December 17, 2024 
When a minimally handled obese donkey with severely overgrown feet came to Days
End Farm Horse Rescue (DEFHR) in July 2024, his complex case required careful
management.
Corn Chip had been living on a large estate in Western Maryland sharing hundreds of acres with another donkey and a herd of cattle. Sadly, his owner’s health declined, and the family decided to reach out to their county’s humane society as Corn Chip needed a level of care they were unable to provide.
The humane society contacted Days End Farm Horse Rescue (DEFHR) in Woodbine, Maryland, to help get him caught up on routine care, including vaccinations, to get him more comfortable with human contact, and to place Corn Chip into their rehabilitation program. He was estimated to be around 16 years old and was fearful of people.
“There is a specific-to-donkeys body condition scoring system (BCS) that ranges from 1 — emaciated — to 5 — obese,” explained DeEtte Hillman, DEFHR Equine Programs Director. “Corn Chip was a BCS of 5. Donkeys, like horses, require forage as the foundation of their diet. However, a donkey’s unique genetic makeup causes them to be prone to obesity, metabolic issues, and laminitis if they are not carefully managed.”
The DEFHR team was concerned that Corn Chip’s overgrown hooves may have negatively impacted his coffin bone and the overall structure of his hoof capsule, so they x-rayed his front feet. Happily, the radiographs revealed no signs of infection or bone damage, allowing the veterinarian to collaborate with DEFHR’s farrier to develop a tailored rehabilitation plan.
A donkey’s hoof care requirements align closely with those of horses, with routine trim cycles required every four to six weeks. Corn Chip’s hoof care included shorter, more frequent trim cycles to encourage proper hoof growth at the correct angle, with gradual adjustments made to minimize discomfort and support his recovery. It can take a full year for a hoof to regrow completely.
Corn Chip’s care plan focused on pain management using NSAIDs (similar to human ibuprofen), restricting his movement, keeping him on deep, soft footing to reduce pain, and ensuring access to hay and water.
“While Corn Chip has made significant progress, he is still classified as being in rehabilitation due to the ongoing, meticulous hoof care he requires,” added Hillman. “Every rehab journey is unique, shaped by the circumstances and personalities of each equine. Corn Chip, having lived a life free of human interaction and handling, arrived shy and fearful of humans.”
Daily sessions with DEFHR staff were required to build Corn Chip’s trust, sometimes consisting of simply spending time in his presence. Understandably, he was anxious about having his feet touched—a process he had probably never experienced before.
DEFHR trainer Leigha Schrader spearheaded his training interactions, saying, “Corn Chip came in with very little handling, so our focus has been to build confidence in catching, leading, grooming, picking up feet, and prepping for the farrier. Overall, my focus is to show him that he is safe and time spent with humans can be enjoyable and fun.”
Given how intelligent donkeys are, Schrader has also implemented some complex clicker training methods. “Corn Chip’s training has included teaching target training, which allows the animal
to target an object to indicate when they are ready to start a behavior,” she explained. “I can then offer choices, not only for when the equine is ready to start a behavior but also which behavior they would like to work on.
“For example, I place the lead rope, body brush, and hoof pick on the ground. Corn Chip is at liberty and when he ‘targets’ or touches the lead rope, I take the lead rope and hook him up—working on catching—then click/treat,” she added.
“When he targets the brush, I pick it up, give him a brush, then click/treat. This allows Corn Chip additional communication in these beginning stages of training and learning basic behaviors. Horses and donkeys can pick up complex sequences of behaviors very quickly.”
Corn Chip remains in DEFHR’s rehabilitation program, but his gentle and quiet demeanor and willingness to learn mean the team hopes he will soon be ready for adoption, ideally to a home familiar with managing donkeys.
Schrader added, “Corn Chip would love a home where he can have consistent caretakers that he can bond with. In addition to human companions, donkeys do tend to build very strong relationships with one or two other donkeys, making a pair or group.”
Corn Chip continues to make remarkable strides in both his physical and mental condition. Today, he lives in a small herd with another donkey and a miniature horse and works regularly with DEFHR’s trainers, enjoying walking adventures around the farm to build his confidence and explore the outside world. To learn more about DEFHR’s available horses, please visit DEFHR.org.
