Our Massive Real World Equine Reference!
[ INDEX ] Equine Type: Donkey Breed: Donkey [ PREV ] [ NEXT ]
The donkey is a domestic herbivore that belongs to the same genus as horses: Equus. The donkey, as we know it today, was developed from African wild asses, that were domesticated in 3000 B.C. Egypt. These wild asses were used for pack work, and were brought to Asia by the Ancient Egyptians, where local civilizations and tribes started to breed and use them as well.
Today, donkeys are widespread throughout the world. That said, some donkey breeds are at the risk of extinction.
Even though donkeys belong to the same family to which horses belong (Equidae), the conformation of donkeys is vastly different to horses. For a start, donkeys have a shorter head with deeper jaws, an awe neck with a convex underline, flat or unobtrusive withers, a back that is either completely flat or only slightly arched, and a sloping croup. The girth of donkeys is shallower than the girth of a horse, the body is narrower, and the muscles are significantly smoother than the muscles of horses.
In addition to the above, the most famous difference between donkeys and horses is in the ears, which are astoundingly longer and wider in donkeys. This difference is explained by the fact that donkeys don't live in large herds as horses do, and therefore must be able to hear to greater distances in order to locate other donkeys in their area, as well as to hear the presence of possible predators.
Another important difference between donkeys and horses is in the size and shape of the hooves. Donkeys have smaller hooves that are more upright and oval in shape. This means that when trimming a donkey, one should not try and 'give' the donkey hooves the shape and angulation of a horse's hoof.
The colors of donkeys are vastly different than the colors of horses, in the sense that their coat lacks the reddish tones that a horse's coat has. Donkeys also lack many colors that exist in horses, as well as all pinto/leopard patterns. White markings, except for stars, also don't exist in solid-coated donkeys. That said, donkeys do come in their own version of spotted "pinto" coats.
When it comes to rare coat mutations in Horse Isle, donkeys can only come in mosaic, bend-or, and flash-marks.
In Horse Isle, donkeys cannot exceed 17hh, which is the height of the tallest donkey in the world (see the 'American Mammoth Jackstock' for more information.)
(More information will be added.)
Today, donkeys are widespread throughout the world. That said, some donkey breeds are at the risk of extinction.
Even though donkeys belong to the same family to which horses belong (Equidae), the conformation of donkeys is vastly different to horses. For a start, donkeys have a shorter head with deeper jaws, an awe neck with a convex underline, flat or unobtrusive withers, a back that is either completely flat or only slightly arched, and a sloping croup. The girth of donkeys is shallower than the girth of a horse, the body is narrower, and the muscles are significantly smoother than the muscles of horses.
In addition to the above, the most famous difference between donkeys and horses is in the ears, which are astoundingly longer and wider in donkeys. This difference is explained by the fact that donkeys don't live in large herds as horses do, and therefore must be able to hear to greater distances in order to locate other donkeys in their area, as well as to hear the presence of possible predators.
Another important difference between donkeys and horses is in the size and shape of the hooves. Donkeys have smaller hooves that are more upright and oval in shape. This means that when trimming a donkey, one should not try and 'give' the donkey hooves the shape and angulation of a horse's hoof.
The colors of donkeys are vastly different than the colors of horses, in the sense that their coat lacks the reddish tones that a horse's coat has. Donkeys also lack many colors that exist in horses, as well as all pinto/leopard patterns. White markings, except for stars, also don't exist in solid-coated donkeys. That said, donkeys do come in their own version of spotted "pinto" coats.
When it comes to rare coat mutations in Horse Isle, donkeys can only come in mosaic, bend-or, and flash-marks.
In Horse Isle, donkeys cannot exceed 17hh, which is the height of the tallest donkey in the world (see the 'American Mammoth Jackstock' for more information.)
(More information will be added.)
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