We Are Living Art, Created To Hang On, Stand Up and Encourage Others – Maya Angelou

Welcome,

I have loved animals since I was a small child, got the fever for horses at five years old.  Fell in love with donkeys in my late forties and learned quickly how limited information is available for donkeys and mules. 

The Donkey Whisperer Farm website and blog was created to share information in the health and care of Donkeys, horses and of course mules.  Donkeys are indeed special and they deserve to be treated with dignity, respect and natural training techniques. 

No human can make a donkey do anything and thus the challenge to learn and understand how to best communicate and train them. Most importantly teach people how to train them, teach people how to wait another day for training as donkeys are on donkey time they are never ever on human time.  Donkeys are healing they help us humans step out of our personal journey in life.  To know a donkey will forever change the human who wants to learn and love again.   Take a look at this article explaining the donkey much better than I can from Peaceful Valley Donkey Rescue.

The photo above is of me Melody Johnson riding my horse Lily working with our Mammoth donkey Rio before the trauma hit (semi truck) motor vehicle accident.  I have been a student of the Parelli home study program since 2007 right after purchasing a young filly at 20 months,  9 month old mammoth donkey and a mini donkey. I share honestly why the Parelli home study program works for my horse and donkeys. I am not authorized to teach Parelli as I am not an instructor yet.

I am married to my best friend and husband Scott and forever grateful to him for helping me keep my dream of farm living in the midst of trauma.  We share our life with one Mammoth donkey, one mini donkey, one horse, three dogs and two cats.  I am very grateful for all of the blessings and gifts GOD has provided me and my husband as each day is truly a gift, fragile and precious.  Jesus Christ is amazing! Most importantly I share why Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior and how my husband and I trust GOD to hold us tight in the middle of trauma. GOD is amazing.

I  am a survivor of a life threatening motor vehicle accident while riding as a passenger with my GOD mother when a semi truck smashed into the passenger door where I was sitting.  Select GOD created a miracle for me to read about the trauma and blessings.  After surviving a life threatening car accident so many things change, we continue to thank GOD that our relationship with Jesus Christ is strengthened and reinforced.

Sadly motor vehicle accidents are extremely difficult to navigate here are some tips on what to do after a car accident.  Surviving a motor vehicle accident involving a semi truck can be deadly, injuries are more intense.  Take a look at Accidents involving semi trucks.  If you are riding as a passenger in a motor vehicle and survive serious injuries you will need to find an experienced insurance attorney immediately do not pause.  

We continue to thank GOD for his Miracle of life and healing one day at a time.  When I am pressed on every side by troubles, I am not crushed and broken.  When I am perplexed because I don’t know why things happen as they do, I don’t give up and quit. 2nd Corinthians 4:8

I pray my transparency gives you hope and the ability to never give up most importantly make Jesus Christ you Lord and Savior.  The bible is still my favorite book.  Animals are very healing and they help us be grateful for everything in our life. One more thought; If you have something you want to do with your life get going to move towards your dreams and goals as life is fragile and precious.

Please feel free to leave positive comments to help others as each of us can learn from honesty and transparency in the navigation of this thing called life.

God bless you and your family two and four-legged!   

Melody

http://www.donkeywhisperer.com

Searching For Hay With Low Sugar For My Horse, Donkey or Mule

 

 

 

2009 Photos

 

 

What Can I Do To Help My Donkey, Horse or Mule (equine) To Prevent Laminitis (sugar diabetes) in equine? Never feed alfalfa hay as this hay is too high in sugar for Donkeys, mules or even horses that are easy keepers.

For almost ninety days while I was sick from the accident Rio and Rocket Man were not put out in their paradise paddock; brush and trails hardly any grass, lots of  hills and stumps to eat.  Additionally Rio and Lily did not get exercise in the arena.  Rio put on some excessive weight as Mammoth donkeys can put weight on fast, they are easy keepers.

Everything I have researched and learned I have shared to help you and your equine, remember we can all help one another.  As it is my desire in life to share information via the tools GOD has given me.

The most important thing we as equine owners can do is educate ourselves try to understand that not all grass hay has the same amount of sugar and nutrients.  Hay is not just hay in fact I have learned the most yellow clean hay can turn out to be almost double the amount of sugar of green orchard hay. My belief was; dark green is deadly in sugar “hay can not be looked at to determine the amount of sugar it must be analyzed.”   Most of my research is from http://safergrass.org/ and I have referenced others below.

