Meet the Equines
Click on image to read individual stories.
Meet and Greet. Annabella Pony.
Back in the day when the Cranberry Auction used to be the Camelot Auction, there was a "Pen 10" and the horses within it were destined to ship to slaughter. They were the unwanted horses, the ones who did not sell via the auction for more than their worth per pound. I cannot recall if the late owner had a direct ship-to-slaughter contract or simply returned unsold horses to New Holland for the Monday auction/sale and shipped from there. But either way, it was a low end auction with high-risk equines of all kinds.
Like most equines who land at sale, we will never know how this cute, little pony found her way there but she ran through auction not once but twice, two Wednesdays in a row and then found herself on the volunteer assistance page that networked the sale. There she stood, this chunky, unhappy pony, just inches over 10 hands (a hand is four inches) tall, tied to a wall with no identity other than the numbered sticker on her hindquarters before being put in the pen. I had been there before, to that actual auction and had stood in pen 10 with the loose horses, those who waited for people who would not come and I watched for updates on her hoping a home would come. That auction had been the first I had attended in person via rescue more than a decade ago (before there was a Tomten Farm and Sanctuary). Like every first in rescue, it hit hard and deep and fueled my determination to be more, to do more and give more to animals in need. It had put faces to the stories and made them all very, very real. A few years after that visit, as I was getting ready to announce the founding of Tomten, I still followed the auction and still remembered a sick mule we had sadly had to leave behind. It seemed only right as I founded Tomten that our first auction-rescued equine would be from that sale. It was a different world in auction and rescue back then; one would often see an animal run through that particular sale multiple weeks in a row and if not sold then be featured online “assistance” pages that were just beginning to take off, then if there were STILL no takers, they were shipped. At the time, CHW (Camelot Horse Weekly) was one of only a few online broker programs (volunteer or not, legit or not) for at-risk horses and I suspect it led the way, for the many you see today (some legit and many not). While one can no longer ship to slaughter from the state of New Jersey and neither CHW and Camelot exist in the same capacity, there are still dealers at that location and it is still hosting sales full of horses acquired at other auctions - horses who can often be tracked from sale to sale before landing there. Business has been increasingly booming for similar programs and the impact on horses and Rescues is both big and controversial. Online broker/sales /rescue programs are one of the most debated topics in the rescue industry. While I hesitate to bring it up since so many have such strong opinions, I will say that there are many reasons we prefer (whenever possible) to go to auction ourselves (or save an animal before it even gets there). But at the time, this tiny Shetland mare with her tiny, pinned back ears kept landing in my newsfeed and for whatever the reasons, while every life made my heart ache, she consistently tugged at my heartstrings. Finally, with a deadline just one day away, I picked up the phone, made the call and soon our pony mare found herself on a trailer headed to Massachusetts where, after quarantine, she arrived just shy of two weeks before we officially announced the beginning of Tomten Farm and Sanctuary. We have never regretted that call. Every animal in the wheeler/dealer/auction pipeline faces some level of risk but the “market” has changed drastically. Now, there are programs out there that take advantage of some of the people who love strongly and wish to help. As more and more online dealers view Rescues as their competition and find there is a profit to be made on a quick and emotional sale, it's the horses who lose out, often ending in the wrong hands and back in the pipeline when a new owner finds that the horses they have acquired are unsound, unsuited or other after the fact. While, as with everything in this world, there are certainly good and not so good—both in dealers and rescue, I strongly encourage potential rescuers/purchasers to do their research and seek legitimate Rescues should they wish to save a horse in need. These organizations not only often go to auction personally, as we have done numerous times, but they also provide veterinary, dental and hoof care as well as quarantine and most often, a thorough evaluation of each animal they have in their care—all before, they advertise to you. Many even offer training. Most, like us, will welcome an animal back should it not work out and have done their best to market their animals with the transparency that leads to a lifetime home where everyone flourishes, horse and owner alike. It's easy to fall for a face on a page but every year we get several calls from those who rescued something that did not meet their expectations, experience or resources and who are desperate to re-home that animal. So with more predictable alternatives, we try to steer potential adopters to rescue organizations and not the online programs. While adopting from a Rescue may not be as thrilling as purchasing from an online program that flashes endless photos of those in need, it is certainly less risky for individuals with a wish list in mind and it allows such organizations to, in turn, rescue another and another, responsibly, doing good for humans and horses alike. As for Anna, it did not matter to us what she knew, it only mattered that we could offer her safety for the rest of her days and as we promise each of our rescues, we have committed to keeping her out of harm’s way.
