Name: Frodo
Breed: Pony (grade)
Age: 14ish

He may be the smallest equine on our farm, but this boy has the biggest heart. Frodo earned his forever-at-home-on-our-farm status within six months of being with us, which is better shared through a bit of farm lore. The story goes like this:

My mare suffered from colic one February afternoon, was not a candidate for surgery, and sadly, was euthanized. An excavator was not able to come to the farm to dig a grave until the following day, so she remained in the paddock.  When I came out to do chores the following morning, her body was covered with hay, and Frodo was standing guard, holding space.  In that moment, I knew I’d never let him go.  He’d fiercely won my heart.

In the seven years since, he has continued to bless us with his unique blend of stout-heartedness and pony sass. Most days, you can find him hanging out with his bestie, Thunder. Each of our daughters has learned to ride upon his back, more through trial-and-error than anything, even though he’s a well-trained pony.  If being a sassy pony is a fault (I’d argue not), he makes up for it in the amount of love, kindness, and genuine interest he shows to everyone who walks through the gate.  His gifts are many, and I cannot wait to see him shine in EGCM sessions.

Barn name: Thunder
Registered Name: Creation’s Rolling Thunder
Breed: American Saddlebred
Age: 17

Thunder is one of the lucky ones who will be born, raised, and pass on with the same people in his life. He was born on the farm to my husband’s one-of-a-kind mare, Roz, and everyone was so excited to see how he would grow and develop. Early on, it was easy to see that he was just as kind, solid, and willing as she was. Sadly, whatever genetics passed her awesome temperament onto him also had a glitch for bad hooves, and we’ve battled laminitis with Thunder for many years.  During good years, he’s a blast to ride and is a gentleman though he did not receive any formal training. In between, we keep him comfortable, manage his weight, and do what we can to ensure he lives a good life in spite of it all.  Much like Soozee, there have been a few times we weren’t sure if he was going to pull through.  Yet, here he is, always strong, always willing to do what is asked, always kind, always gentle.

These days, our priority is to keep Thunder, healthy, happy, and sound.  If he is well enough to go for a ride, we do and relish every moment; otherwise, he hangs out with his main sidekick, Frodo the pony.  They are quite a pair. I know that when he has an opportunity to participate in EGCM sessions, Thunder will show the world what a powerhouse of a healing horse he is.  We are excited to share him with all of you.  He is ready, and so am I.