10/12/2026
I was reminded today just how much everyone enjoys seeing updates about our rescue herd, so here you go! 😅🐴
I’m happy to report that Brownie, Willow, and Lucky are all doing well! Everyone has been doing great with the farrier, their hooves are improving, and they’re all enjoying their lives as spoiled pasture ponies. Of course, each of these three has enough personality to fill an entire barn. 😂
We’ll start with Brownie, our resident princess who has fully embraced the bougie life. Y’all, this horse LOVES having a stall. 😂 We literally have to kick her out in the mornings because she would happily spend her entire day hanging out in there. Too sunny outside? Stall day. Raining? Absolutely a stall day. Windy? No thank you. She has decided that having her own personal bedroom is the greatest luxury in the world, and honestly, after everything she’s been through, she’s earned it.
But the biggest update with Brownie isn’t about her love of indoor living. It’s about her trust. Last week, I came out for morning chores and noticed her eye was swollen and had been watering. She had tear stains down her face, so I knew something had been irritating it overnight. I grabbed a halter, fully expecting I’d need it to examine her eye. Y’all. I didn’t even need the halter. 🥹 This horse stood completely still while I held her eyelids open and carefully removed a piece of hay that had gotten stuck against her eye. She didn’t pull away, fight me, or even try to leave. She just stood there and let me help her. Thankfully, her eye is doing much better!
Now, for those who don’t know Brownie’s history, this is HUGE. When Brownie first arrived, she wanted absolutely nothing to do with people. She would actively avoid human interaction and even charged at me because she was food aggressive and had some severe training trauma. She would try to run through me in the round pen. Trust wasn’t something she was willing to hand over, and I certainly wasn’t going to force it. We just kept showing up, every single day. And now? She’s an absolute sweetheart who trusts me enough to let me help her when she’s hurting. From a horse who wanted nothing to do with humans to one who willingly lets me work on her irritated eye. Talk about a complete 180. ❤️
And speaking of how much Brownie has changed, she’s also appointed herself the official pasture greeter for my photography clients. 😂 Whenever I have sessions out in the pasture, there’s a pretty good chance Brownie will wander over to see what’s going on and say hello. Apparently, she’s decided that greeting clients is now part of her job description. 🤷🏽♀️😂 And honestly, that might be one of my favorite things about her transformation. This is a horse who once actively avoided people, was food aggressive, and would try to run through me in the round pen. Now she’s voluntarily approaching complete strangers just to see what they’re up to and get a little attention. Nobody is making her interact with anyone. She chooses to. And to me, that’s what makes it so special. She’s gone from wanting absolutely nothing to do with people to being the unofficial welcoming committee for Mama Bear Photography. 🥹❤️
Willow continues to be an absolute sweetheart with a heart of gold. She’s gentle, affectionate, and absolutely LOVES attention. Her favorite things? Belly scratches, butt scratches, and apparently having the insides of her legs scratched. 🤷🏽♀️😂 She will literally back herself up to you because she’s decided it’s time for butt scratches. And if you think you’re going to walk away before she’s satisfied? Think again. She has absolutely no problem positioning herself between you and wherever you’re trying to go until her scratch toll has been paid in full. 😂 She can be a little intimidating to people who don’t know her, but she’s genuinely one of the sweetest horses I’ve ever met.
It’s hard to believe this is the same mare who came to us severely underweight and sick. Watching her regain her health, confidence, and personality has been such a rewarding experience. She doesn’t just tolerate people anymore. She genuinely seeks out affection and companionship. And I absolutely love that for her. ❤️
And then there’s Lucky. My stubborn old man who believes cooperation is entirely optional. 😂 He’s finally starting to come around to our farrier, which is a pretty big deal considering this horse has very strong opinions about who is allowed to do what with him. Here’s a funny story from his last trim. He would only hold his front feet out for rasping if I had my hand on his leg. The SECOND I took my hand away? Foot went right back on the ground. 😂 Put my hand back on his leg? He’d cooperate again. This horse will do just about anything I ask of him. Anyone else? They’re lucky to get the bare minimum. 😂 He’s not dangerous or aggressive. He just really prefers not to participate unless absolutely necessary. He’s even only started warming up to my husband over the last few months, and we’ve had Lucky for three and a half YEARS. Apparently, I’m his person, and everyone else is just staff. 🤷🏽♀️😂
And I really have to give our farrier some credit here because I’m incredibly thankful that he’s willing to work with Lucky and his little quirks. He understands that Lucky isn’t a mean horse. He’s just a horse who has his preferences and, well… trauma. Our farrier has never expected Lucky to magically become a different horse overnight. He’s been patient, worked with him where he’s at, and given him the time and opportunity to build that trust. And it’s paying off! Lucky really has gotten so much better with him over time. When you’re dealing with a horse who has a history of painful hoof issues and isn’t particularly trusting of other people, having someone who understands that and is willing to work through it instead of turning it into a battle means the world to me. I’m genuinely grateful that our farrier has given Lucky the time he needs to come around. ❤️
On a more serious note, we’ve made some really encouraging progress with his hooves! Lucky has had a long road when it comes to hoof health. Between his history of severe overgrowth, laminitis, white line disease, and seedy toe, we’ve had our work cut out for us. At one point, he even developed proud flesh in his sole. Something my veterinarian had never personally seen in a horse, and my farrier has only encountered one other case of since Lucky! So when our farrier accidentally nicked him during his last trim, we were understandably a little nervous about how he’d heal. But guess what? He healed like a normal horse! 🙌🏼 That might not sound particularly exciting, but considering his history, it was a HUGE relief.
