Simon has weak legs and he lies down a lot, this winter it’s often been in straw, mud and manure. Simon loves attention, he loves to be brushed and fussed over, Maria is happy to oblige.  Every morning, we brush the dirt and crud off of Simon, every morning he stands and waits for it. The donkeys and other equines I know covet human attention, they love to be seen, spoken to, brushed and groomed. While Maria was brushing Simon and I was taking photos, Lulu and Fanny came over to me and kept nosing me in the butt, the way donkeys ask for attention, or more often, demand it.

Food is the gateway to trust with animals, I believe, they attach the most powerfully to the one that feeds them, but they crave and need attention beyond that. Donkeys and horses have been living with humans for thousands of years – dogs, too – and they have few illusions about us, I think. Of course, the other side of the coin is my dawning realization that I need attention from them also.

Attention can mean many things to animals – talking, treats, grooming, or often with us, just being near them, letting them see that we are here, we are aware of them, they can smell our love.