What Can I Do To Help Prevent Laminitis In My Equine And/Or Help My Equine Suffering From Abscesses, Colic, Laminitis?

 Work with your Veterinarian take digital x-rays of the coffin bone and if necessary blood test, knowledge is power.  This is really good to have a base line to work with over the years you will spend with your equine partner.

1. Get yourself a really outstanding trimmer have your Vet explain how to trim correctly to the farrier with the digital x-rays.  Keep their feet balanced and trimmed at 5 week intervals, better to have not much to trim than quarters breaking off and abscessing.  This helps prevent abscesses, shoulder problems, back problems and saves you money
2. Keep your equine in a controlled environment when eating a dry paddock with a Paradise paddock setup works the best
3. Exercise Is Medicine For The Equine & The Human
4. NEVER purchase hay with fescue in it EVER
5. Before purchasing your hay for the year ask for a handful of the hay and send it off to a lab for analysis.  Ask the hay vendor to hold your hay for a couple of days before purchasing for the year.
6. After you get your hay analysis back from Equi-analytical by e-mail in one day or regular mail.  Make sure the ESC (Simple Sugars) is below 10%.  Any hay above 10% is too high in sugar.
7. Grow a new hoof for your horse cut out all the added sugars read “Under The Horse” Pete Ramey http://www.hoofrehab.com
8. Read Paradise Paddock “The Key To Having Physically & Mentally healthier equine” http://www.all-natural-horse-care.com/paddock-paradise.html – remember equine were created to walk fifteen to twenty miles per day with a bite here and their of grass they are not cows
9. Feed small meals at least three per day

Select Hayanalysis below and look at the lab results as the yellow hay typical farmer down the road hay is almost double the amount of sugar of the Orchard hay.  We truly can not look at hay and think it is lower in sugar.

HAYANALYSIS 

How Do I Take A Hay Sample?

Simply grab a handful of hay from the hay you are considering purchasing place in a zip  lock bag, fill out the form.  My lab  results came back via e-mail in 24 hours after receipt.

Equi Analytical Hay Analysis Laboratory

730 Warren Road

Ithaca, NY  14850

1-877-819-4110

www.equi-analytical.com

My equine is perfect why should I care about sugar in my hay?

The equine can go a very long time with no problems and than one day fat deposits, abscess, colic, laminitis and more.  We wonder what happened as everything was wonderful yesterday.  Ignorance is  not bliss when our equine are hurting and can be forced to be put down early due to eating too much sugar remember information is powerful share it with your friends. It is my hope by sharing this information and you sharing this information we can help all the equine live in optimum health.

I visualize the day when I can swing my leg over my horse and Mammoth donkey again I live by faith not by sight 2 Corinthians 2:5. 

 

GOD BLESS YOU AND YOUR FAMILY TWO AND FOUR LEGS!

Melody

http://www.donkeywhisperer.com

 

Serenity Prayer

GOD grant us SERENITY to accept the things we cannot change, COURAGE to change the things we can, and WISDOM to know the difference.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XnJwwfCYDqw&feature=related

The extended version:

God, grant us the…

Serenity to accept things we cannot change,

Courage to change the things we can, and the

Wisdom to know the difference

Patience for the things that take time

Appreciation for all that we have, and

Tolerance for those with different struggles

Freedom to live beyond the limitations of our past ways, the

Ability to feel your love for us and our love for each other and the

Strength to get up and try again even when we feel it is hopeless.

http://blog.beliefnet.com/beyondblue/2010/09/living-the-serenity-prayer-the.html

My Garden:

GOD bless you and your family two and four legs!

Melody

http://www.donkeywhisperer.com

Dreams Do Come True

Howdy,

Do you ever take a moment to reflect on your dreams and goals?  You know the dreams and goals that are hidden deep inside your mind the ones that you don’t talk about anymore as time has passed for such a long time and you are grown up and older now.  I have learned that all of these special dreams I believe (seeds planted by GOD) are inside of us because GOD loves us and has made each of us unique with a master plan of skills, opportunities and gifts.  GOD who created the heaven and earth and holds the stars in the sky wants us to achieve our deepest dreams and goals and he wants us to live our lives in peace and harmony helping one another.  We are created to dream, stretch our minds, body’s, and never give up!  Trust GOD and have faith that GOD will open doors that no man can shut. 

