Christmas 'tails' from Brookfield farm

In the run-up to Christmas, it’s all systems go at Brookfield Farm. Extra straw is being ordered, heavy bags of salt are unloaded and stored in preparation for snow and the farm’s long-eared residents rest into their warm barns as they brace for another unpredictable festive period. 

Brookfield Farm’s unique elevated position above a sleepy village on the outskirts of Honiton means it has its own microclimate. 

But whether Brookfield is buried under six inches of snow or basking in an unexpected sunny spell, its teams of dedicated grooms will soldier on to ensure the very best care is afforded to the donkey residents who rely on them. 

It’s a team that makes Jaime Brown, Brookfield Farm Manager, feel proud every day – but particularly at Christmas, when the days are darker and time is more precious.

“They are a fabulous team,” she says. “I completely trust every one of them to care for the donkeys to the highest standard possible and go that extra mile to ensure their wellbeing is preserved.” 

The animals Jaime’s team care for are just as special, each with a magic of their own. 

In this blog, we delve behind the stable doors to meet four donkeys who, thanks to your ongoing support, will experience the joy of Christmas in our care. 

We begin with the seeds of a friendship that sprouted just in time for Christmas.

Better late than never for Dotty and Joseph

As the frost shimmers on the yard outside New Barn Middle, located directly opposite Jaime’s office, a very special friendship is taking shape between two donkeys.

Dotty, a gentle mare, and Joseph, a quiet yet strong-minded gelding, cosy up to each other as they drink from the same water trough.  

Behind them, dozens of other donkeys lazily munch on hay and groom one another – but these two only have eyes for each other. 

Dotty and Joseph’s move to New Barn Middle triggered their unexpected bond. Before their relocation, they lived together at another stable called Bottom Barn, yet they took no interest in each other.

Instead, Dotty spent her days with a companion called Dillon, while Joseph preferred the solo lifestyle.  

“Dotty’s move came about after the sudden passing of her friend,” explains Groom Lily Reigate. “After Dillon passed, we noticed that Dotty became very needy for human attention.

“She wanted to be near us all the time. We wanted to find her a new friend, but we can never force this to happen, and Dotty wasn’t interested in anyone in Bottom Barn.”

A reshuffle of barn residents meant Dotty departed Bottom Barn for New Barn Middle – with Joseph among the donkeys who moved alongside her.

The first few days were the same as usual: Dotty seeking out the attention of her human grooms while Joseph stood idly by, nonplussed by his new surroundings.

However, when a few male donkeys took an interest in Dotty – and the feelings weren’t reciprocated – Joseph’s protective nature came to the fore.

“Joseph actively stood between Dotty and the donkeys whose introductions weren’t welcome,” Lily recalls. “I think he wanted to make sure Dotty felt safe, as she wasn’t interested in any of the other donkeys despite their best efforts to make friends.”

With her new protector by her side, Dotty is now experiencing the joy of friendship once again. 

The two remain inseparable; they eat from the same feed trough, lazily sunbathe side by side under the winter sun, and snuggle down together when the group is turned in for the night.

“Dotty and Joseph’s story is so lovely,” Lily says. “Christmas is all about family and friends, and one of the most important things for me at this time of year is spending time with loved ones.

“It’s wonderful that Dotty will experience the joy of a new friendship this Christmas. This would have been her first Christmas without Dillon, and it’s widely said that the worst time to be lonely is at Christmas. 

“Thankfully, Dotty has found a new friend just in time.” 

Bray-bells ring, can you hear them?

Amid the hustle and bustle of daily life at Brookfield Farm, the radio is a near-permanent feature of the grooms’ tearoom.

At Christmas, it’s particularly lively – belting out popular festive melodies to keep morale up and voices warm.

And in one particular stable, the former home of Joseph and Dotty, the grooms are treated to their own Christmas carol.

Deep in the gaggle of fluffy ears and twitching noses at Bottom Barn, a throaty bray rings out twice a day from a kind-hearted stalwart of Brookfield Farm: 17-year-old donkey Jingles.

