Now here’s a fun game! See if you can accurately assess my donkeys for their weight, using the Donkey Sanctuary advice information on donkey diet. Download the PDF file donkey-diet and look at the chart: “Donkey Body Condition Score Chart” on page 3.
Are my donkeys, 1. POOR, 2. MODERATE, 3. IDEAL, 4. FAT, or 5. OBESE? Those who read this blog who also keep donkeys are particularly welcome to comment and a certain primary school class in Chester may like to do this as a team exercise, Mrs Hickey? You can use the page 2 chart to hazard a guess at their weight. (Note: none of them are under two years old, so don’t use the weight estimation chart for foals at the foot of the page.)
Photograph A: Morris (left) and Aitana (right).
Photograph B: Morris from the side.
Photograph C: Rubí (left) hiding bulge behind a tree and Morris (right)
Photograph D: Rubí standing.
Photograph E: Rubí walking.
Photograph F: Matilde standing.
Photograph G: Matilde (left) and Aitana (right) running.
Post your comments and guesses here, then check your answers on Thursday when I get my tape measure out and measure them according to the Donkey Sanctuary instructions. See page 1 of their guide booklet donkey-diet for measuring heart girth. (Warning: do not try this on your budgie at home.) There will be photos of my donkeys being measured with a tailor’s tape measure… or more likely, photos of Morris eating it.
Update 30th September.
Slight technical hitch. Donks terrified of tape measure as it looks like a yellow snake with numbers on it. All ran away. Need to re-think the approach.
Meanwhile, here are the primary school responses (Word document) donkey-weight-conclusions (thanks to their teacher Mrs Hickey) !
Equus Asinus 
Based on the donks I met in Cyprus my vote is “IDEAL” and add that they are “Spoiled Rotten as well”.
Well done with your new property/farm.
Bryn
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Hi Bryn, good to hear from you. Your comment had to wait for approval as I was on a school trip yesterday. However, I’m not sure why it needed approval: commenting is set up so that those who are established readers may comment freely. Maybe you changed email address? The donks are definitely different categories. Only one is ideal, I think. All will be revealed by the tape measure on Thursday!
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My non-expert eye says Aitana is ideal and the others are fat. Unless of course they are listening and within kicking distance.
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That is a fairly accurate assessment in my view; but all will be revealed by the tape measure later today. We have a slight technical hitch today. There has been rain for two days (hooray!) and the field is a bit dodgy for rounding up and measuring donks. May need to postpone till drier conditions later.
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