KYLE MURPHYStaff Writer

Those looking to make their events memorable can make a trip to Tiney Hiney Acres in Tullahoma to enlist the help of Tiney Hiney’s beverage burros.

Owner Colette Sides started Tiney Hiney Beverage Burros earlier this year in January with the idea of a business where she can bring her donkeys events, load them up with a variety of beverages in baskets, and let guests grab a drink of their choice.

“We strive to be the best beverage burro service in the area,” she said. 

Sides said she and her husband settled down in Tullahoma after spending years traveling in an RV in 2017, where they built their barndominium and set up an RV repair business. Not long afterwards, Sides began acquiring donkeys and mini horses, totaling to nine donkeys and three mini-horses.

“Just like potato chips you can’t just have one,” she said.  “These guys herd animals, you can’t just have one.”

Sides said one day she began to think how she could make some extra money with her drove of donkeys, and came up with the idea after seeing an ad on Facebook.

“Well, why can’t I do that? Earn a little extra money to pay for the hay bill,” she said. “It’s fun. They love having a purpose and doing a job.”

For training, Sides said she works with them to desensitize them so they can stay calm and not get spooked.  Per Sides, training can range from three months to a year, depending on the donkey’s personality. She added that while donkeys are known for their stubbornness, donkeys are not just stubborn as they are thinking about their situations. An example she used was loading them up in a trailer for the first time and they hesitate due to their fear of death.

“Everything to them is going to kill them,” Sides said.

Since starting Tiney Hiney Beverage Burros, Sides said she has done three to four events thus far, and is scheduled for a wedding later this year in Chattanooga.

“We haul ass anyway,” Sides said as she laughed.

She added she’s received positive reception from clients and said people have loved the idea.

“People love the idea, it’s unique,” Sides said. “People aren’t doing here on the east side of the Mississippi. We have a lot of venues that would love to have them we just have to convince the bride and groom to have the event.”

Looking forward to the future, Sides said she has enough animals to book nine events for a weekend, so she looks forward to be able to getting more bookings to do more events during a weekend.

For more information about Tiney Hiney Beverage Burros, visit tineyhineyburros.com or www.facebook.com/tineyhineyburros. Anyone who has any questions can contact Sides at 931-307-0766 or email tineyhineybevburros@yahoo.com.