Toby came with a rough background- starved in the womb and left to die in a pasture- he had a rough go at life in the beginning. He is a favorite here at the farm and used in lessons and therapy. He is calm and cute!

Before

After

Lucky Dreamer was at a county fair. He was weaned a bit early so when we purchased him, we put him back on a bottle with supplemental milk.

2007 update- Peanut is his nickname because he is small. He is a clown, and will steal hats, or whatever he can get a grip on. He loves to play and will greet any person at the farm. He likes to chase the dog!

2009- Peanut is broke to ride by my children whom are small advanced riders.

2010- Peanut is a great pony for leading around. We have started using him for some therapy sessions and he knows a few tricks as well. Peanut needs more time in the saddle to become a good lesson pony. He would love a good rider to lease him and bring him to his potential!

Great lesson horse- came in as severe starvation. He has recovered and loves to teach students how to jump.

Update- Riley crossed the rainbow bridge the summer of 2011 after a cancer diagnosis. He will be missed by many people and especially his freind Cchaun.

Age: Unknown (est 19)
Breed: Unknown
Color: silver dapple
Gender: Mare 
Lease Option: none

• donated to program after been in wild for 13 yrs.
• no hoof trims for at least 13 years- deformed hooves
• severe founder 
• extremely difficult to catch
• not good for shots or farrier
• once caught- loves to be groomed
• sweet disposition
• loves karmie

 

• This is Cheri's personal horse
• Originally found on a railroad track; he's been a racetrack horse to a grand champion jumper
• Even at 22, he's very high strung
• Advanced riders only
• his jockey tattoo confirmed he was related to Secretariat

 

Chaun use to live at a children's day camp but he was just too active/unpredictable for them. We leased him one winter for Hannah (shown on Chaun), worked with him, changed his bit from a 4 inch curb to a snaffle and put him in a German Martingale, and his disposition really mellowed down. Chaun belongs to Hannah but is one of our lesson horses here at the farm. He is a favorite amongst many students.  He's a wonderful horse for therapy.

 Snappy is a great trail horse and excellent at games. Needs an advanced rider. He was on his way to auction. Snappy spooks if the rider moves ackwardly- tries to take off a jacket, etc.  BUT doesn't spook on trailrides-

2007 photo courtesy of Donna Hanson

DJ is a UK Shetland Pony. He came to us in 2004 when his caregivers decided they could not keep him any longer. DJ travels in a mini van to visit nursing homes, schools, homes of the special needs children and other special events. He likes to stand for grooming and that´s pretty much his job here at the farm. Marissa, our 7 yr old has become DJ´s caregiver and the two of them are quite bonded. Some people call DJ a miniature pony but technically he´s a Shetland Pony from the Shetland Islands. The ponies there are hardy and can live off very little provisions. They are docile and were originally brought to the US to work in Coal Mines. DJ is from the breedstock of Londonberry.

Lilly came to the farm with founder and coughing.  She came from a loving family in Stillwater MN that could no longer keep her. She was broke to drive but was not ridable. Once, healed, we began to break Lilly for riding  She wasn't the easiest pony to break but has now been broke 2 years. She is doing wonderful. No more bucks! She is a super lesson pony, and been taken to jumping shows where she and Mookie have won many ribbons.  She is used for beginners and for small children in thereapy sessions. She loves to be groomed, does great on trail rides, goes thru water, stands for farrier, takes shots and deworming well- She can be a little stubborn for very beginners, but all in all- the perfect pony!

Lilly has now began Dressage lessons as well!

2007 photo courtesy of Donna Hanson

Excalibur, also known as x man, is the synopsis of "short, round, and low to the ground", which is the phrase we use to describe UK shetland Ponies. How can you tell a miniature horse from a UK Shetland? If they look like a mini draft- it's the UK shetland. Excalibur was part of the 4 ponies that came to us from Nebraska. I didn't have a horse trailer, and needed to pick up 4 ponies. I did some research on how much weight a mini van could hold and it was 900 lbs on the rear axle... I found a volunteer, whom I had just met to drive the 10 hours to Nebraska with me and we slept in the rest area waiting for the ponies to get there. When the horse trailer pulled up and they opened the back, I took one look at Excalibur-the little short fat guy and said, "oh my, they may not fit, he might pop my tires!" Trust me we prayed all the way home for the tires not to blow. We made it, and the ponies did great in the mini van. It was a bit stinky and a long 10 hour drive back but all made it safe and sound. However, the minivan will never smell the same. Excalibur is used as a promotional pony and is eligible to go to a home which has horse experience.

Karmie was one of our orignial Uk Shetlands. She came to us when another family could no longer keep her. She has a dwarf deformity in our lower jaw (an underbite) which prevents her from ever becoming part of the breeding herd. When Karmie first came to our farm she wasn't friendly at all, kicked at us. She is now extremely friendly and loving.

Cinco came to the farm as a 4 month old filly. She and her mother arrived in a minivan along with 2 other ponies all the way from Nebraska. She was weaned at about 6 months and began her training as a Personal Pony.

2007 Cinco is lead mare of all the Personal Ponies. She will kick other ponies but is great around children.