Personal and Professional Coaching Led by the Wisdom of Donkeys
Learn and grow as an individual, group, or organization through working with donkeys on our ranch in the Loveland, Fort Collins area in Colorado.
PLUS...Build strength, connection and leadership through running with Donkeys!
Welcome to the Donkey Way
Growth happens through experience and who better to teach us than the wisest equines— donkeys!
At The Donkey Way we believe donkeys are the best teachers and we partner with donkeys in Donkey Assisted Learning (Equine Assisted Learning) and coaching for personal, professional and organizational growth.
The Donkey Way also offers a fun way to work on the skills of connection, leadership and communication via donkey running! Run with a donkey, enjoy the mental and physical challenge of working together as a team!
Why Work with Donkeys?
Donkeys are highly resilient, intelligent, grounded and affectionate equines that teach us how to be more grounded, confident, authentic and clear communicators. Donkeys are independent creatures who can’t be pushed around. They require trust and authenticity from us and then they will be loyal partners.
Donkeys originated in northeastern Africa where they evolved to live in an arid mountainous environment. This led donkeys to excel at conserving energy, walking long distances to find food and water, being extremely agile and surefooted, leaning into pressure to get through narrow passages, and thinking carefully before acting. While horses tend to have a strong flight response to stress, donkeys tend to respond first by freezing and assessing the situation. They then decide if it is better to move, fight, or let go of the stress.
Donkeys were domesticated long before horses and have learned to trust and work together with their human companions. Clients often find donkeys to feel less scary or intimidating than horses. Though donkeys acutely feel the energy of their human partners, they tend to be more reserved and gentle, providing a safe place for personal and professional growth.
What makes donkeys different from horses is their independent nature, intelligence, and strong reliance on trust to build a relationship and work with you. Just like humans, you can't force them to do anything! However, you can build a strong relationship which will help them want to work with you.
In working with donkeys, you will learn how to build confidence, patience and authenticity, and most importantly trust in yourself and others!
Running with Donkeys
Come try out the Official Colorado Summer Heritage Sport by running with donkeys!
Most importantly, learn more about yourself by partnering with a donkey for a run that is an adventure! You might trot, you might canter, you might gallup… and you might just walk together— As in life, we can never be certain the speed we might take on our journey.
Come focus on enjoying the journey and connection with donkeys, learning about yourself and focus less on the “destination” and more the experience and challenge of donkey running!
No Experience Needed
No equine experience is required to grow. Just come with an open mind and heart, and the donkeys will guide you the rest of the way!