While Anna would like nothing more than to gallop with our herd she is separated half the time as the lush green comes around. This feisty pony is sadly predisposed to laminitic flareups (simplified, a very painful inflammation of the hoof), is on daily meds and must have her hooves trimmed more than anyone on the farm. Unfortunately (especially to enthusiastic eaters like her!) to keep her healthy, she must have reduced grazing and today, even with several inches of snow she wears a grazing muzzle unless the temperatures drop far below freezing to be sure she does not overeat. I suspect she is the only one on the farm who hopes for cold and looks at it as a wonderful treat.
A pretty dun with a full dorsal stripe, she is certainly one of the cutest lives on the farm and she currently relishes residing in Pippilotta Pasture with her new friend Kappi and the donkeys (we hope you enjoyed the video of her from just weeks ago.)
As the year progresses, we hope to somehow find a way to create a special, sand turnout just for her and someday welcome another like her (a little pony who should not graze) to keep her company. No one's health should keep them from a friend at their side. She, like many on the farm, needs a bit of extra care, but like all of our rescues, Annabella Pony is worth it.
Annabella Pony
Meet and Greet. Pippilottaspotslongstocking.
When we first met him in October of 2014, he stood quietly in the upper level of the auction barn, tied and left without representation to wait throughout the day and well into the evening as horse after horse arrived and crowded the spots around him. He was in the place where the "better" horses found themselves, those that perhaps would go to a dealer or be bought by the few private buyers and brought into a home. The horses who waited there were often those that are ridden through, while their "less" desirable friends (those who would be led or run through loose), stood below in the lower aisles. There was no hay in front of him, no water available and I am certain that he had no idea of what lay before him. Yet there he stood patiently waiting, perhaps resigned as though he had gone within himself long, long ago. Horses and humans shuffled around him and the animals one by one, or group by group ran through the sale ring all day long. First the drafts and driving horses and finally, late in the day the riding horses and all who were left. All were purchased but only a small few of the 75-100 horses and donkeys that were at that sale found private homes and a future. Few received another chance to find their dreams come true but he and a draft mare called Alice, found their way to safety that night. Alice was immediately adopted. He found his way here and here he has stayed for the last 8 years.
As we prepared for the sale, this senior appaloosa gelding had made our long list and then our short list and when he ran through, I was surprised to see the bids were so scarce; just a couple of casual nods by the regulars who did not need to lift a card to bid. No horse wanted to be bid on by them, they would not be providing a home. The only interest was from those who viewed him not as a beautiful soul in need, but by what his value would be on the scale. As he jogged past us under saddle in the tiny auction chute, I remember wondering how fate could have been so cruel. Sound, safe and rideable yet, somehow, for some reason, he was lost and alone and despite being ridden through, trying hard and being steady and stable, there were no private bids to help him.
We raised our card and saved this horse's life for a mere $275. The auctioneer said he was a "nice horse who had been in the same home for ten years." While one never knows the whole truth about an auction animal and I have learned not to take their stories as fact, it does make you stop and wonder. Perhaps that was indeed the case, ten years in one home before receiving the gift of "retirement," a one-way trip to the auction house where had we not been there armed with the support of those on our journey, he would have left on a trailer that brought him to the end of the line. He, like so many others, would have ended his days at slaughter.
His past is long behind him now and his days are spent enjoying peace, protection and possibility. He is loved and cherished and taken care of. He has his best friend Dobbin and a family of thousands of admirers who through their gifts have provided for him every day. The universe is an interesting thing. He was rescued with a draft and today he is retired with one, beautiful Belgians who were there in the beginning and end of his journey.
He is no longer a number, a weight, a discarded forgotten life. Without this photo, I would not even remember his number, he is Pippilotta and with every fiber of his being, he is a bit of our hearts—an ambassador for those like him. He has welcomed thousands to our journey.
