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I'm often asked what makes a donkey?  Well, first off,  donkeys proudly evolved into their own species that is older than the horse (that means donkeys were here first).  A donkey bred to a donkey creates another fertile donkey - period.  But because the Equine family is closely related, donkeys can be crossed with their other equine cousins -  such as the horse or zebra - which then creates man-made hybrid offspring that are for the most part completely sterile.  Something like  99.99% of the female hybrids are sterile and the hybrid males, even though they are always sterile, they still must be gelded for safety's sake - since they don't understand that fact (and no,  before you ask, you cannot ever breed mules to mules to get more mules, it ain't ever gonna happen!!).

Okay, if that didn't boggle your brain then please bravely read on.......

Ass (às)  any of several hoofed mammals of the genus Equus, resembling and closely related to the horses which includes the domesticated donkey, zebra and onager.

Donkey (dòng´kê) The domesticated ass (Equus asinus).

Chromosomes: The modern donkey genetically has 62 chromosomes.
 

Kingdom: Animal
Phylum:  Chordata (with notochord and gills) having vertebrae
Class:  Mammalia (giving birth to live young, producing milk)
Order:  Perissodactyla  (uneven number of toes and single chambered stomachs)
Family:  Equidae (hoofed animals or ungulates)
Genus:  Equus (belonging to the family Equidae, which includes the horses, asses, and zebras)
Species:  Asinus (latin for Ass) The domesticated donkey

Kelley gives baby Abilene a hug.   Photo by J. Rachau

Some other special characteristics of donkeydom are; tough compact hooves that can handle sand and rock, woolly hair to insulate from desert heat and cold, a lean body mass that is fuel efficient easily cooled, yet very strong and enduring, a digestive system that can break down almost inedible roughage while at the same time extracting and saving moisture in an arid environment. Donkeys have only five lumbar vertebrae compared with most horses six, and generally have upright, sparse, spiky manes with no forelock. Donkeys come in many various colors, but the most common (for standards and miniatures) is the mouse gray called gray dun. To name just a few color types - there are spotted donkeys, white donkeys and various shades of brown that breeders refer to as "chocolate", black donkeys, sorrel donkeys, and even pink donkeys, which is light red hair mixed with a gray dun coat giving the illusion of "pink". Then you have various roan and frost patterns. Donkeys come with or without a cross, leg stripes, or collar buttons.  Most have white muzzles, eye rings and light bellies. Mammoth Jackstock tend to not have crosses and usually are seen as black, red, red roan, blue, blue roan and spotted combinations, to name a few.

There are various stories and fables how the donkey obtained the cross on his back. As a child I heard that the donkey got his cross from carrying the Lord and had also received the leg stripes from walking through the palm branches that were laid in his path in honor of the burden he was carrying. Regardless of the packaging - and through the ages different countries bred the ass into distinct breeds that suited the work they needed done (the ass had many uses then, as it still does today: riding, packing, draft work, creating mules, etc....), so donkeys now come in any size (from 58 inch plus Mammoth Jackstock to 36 inch or less Miniature's),

Herman in a live nativity. Photo by J. Rachau

and shape, coat color and length of hair. But under all is the same gentle, calm, slightly mischievous soul.  Just like breeds of dogs - donkeys were shaped by selective breeding from their environment and by man.  Many breeds of donkeys are now extinct - American Mammoth Jackstock are listed as rare on the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy with the Baudet Poitou on the critical list.

Donkeys are cautious of changes in their environment. A misplaced bucket or a garden hose not put away could get the "eye". Donkeys have a strong sense of survival. If they deem something as dangerous, they won't do it. It's not stubbornness-it's mother nature, and they are smart enough to know when they can't handle something. You cannot loose your temper or use brute force to accomplish anything but make your donkey fear you for life. Yet, with trust and confidence in their owners, donkeys can bravely go along with our whims, and accomplish great things.

Donkeys, because of the rugged terrain that they evolved in couldn't just run away from danger in absolute panic. Running without caution, simply placed them in further peril. Natural selection weeded out the less intelligent, and donkeys generally will freeze when frightened or run a little ways and stop to look at what startled them. (This instinct to freeze rather than flee is what is so desired in the mule, along with the donkeys stamina and intelligence.) They also naturally will attack canines to protect themselves and their young, (or if properly conditioned - a donkey will also protect sheep and goats).

