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Well said
"To find the universal elements enough; to find the air and the water exhilarating; to be refreshed by a morning walk or an evening saunter; to be thrilled by the stars at night; to be elated over a bird's nest or a wildflower in spring - these are some of the rewards of the simple life." ~John Burroughs
Serious question here: Why do horses/mules/donkeys do this? Is it so they can get a whiff of some aroma better? Or are they feeling their oats and making a big happy face? Inquiring minds want to know.
Well, if you really want to know... according to my book, "The Donkey Companion," (yes, I'm serious) this is called the flehmen response. When a donkey flehmens he (or in this case, she) "flips his upper lip back to expose and draw odorants into his Jacobsen's organ, a pheromone-detecting organ located in the roof of his mouth." In order words, they're smelling something good and in this case, it was horse treats hidden in my coveralls!
I am obsessed with donkeys and mules "Burros" I refer to them all as, lol! Husband laughs when I say I want one when we settle in to our homestead, so what does he do for you besides provide laughter? I need ammo for hubby to get him on board with the idea! :)
Besides chewing on our barn, chasing the goats and keeping our geriatric horse company, they (yes, we have TWO!)... ummm...welll... oh yes -- they keep the grass cut, provide us with lovely manure for the garden and keep the coyotes away. Yes, that's it --predator protection. We've never -- knock on wood -- had any coyotes or other such predators in the barnyard while a farmer just around the corner has lost several sheep to wolves. They're also lovely creatures :) Once I've devoted a post to Henry, I'll write one up for the donkeys :)
Okay . . . thanks for the info! Our goats used to do that occasionally and I wondered if it had to do with trying to smell something. (We learn something every day, don't we! Wonder how I can work that into conversation now to impress somebody?)
writer, former small farmer, village dweller, local eater. activist. MFA grad. single mum. seeker of a simpler life. forthcoming book about moving back to the land, dream meets reality.
6 comments:
Serious question here: Why do horses/mules/donkeys do this? Is it so they can get a whiff of some aroma better? Or are they feeling their oats and making a big happy face? Inquiring minds want to know.
Well, if you really want to know... according to my book, "The Donkey Companion," (yes, I'm serious) this is called the flehmen response. When a donkey flehmens he (or in this case, she) "flips his upper lip back to expose and draw odorants into his Jacobsen's organ, a pheromone-detecting organ located in the roof of his mouth."
In order words, they're smelling something good and in this case, it was horse treats hidden in my coveralls!
I am obsessed with donkeys and mules "Burros" I refer to them all as, lol! Husband laughs when I say I want one when we settle in to our homestead, so what does he do for you besides provide laughter? I need ammo for hubby to get him on board with the idea! :)
Besides chewing on our barn, chasing the goats and keeping our geriatric horse company, they (yes, we have TWO!)... ummm...welll... oh yes -- they keep the grass cut, provide us with lovely manure for the garden and keep the coyotes away. Yes, that's it --predator protection. We've never -- knock on wood -- had any coyotes or other such predators in the barnyard while a farmer just around the corner has lost several sheep to wolves. They're also lovely creatures :) Once I've devoted a post to Henry, I'll write one up for the donkeys :)
LOL, okay, I'll concentrate on the predator protection portion :)
Okay . . . thanks for the info! Our goats used to do that occasionally and I wondered if it had to do with trying to smell something. (We learn something every day, don't we! Wonder how I can work that into conversation now to impress somebody?)
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