John Whitaker’s base is, as you’d expect, home to top grand prix and championship horses, promising youngsters and very nice home-breds.
It’s also home to Hazel, a 17-year-old donkey who is best friends with John’s superstar Equine America Unick Du Francport, brays with joy as she jumps fences by herself, and teaches the babies what it’s all about.
John’s daughter Joanne told H&H Hazel was not the ideal candidate for her original job, when she arrived about 15 years ago.
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“Someone had told us if you keep a donkey with chickens, it keeps foxes away,” she said. “But every time there was even a little rustle in the bushes, she’d start hee-hawing and wake everyone up! So she became a companion for ones who need company or don’t settle in the fields; she’s the yard babysitter.”
Joanne recently shared a video of Hazel jumping tiny fences in the indoor school, shouting with joy as she did so – with some of the babies hot on her heels.
“If we put her loose on the school and there’s a little jump up, she always jumps it, she loves it,” Joanne said. “So she was loose in there, started jumping, and the foals started following her!”
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Joanne said John did try backing Hazel when she was younger, “but she didn’t want to be backed; she’d just stand there,” so her role as yard babysitter was confirmed.
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“My dad did mention at one point possibly putting her in foal to Argento and having a mule but it never actually happened,” she added.
“Her biggest companion is ‘Frank’; he won’t settle in the field without her, or even loose on the school. She’s always with him and when he walks past her door, she starts hee-hawing. If she thinks he’s going out without her, she just keeps honking. The kids love her and used to lead her about – but everyone loves her. She’s very, very cute.”
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Eleanor is an experienced journalist who spent over eight years working for local and national newspapers before joining H&H as news editor in March 2016. Passionate about equine welfare and exposing the truth, Eleanor has reported on all aspects of the industry, from Brexit to anti-bullying campaigns, and from dressage rules to mules. Her sport of choice is showjumping, in which she competes her own horses, and she also enjoys reporting at local jumping shows through to international championships.