Years later, after his rescue, although much of that obedient worry he arrived with has slowly flitted away, Pippa is still an introvert. After getting to know him, we suspect he was a show horse turned lesson horse, who, as time went by probably could no longer pull his weight in a lesson program. He could walk, jog, trot, lope, canter and catch his leads. With his incredible blanket (spotted rump) it's easy to envision him having once competed on the Appaloosa circuit. Here, however, he does not need to do anything but be happy and when we see a light in his eyes, a pep in his step and a more extroverted demeanor, it lets us know that somehow slowly these last few years have finally begun to erase memories of his younger days. (We hope you saw him in our recent video playing horse games with his best buddy Dobbin.)
You may wonder just how he got the name Pippalottaspotslongstocking. It is quite the name yet it suits him perfectly. Let me share with you how he came upon it and the magic that led it to be. Originally called Pippin Longstocking by his quarantine provider, we researched the name only to find that the author of the book, Pippi Longstocking, is Astrid Lindgren. What?! For those that do not know, that is the same author of "The Tomten" after which our farm is named! Interesting, right?
Pippin quickly became Pippilottalongstocking. Then one of our dedicated Facebook followers very cleverly suggested we incorporate "spots" into his name as well. So Pippalottaspotslongstocking he became and as one of our first equine rescues in our very first year, we couldn’t imagine anything more fitting. A senior then, he is now an old man unable to eat hay or chafe and relying on meals of mush (timothy pellets and water) to get him through his days. We do not know how many more he has left but we cherish every moment and thank him for patiently welcoming so many to his home, humans and animals alike. He is just a kind, kind soul and in every way, he is Tomten.
Pippa is forever safe and deeply loved and that would not be possible without you and the critical support that comes after the rescue and is an expense we incur year after year. Thank you for being on his journey and helping him have a forever home and the happily ever after that every horse deserves.
Pippilottaspotslongstocking
Meet and Greet. Fern Raventail.
Seven years ago, in 2015, we rescued and welcomed Fern. We often welcome horses in the Fall, a time when Northern New England weather reminds many of the increased expense of their animals and the discomfort their caretakers will have to endure in the cold, harsh months ahead. It's a time when the equine numbers increase at auction and the already limited public attendance decreases even more. Quietly, one by one, horses slip through the pipeline, alone, afraid, and lost forever. As the leaves make a final appearance before they drift away, so many horses sadly do the same. For me, Fall and Winter are always touched with the sadness of possibility lost and each year, my heart becomes heavy with the weight of need and hands that are tied in the knots of responsibility and sustainability. But, back to Fern. She stood quietly, this mare, tied near the corner next to a beautiful POA (Pony of America) youngster, waiting side by side as the night wore on. They were both in fairly decent condition with nice dispositions. Someone, somewhere had loved them, had handled them well and we instantly put them on our possibility list. I was told they had come off the same trailer, friends, and I remember thinking right then, that at least they had the gift of each other’s presence in this strange and unsettling place. The foot-long scar on Fern's neck told of a serious injury and her ankle and knee were bigger than I realized in the dim light. But her eyes were eager and searching and like so many at sale, she seemed hopeful. As is the way with sale, we bid for the first equine on our list that ends up at risk. That night it was her spotted friend and so we lifted our card bidding on the little pony we would soon welcome home. Yet, we were instantly approached by a private family who had hoped to welcome him too, convinced he was a young Appaloosa. He was not. But our policy is that at auction we never bid against private homes. When approached by these individuals, we agreed to an unmarked up sale and then took those funds and put them toward the next life at risk. In this case, it was the little pony's friend, the buckskin mare we would soon call Fern Raventail. The sale was quiet then, most had loaded up and left for the night and the only card raised for her was the kill buyer’s and then, of course, ours. In a twist of fate, she really lucked out. One has to wonder what led her to auction, to a sale known for being the last stop before slaughter. Someone had spent a pretty dollar to treat her injuries and we asked ourselves who would treat her injury only to ship her without representation? Without a lifeline? With no known history? Perhaps they had been trying to save her and keep her and when she did not heal as planned, they thought sale was better than euthanasia. It is not. If people only knew, if people only shared what really happens, if people only cared enough to face the cold, hard truth of what really happens at the end of the line... Two days later we received a call from the new owners of the "appaloosa." As it turned out, he really was a POA and would be too small for them. They wanted to offer him to us at the same price they paid, the cost on the ticket at the end of the sale. Sadly, with no room at the time (we were at our previous property then) and a shortage of resources, we had to turn him away. They returned him to auction the very next sale and his memory is a reminder to be more, do more and give more every day. If we had only had the resources, he would be with us today.
