Donkeys are not small horses in winter
Donkeys evolved for arid country, and their winter needs diverge from horses' in ways that catch people out. Their coats are not waterproof in the way a horse's is — rain soaks through and leaves them cold to the bone — so free access to a proper shelter with a dry bed is not optional for donkeys; it is the single most important winter provision. Their digestion is exceptionally efficient, built for poor desert forage, which means rich haylage and hard feed that suit a horse can push a donkey towards obesity and laminitis even in the depths of winter. Most donkeys winter best on a straw-based ration with measured hay alongside, treating grass and any bucket feed as the controlled extras. A donkey standing out in driving rain by choice is usually a donkey whose shelter is occupied, draughty or muddy — fix the shelter, not the donkey.
Feet, mud and hard standing
Wet ground is the donkey's winter enemy underfoot as much as overhead. Feet kept standing in mud soften and become prone to thrush, abscesses and seedy toe, and donkeys' hooves grow and wear differently from horses', needing regular trimming on a schedule even when they are doing no work. A hardstanding area around the shelter and water — hardcore, slabs or mats — where they can stand dry for part of every day does more for winter feet than any dressing. Pick feet out daily, and treat a donkey who is reluctant to walk, shifting weight between feet or lying down more than usual as a prompt to check closely and call the farrier or vet if you find heat, a foul smell or obvious pain.
Company, rugs and the appetite alarm
Donkeys bond intensely, often to one particular companion, and winter routines must never separate a bonded pair — for feeding, vet visits or shelter arrangements, plan for the pair as a unit, because a separated donkey can stop eating from stress alone. That connects to the donkey's most important winter warning sign: a donkey that goes off its food is an emergency in a way it is not for a horse, because donkeys that stop eating can develop a serious fat-metabolism crisis quickly. A dull donkey that leaves its straw should be seen by a vet the same day. Older and thinner donkeys, and those in poor condition, may need a rug in the worst weather; round, healthy donkeys with a good shelter usually do not, and an unneeded rug hides condition changes you should be feeling weekly by hand under the coat.
The winter round
The donkeys' winter day is a short list done religiously: shelter bed checked and topped up, feet picked, straw and hay measured out, water broken open and refreshed, a hands-on condition check under the coat, and two minutes simply watching them eat, drink and move. None of it is complicated; all of it is daily, including on the wettest, darkest mornings when it is easiest to skip. It is a rhythm any family member or helper can follow if it is written down, and KinsLe's Care Teams makes that rhythm reliable — the shelter, feet and appetite checks can be assigned to whoever is on donkey duty each day, with every completed check timestamped so a missed morning shows up before it matters.