Eeyore
Type: Standard BLM Jack
Born: 1995?
Height: 11 Hands
Weight: 325 lbs.
Color: Grey w/ black cross
Position: Packer First Class
Eeyore is what they call a "BLM". That means that he was once feral and was captured and sold by the B.L.M., or Bureau of Land Management. Former pack station owner Kim Kelley bought Eeyore, along with Andy, in about 2001 at one of the BLM Roundups, where they sell wild Burros and Mustangs. All animals come "as is" and both Andy and Eeyore wore hobbles until they relaxed enough to stay with the herd.
Unfortunately, Kim didn't work with these two very much. They were just used as sires for future pack animals. Eeyore is probably the sire of Heasley, while Andy is probably the sire of Moonshine; and it is not obvious which one is the sire of Lila. It wasn't until the first half of 2005 that Eeyore learned to pack.
When the storms of January 2005 washed out the road to Chantry Flat for several months, Greg had the opportunity to work with Eeyore and Andy. With the parking lot free from traffic, he could walk the donkeys with a variety of loads in the broad, open space without fear of the various accidents that can happen with green animals on the trail.
Eeyore used to do everything he could to avoid work. At the first sight of a halter he would run, kick, crash through fences, jump through barn windows, anything to get away. Once one finally got him cornered, saddled, and put into the pack string, he would simply sit down. And not always in the beginning. Sometimes he we wait until halfway down the road to Roberts' Camp to sit down, and the only thing that would get him up was to turn around and bring him home.
Since Deb and Sue have taken over the pack station Eeyore gets a regular work. He goes out at least once per week on the pack to Sturtevant's and he has become very docile and dependable. It probably helped that Calico was introduced to the herd, before Eeyore was gelded, and gave him something to keep his mind off the fact that he was packing.
Eeyore is so named because of his obvious resemblence to the storybook character, and because every donkey herd naturally has to have an Eeyore.