Rescue is full of hard choices that put the needs of our current animals first. We understand that. Often it is the universe who decides who gets a home, but as we continually reach to be more and do more, the lives that we fail stay in our hearts for the rest of our days and we continue to hope for a day we have the ability to say "yes" more often to those who need us.
A minimum of 80+ horses (out of approximately 130) were sold to the two main kill buyers that evening. I did not keep exact track, just a mental tally as I heard the buyers’ names as the horses sold. When discussing it after the sale, we realized there were probably more as this number does not include the horses that did not run through, those arriving late and simply moving from one trailer to another or those who had been ‘no saled” and were not permitted to run through the ring. Nor did that number include other, miscellaneous buyer names that I did not recognize. Such is the way of auction when there are more lives lost than saved. But that night Fern (and another we had already saved) made it on the right trailer and headed toward her dreams come true. I knew it was just a number, but that sale was only one of many that happen week after week throughout the country. It is simply staggering to think so many lives, so many beautiful horses would simply disappear, alone at the end of the line. Alone, loading on a one-way trailer because somewhere, someone failed them. In 2015 that number exceeded 125,000 horses, each of which ended their days at slaughter— more than 80,000 to Mexico and 40,000 to Canada. While I have yet to see last year's statistics, in 2020, those numbers had dropped to 36,000 (more than 29,000 to Mexico and more than 6,000 to Canada.) We are making strides but we can do better. Slaughter should not be an alternative for humane euthanasia but that post and the need for readily available, affordable alternatives is for another day.
Fern Raventail
Meet and Greet. Mary Matilda.
Before founding Tomten Farm and Sanctuary, I was involved with another organization which happened to rescue two groups of orphan nurse mare foals. I volunteered to foster three of them. Two of the three were subsequently adopted. One, (originally called "Cinnamon,") now named "Mary Matilda," stayed, becoming one of the first to call Tomten her home.
At four weeks old, this beautiful little filly had found herself orphaned along with many others, some younger, some older, males and females, all alone and all in need of new "mothers." In fact, the only reason these foals are born in the first place is so their biological mother will produce some milk. Milk that is not produced to nourish their own foals.
Here's how it all transpires.
Nurse mare orphan foals are considered a by-product of an industry that is not widely known. These little foals are almost immediately taken away from their own biological mothers, mares who "work" as "nurse mares" or "nanny mares." These mares are bred again and again—not for the value of the many foals that they produce, but for the sole purpose of inducing lactation (producing milk.) Once their own foal is born and the milk starts flowing, they are hired out as surrogate mothers from which an unrelated foal could then nurse.
But why, you may ask, can't that unrelated foal stay with and nurse from its own mother? Sometimes nurse mares were seen as necessary when the biological mother was unable to produce enough milk. Other times, she may have died during a difficult birth. But frequently, the milk from these nurse mares is needed for the foal of a high-end thoroughbred broodmare who has come back into heat and was shipped off to be bred. Without her recently born potentially high-value foal.
Unlike most breeds, Thoroughbreds require "live cover" (not artificial insemination) when breeding. Should a fancy broodmare with a foal at her side need to be shipped to a stud, for many reasons the traveling risk is too great for her expensive foal to go too.
Because these broodmares are often rebred during their first heat (just 7-10 days after birth), their own foals still require milk hence the need for a nurse mare (or as some in the racing industry call them "Junk Mares"). In order for the nanny mare to have milk she was also bred (through artificial insemination or to any ordinary stud) and unless induced early to meet demand, already has her own foal at her side. When she is leased out to nanny the thoroughbred foal or a foal in need, her own foal then becomes a by-product that is discarded.
I was not there when Matilda was taken from her mother or her mother was taken from her, but I do know that she was far, far too young to be separated from her. There is no doubt the process was stressful for them both. Lucky for her, she found her way to rescue where dedicated volunteers (several who are now part of Tomten Farm and Sanctuary) shared shift after shift mixing milk replacer and yogurt and bucket-feeding the foals multiple times throughout the day and night. As Mary Matilda matured, she soon found her way to our original farm where she was raised first, by a senior foster pony, "Winter", then by resident equine "Sassie" (herself an off-track thoroughbred and still here), and eventually folding into our ever-growing herd. That socialization, the opportunity to learn herd dynamics was critical to her long-term success since orphan foals can be quite tricky if they do not have the opportunity to learn spacial boundaries from a herd of their own.
