Greetings from Scotland

[Homerlovesme]

Thanks for the welcome Ozric. Where are you in Scotland, I'm in D&G. Alas we don't have to look far afield to find donx suffering at the hands of humans. That's why we have 18 & two due to be lifted on Saturday. Not always out & out cruelty often ignorance of their needs. Bit like our beloved little warriors really.

[Ozric Jonathan]

Hi again! I'm here in Glasgow - not natural tortoise habitat but with plenty of camouflage and tall fences we'r doing alright.

Must be lovely having the donkeys but I'd imagine there are quite a few costs involved. Can they live outside in the winter?

[Homerlovesme]

I'm originally from the south side - Langside!
Donkeys should not be out 24/7 in the winter. Ours get out during the day in the winter when the weather allows. Alas not today!! Our oldies group come in at night even in summer. They evolved to cope with arid, desert conditions not exactly what we can offer. Hence the challenge of keeping donkeys right - a bit like torts
We're lucky having the land & stables so costs are bearable - but we still have to work full time to keep them properly. But it's worth it, they are fantastic friends.

[Ozric Jonathan]

The beasts found on your photos of Hugo are lovely.

I saw donkeys on Corsica and it was really hot there - I thought it must be tough for the donks with all that hair but maybe it was just nice for them!

I'm not far from Langside, and used to live there years ago (Dundrennan Road).

[Homerlovesme]

Ozric - how bazaar! - I know Dundrennan Road very well, I lived in 93 for a few years as a child until we moved round the river to Millbrae Crescent! I went to Battlefield Primary in Carmichael Place!!
Your post has set off a (very pleasant) trip down memory lane

[Merlin M]

Hope you are faring well in the rain, been looking at pictures of Dumfries under water!

Glad both my parents live at the top of hills!

[Homerlovesme]

Thanks for asking Merlin - and glad your parents ok. We are safe and dry too. No rivers very close to us but our field was flooded. All the donkeys are in at night anyway so its easy to keep them warm & cosy but the hardy native ponies are out 24/7. They are 3 Highland ponies, a Hackney pony, a cob, a standard Shetland & a mini Shetland. We brought the Shetlands in - they were non plussed about this but we were afraid wee Harvey (the mini) would get washed away! The others we persuaded to go into the hillier field until the water went down.
Facebook has been full of awful flood pictures - & the ground is saturated already it won't take much more rain tomorrow for a repeat And then it will be the nightmare of mud!!
Our pond looks like a lagoon!

[Merlin M]

Glad you and the ponies are dry!

That is a lot of water! We get a lot of field flooding in my parents area too, takes weeks for it to go!

[Laura Mac]

Hey I am southside glasgow - small world eh. Welcome to you and all your animals. Do you do donkey rides at the weekend?

[Homerlovesme]

Hi Laura - fellow Southsider
Lol re doing donkey rides We are a wee private sanctuary and a Holding Base for The Donkey Sanctuary. All of the donkeys come in with problems of some sort and the majority have not been handled enough or even at all But having said that my grandson rides Patrick. Patrick does the rounds of Nursery Schools, Brownies, village church at Easter etc But essentially the donkeys come here for gentle & gradual rehabilitation.
We do like people to come & meet the donkeys - so long as they brings wellies