Donkeys in the Dust, Hot September Days

It’s been an unusually hot September so far.  Hot and dry.  The Battenkill is lower than it’s been in 35 years.  We’ve been away for three days and the parts of the pasture that get no shade and were drying out when we left are now mostly yellow, the soil beneath it dust.

But we’re lucky, our well is running strong,  so we don’t have to worry about water.  The animals do what they can to cool off and keep the flies away.   The donkeys spend more time rolling in the dust, the sheep breathe heavy in the shade of the pole barn, and Chloe nibbles on what’s left of the green grass.

5 thoughts on “Donkeys in the Dust, Hot September Days

  1. Welcome back! So, how does rolling in the dust help donkeys feel better in the heat? Can you tell I’m not a country girl?

    1. Janet, I always assumed it did, but when you asked, I wondered if it was true or now. So I googled it and it seems it does help to regulate their temperature.

  2. Maria, I don’t know this, so I’m asking the question. Would making a mud wallow be something the donkeys and Chloe would use and be good for them? I know they’d get dirty but you can always hose them down and that will be enjoyable for them too.

    1. I’ve never heard of a mud wallow Don. They have several places in the pasture where they have worn away the grass and roll in the dry dirt. Like birds taking a dust bath that keeps them clean and bug free.

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