Marty And Buster

Marty and Buster were two borderline mammoth donkeys who graced our lives and left a permanent hoofprint on our family’s heart. They had unique personalities; they were both friendly and very approachable and always greeted anyone who wandered into their pasture. They loved treats; apples, carrots and other goodies and the people who brought them. Marty was a striking grey color accentuated by a bold black dorsal stripe running down his back. Buster was two shades of rich brown. Their mane was course short hair that resembled a Mohawk! Their tails were thick and short ending with a tuft of hair.

They were not broke to ride although it was a proud moment for Marty the day my son-in-law hopped on his back. Marty arched his neck and waited for some instruction; forward, backward or just stand for a picture to mark the occasion?

We bought them from a friend to guard our cattle. Because of their innate desire to be protective and territorial, donkeys often act as natural guardians for livestock. We witnessed this more than once. We found Marty one morning straddling a newborn calf lying all alone who had escaped the corral where it was born. No animal would be allowed to come near unless Marty allowed it. Buster stood his ground by his side facing the other direction. Another time after the cows and calves had been turned out to pasture, we found Marty straddling another calf with an injury to its tail that had been attacked by a predator. Again, Buster standing guard by his side. Donkeys are fierce defenders and I’m sure that coyote or wild cat had been stomped or kicked; a punishing bruising encounter and wished they’d never come close to the calf by the time the donkeys were done with it. Out in the pasture, when the calves got bigger, they tried to chase the donkeys. It was a game to them. Sometimes the donkeys would run just to get away from those little “pranksters” for peace and quiet.

We seldom had to move Marty and Buster using the trailer and so when we did have to, they were so nervous about it that they would simply brace themselves. Their heads and necks are so strong, they would pull the opposite direction and there was little chance of leading them on with their halters. The goal was to make them feel safe and trust us, and they would walk right on. Since that took some coaxing and a little pushing from behind, we realized they would NEVER be stolen!

One day we found them inside the cow barn. With a big heavy sliding door, we wondered, how did they get in there? We caught them in the act one day when the midday sun grew too hot and the flies had become too bothersome. With a practiced nudge, they’d press their big strong heads into the corner of the sliding door and get their noses under the bottom edge, lift the door just enough, to push the door up and over their backs as they slipped inside where it was cool and shaded. The cool darkness of the barn was their reward.

We had some friends stop at our farm one day to pick out a kitten with their children. Their children had each brought a friend along as well. Excited voices and laughter echoed from the yard as they searched for the kittens. Suddenly from behind the barnyard fence, Marty let out a bray so loud and long that everything fell silent. “hee-haw”. Having never heard that before, the children were frozen in their tracks, looked at each other, and suddenly let out shrieks of their own and dashed back towards the safety of the house. (Long story short, we went with them to explore the rest of the farmyard as well as meet the donkeys).

Marty and Buster are both gone now, but we feel incredibly fortunate to have had such remarkable animals. Their distinctive personalities, memorable quirks, and unwavering loyalty made them much more than guardians. They became an important part of daily life on our farm.