Residents at The Donkey Sanctuary have been enjoying some homemade edible wreaths, garlands and baubles at their Sidmouth home this Christmas. 

The treats were created by staff at the sanctuary alongside volunteers at the Donkey Assisted Activities (DAA) Centre and have kept the donkeys very busy over the festive period.

Pieces of swede, carrot, apple and parsnip were tied to baler twine and hung from fencing as garlands while wreaths, which were made from a willow base and included hazel, rosemary, mint, carrot and parsnip batons, were suspended from stable doors and fence posts.

Haynets contained a football, which made it a bit more of a challenge for the donkeys to pull and mimicked more natural browsing behaviours, and hazel branches as well as batons of cucumber, carrots and parsnip. 

All the treats provided an excellent source of enrichment for the donkeys. It encouraged them to interact with their environment, provided mental stimulation, prevented boredom and kept them active. 

“Creating the edible enrichment items was so much fun for our volunteers and staff,” said Stephy Studley, equine assistant at the DAA Centre.

“As we hung them around the yard, we could see the donkeys watching us with anticipation. Once we let them into the yard, it was fascinating to see each donkey picking and choosing their favourite treats. It was such a lovely experience and brought joy to everyone involved, especially the donkeys.

“We take time to engage in these activities as it’s important to give the donkeys opportunities to explore and forage for new things. This recreates the donkeys’ instinctive behaviours such as browsing, as well as their natural curiosity, by stimulating all their senses. We always try to think outside the box to keep the activities seasonal using natural, sustainable resources that can be found locally, or even growing our own veg and herbs especially for the donkeys.

“The enrichment activity is mutually beneficial – for the donkeys as well as the staff and volunteers who enjoy getting together to create treats for their four legged friends.”

Enrichment is important for all donkeys and horses. There are many ways to keep them occupied and enhance their environment. Here are a few ideas:

Pack a traffic cone with hay

Leave some hay poking out of the top of the cone and hide treats inside it. Your horse will be kept entertained as he finds a way to get them out and gobble them up.

Canon EOS R7 · f/5 · 1/200s · 41mm · ISO200

Make treat branches

Find a suitable branch and smear it with honey or low-sugar jam. You can also stick vegetable treats or Polo mints onto it, then hang it in the stable or field. Add something different every day.

Give him a treat toy

Towels and staple-free cardboard boxes with treats hidden inside can make great toys.

For more ways to enrich your horse’s environment click here.

All images and videos (c) The Donkey Sanctuary.

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