Fine Miniature Donkeys Raised with Care and Purpose
welcome to the lazy n
At Lazy N, miniature donkeys aren’t just livestock—they’re part of the family legacy. What began as a personal passion has grown into a carefully developed, multi-generational breeding program grounded in purpose, quality, and deep respect for the breed. In 1991, our son Jay joined the journey, and by the age of six was already in the show ring with our beloved herdsire, Red Sonfire. His early wins—and the highpoint youth awards that followed—sparked a lasting love for the donkeys and a growing role in all areas of the farm today.
From the beginning, our fascination with pedigrees and history shaped every decision we’ve made. Countless letters exchanged with Bea Langfeld, founder of the Miniature Donkey Registry, helped form the foundation of our breeding program. Behind every donkey here is intentional study, rigorous comparison of bloodlines, and a passion for stewarding this breed with care. The show records and popularity of Lazy N stock are not by chance—they’re the result of decades of learning, testing, and refining.
We believe choosing the right donkey means choosing from a program you can trust. Whether you’re here to start your own herd, improve your existing bloodlines, or simply fall in love with one of our donkeys, we invite you to explore the story behind Lazy N. You’ll find honesty, heritage, and heart in every animal we offer—and we’re always happy to help you find the one that fits just right.
Fine Miniature Donkeys Raised with Care and Purpose
By the Numbers
41
146
12
4
years
donkeys raised
states
countries
4
generations
The Lazy N Story: Decades of Heart,
History, and Herdsmanship
A Legacy Rooted in Passion and Pedigree
Equine on the Lazy N have been in the blood of the Nissen family. Jon’s father even slept with a homemade lariat hanging from his bed as a child. Workhorses were used on the farm in the 20’s,’30’s and 40’s and Standardbred racehorses were the dream in the 50’s. In the 60’s riding horses became the hobby with a donkey being added in ‘67. A mammoth jack was added in ‘70, and others followed, for the production of fine saddle mules. Even a Zebra resided here for a couple years.
Mary came to the farm in ‘76 with her keepsakes of toy horse collections, toy trucks and a childhood dream of owning a horse farm. It was Mary’s off the wall comment that if we really wanted to do “something different” that miniature donkeys should be added so in ‘84 the first mini’s arrived to our corn/soybean farm. A 10-donkey hitch was assembled by the fall of ’85 and beginning in ‘86 “The Hitch” made it’s debut in many parades and the Iowa State Fair. The hitch was also seen 10 years at the Milwaukee Circus Parade where it grew one year into a 24 donkey hitch. The United States hosted the 1993 World Championship Pair Driving where the 10-up had the honor of doing exhibition driving.
Son Jay came along in 1991 giving us the opportunity to share our love of the donkeys in a new way. Before age 6 he starting showing our herdsire, Red Sonfire, and won highpoint youth awards and also beat his parents in open classes. He is becoming increasingly involved in all aspects of the farm.
Our fascination with history, and knowledge of the importance of pedigrees launched many long letters of correspondence with Bea Langfield, originator of the Miniature Donkey Registry. This information helped to lay the foundation of the breeding program at the Lazy N. Intense conversations have occupied the time here in comparing, studying, analyzing and proving theories in relation to the backgrounds of our donkeys. We feel the popularity and show records of our stock indicate that the Lazy N has made a positive impact on the miniature donkey.
“The Book of Equines” at the Lazy N is an open book. We are continually addressing health issues, promotion, training methods, hereditary traits, color issues and breeding techniques that create new chapters every day!
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