Never settle in life always keep persevering forward and try to stay balanced in our mind, body and spirit most importantly stay in the word of GOD.  We must let go like the song says “Jesus take the wheel” as it is much easier in life to sit in the passenger seat and let GOD lead us the direction he wants for each of us.  Please understand we can only sit for so long and then GOD gives us a nudge to move forward, step out, try something new and have courage and faith.  Sometimes things happen in our lives that we just do  not understand a job loss, death, divorce, a life threatening accident, one of our children has a serious illness or is addicted to a horrible drug, stuff we can not ever begin to understand.  These things happen in the world we live in today but GOD has promised he will  hold our right hand if we stay in faith with GOD and GOD will take the evil that has fallen on us and make good.  I can honestly say after the semi truck accident that I can see how GOD has taken evil and made good as I am a much bolder person and I feel honored to share my life and what Jesus Christ dying on the cross has done for me personally.  I am able to pray directly to GOD and I know GOD has answered my prayers and I am grateful for the prayers he did not answer looking back in my life so it swings both directions as GOD will do what is best for his children as we would for our own children. 

My husband and I watched a really good movie last night a “DREAMS DO COME TRUE” I highly suggest you watch it http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3bu9dGRQvJY named the WORLDS FASTEST INDIAN.  What I really liked about this movie was the person in the movie never gave up, he never stopped believing in his dream even when he was old and his motorcycle was old and at the end of the movie he accomplished his dream.  When Dreams Do Come True you can bet the person worked very  hard to make it happen and GOD had a little something to do with it as we all need to help one another in this world!

GOD bless you and your family two and four legs!

Melody

http://www.donkeywhisperer.com

Courage is being scared to death but saddling up anyway! – John Wayne

Howdy,

I Have Learned, In Whatsoever State I am, To Be Content – Philippians 4:11  – YOUTUBE Prayer Video

Here is a very cute video of Rocket Man our mini donkey boy playing with Rio our Mammoth donkey ”Size does not matter” enjoy!

I think I am finally getting this verse (Philippians 4:11) from the NIV bible I guess these things take time as I am just a human being doing the best I can to navigate life.  Looking back at the last fourteen months has been tremendously challenging for me and my family, pain and suffering not being able to do the little simple things in life is so darn hard.  Rewinding before the semi truck accident motor vehicle accident I was buzzing around in life physically like a bee from one plant to another and I was so darn happy as I was working with our equine a truly magnificent gift from GOD.  We continue to pray for GOD to release us from all negative, all pain and suffering and protect our marriage. 

Things have changed so rapidly and now things are slowly but surely swinging back into the direction my husband and I have created for our life and for this I am so very grateful to GOD.  Sometimes things happen to us and we just have no idea why and most likely will not understand until we get to heaven and leave these body’s GOD provided us with.  I am really grateful GOD gave me my husband Scott as he is my best friend and a really determined man he keeps standing next to me encouraging me to follow my dreams and goals and he is truly my other half “a soul mate created just for me by GOD.”

Nothing happens by accident; I am sure GOD always allows things to come into our lives and leave our lives and nothing stays the same as life weaves in and out for all of us just like seasons come and go in nature.  I enjoy change in my life when I plan and make it happen but sadly I have been given a lesson to enjoy change even when I have no control in my  life!  The good news is I know GOD is in control of my life and I need not worry about a thing and I shall be content and live in the moment just like the animals do. 

A Few Of My Favorite Positive Affirmations:

The desire to reach for the stars is ambitious.  The desire to reach hearts is wise! – Maya Angelou

Courage

You cannot use up creativity.  The more you use, the more you have. – Maya Angelou

The nice thing about HOPE is that you can give it to someone else, someone who needs it even more than you do, and you will find you have not given yours away at all. – Maya Angelou

Please keep pushing forward,  following your dreams and goals and never stop sharing information as you never know who you have helped and possibly saved their life!  GOD has created us to share information not sit on it like a hen on a nest.  The little things in life each of us share is what gives us the energy and ability to not give up when life is just too difficult to navigate.  Please consider to be a light for a special human or animal as we all need help every once in a while and we should pay it forward. 

 

GOD bless you and your family two and four legs!

