Donkey Society of Western Australia Inc

To tie up your donkey

Don't move onto this until your donkey is happy being caught and the halter is no longer an issue.  If you think there will be trouble put two halters with two lead ropes on, as donkeys are very strong and if he once breaks the lead rope or halter while learning he will always try to do it again.  Make sure the post is equally strong for the same reason.  While he is tied up with a quick release knot stay with him and feed him, praise him and maybe brush him.  I say maybe as many donkeys love being brushed and find it as much a reward as a food treat, but others either don't care much either way or actively hate it.  Check in with him first.  Some people put a car tube several times around the post first and then tie the lead rope to the tube.  The advantage is that there is a bit of give in the tube, and the donkey may not figure out later on that when there is a bit of give it means he is attached to a human (who is not very strong) and when there is no give he is attached to a post (which is strong). 

Never leave your donkey unattended while tied, even when he is quite relaxed about it, unless you have actually trained him to be tethered while eating (which is another subject altogether).