He was only a pitiful donkey, but he was my son's best friend,

It was the summer of 1996, when my father-in-law unloaded a pitiful looking donkey off the back of his horse trailer. He had bought him in a livestock auction in Sussex, New Brunswick, for $150.00. He felt sorry for the poor animal. Not knowing how old he was, he was in very bad shape. His hooves were over grown and he was just skin and bones. My father-in-law trimmed his feet and started putting the feed and hay to him, and with a new friend in the field (my daughter's pony), he was well on his way back to good health.

We called him "Jake"

When my son was born in 1997, Jake was given to him. As the years went by my son, Jesse, grew very attached to his old donkey. They had a very unique bond between the two of them. I remember when Jesse was only two, and Jake got out of the field, which he often did. My father-in-law told Jesse to put his donkey back in the field. This little boy grabbed his old donkey by the halter and lead him to the gate. It was a very cute sight. Jake was bred to my daugther's pony twice, together, they had two cute little mules. Which were sold. The man who bought the mules called back the next day wanting to buy Jake. But my father-in-law said that he would not take a million dollars for that old donkey.

The bond that was between Jesse and Jake was incredible. This past summer when Jesse was four, he taught himself how to ride, by crawling up the side of Jake, bareback, and away they would go. They would very seldom used a saddle, neither Jesse nor Jake liked one. They were in the local parade, Jesse was very proud to be up on his donkey's back. The more people laughed, the more they seemed to enjoy it. Jesse also had taken Jake in the local light horse show. To see the faces of the people when Jesse took Jake into the ring, bareback. With Jake at his side, Jesse could do anything. He did the barrels in two and half minutes, and Jesse thought it was great.

In October Jake to a turn for the worst, he was starting to go blind. I think his age had caught up with him. He started to lose weight and nothing we could do would put in back on. I sat down with Jesse and told him that his donkey was very sick and that he might die. I wanted to prepare him for the worst.

On November 9, 2002. We said our goodbyes as Jake passed away, on his own, without pain. It was a very hard day for the whole family. When you ask Jesse "Where is Jake?" he will say that, his soul is up in heaven with his pet sheep and his Great Grampy. He says that Great Grampy is looking after him now.

I think that Jesse is a very brave little boy, he learned a lot about love and life through that old donkey. Jake may not have won and contests or shows, but he won the heart of a little boy. A little boy who will never forget his beloved donkey "Jake".

He will be very much missed. We love you Jake.

Written by Jesse's Mom

 

He only takes the best
God saw that you were in pain and a cure was not to be,
So he put his arms around you and whispered "Come to me"
With tearful eyes we watched you and saw you pass away.
And though we loved you dearly we couldn't make you stay,
A golden beat stopped beating, hard working hooves were put to rest,
God broke our hearts to prove to us
He only takes the best.
~ unknown