Melody also bases her training on the personality type of the human/owner and the equine. She studies the equine profile and personality traits along side the human’s personality to help build a bridge between the equine and the owner. Balance is always in leading, never following, when spending time with the equine. Playing with equine is a natural fun experience when the owner has a plan and clear and concise boundaries are established for safety.

Melody has trained her horse "Lily" who is a Left Brain Extrovert. Melody purchased Lily at 20 months old with very little training in place, in fact she was scared of everything. Lily had lived in a small pen with her mother until she was 2 years old until she moved into Melody’s life. Today, Lily is a playful, smart, charismatic, naughty, mischievous, mouthy, willful, prideful, exuberant, friendly lead mare of her own herd. Lily is a left brain extrovert meaning she thinks all the time and is very outgoing and confident. Additionally, Melody owns a Mammoth Donkey named Rio from Mass Ass Acres and has owned him since he was 9 months old. Rio is three now and he is mentally and physically still growing. At almost 16 hands, he is truly a Mammoth donkey, no horse. Rio is a Left Brain Introvert: clever, smart and stubborn; he can appear lazy, disinterested, non responsive, quiet, shy, hesitant, distrustful of new things, freezes, gets tense and can run and explode. Additionally, she owns and trains a miniature donkey named Rocket Man. Rocket Man has had several homes and appears to be slightly introverted and can move in and out of introversion and extroversion depending on the situation. These three equine have helped provide Melody with the experiences needed to teach people how to work with their equine successfully.

Additionally, Melody helped Mass Ass Acres with a standard size donkey named Obo who was headed to slaughter. Obo had learned the nasty trick of dragging the human and kicking the human and was not able to get his feet trimmed or have worming and shots. Today, Obo can get his feet trimmed with no drugs and no problems; all was accomplished with just eight short forty minute sessions. Obo was a Right brain introvert: hyper, bracey, and over reactive. On a forward angle Obo would try to run over you, could not think through anything; he was scared, distrustful, unpredictable, tense and quiet. Today he would be considered a left brain introvert as he can think. He can now stand for the farrier and not kick or move, and he is much more calm and is not afraid of the human anymore.



Goals of the Training

Melody will only work with customers who will commit to the training program one hundred percent and be outstanding equine leaders and partners. If you are tired of the same old cowboy training techniques and see no positive results, or you want to start a young colt, horse, donkey, or mule; give The Donkey Whisperer a try. There is a saying “The equine is a mirror reflection of the rider”...so much may need to change in ourselves before we can help our equine.

Only positive customers open to change and willing to work with Melody to have an outstanding relationship with their equine are accepted into this training program. The Donkey Whisperer Farm has the right to refuse to work with anyone at any time. If animals are abused, neglected or the owner is violent towards the equine or Melody the service contract is VOID!

Melody's goal is to specifically pass on a new set of tools to the equine owner. The Donkey Whisperer will teach the owner how to read the equine and learn how to communicate in a safe way. Learn how to observe the equines slightest try and the most difficult “cry for help” when bored and frustrated with the training techniques and tools being used. The passion to help the equine live a comfortable life with their owner is what created the Donkey Whisperer Farm.

•Build a new relationship between the owner and the equine (donkeys, horses and mules) as equine live in the moment and are looking for respectful clear leadership. Correction is made within three seconds after the mistake is made and never in anger and never abusive, and always followed by positive reinforcement.

• Plan and make sure you have a safe working environment; a large field will not work in most cases. 50 foot round pen for horses and a 25 foot space where the donkey can not get away from you is the best in stage 1 of training.

• All emotion must be placed in neutral when working with the equine as they live in the moment and gravitate to assertive leadership NOT aggressive or too loving. This is easier said than done as it takes most people practice and time to control their emotions. Emotional intelligence is like a muscle in our body it must be worked over and over to be in the best form.

• Each time the owner is with the equine they are teaching them something. Always have a plan. Similar to building a brick path in the garden: one brick at a time and then more the next day, rest the body and continue the next day until completed.

• Equine require patience which is another tool the human must learn how to use every time they are with their equine.

• Equine can not speak our language they only know how to read our emotions, clear boundaries and training techniques. It would be like going to a foreign country and not being able to speak the language and having someone make you do something without verbal communication. When done with respect, love, leadership, and a clear plan, the trainer makes it look easy. Anyone can learn to communicate with their equine if they have four things; (1) time (2) perseverance (3) training coach (plan) and (4) patience.

• The Donkey Whisperer is a coach for the human/owner and will not only help the equine with their lives, but will also help the owner with their personal relationships; as emotion flows into all of our lives via work, family, friends, neighbors.

• Time. Take the time it takes to not stress the equine out. Remember you get more from honey than vinegar.

• Ensure your incorporating some fun things; equine enjoy doing. Not all equine are Olympians; just like people, and clearly some excel in some sports like trail riding, but not jumping and vise a versa.

• Results can be dramatic and fast when following this training program.