Over and above his job as pack-carrier, the donkey will be your travelling companion...To all those who plan to take a donkey simply because they're sick to death of humping a heavy back-pack, our advice is ... Find another solution !

You'll soon realize that friendly relations are being established between you and your donkey...and that's to say nothing of the children : they are won over on first contact. What's more, the donkey is a natural comedian, he'll amuse you with his comic talent ... a donkey will loosen tongues and open doors for you

In short, he'll be the life and soul of the journey...

Your donkey will take quite a few kilos off your backs, between thirty and forty to be precise. But why this weight limit? Now is the moment to get rid of a few misapprehensions : Someone is sure to tell you that a donkey can carry much more than that, up to 60, 70, 80, even 100 kilos... He can indeed, but under particular conditions and over specific distances... Put yourself in his place : you can carry 30 kg yourself, can't you, but you'll surely have a more sprightly step with only 15 kg on your back !
Remember that at the Fnar, our donkeys are out trekking all summer, and often in the spring and autumn too. They go trekking with different families all the time, each having its way of leading the donkey. Some of the treks are easy, others are more tiring... Remember too that walkers do not always perfectly balance the packs, and the heavier the load the more uncomfortable it is, and the less willing the donkey ...
To sum up, trust our know-how at the Fnar (some of us have more than 20 years'experience) : all donkey-handlers will tell you that 30 to 40 kg is the ideal weight for the donkey to put his best foot forward on the paths you follow together ...

A load of thirty to forty kilos that means quite a lot of gear, don't you think?

There's lots of nonsense said on this subject ...

A reminder here: a donkey walks at a steady pace of 3-4 km per hour. If you dream of record-breaking marathon performances : don't go walking with a donkey! The good point of walking with a donkey is just this slow but regular rhythm. It allows you to appreciate the walk, the landscapes, the fauna and flora, etc... Il is an opportunity to breathe easily, to take time... And above all, it's the ideal rhythm for the children!!!!!

The baby weighs more and more in the baby-carrier, and then there's all his gear (nappies, bottles, milk, potted baby-food,etc., etc...). The bigger brother or sister is still too small to walk long without complaining (when are we going to get there? I'm hungry, I'm thirsty ...). What a grind it all is!!
With a donkey, walking with children becomes a pleasure : - the donkey carries all the baby's paraphernalia - toddlers can do a bit of walking, then have a ride in the easy stretches of the path... Suddenly you hear a lot less of "when are we going to get there?"... - bigger children can lead the donkey and look after him during rests or at the end of the day, a role they usually take very seriously. It's a good way of developing the child's sense of responsibility ...
And for all concerned, brushing and combing the donkey each morning is a great time of mutual contact and tenderness.