Melody

http://www.donkeywhisperer.com

Living On Donkey Time

Howdy,

Seems life is so darn busy and everyone is in such a hurry I find myself thinking “Just one moment please” while talking to people.  Here at the Donkey Whisperer Farm we have one Mammoth donkey, one mini donkey, one horse, three dogs and two cats.  Donkeys are on “Donkey Time”, they live in their moment and move at their speed and never ever get rushed.  I make a point to try to live like the donkeys as life is precious and fragile and there is no need to get all worked up in traffic, a slow waiter, resolving medical billing, or just coordinating the repair of one of our home appliances.  Whenever I start to feel anxious I stop and think to myself “I am on donkey time”, kinda like living in Hawaii life is slow and wonderful.

When I feel my neck get tight and my heart starting to race I stop and pray ask GOD to help me and think about Donkey Time as I want to stay on donkey time the rest of my life.  Getting upset, worrying, crying, just creates a headache for me and when my body is finished with this reaction nothing has changed.  When I stay in faith with GOD and trust GOD is working to fix all the things gone astray and not only fix them but bring us out in favor in a better place than where we started every wrinkle in my face is wiped away.  My horse is learning to be more calm but she is a horse and a horse with the same personality as me AAA, living with her big step brother the mammoth donkey keeps her calm.   Several times during the winter months we have seventy mile hour winds on our farm, trees snap, branches fly and our big Mammoth donkey lays down in the middle of the storm and eats the tree limbs like they are treats from heaven.  I am trying to use this scenario for me when life is difficult and things don’t seem to be going right this is the time I must sit down and pray and wait for GOD. 

I pray my transparency helps you if you are in the middle of a storm.  Remember living on donkey time is easy simply lay down inside your mind while you are in the middle of the storm, pray for peace and wisdom and wait for GOD.  Pray for all things and wait as great things always come after the storm in life if we stay in faith with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

GOD bless you and your family two and four-legged!

Melody

http://www.donkeywhisperer.com

Stressed Out? – Ten Tips To Living On Donkey Time

1.  Trust GOD in Jesus Christ name for all things – Donkeys good enough for Jesus how about you?

2.  Enjoy life

3.  No worries

4.  No rushing

5.  Play

6.  Dance

7.  Eating Low Sugar

8.  Drinking clean water

9.  Take a nap

10. Kissses

GOD bless you and your family two and four-legged!

Melody

http://www.donkeywhisperer.com

Four Ways to Help Four-Legged Friends

Four Ways to Help Four-Legged Friends in Your Community.

Sleigh Ride With Harley The Jack (Stallion) Donkey

Howdy,

Here is the YouTube video Harley The Jack Mammoth Donkey Pulling The Sleigh Enjoy!  Rio will be trained to pull the cart and sleigh one day, he will be amazing 16’1 hand Mammoth donkey pulling the cart/sleigh.

GOD bless you and your family two and four-legged!

Melody

https://www.facebook.com/Donkeywhisperer

Why Do Donkeys Hate Dogs?

Howdy,

Donkeys naturally have deep-rooted self-preservation skills.  What are predators for the donkey? Coyotes, wolves, cougars, bear and yes our precious pet dogs.  If we think about it the dog resembles the wolves and coyote the donkey does not know the difference until they are trained and understand their life is not in jeopardy. 

Donkeys can learn to tolerate a dog but it takes a really good trainer utilizing outstanding leadership with the dog and the donkey.  Did you know adult mammoth donkeys are used for protection of livestock? Make sure your donkey has at least one more donkey as a companion as all equine are healthier and happier when not left alone. Here is a Video of me working with Rio with the Parelli carrot stick.

Safety tip:

Place hot wire beneath the paddock fence to ensure no dog or predator can get in by crawling under the fence.   The Parelli carrot stick works as a great tool for me creating an extension of my arm and helps me stay in the leadership role when working with the equine and the dog.  Please never abuse the dog or the donkey with the carrot stick, that’s why Mr. Parelli named it the carrot stick no abuse.  Remember donkeys never forget anything ever.

Safety is the most important concern when working with equine (donkeys, horses and mules) and our beloved dogs.  

GOD bless you and your family two and four-legged!

Melody

https://www.facebook.com/Donkeywhisperer

Prize-winning Donkey

Prize-winning Donkey.

Training Donkeys, Mules and Horses To Ride In The Horse Trailer

Howdy,

Did you know donkeys prefer to ride loose in a horse trailer? Yes indeed donkeys prefer to ride loose in a horse trailer with the added bonus they are safe and much more comfortable.  I was really surprised to learn this after purchasing my donkeys as my horse is locked in the front for her safety. Why? She is not a donkey she is a horse smile. 

