Lulu is a smart donkeys, in a raging ice and wind storm, she is happy to stay inside of the pole barn until things calm down. We accommodate her and Lulu also by putting the hay down on the ground after we rake and smooth it. Some might consider that spoiling a donkey, but Maria and I love seeing the animals dry, even in a raging nor-easter.
The efforts you and Maria make for your animals makes them more content, it must reflect in their behavior at Bedlam Farm.