By DOUG GRAVES
Ohio Correspondent

LEBANON, Ohio — The stringent economy the past three years has forced the hand of Tammy Long of Gratis, Ohio. Long and her fiancée co-owned seven horses but veterinary bills, feed costs and lack of stable space slowly forced her to relinquish her small stable in Preble County.

Three months ago, Long heard about the affordability of owning miniature donkeys – less food, easier to maintain and certainly easier to afford. She purchased just one, and fell head over heels for the miniatures. Today she owns seven.

 “Horses have always been my life, and when I gave them up I thought I was out of the four-legged animal business,” Long said. “But after my first experience with a small donkey, I just had to have more.”

Long is not alone. Many horse owners nowadays are switching from regular horses to miniature donkeys. And many who first owned miniatures never return to managing the larger animals.

“I’ve been raising donkeys for 24 years and we have a herd of 175,” said Marshlyn Reed of Addison, Vt. “We got started because I had horses and my husband didn’t like horses very much. He preferred a donkey.

“We went to buy one and came back with four. Within a week we both knew we needed 50. We’re both animal lovers. They just stole our heart.”

Reed and her husband, Michael, own Ass-Pirin Acres in Addison. The couple made the 1,000-mile trip to Lebanon, Ohio, to attend the annual Great American Miniature Donkey Sale.

”It’s a long trip, but we make this trip nearly every year,” Reed said.

The Great American Miniature Donkey Sale attracts enthusiasts from across the country. Barb and Jerry Persinger, former schoolteachers who were raised on a farm, drove from Livingston, Texas, to sell a few of their stock. Thirty miniature donkeys roam their Gold Mine Farm.

“We started raising the donkeys in 1982,” Jerry said. “At first we started showing about 80 llamas, even raised and sold ‘em. One day I spotted a miniature donkey and took it home. Today we have 30 miniatures on the farm.”

Originally from Africa, miniature donkeys arrived in the Mediterranean islands of Sardinia and Sicily to be beasts of burden. They were known for pulling carts, carrying loaded packs and other light farm work.

Miniatures (a height not to exceed 36 inches) are popular for being friendly, affectionate, docile, intelligent, quick learners and good companions for children and the elderly. They live to be 25-35 years old.

They arrived in the United States in 1929. Today the population of the Mediterranean miniature is estimated to be between 10,000-15,000.

“They’re easier to handle and they do eat less,” Reed said, “but you still have the same expenses as the horses. You still have the expenses with the hooves, vaccinations and deworming. They’re not accident-prone. They’re much smarter and more laid back. They’re self-preserving.

“I get extremely attached to them. I screen the people who buy them and make sure they’re going to a good home. You can get that information just by talking to the buyers. We want our donkeys to be happy.”

Hundreds of breeders and owners attended the sale in Lebanon last month. Jacks and jennets are bought and sold at such sales, ranging in price from $700 to as much as $6,000. A sale price of $10,000 is not uncommon.

“Before the economy tanked, donkey owners and breeders were getting a good price for our animals but it’s slowed down a little bit,” Reed said. “We can’t live on the money we make from the sale of our donkeys, but they more than pay for themselves.”

For more information about miniature donkeys, contact the American Donkey and Mule Society at 972-219-0781. For information regarding The Great American Miniature Donkey Sale, contact Martha and Dowell Howard at 513-398-3341.