Even better, our farrier recently commented that Lucky’s stretched white line has reduced by about HALF, and his front right hoof is getting close to normal! The new hoof growth is healthier and better connected, and he’s generally much more comfortable. He still has some tenderness from the seedy toe we’re working on growing out, but we’re making progress. He’s barefoot out in the pasture, and we use his boots at night while treating his feet and keeping thrush at bay. We still have a ways to go, but comparing where his feet are today to where we started? I’m thrilled.
We’re also working on putting a little more condition on Lucky before winter, but we have to be particularly careful with him because of his history of laminitis. We actually prefer to keep him on the leaner side, and allowing him to become overweight simply isn’t an option. For one, excess body fat can increase his risk of another laminitic episode. Secondly, additional weight means more load on hooves that have already been through so much. So while I’d love to see him carrying a little more condition going into the colder months, there’s a fine line between getting him into a healthier condition and putting too much weight on him. We have to be mindful of what we feed him, how much we feed him, and even the changing seasons because pasture conditions and nutritional needs can change throughout the year. He’s always been a hard keeper, which makes finding that balance a little more challenging. We’ve recently made some adjustments to his feed, and so far, he seems to be responding really well! The goal has never been to make him fat. It’s to keep him healthy, comfortable, and carrying enough condition to support him without compromising his feet. ❤️
As far as general herd updates go, all three horses dealt with some thrush recently, but thankfully, we’ve gotten that cleared up. With the drought we’ve been experiencing here in Missouri, the horses have been spending more time down by the pond trying to find whatever green grass they can. Do they have unlimited access to hay? Absolutely. Do they still insist on going down to the pond to graze? Also absolutely. 😂 Horses are going to horse. 🤷🏽♀️
Now that the temperatures are finally starting to cool down, I’m looking forward to getting Brownie and Willow back into the round pen for some light groundwork and conditioning. It’s been too hot lately, especially with their winter coats coming in, so I’ve been letting them enjoy their time off. And honestly, they’ve earned that, too.
But I want to end this update with something that means a whole lot to me. ❤️
Many of you know that my husband has some significant medical issues, including nerve damage in his legs that causes him to fall frequently. Unfortunately, that sometimes happens when he’s out in the pasture with the horses. And something absolutely incredible has happened more than once. Both Brownie and Willow have stood guard over him when he’s fallen. They’ll come over to him, stay close, and even square themselves up so he can use them to help pull himself back to his feet. Neither horse has ever been trained to do this. Nobody taught them to watch over him. Nobody taught them to stand still and offer their bodies for support. They just do it. My husband has even told me that sometimes one of them will make a beeline toward him when they see him coming down. Of course, we don’t take their kindness for granted, because horses are still large animals and can be unpredictable, but their instinct to stay close to him is something special.
And I can’t help but think about how far these horses have come. Brownie, who once wanted absolutely nothing to do with humans, now willingly approaches my photography clients to say hello and offers comfort and support to someone who needs it. Willow, who came to us severely underweight and struggling, has become one of the gentlest, most affectionate souls I’ve ever known. And Lucky, who has spent years learning that he can trust us, continues to make progress at his own pace.
None of these horses came to us without baggage. They each have their own histories, challenges, quirks, and personalities. Rescue isn’t always pretty. Sometimes it’s expensive, frustrating, heartbreaking, and downright exhausting. Progress isn’t always measured in huge milestones. Sometimes it’s a healthier hoof, a horse willingly offering a foot, or simply allowing you to touch them when they’re uncomfortable. Sometimes it’s watching a horse who once feared people actively seek out their attention. Sometimes it’s a horse who used to charge at people deciding that greeting strangers is now her favorite pastime. 😂 And sometimes it’s a horse choosing to stand beside a person who has fallen.
We brought these horses home to give them a second chance. A safe place to land. A place where they could heal, be loved, and live out their lives knowing they were cared for. We never expected perfection from them. We never expected them to be anything other than who they are. We just wanted to give them the opportunity to be horses again, without fear, without pressure, and without having to earn their place here.
But somewhere along the way, they’ve given us just as much in return. They’ve taught us patience, reminded us that trust is earned and not demanded, and shown us that sometimes the smallest victories are the ones worth celebrating the most.
We rescued them, but in their own ways, they rescue us right back. 🥹❤️
And that, right there, is why we do what we do.
Thanks for loving our little herd as much as we do. 🫶🏼🐴
