeless enclosure (4 pipe corral panels set up in your
                 front yard)
                 one lawn chair
                 one glass of iced tea

                 Scatter the apple or carrots pieces throughout the enclosure. 
                 Put the halter on the donkey. 
                 Attach the lead rope to the halter.
                 Put the donkey in the enclosure.
                 Put the lawn chair under a shade tree where you can watch the donkey.
                 Sit down and sip your iced tea.

                 As the donkey lowers his head to pick up a piece of treat he will step on
                 the rope.  If he tries to yank his head up when he discovers he can't move
                 forward, he will see there is no one nearby that could be holding him.  He
                 wants the treats so eventually he will figure out he has to move his feet
                 before he can move forward.  This teaches him respect for the lead rope.
                 This is a passive resistance method of letting him teach himself it is
                 useless to fight the rope.  As long as the end of the rope is not attached
                 to anything there is little risk of him getting his legs tangled in it.
                 Leave him in the enclosure dragging the lead rope for at least 30 minutes,
                 longer if you see he is still fighting the rope.

                 This is the best method I have found for teaching a donkey to stand quietly
                 when tied.  In the hundreds of times I have used this method I have never
                 had a donkey get tangled in the cotton lead rope.  I never leave the donkey
                 alone and I keep a sharp pocket knife handy in case he does find a way to
                 get tangled up.

                 Vicki/ladywife 

 

 


 

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