Donkeys freeze when scared so they are safer and more comfortable riding loose in the horse trailer and this helps them find a place to stand and hold their butt against the trailer to balance.  Most important consideration is to have a two door trailer in the back to unload them.  I highly suggest teaching your donkey to back out of the horse trailer in lieu of jumping out fast.  Here is a video of Rio backing out of the horse trailer what a good boy just took a few training sessions to teach him how to do this.   Keep one side of the door closed so to keep them calm and backing out slow.

In an emergency situation I wanted to ensure I could get all of them in the trailer fast and by myself. I highly suggest each of you do the same as you don’t want to be training trailer loading and unloading during an emergency. Donkeys freeze when scared!

Six Steps To Successful Trailer Loading of Your Donkey or Mule: 

1.  Ensure Your Donkey or Mule Trusts You – Taming is number (1)

2.  Always load the honor donkey, horse or mule first as Donkeys Are Visual Learners if you load the naughty one first your trailer loading experience will not go smoothly.

3. Plan ahead, practice trailer loading and letting the equine stand in the trailer and eat go no where. After you load them to eat lunch stand on the outside and talk to them let them know they are safe.

4.  Practice taking the donkeys, mules and horses for rides, just give them 40 minutes or so of time to adjust to the trailer, get  their legs and not have any more stress on them. DO NOT TAKE THEM ANYWHERE AND EXPECT THEM TO GET OUT AND IN until you are sure they understand trailer loading.  Just go for a drive a few times, practice getting in and out at home.

5.  Remember when driving to accelerate slowly and stop slowly as it is very difficult for the equine to keep their legs on the ground.  If you don’t understand have someone drive the trailer and get in the back ride down a bumpy road and see what it feels like for your equine I think you will have a new perspective.

6.  Gradually work up to trail walks, yes walking next to the youngster as they are too young to ride and then riding when of age.  I think it is safer for older equine to have the opportunity to observe what is expected a few times before riding.  We did lot’s of these before Lily and Rio were old enough to ride (preparation) is the key.

7.  Another important consideration in teaching trailer loading and unloading; is do not take them out of the trailer when the truck stops wait for about ten to fifteen minutes.  If you take them out immediately upon the truck stopping they will expect it and get impatient every time the truck stops.  Equine learn from consistent repetition so remember to always be a good leader and have a plan be consistent.  When the emergency comes and they all come in life have a plan and be prepared as preparation makes the process much easier on the human and the equine.

GOD bless you and your family two and four-legged!

Melody

http://www.donkeywhisperer.com

Favorite Quotes by Maya Angelou

Howdy,

One of my favorite quotes from Maya Angelou, You Cannot Use Up Creativity. The more you use, the more you have.

Inspirational quotes for women about life: The spoken word of Maya Angelou.

Website of Maya Angelou

What is your favorite positive quote from Maya Angelou?

GOD bless you and your family two and four-legged!

Melody

http://www.donkeywhisperer.com

Memory Of My Last Ride

Howdy,

In a few weeks it will be two years since I was able to slip my leg up and wrap my legs around my horse and mammoth donkey’s warm belly, feels like forever.  Oh how I miss riding my horse the fun trail rides we had, trail riding is serious business!  When I was a kid trail riding in this area was no big deal, I rode my horse every day after school in this same area.  Moving forward thirty-four years it is not the same sport.

The area I would ride by our home is beautiful thousands of acres of trails and in these trails were others wanting to enjoy the same trails.  While Lily and I were trail riding we encountered; lots of wildlife, coyotes, deer, and birds and even a cougar (the cougar ride my trail buddy was dumped from her horse) and I stayed on.   Lily and I took off and retrieved her older well-trained gelding (a safe trail riding horse ha, ha) this was another day I was really grateful to GOD.   We encountered the highway (traffic noise) people shooting in a distance, joggers some with big dogs, some loose not on a leash, bicycle riders and one motorcycle rider. 

Trail riding was euphoric for me it was truly a special time to escape life!  Safety is number one when stepping up to trail riding it is best to ride with a buddy.  Have a cell phone I like it turned off, map and I was about to start carrying a spot as safety is the most important consideration for me and my equine. I quickly made friends with anyone who could ride when I could ride for safety.  Working around schedules of work, families it was challenging and I was looking forward to Rio growing up so my husband could go ride with me.   I call these people trail buddy as they have been long gone since the car accident, I guess I really knew this was all the friendship was but I did not see it until the semi-truck accident.