So you have a strong, calm, intelligent worker that doesn't tend to run away in terror after a spook and has a natural inclination to like people. All this adds up to an animal that is easy to take care of, easy to work with and very easy to give your heart to.

ADMS Donkey Size Categories

• Miniature - up to 36"
• Small Standard - 36" to 40"
• Standard - 41" to 48"
• Large Standard - 48" to 56"
• Mammoth Donkeys - 54" & up for Jennets, 56" and up for Jacks

American Mammoth Jackstock Registry requires:

• 56 inches and up for jennets, 7 1/2" mid cannon bone, 61" girths

• 58 inches and up for jacks, 8" mid cannon bone, 61" girths

Longeared Language

• Hand - a measuring unit equal to 4 inches.
• Burro -  Spanish word for donkey, also official term used by BLM for feral (wild) donkeys.
• Jack - a male donkey - mostly refers to intact males (aka: stallion in UK)
• Gelding - a castrated male donkey
• Jennet or Jenny - a female donkey (aka: mare in UK)
• Foal - a baby donkey
• Weanling - foal separated from it's mother after 6 months
• Yearling - a year old donkey
• Ass/Donkey/Burro - Interchangeable proper terms that mean the same thing
• John - a male mule
• Horse Mule - a male mule
• Molly - a female mule
• Mare Mule - a female mule
• Mammoth Donkey -  big donkey registered by height only.  see ADMS Registry.
• Mammoth Jackstock -  a distinct breed of pedigreed giant asses.  see AMJR Registry 
• Mule - (Hybrid) normally refers to the get of a donkey sire with a mare dam
• Hinny - refers to the get of a a horse sire with a donkey dam
• Zebrass/Zonkey - a Zebra crossed with a Donkey
• Zorse/Zebramule - a Zebra crossed with a horse

• Ears - longest
• Muzzle - normally has white muzzle 
• Eye rings - white
• Chest - smooth muscling over chest, not divided.
• Belly - usually has a white belly
• Vertebrae usually has only 5 compared to a horses 6 lumbar vertebrae
• Head - wider between eyes  and crown with a much bigger jaw
• Withers - usually lacking distinctive horse withers, can make the back appear even longer
• Hip & Hindquarters - normally steeper - croup can be somewhat peeked.
• Chestnuts - have only front chestnuts - which are flat, soft and leathery
• Tail - has longer course tail hairs on the bottom third, short hairs at the top third
• Hooves - normally steeper and more boxy- frog is  more developed with a thicker sole.  Hoof angle averages about 65 degrees.
• Gestation - average about 365 days.

• Ears - medium  (depends)
• Muzzle = normally has a tan muzzle
• Eye rings - lacking though  shape of orbital eye sockets usually distinctive in the mule
• Chest - smooth muscling over chest - normally not divided
• Belly - color is usually same color as body
• Vertebrae - not documented - mostly depends on genetics from either parent
• Head and jaw usually intermediate, but normally larger than a horses with wider brow and jaw.
• Wither -Usually lacks much wither in comparison to the horse
• Hip & hindquarters varies depending on bloodlines, but normally reflects the smooth muscling of the donkey but with a larger muscle mass.  Top lines can reflect either parent.
• Chestnuts - can follow either parent, or a mixture of the two.
• Tail - Normally tailed like a horse, though often not as full in body, with stiffer hairs. 
• Hooves - usually steeper than a horse and more boxy rather than oval. 
• Gestation - not applicable 99.9% of the time

• Ears - Relatively short 
• Muzzle is usually, but not always, the same color as the rest of the face, bare in the summer
• Eye Rings - lacking
• Chest - Divided breast muscles over thickly muscled chest.
• Belly color same as body
• Vertebrae -Normally has 6 lumbar vertebrae (some barbs and mustangs only have 5)
• Head is usually petite in comparison to longeared counterparts.
• Wither - The average horse wither has a 2-4 inch prominence above and forward of the back line.
• Hip & Hindquarters, normally much more muscled, muscle groups defined, though this depends on breed.
• Chestnuts - Normally one on each leg, thick horny protrusions that grow and some require trimming.
• Tail - Normally full and long, though this depends upon breed.
• Hooves - are normally quite oval with walls that spread out.  The frog is less developed, the hoof size is larger in comparison to body size than the donkey.  Hoof angles average around 55 degrees.
• Gestation - average 342 days.