Sunday afternoon, I looked out the window and saw Nigel and Fergus doing something that up until then, I had only seen illustrations of in The Donkey Companion. They were mutually grooming each other.
Then again, in the exact same location, yesterday afternoon. In this video, notice Ellsworth in the background rubbing his head on the pipe fencing.
I wonder why Bernard and Ellsworth don’t do this. Do George and Alan do it? What about Chester and Beau? Ruby and Gracie? What about your donkeys or horses or other critters? I wonder if it’s a trust issue. Surely Bernard and Ellsworth trust each other; they freak out if they’re separated for five seconds. You equine enthusiasts out there must have some thoughts, and we’re all ears.
Morning Bray Farm 
April 27, 2010 at 5:03 am
I’m interested in equine experts’ answers too.
Maybe some of ’em like and some don’t?
I would like to think that Ellsworth (who lived in a squalorous junkyard) and Nigel (who has seemed to be something of a shrinking violet) have some special understanding of each others’ extra-sensitive souls and a resulting need of a little extra reassurance.
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April 27, 2010 at 5:05 am
Delete “Ellsworth” and replace with “Fergus.”
(This kind of thing is why it takes me four hours to write my own blog posts.)
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April 27, 2010 at 6:32 am
June,
No worries. Believe me, I can totally relate. 🙂
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April 27, 2010 at 5:28 am
Horses at the barn do it sometimes, too. Although, I keep mine so well brushed, that I think they don’t have many itches to scratch between times. It’s interesting to watch how they “tell” each other what spots need scratching!
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April 27, 2010 at 6:31 am
C,
I wonder if it has something to do with the fact that they’ve not been brushed a lot? We’ve only just started brushing Fergus and of course can’t brush Nigel yet. Kind of a take matters into their own teeth kind of thing. But I still wonder about the social component and why Bernard and Ellsworth don’t do it.
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April 27, 2010 at 5:33 am
George and Alan do this occasionally, Hank and George – once in a great while, Hank and Lyle used to do it in the summer when the bugs were at their worst. At the BLM auction last spring, I noticed many of the mustangs pairing off to do it. Maybe its more instinctual among the wild ones since there’s no one following them around with a bottle of fly spray.
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April 27, 2010 at 6:29 am
Carson,
Hank and George? How interesting.
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April 27, 2010 at 6:54 am
You’re ALL EARS??? How cute!
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April 27, 2010 at 7:04 am
Nancy,
You got it! 🙂 Don always tells me that it’s dangerous when I try to be funny… I’m so impressed that you noticed. 😉
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April 27, 2010 at 7:22 am
My donkey and I do lots of mutual grooming. My barn jacket is covered with oat-paste nibble slobbers.
I think it is a fallacy that donkeys need a herd. My donkey is so bonded with me that I trim her feet while she lies down flat. Total trust and love. She is also very confident. She does not worry when I’m away – no separation anxiety at all.
But donkeys, being so intelligent, are also quite variable, I think. So I just love reading everyone’s stories of their own donkeys. And videos are fantastic. Thank you to everyone who shares! It helps us all be better companions to our beloved donkeys.
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April 27, 2010 at 7:45 am
My donkeys, Harry and Gunny, often groom each other. Several of my horses over the years have done it also. I have seen the mares teach the foals how to groom this way….it’s adorable to see:-) My horses will often want to reciprocate grooming with me when I brush or scratch them. Of course I don’t let them but I think it’s a very loving gesture.
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April 27, 2010 at 9:08 am
Georgie and Gordy, our two standard poodles don’t groom one another but they do know each other’s ticklish spots and will come up and give nibbles to each other’s necks or shoulders. You can tell the receiver enjoys it because one of their rear legs will thump up and down. The cat thinks it is her job to groom the dogs.
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April 27, 2010 at 9:52 am
There is so much scratching and itching going on here. Lots of going under the tree branches, rubbing alongside tree trunks and fences. Pewter and AJ, two of our horses who are inseparable, groom each other all the time. The donkeys don’t seem to groom each other too much.
This time of year I keep brushes handy in various spots so all I have to do is grab one and help remove all that hair. Before I know it there is a line forming all waiting their turn.
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April 27, 2010 at 10:05 am
Hay~ I adore your blogs~ my two horses groom each other quite often! One’s a Am Quarter and the other an Am Paint. I love it. One always shows the other “here’s where it itches” and they start there, usually on the withers or back area, but I”ve seen them do it on shoulders too.
Your guys and Linda’s have stolen my heart!
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April 27, 2010 at 10:19 am
I board my horse at a stable where he is turned out every day. There can be as many as 12 geldings at a time. These boys pair off and groom each other. And it’s often not the same two. You can tell whose not favored, but if they are friendly they are liable to end up as grooming partners.
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April 27, 2010 at 10:35 am
All my horses indulge in mutual grooming, usually according to dominance order- for example, the dominant mare doesn’t get as much grooming as the two who are lower in the pecking order. So I think it does have to do with social hierarchy as well.
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April 27, 2010 at 10:57 am
So very cute! Great videos. I’ve only observed Ruby and Gracie mutually grooming on rare occasions. However, there has been a lot of rubbing/scratching on objects lately, and a few tiny patches of hair missing. Therefore, I’m suspicious we have a tiny lice problem (ewwww). So tonight – we’re having a little lice dusting party. Sound like fun? 🙂
Oh yes… back to the question — I do believe grooming is a trust issue, but my girls do appear to trust each other for the most part. Just maybe not *that* much? Such fascinating creatures they are!
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April 27, 2010 at 12:51 pm
Chester and Beau *do* do it! I first witnessed this behavior, though, with the foster donkeys I had back in 2008. I thought it was such a sweet and gentle thing. Chester and Beau generally play incredibly rough, so when I see them being so gentle with each other, I can’t help but stop whatever I’m doing and just watch.
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April 27, 2010 at 3:00 pm
Were “all ears” here too, Our 8 donkeys all do mutual grooming, and not all ways with the same pair. It seems that when someone has a itch any other one thats in the mood lends a hand.
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April 27, 2010 at 3:52 pm
I have horses that mutually groom. It is as much about bonding I think as anything. Some trainers call that area at the withers ‘the friendly spot’ as it seems to be a favored grooming spot.
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April 27, 2010 at 6:02 pm
When I had a horse, he and pasture mates would groom.
I’ve known horses that groom their humans as well.
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April 27, 2010 at 6:56 pm
Observing the behavior of your newbies is fascinating! Wonder how the mutual grooming pact might change as they adjust to live with humans with their brushes.
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