# Is my Ass fat?



## tailwagging (Jan 6, 2005)

I worry about my girl getting too fat. our large animal vet has been out to do her coggins said she looks fine but he also said he is doesn't know much about donkeys. I know that they carry their extra fat in their neck and once the crest has fallen you can't get it back right, so I included a neck pic.
so is my ass too fat?


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## sidepasser (May 10, 2002)

No your ass isn't fat, people get used to seeing skinny donks, but yours appears to be in good shape. When a donk gets fat, they will deposit fat in the hips too. She doesn't appear to have those fat lumps on her hip. Matter of fact, that is one nice looking ass you have there. Very pretty, well cared for and thank goodness her hooves look nice. 

Here is a pic of a fat donk with the crest falling over:

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl...MUrXDNqjw2QXFmICQDw&ved=0CF4Q9QEwEDgK&dur=254

Notice the "fat deposits" that are located over the rib cage?
http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl...bOTqUAeOwUEAM:;8U0l1RpVeDO3_M;7bOTqUAeOwUEAM:

I hope these links work, I am not the best in the world at doing those. Anyway, I think your donkey looks loved and well cared for.


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## tailwagging (Jan 6, 2005)

thank you thank you for posting!!
I have seen that first link pic and that is what I am so afraid of.
yes I love my girl. she get her "manicure" ever 6 to 8 weeks.
you know you have the donkey bug bad when it gets fed and groomed before you get breakfast or bush your own hair lol.


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## jennigrey (Jan 27, 2005)

How old is she?


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## goodhors (Sep 6, 2011)

I would also wonder how old she is. Her spine appears a bit bony, which could be age-related, but probably is more from lack of muscle if she is not being worked.

Otherwise she looks pretty good overall, neither thin nor fat. 

Fingers are the tool to use, have to reach thru that thick hair and feel bones or LACK of bones covered by fat. Then you adjust the feeding program to change the wrong stuff.

Can you ride or drive her? Keeping her worked is good for her health, digestions, because they usually are not real motivated to self-exercise and keep fit.


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## goodatit (May 1, 2013)

your ass looks just fine.


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## tailwagging (Jan 6, 2005)

If I am right she is 13. my friend's daughters had her for 6 years and I think she was 7 when they got her. she ride and drives, though it has taken me a good while to get all the right fitting tack for her.so she has not been out a lot in the last year.


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## jennigrey (Jan 27, 2005)

She looks like she has the right amount of fat, judging from her ribs, neck and croup... but strangely deficient in muscle along her topline. Made me wonder if she was an older gal. But no - 13 is prime-of-life. She should have more muscle up top.


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## tailwagging (Jan 6, 2005)

This is her before my friend bought her. soo maybe 7 or 8 years ago. Their were teaching hoof angles with her pic could it be the way she is built? what can I do???


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## jennigrey (Jan 27, 2005)

Y'know, tailwagging, I may just have to learn to keep my piehole shut when it comes to donks and mules. :ashamed: I've spent about an hour looking at pictures of standard and mammoth donks across the world and your gal looks pretty close to the sleekest and fittest specimens I have seen. I'm surprised I've never noticed how much less muscle donks carry along their spine when compared to horses. I'm going to retract what I said about the muscle looking deficient. I will stand by what I said about the amount of fat she's carrying, though. I think that looks just right.


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## jennigrey (Jan 27, 2005)

Two fit jacks standing at stud:



















A FAT donk whose back nevertheless does fall away to either side of the spine:










Even this model donk shows the same lack of muscle above the ribs, particularly over the loin:


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## goodhors (Sep 6, 2011)

Perhaps it is because the donkeys and mules I see most often are driven, so they use their back in a different way, to build the muscling along the spine. I see the same thing with our Driving horses, light breeds, all with EXCELLENT backs, muscular and well filled out.

Here are some donkey photos from Teamdonk on her Facebook page. She does a lot of drving with her donkeys, and they show the more muscular spinal area I tend to expect looking at a donkey. She does a lot of driving, so what they wear is muscle, not fat, in being filled out.

http://2013teamdonk.files.wordpress.com/2013/08/td-2-and-pacific-gig.jpg

http://2013teamdonk.files.wordpress.com/2013/08/merlin-and-hank-in-wheat-field.jpg

This was why I asked if your donkey was doing any work, to build the spinal muscling up a bit. Lowering the head to pull the cart up a hill, using her back to hold the carriage back on downhills, does help the muscles! Nothing that will happen fast, like any body "sculpting" will, time and exercise make the changes happen.

Glad to hear your donkey girl is so well educated, you will have a blast enjoying her when you have more free time.


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## tailwagging (Jan 6, 2005)

jennigrey said:


> Y'know, tailwagging, I may just have to learn to keep my piehole shut when it comes to donks and mules. :ashamed: I've spent about an hour looking at pictures of standard and mammoth donks across the world and your gal looks pretty close to the sleekest and fittest specimens I have seen. I'm surprised I've never noticed how much less muscle donks carry along their spine when compared to horses. I'm going to retract what I said about the muscle looking deficient. I will stand by what I said about the amount of fat she's carrying, though. I think that looks just right.


hey,I am learning too! that why I asked. they are so different compared to the fat mustang and ponys I have had.


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## tailwagging (Jan 6, 2005)

goodhors said:


> Perhaps it is because the donkeys and mules I see most often are driven, so they use their back in a different way, to build the muscling along the spine. I see the same thing with our Driving horses, light breeds, all with EXCELLENT backs, muscular and well filled out.
> 
> Here are some donkey photos from Teamdonk on her Facebook page. She does a lot of drving with her donkeys, and they show the more muscular spinal area I tend to expect looking at a donkey. She does a lot of driving, so what they wear is muscle, not fat, in being filled out.
> 
> ...


Thank you for the pic
I will be driving her as soon as I get a cart. =)


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## rod44 (Jun 17, 2013)

Here are some picts of a couple donkeys that get driven almost every day. They are in excellent condition and you may be able to compare these to yours. The last video shows a customized collar for donkeys.

http://s384.photobucket.com/user/Rodhorses/media/bobsdonkeys3.jpg.html

http://s384.photobucket.com/user/Rodhorses/media/bobplowing1.mp4.html

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9gNwq5LNtw[/ame]


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## tailwagging (Jan 6, 2005)

thank you thank you thank you! that video made me dance in delight!!! 
thank you, all of you =)


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## RWDitto (Jan 23, 2009)

Yours is not but, I am pretty sure mine is......


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## wr (Aug 10, 2003)

RWDitto said:


> Yours is not but, I am pretty sure mine is......


I know for a fact that mine is more than ready for winter and I really should consider a grazing muzzle.


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