Liberty
Thoroughbred Gelding
About 17 Hands
This handsome guy is an almost 17 hand thoroughbred gelding who came to us from Suffolk Downs Race Track, where he had been recovering from a bowed tendon incurred during a less-than-spectacular racing career. His owner, recognizing that racing was not his forte, wisely decided that he deserved a chance at a more suitable career, and thus we were able to acquire him using funds generously donated to us by Liberty Mutual Insurance Corp. Liberty now has the distinction of being Dunvegan Farm's very first corporate sponsored rescue horse, and we couldn't be more delighted. He arrived at his new home on June 22, 2009, and it took only a couple of days before the magic of this place began to sink in and he realized that life can be good. For the first few weeks, all we did with him was groom him, walk him around, and turn him out in a lush green field. As his injured foreleg became stronger, we began some gentle ground work with him, lunging him in our round pen and teaching him voice commands. The early education of a race horse is quite different from that of an ordinary riding horse, so we assumed that we'd have to start at square one. As it turned out, Liberty was either a quick learner, or someone had already taught him a few of the basics. We have now begun riding him - slowly at first - and so far he has been a perfect gentleman. He likes his new life. Our hope is that in time he will be able to do dressage or low level eventing. If all goes well, he will make some lucky rider a magnificent equine companion.
Limerick
Quarter Horse Mare
About 15.2 Hands
This lovely little chestnut mare was actually born here - the daughter of Alison's wonderful quarter-horse mare, Annie, and a handsome German Holsteiner stallion, LeBaron. She is much loved by our students, and has become one of our most reliable lesson horses. Her mother was laid to rest in our apple orchard after suffering a stroke at age twenty eight. Limerick is Annie's legacy - a clone of her wonderful mom, and a source of great joy to many.
Abigail
Quarter Horse Cross Mare
About 14.1 Hands
Here is a perfect example of what a little love can do. Abigail came to us from a family who could no longer keep her. Had we not taken her, she would likely have been sent to auction, and who knows where she'd have ended up! Luckily for Abigail, she caught the eye of one of our long-time students, Cassandra, and within a couple of months became a young girl's very first very own horse. Within just a few weeks, thanks to Cassandra's tireless grooming and careful exercise program, Abigail transformed from a shaggy-coated dust-mop to a sleek, happy and beautiful black mare. The power of love is indeed transformational!
Esme
Appaloosa Belgian Cross Mare
About 15 Hands
Our "saucy redhead," as she has come to be known, is a PMU baby. This means she is the bi-product of a manufacturing process that produces Premarin, a popular remedy for post-menopausal hot flashes. Premarin is made from the urine of pregnant mares; and until relatively recently, the foals were simply slaughtered. Here is a link for more information about PMU babies. Esme has lived with us for several years now, and has proven to be a great contributor to our equine family. Not only is she fun to ride, but whenever we have vaulting programs, she is the obvious choice. Broad-backed and extremely well balanced and smooth, she will patiently walk on a circle while youngsters learn to vault up from the ground to stand or kneel on her back.
Ginger
Quarter Horse Welsh Cross Mare
About 14 Hands
Ginger probably has quite a story to tell if only she would. She arrived along with Mayday and Abigail a couple of years ago, an obvious veteran of many wars. Her former owners bought her at an auction, planning to use her as a trail horse. What they didn't plan on was that she became enamored of the little Appaloosa they had bought at the same time - thinking he was a gelding, but oops, he was not. A year later, out popped a cute little chestnut filly. It was the first of May, so obviously her name had to be Mayday. Ginger proved to be a great mom, but didn't especially enjoy being ridden. When the time came for the whole family to move, Ginger had acquired a reputation for being stubborn, willful, and not much fun to ride. Shortly after her arrival here, she caught the eye of one of our long-time students, Jackie. The feeling must have been mutual because Ginger underwent a total change of heart - at least when it was Jackie on her back. Once again, it is amazing what a little love can do. Jackie and Ginger are a pair now, and it is hard to believe that she's the same horse.
Torino
Missouri Fox Trotter Gelding
About 16 Hands
Torino belongs to one of our students. He is Mikaila's very first very own horse. We know little about him other than he allegedly came from somewhere out west and was used as a Western trail horse. We think he may be part Missouri Fox Trotter, judging by the way he moves. Mikaila found him at a sale barn in Western Massachusetts and just had to bring him home. He seems to think he's died and gone to heaven, unaccustomed as he is to so much love and TLC.
Pegasus
Shetland Gelding
About 11 Hands
A giant in a pony suit. He's barely 11 hands, but his ego is the size of the earth. Pegasus came to us a few years ago when his owner had fallen ill and could not longer keep him. At first we thought it would be a temporary visit, but when she passed away, we knew we'd acquired another family member. This wee lad does it all - from reining to team penning to jumping to dressage to carriage driving to pony rides at birthday parties and Sunday school picnics. And whenever we need a trailer companion for a nervous traveler, our Pegasus will gladly volunteer. The day our three mini-donkeys arrived, he took one look and decided they were aliens from outer space. But within a day or two, they belonged to him - he became Napoleon, and they, his Josephines.
