A new animal brings a sense of bliss that is difficult to describe to those who have never experienced the feeling. For many, it is a dream come true; a life goal reached. Months, or even years, of daydreaming and planning were employed, and it all came to fruition. A two week quarantine is the perfect time to release this pent up excitement and splurge a little. With an endless list of necessary supplies, and quite a few delightful non-essentials, there is much fun to be had.
It is likely the new donkey already has a halter, but what is the harm in having a backup? As some may have already discovered, finding a halter that adequately fits a miniature donkey is a daunting task. Either the strap fits just right in the rear, but is loose on the nose, or it will snuggle the nose and sag under the jaw. Skip the Goldie Locks routine and check out Halter Up (1). Their unique design fits the short and wide shape of a donkeys head. They based their measurements on their own personal experience and feedback from other donkey owners. An additional perk, they fit not only miniature donkeys, but look quite fetching on calves as well.

Photo Courtesy of Halter Up!
Besides their wonderful quality, and exceptional fit, Halter Up is an excellent choice due to their range of colors and wide array of designs. Not a fan of being decisive? That’s okay, help is here. Their top selling size for miniature donkeys is a medium. The most popular colors are raspberry and mango. Like many occasions in life, one of their greatest successes stemmed from a mistake. Their manufacturer sent mango in error for the ordered orange. Lucky for them, it was a quick hit.
While surprisingly versatile, mango does not go with every donkey. Lori Howard, owner of Halter Up, is “a total nerd when it comes to color” and offered up her expertise on matching fur to material:
Reds: Teal, Turquoise, Blue...anything with that hue really stands out. Silver, black and brown can work too.
Grey: Maroon, Purple, Raspberry, Silver, Black...this color donkey can wear most any color and look amazing.
Brown: Brown, Mango, Orange tend to go best but Greens, Blues and Turquoise work as well.
Black: Red, Black, Silver...anything bright works well with the black donkeys.
Ivories: Blue and Navy...I love the blue on the ivory donkeys to highlight their beautiful sky blue eyes.
Spots: Your favorite color...they all go well with spots.
Whether a preference for a simplistic, yet gorgeous, purple, or a funky turquoise with a cosmic design, it is hard to go wrong.

There are many other accessories that can express a personal flair. Horse blankets come in colors and designs that were seriously lacking not too long ago. Sure, one could buy a beautiful black blanket with red straps, but that is nothing compared to a bright, purple plaid design with turquoise accents. Bell boots come in endless shades of rubber, yet there are exciting vibrant flower patterns that flaunt their spicy style from the display shelves. Tempting to even those with no animal to put them on. Though they may not be necessary items for every donkey owner, they will never go to waste and can still be aesthetically pleasing to all.
Or, if practicality is a priority, there are fly masks with fuzzy linings, neon accents, and fashionable designs. They also come with and without ears. There are more lead ropes than there is time to describe, creating a similar debacle as choosing the right brush in an aisle of hundreds. Fly socks are useful, yet a truly hideous invention. At least they can be an entertaining DIY project, and may even turn out semi-amazing with a pair of artfully scissored, neon socks.

Life is not meant to be mundane. No matter if an extensive amount of supplies are purchased, or a scant few, spoil the new donkey with a glorious fashion show. Take an excessive amount of pictures. They are a great way to reminisce about the best of days.
www.halterup.com