Stateline All Animal Rescue

20/05/2026

This is my front yard. The pasture where the horses are eating is the same only worse because horses. We are feeding the same amount of hay that we were feeding in January. Our area is in an extreme drought which means that our farmers aren't going to have hay to sell this year either.

14/05/2026

Rascal and Romeo are still looking for their forever home. They would love to stay together. Romeo is Rascals' father and like many horses who are gelded after becoming a father, he may have lost the tools but he still wants practice. Ahem. They do fine together but if there is a girl in the mix then Romeo gets romantic and protective so better to be housed with the guys. They are both good for the farrier, good with kids, Rascal has done some leadline stuff with my granddaughter.

Edited to add: Both have great manners out of the pasture. They are good for the farrier, lead, tie, load, etc. They are both around 38 inches so on the larger side of minis.

13/05/2026

I wanted to give everyone a 30 day update on Trudy. Sometimes it's really hard to see the difference from day to day but then you look at the before picture and realize how far she has come. She is still thin, she still needs to gain weight and muscle. She needs to heal internally as well as externally. She has had all the things... teeth floated, hooves trimmed, wormed and fed and has given everything she needs to heal. Thank you to everyone who has helped with saving her. She still needs sponsors so that we can continue to give her the quality of care that she needs and deserves. I'll drop a link to her page in the comments.

08/05/2026

Chatting with Jennifer Bell Platt about her summer horsemanship challenge

08/05/2026

I am going live with Jennifer Bell Platt today around 2 to talk about her new horsemanship program.

02/05/2026

For heaven's sake people please feed your horses. I can't take another one. I am still underwater with Trudy but someone needs to take him.

01/05/2026

One our fosters is doing a horsemanship challenge this summer as part of her masters. You can take part with your horse wherever you are. Check it out.

30/04/2026

Happy Trails, Foghorn. You are moving up in the world!!

29/04/2026

Foghorn looked like this. You would think someone gave him a bad haircut.

IS YOUR DONKEY GOING THROUGH A SCRUFFY, BALD, PATCHY PHASE? 😬

It’s a horrible look—I know.
But this time of year? Totally normal.

Unlike horses, which tend to shed more evenly, donkeys often look like a chicken going through a full molt. Their coats can remain ragged, thin, and patchy for weeks as they transition from winter to summer.

Temperature swings don’t help either. When it goes from warm to cold again, donkeys will often hold onto that last bit of winter coat for warmth.

And just to make it more confusing, every donkey sheds on its own schedule, no matter what the calendar says.

So what should you do?
Honestly… not much.

As long as the skin isn’t raw, infected, or covered in scabs, this is usually just an aesthetic phase.

If your donkey is rubbing a lot, check for lice.
Lice are most common in cooler months (fall through early spring) because of the thicker coat. They can worsen patchiness and itching, so it’s worth ruling them out.

If lice aren’t the issue, then you’re just in the “ugly stage,” and it will pass.

What helps:

Regular grooming (as often as you can)
Use a rubber or metal curry comb
Be gentle—many donkeys don’t like their loose coat being pulled

You may notice small scratches in bare areas from rubbing. Keep those clean, and if needed, a light topical antibiotic ointment can help protect the skin.

Before you know it, that rough coat will be gone and replaced with a sleek, healthy summer coat.

And then… come late August or September…
they’ll start growing it all back again 😄

Feel free to share this post to help other donkey owners who might be wondering what’s going on with their donkey's coat.