Jingles is a unique donkey at Brookfield who requires a little extra love and attention from the grooms.

Born with a heart murmur, her delicate health affords her a small daily luxury – the mouthwatering crunch of two biscuits, given in the morning and evening.

“We give Jingles a biscuit twice a day on the vet’s advice,” explains Brookfield Farm supervisor Alison Cook. “When we first gave her a biscuit, she was very animated, and the next day we heard her call for one.

“The vet suggested giving Jingles a few biscuits a day as a way to monitor her health. If she didn’t call for the biscuit, we would potentially become concerned about her heart.”

Every day, Jingles calls loudly for her biscuit – a reassuring sound among the hustle and bustle of daily life that means all is well.

“It’s like a siren,” Lily laughs. “She never comes up to me for her biscuit. Instead, she’ll stick her head up from the straw, her ears forward, and watch me squeeze around all the other donkeys to hand-deliver it.

“I find Jingles’ quirky call particularly endearing at Christmas time – it’s like she’s singing her own special festive song. Although in reality, I know she thinks she is training us!”

Aside from her talkative nature, Jingles’ history shows a nurturing side to her character that shone in 2018, when she fostered a foal who had been rejected by his mother.

Little foal Ben had to be bottle-fed by our grooms after his mother Millie – who was brought to The Donkey Sanctuary in 2017 following her owner’s death – didn’t allow him to suckle.

Despite his tough start to life, Ben adapted well to being hand reared. He was then introduced to Jingles, who took him into her care.

“Having previously reared a foal, Jingles was a natural mother to Ben,” says Ben Hart, Lead in Behaviour and Human Behaviour Change at The Donkey Sanctuary.

“She took to him straight away; she was patient yet firm, setting boundaries on his exuberant behaviour so he grew up learning how to behave as a donkey.

“It was amazing to watch her mothering instincts kick in.”

Jingles’ story reminds us that the true spirit of Christmas lies in giving what we can, when it matters most.

A new home beckons for gentle mare Mary

Our final tale introduces 23-year-old Mary, who might be spending next Christmas elsewhere after being earmarked for rehoming.

Mary, who lives at New Barn Top, is classed as a ‘single donkey’. Despite being a social character in her 65-strong herd, she doesn’t have a special bonded companion.

Her situation prompted her grooms to place her on our Rehoming Scheme, which relocates single donkeys and bonded groups to loving homes outside the sanctuary.

Ben explains: “When a donkey in a home loses their bonded companion, we look for a quiet, friendly donkey like Mary who might be able to join them as a new companion.

“Donkeys can grieve for their companions and even become ill, so finding a friend to join them can give them a new lease of life.”

Mary’s gentle and patient nature ticks all the boxes for prospective rehoming. Under Ben’s guidance, she is continuing her training so she can quickly acclimatise to new surroundings and new stablemates.

“Mary is very accepting of all her handling and is a patient donkey who would enjoy even more one-to-one care,” Ben adds.

“However, to ensure she thrives in any new home, we finish her training with something called generalisation.

“This means an experienced groom will do all the things Mary is familiar with, but in different settings around the farm or in different ways.

“This gives Mary the chance to understand that her new home might not do things in the same way her carers here at the sanctuary do.

“It will also mean she is calmer and more able to accept the challenges that moving to a new home brings.”

And with Christmas just around the corner, we hope that Mary will soon be matched with a suitable home where she will reap the rewards of more personal care and the company of another donkey.

“Hopefully, Mary will be a brilliant Christmas surprise for a donkey who needs a new companion,” Ben says.

“The greatest gift for Mary this Christmas would be to find her forever home, where she will be loved and cared for many Christmases to come.”

As Joseph and Dotty share their newfound friendship, Jingles sings for her biscuit and Mary prepares for a fresh start, Brookfield Farm reminds us that Christmas is at its heart a season of comfort, companionship and kindness – something our donkeys embody in the most magical way.