I was so proud of myself after all I had trained my young filly all by myself.  A very big accomplishment for women in her late forties out of shape and a little lost in life after leaving my long time career in the big business world of twenty-three years.

Wow the last trail ride memory was a big one!  Lily is an extroverted horse she loves to explore new things so each time we went for a trail ride Lily would lead the way with my trail buddy riding her/his horse following behind us.  It was a beautiful day warm for winter not too cold and not raining just right. Soon Lily and I were in our groove I could feel her every move, her body was relaxing, ears forward and she was super calm.  We found a part of the trail where I would let her trot a little trot (western riders call this a jog).  I was posting, holding my stomach in her ears were forward such a wonderful memory.  The next thing I remember is picking me up off the ground a woman with her gigantic Rottweiler was jogging but she did not have her dog on a leash.

What happened to my trail buddy?  She got dumped off her horse too!  The dog came out of the woods into the trail we were on in seconds to Lily no doubt the dog looked like a big bear.  Lily spun on her big quarter horse cow butt and went the opposite direction.  I fell off.  All of my training was important now unlike any other time as she was running away when I yelled “WHOAA Lily”.  Lily stopped turned around looked at me on the ground like hey I did not realize you were not on my back.  She came back to me.  The lady with the Rottweiler was sorry for sure and I made no big deal out of it.  Just got back on Lily and my trail buddy got back on her mare, we parted at the trail head where my horse trailer was parked and I went home alone.  

My trail buddy had a bad accident the summer before while riding with other trail buddy’s I was not on this ride.  She had such a bad trail riding accident that she was airlifted to Harborview and had surgeries and pins installed in her foot. Thinking back now as we rode our mares out of the trail her face looked white and pale, this was the last time I saw her. I loaded my horse, drove home, cleaned her, brushed her, carried my saddle into the house and sat down.  The pain started in my left side.  The next day I went to the doctor after x-rays I learned I had fractured one rib on the left side. As a kid I don’t recall breaking any ribs and I fell off a lot.  At age 49 I guess I don’t bounce.

Before the car accident I was healing from the one fractured left rib, I was getting close to being able to ride again and I had a new plan to stay safe.  Funny thing is I thought one broken rib was insane pain; my point is any kind of pain is pain and we need to address what it causing it.  Never say it is no big deal our body does not give out pain signals for no reason.

While waiting for the left rib to heal I was making plans to ride in my arena, finish my horse Lily after all the arena is soft and riding is well “riding” it is the art of keeping our legs wrapped around our equine. Fewer obstacles in the arena than trail riding.  I was planning on getting Rio started as he was getting older not such a little baby donkey anymore.  I am happy to report both Lily and Rio are patiently and happily enjoying their life while I work on rehabilitation from the semi-truck accident.   Happy trails to you!

GOD bless you and your family two and four-legged!

Melody

https://www.facebook.com/Donkeywhisperer

Bucket List Publications – Accepting Submissions!

Howdy,

This post is from “one of my Word Press friends Leslie Carter” she reads and leaves little likes on my blog all the time.  Thank you Leslie!  Have fun with this one as life is truly precious and a gift we just don’t know when our time is up.

Bucket List Publications – Accepting Submissions!

GOD bless you and your family two and four-legged!

Melody

https://www.facebook.com/Donkeywhisperer

There Is No Doubt That Elephants Experience Suffering, Loss and Betrayal

Howdy,

Here is an amazing post written by my dear friend Kelly Probst, Sacred Wildlife Blog named Heart Of Africa  she is an amazing writer and a fierce protector of all the animals GOD has created in our world.  

Here is a small amount copied and pasted from her blog; There are recorded behaviors of near spiritual proportion: the tender fondling of bones belonging to a dead family member by a surviving family member, or the mutual touching of herd members trunks on the dead carcass of another herd member. Mothers have been observed standing over their dead calves for days on end refusing food and water until their mourning is confirmed by time. Calves frequently die of heartbreak from the loss of their mothers and abuse by human beings. One of the most profound insights is that “suffering” and “loss” are the experience of a self-reflexive mind. There is no doubt that elephants experience suffering, loss and betrayal and express it in complex, emotional behaviors similar to human beings.

Please this share her link with as many people as you can as knowledge creates awareness and it is our prayer that awareness creates change.   http://www.sacredwildlife.org/theheartofafrica.htm

GOD bless you and your family two and four-legged!

Melody

https://www.facebook.com/Donkeywhisperer