Welcome our Fan of the Month, Dave, of Collins Natural Horsemanship, and Skeeter the donkey, of Foster Farm. Continue reading to read about this cute donkey’s story.
How old is Skeeter, and what breed of donkey is he?
Skeeter was 4 weeks old on July 6. He belongs to Pam Foster, who operates Foster Farm, and was born to one of her rescue donkeys. We believe he is a Catalan donkey.
How did he receive his name?
He got his name from his habit of following you around to suck on you like a mosquito.
How tall is he expected to get?
We are not sure on how big he will get because, being from a rescue donkey, we know little of his history. His dam is not very big, but the sire is an unknown!
What is his personality like?
Skeeter is loving and sweet one minute, and then mischievous and demanding the next. He most definitely wants ALL your attention when you are outside.
Does he have any favorite treats?
Right now, Skeeter is enjoying his bottle most of all, and the next step will be introducing grain into his diet.
Are there any funny stories you can recall about Skeeter?
Every day at the Foster Farm is a funny story, with all the critters around. Skeeter is persistent in his search for his bottle of milk, especially if Pam’s husband is around. Skeeter will sneak up on him when he least expects it.
How is he doing being raised by humans and not his mother?
Skeeter never wanted to be a donkey from the day he was born; he wanted to be a horse first and foremost. Pam went out to feed everyone the morning of his birth and found that he had joined up with one of the mares. Skeeter’s mom never wanted a thing to do with him, and we were all worried he wouldn’t make it. We had to milk his mother for the first two days to get her colostrum. She would allow us to do that, but wouldn’t allow him to nurse. Nature can be cruel?how could a mother not love his cute little face?
Can you tell us a little bit about Foster Farm?
Pam Foster has tirelessly rescued horses and taken in as many as financially viable for seven years. Funding is out of her pocket, so there are obvious restrictions on what can be done. She does a truly fantastic job in nursing them back to health and finding new homes for them. Funding is a constant struggle, so she’s always thinking up ways of generating more income for her rescues. Skeeter has become something of a mascot for the farm, and Pam is currently thinking up ways to turn his popularity into funding that can go toward the upkeep of all the horses. So, stay tuned for more awesome photos of Skeeter turning up on bags, T-shirts, and calendars!
Future plans for Skeeter?
Skeeter’s future plans consist of teaching him how to be donkey, because he really doesn’t think he is one at this time. Although I have been a horse trainer for over 30 years and have lost count of the number of colts, mules, and ponies I have trained, I have yet to start a donkey! But, I’m certainly game to take on a new challenge. I have trained many of Pam’s rescue horses, and I feel that natural horsemanship is an advantage when dealing with horses that have been abused in some way.
Foster Farm wanted to add how important is for everyone to remember the great benefits of adopting. If anyone would be interested in seeing more pictures of Skeeter, learning more about Pam and her rescues, or seeing how the rescued horses are trained, you can find them on Facebook under Collins Natural Horsemanship and Foster Farm.
