Calvary

I thought this was so fun and creative. This isn't my donkey and I didn't get the boys name, but I did ask permission to take his picture so I hope he doesn't mind me posting it here. I took this while at the NC state fair a couple of years ago. We were there for the donkey and mule day we had seen on the equine show schedule. For those that ask "what do you do with them?" well this is one of them. This was a costume competition much like they do with cows, sheep, etc at many fairs. There were other competions with people riding carts including working them through obstacle courses. They were also showing them at hand much like dog shows. My favorite though is coon jumping which looks like reverse limbo. Donkeys and mules can stand flat footed (no running start) right in front of a hurdle and jump it. This used to have (or maybe it still does in some places) a practical purpose. Hunters would use their mules to carry things and when they would get to a fence line in the woods the mule would just bound over it. There were other competions including all the typical horse show events with the riding mules and there were some BEAUTIFUL animals there, I wanted one so bad. That is my dream, to one day have a riding mule. Some women dream of diamonds and fine living, I dream of asses.