Willy
Quarter Horse Gelding
About 14.1 Hands
Willy is our mainstay, superstar, perfect pony. He's a registered quarter horse who never quite hit 14.2 hands, making him technically a pony. Heidi found him in someone's back yard when she had gone to look at another horse. She didn't like the other horse, and asked if the owners might have anything else she could look at while she was there. "Well," they said, "We've a quarter horse in the back, but you probably wouldn't be interested. We don't like him much, and besides, he too small." Well, Heidi insisted on looking at him anyway and quickly realized he was truly a gem - a diamond in the rough. She "reluctantly' agreed to take him off their hands. That was quite a few years ago, and Willy has since taught more kids to ride than all of our others combined. And he loves to do birthday parties and Sunday school picnics. So what if he's only 14.1 and 7/8ths? We love our ponies as much as our big guys, and Willie has earned his keep many times over.
Oopsie
Quarter Horse Morgan Cross Mare
About 14 Hands
She is an excellent lesson horse for our beginner children. She has taught, and will continue to teach, many different children how to post. She is willing to do anything in the ring, and she can even ride western.
Trixie
Mustang Cross Mare
About 13.2 Hands
Trixie's story would be unbelievable if we didn't know it was true. Three years ago we received a call from a friend who had heard about a pony found wandering the streets of a nearby town, skin and bones, looking as if she hadn't eaten in a very long time. When the animal control officer investigated, she discovered that this poor pony had been living in someone's back yard in a dog pen with a bunch of Rottweilers and the owners thought it was fine to feed her dog food. She was so hungry that she chewed her way out of the dog pen and wandered off in search of a more appropriate diet. In the process, she destroyed her front teeth. We agreed to take her, not knowing anything about her other than that she was only three and had probably not had much in the way of training. Trixie has proven to be one of the best ponies we've ever had. Once she had gained back some of the weight she had lost, she seemed eager to have a job and quickly rose to the top of her class. We were told she was a cross between a Welsh pony and a Mustang. Her funny little ears curve towards each other which we were told probably comes from her Mustang heritage, and represents a particularly rare line. No surprise, as we think she's a pretty distinguished young lady!
Abe
Haflinger Gelding
About 15 Hands
Abe is Alison's beloved Haflinger carriage horse who doubles as a reliable lesson pony, as well as serving as a magnificent lawn ornament. Alison had looked far and wide for a reliable driving pony who would help her learn this new skill. And after numerous failed attempts to find one, she had all but given up when Fate led her to a remote part of Maine where she found Abe in a back field. He was all of three years old, with very little formal training. But it was love at first sight and she just knew he was the one. In the three years he has lived at Dunvegan Farm, he has never put a foot wrong. He trots up and down the street proudly pulling his carriage and ignoring motorcycles and dump trucks. It's as if he was born knowing what would be expected of him, and with a strong desire to please. Alison says he could not be more perfect.
Sable
Haflinger Mare
About 14 Hands
For Sale or Lease
Sable has been with us for a relatively short time. She is also a Haflinger, but is older than Abe and, we think, has had a foal or two. We know little about her past. She came to us at first for some training. Her owner bought her as a trail horse and soon discovered that Sable preferred going out in company. After a few close calls, it was clear that she needed further training. And what began as a temporary summer visit became a permanent new home when Sable's owner decided it was not a match made in heaven. Sable seems to enjoy having a job to do and takes very good care of our young riders - all of whom think she's loads of fun. So maybe she just wanted a teaching career.
May
Quarter Horse Cross
About 14 Hands
For Sale or Lease
Mayday is nearly five now, and a lovely young lady. Our girls began training her a few months ago and she proved to be an eager student. She seems to love learning and catches on quickly. She now does walk, trot, and canter under saddle, and is beginning to fill out in all the right places. We think she will make some youngster a fun little 4-H or Pony Club project. Her disposition couldn't be sweeter.
Pip,Winnie, and Pearl
Our beloved trio of mini-donkeys came to us from Deerfield NH. Their former owner was forced to move from her home and had to find homes for about 21 donkeys. These were her last three. Pip was her absolute favorite, and it broke her heart to have to give her up. When Alison first went to look at them, she was instantly smitten by their powerful "Zen" gaze. She returned to the farm, knowing she would have to talk Heidi into taking all three - as the original plan was one, or two at the most - but how could we leave one behind??? Heidi, ever the skeptic, was equally smitten and so all three were loaded onto our trailer and driven off to their new home. They are now thoroughly rooted at Dunvegan Farm, and continue to emit their Zen magic along with their unmistakable operatic arias that happen like clock-work at meal times or whenever anyone looks like a bearer of treats.
