Yes, a female donkey and a male horse can reproduce.
When a female donkey, also known as a jenny, mates with a male horse, called a stallion, their offspring is a type of equine hybrid known as a hinny.
Understanding Equine Hybrids
Equine hybrids are the result of crossbreeding different species within the Equus genus, such as horses (Equus caballus) and donkeys (Equus asinus). The ability for these species to reproduce, despite having different numbers of chromosomes (horses have 64, donkeys have 62), results in offspring with an odd number of chromosomes (typically 63), which usually renders them infertile.
Hinny vs. Mule
It's important to distinguish the hinny from the more commonly known mule:
- Hinny: The offspring of a male horse (stallion) and a female donkey (jenny).
- Mule: The offspring of a male donkey (jack) and a female horse (mare).
As stated in the reference, "A hinny is a domestic equine hybrid, the offspring of a male horse (a stallion) and a female donkey (a jenny)". The reference further clarifies that "It is the reciprocal cross to the more common mule, which is the product of a male donkey (a jack) and a female horse (a mare)."
This reciprocal cross highlights the key difference in parentage between these two hybrid animals.
Characteristics of Hinnies
While similar to mules, hinnies can sometimes exhibit traits that lean more towards the donkey parent compared to a mule, which often takes more after the horse parent in size and conformation. However, there is considerable variation, and both mules and hinnies share many characteristics, such as:
- Strength and endurance
- Hardiness and longevity
- Intelligence
- Typically sterile
Breeding hinnies is less common than breeding mules, perhaps partly due to potential challenges in getting jennies pregnant by stallions compared to mares by jacks.
In summary, the reproduction between a female donkey and a male horse is possible and results in the birth of a hinny.
