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Characteristics

Size: Males 14 hands (142 cm); females 13.2 hands (137 cm). Colour: Black, chestnut, spotted, dun, white, dapple-grey, palomino.

In colonial America, the wild burro often provided the power behind transport and agriculture—the larger and stronger, the better. The Europeans introduced a number of breeds to bolster the size and strength of native donkeys, which included the Catalonian, the Andalusian, the Majorcan, and the Maltese. In 1785, King Charles II of Spain presented George Washington with an Andalusian jack (male) and two jennets (females), and it is George Washington who is given the credit of establishing and developing the American Mammoth.

The mechanization of transport and agricultural processes lessened the need for this sturdy, reliable giant, and as a result many thousands were slaughtered. Nevertheless, a few breeders were able to hold on to their stock and, though rare, the breed is safe from extinction today. It is found on all major continents.