For Love, For Diets, Forever!

2017 has been the year of the diet.

Thankfully, not for us humans.

No, if you have been with us for the year you will remember that

dear Daphne and Chloe were starting to get a little portly.

Daphne has a different body type than her half sister Chloe.

Like her mother before her, Daphne carries her weight in her belly... no matter what size she is.

Chloe, on the other hand always looks svelte.

What had concerned me earlier this year was the fact that they had both built up

considerable neck rolls... a roll of fat that lies at the crest of their necks.

Sicilian donkeys such as these two are meant to graze on dry, scrubby land...

not the rich, lush grass that grows here in Pennsylvania.

And so, miniature donkeys put on weight quite easily in this terrain.

Something had to be done to prevent these two gals from developing a deadly

problem with obesity.

So... we purchased grazing muzzles and started using them every time the girls went out to pasture.

They are quite used to wearing them and are never disagreeable about them...

realizing that the muzzles are their ticket out the gate of their dry lot.

And though their neck rolls are still visible, they are much less prominent...

slowly disappearing with the passing of time.

Dieting will be a way of life for these two.

At this point, they are used to the routine.

You might notice in the picture above that Chloe is not wearing her fly mask.

This seems to be where she draws the line.

She'll wear the grazing muzzle.

But the fly mask?  Well.... it hides her beautiful eyes... so she wants no part of it.

Not even for a treat!!

We are continuing to soak all of their hay before feeding it to them.

That way they can still eat the same amount....but without all of the soluble carbohydrate calories.

These two hold a special place in my heart.

They will be with me until the very end... 

likely outliving all of our other farm friends.

With a lifespan of 40 to 50 years,

they may just outlive me.

Ok, so you asked for a little history on Hubbs and I.

The best way to sum us up is this...

Sometimes the person you were meant to spend your life with

comes along a little later than you'd like.

Hubbs and I met about 25 years ago... in the medical field... in orthopedics.

15 years ago, we realized that we had no choice but to spend the rest of our lives together.

Life without each other was not an option.

We were lucky that our two families meshed perfectly.

Between us we have 4 children (2 each) who are all close.

We have shared a lifetime of love and adventure in the past 15 years, 

and look forward to each day that lies ahead of us.