Holly & Champagne Charlie

This is the story of Holly and Charlie.

We were looking for a donkey, you wouldn't believe how difficult they are to buy. There are an awful lot of unscrupulous dealers about who have no regard for their animals at all.

After being let down three times we eventually came across Holly for sale on the internet. She was living in Wales with a lady who had bought her at a horse market in Ireland when she was just 2 years old. Holly was bought to use as a broodmare and was put in foal to the jack donkey who was purchased at the same market.

Holly had her first foal at just 3 years old, a little grey colt who was sold when he was six months old. Although Holly was still living with the jack donkey she did not become pregnant the following year which is why the lady decided to sell both her and the jack. Unfortunately the jack was sold the week before we found Holly, otherwise we would of had them both as donkeys form life long friendships and should not be split up. We were unaware that Holly was pregnant when we bought her and so you can imagine our delight when we had her tested and got a positive result!

Here is a photo of Holly when she first arrived to live with us.

Holly settled in very quickly, and although she was on her own she would come out dog walking everyday and loved being included in all family activities.

She quickly discovered a passion for digestive biscuits and would turn down the offer of a carrot in search of the biscuit tin!

I was working on the computer everyday in the living room and Holly loved to come in and would just stand next to me or lay on the rug in front of the fire, much to the dogs delight, as she was then at nose height for them to have a good sniff. She also made firm friends with Sid, one of our two cats, and we will often find him asleep on her back when she has her warm winter rugs on.

Donkeys average between 11-14 months gestation, so we waited eagerly for the 11 months to come to an end, which just happened to fall on April fools day. This day duly came and went and it seemed ages before anything seemed to change.

We didn't know what colour to expect the new foal to be as Dad was a 'normal' donkey colour of light grey, but he did have a big white blaze down his face. I really wanted to be there when Holly had the foal in case anything went wrong, so you can imagine my surprise when I walked in her stable on the 12th May to find that Charlie had just been born, plus his amazing colour!

Charlie was born with a fantastic personality, just like Holly. He wobbled over to me to say hello and quickly made friends with the dogs, sheep and chickens. Sid can't quite understand where he has appeared from and likes Charlie best when he is sleeping!

Which he does in style!

This picture was taken today, 31st May 2007

Charlie is growing daily and has started to grow teeth which he likes to investigate with....

hee hee!!!

I have been practicing my scary faces, what do you think?!!

Charlie and Dolly the lamb

14th June 2007 Checking Sid

Gosh I'm cute!!

Let me sleep

What time is the horse racing on?

Mum and Sid talking about what a lovely boy I am, obviously!!!

I am handsome, don't you think?!!

I love coming into the kitchen for biscuits & will try and sneak in

whilst Mum is in the field so there's more for me!!

One of my favourite things to do is going for a walk down the lanes, it is sooo exciting as there is so much to see.

This is me and my new friend Kayleigh who was staying with us in July.

Me & Mum wear our coats when it is cold at night now, I like to roll in mine and make it dirty - well I am a boy after all!!

Me posing again, I was supposed to be playing football with James but found it exhausting!!

We love to go in the front garden and munch the headrows.

I loved my first Christmas, me and Mum had lots of biscuits and treats from the dogs who come on holiday and we had our favourite french toast for breakfast!!!

I want a hat too!!

Safe Haven for Donkeys in the Holy Land If you click on this link it will take you to a wonderful site where people who genuinely love donkeys work so hard to rescue the.