Probably the most famous and rarest breed of donkey, the Poitou takes its name from a lush and fertile French province surrounding its regional capital, Poitiers. These huge donkeys which range from 13hh to 15hh have massive heads, long ears, heavy legs and feet, and most characteristically a long, thick coat which is always brown-bay with no trace of an eel stripe. The conformation has not changed in over 400 years. Specifically bred to produce mules when crossed with a massive local heavy horse breed called the 'Trait Poitevin', the male Poitou Donkey is called the 'Baudet'. The female is the 'Anesse'.