While one might think that artificial insemination is the solution for the thoroughbred industry, and could potentially solve part of the problem, it may not be the answer. Easier and less expensive breeding creates more equines than the market can handle, and more foals means more chance of foaling emergencies and in turn, the demand for nanny mares which results in more orphan foals. Not to mention as more and more race tracks gradually close, the demand for thoroughbred racehorses is bound to decrease.
This practice, like the many other dilemmas in animal industries, leaves the animal’s welfare behind as owners focus first and foremost on profit. Thankfully, more and more attention has been brought to the nurse mare situation over the past few years and research has actually found ways to induce lactation in mares who are not actually producing a foal. While the equine industry still has a ways to go to eliminate the need for nurse mares, this solution is a far more ethical way to save the day for the true orphan foals whose own mothers could not raise their foals and it does so without contributing to the problem of equine overpopulation.
Today, Mary Matilda, like all our animals, is an ambassador for others like her, raising awareness and spreading love so that others can be armed with the knowledge that's needed to spur change. A guest and volunteer favorite, this draft cross mare is known for her gifts of simply "being" as she often seeks visitors out and enjoys spending quiet time next to them just breathing in their ear.
Mary Matilda
Meet and Greet. Freya Firetail
In 2018, I was overjoyed when we decided that Tomten Farm and Sanctuary would step up for an at-risk thoroughbred, an overlooked horse destined to quietly slip through the cracks. If you previously read about "Sturgeon Moon," the inspiration for Tomten, you know that thoroughbreds are near and dear to my heart. And that November, as the racing meet came to a close, we headed off to the track, driving through the mountains and the snow to see who was most in need, who was close to the end of the line.
Also on our wish list? An older chestnut war horse (in honor and memory of "Viva," the wonderful chestnut we had said goodbye to not long before this rescue mission), a horse that was sane, sound and had a good story that would raise awareness, shedding light on the many in need. Of course, at-risk is at-risk and any color would have been fine as was either gender. But this time we had little room to compromise on soundness since we intended to adopt out whomever we saved so we could then rescue another. Such is the plight of responsible, sustainable rescue as we do our best to stretch every effort and every dollar to make the most impact. We knew without a doubt that an unsound, off-track thoroughbred could not be the first we pulled directly off the track because chances were, he/she would end up staying in sanctuary here on the farm.
Little did we know that this mare would create her own space in sanctuary, leaving and then returning, carving a space on her own and in the hearts of all who met her.
With the help of another non-profit who knew the trainers, knew the horses and knew the paths ahead for them, we looked at lots of horses in a fast-paced whirlwind of a morning that included long lists, short lists, revised lists and more lists. We checked off those who were safe, in need of rehoming and not rescue and focused only on those whose risk was growing every day as the end of the racing meet closed in.
On the risk list were thoroughbreds who would ship to slaughter (despite the NYRA regulations). Then there were those who would leave this track to be cruelly and inhumanely shipped by cargo container to Puerto Rico where they would race a few more times before meeting their end.
When all was said and done, there were two horses we struggled to choose from. Had the other spot in the trailer not been promised to a thoroughbred we were transporting to a new home for someone else, I suspect both would have joined the Tomten Farm and Sanctuary family.
But that day we only welcomed one…a mare we called "The Heart Horse." She was the type of horse that speaks to your soul and you knew you would always regret leaving behind. Her presence tugged at us. We struggled to make our decision, returning to her stall to view her again. Not once, not twice, but three times. When we met her, she was a nine-year old chestnut who had decided she was done with racing and it was time to leave the track.
She was definitely a "war horse," a horse that beat the odds and has run longer than the average and in more races. They are known for being physically and mentally sound, traits needed to have made it as long as they have in such a high stress discipline. In her case, she had almost 70 races to her name. 70! In five years, from four different tracks, under multiple owners, she had accomplished nine firsts, seven seconds and ten thirds. Yet despite being in the money more than 1/3rd of the time, after a life of demanding effort, when she began to lose, her risk level grew and grew and grew. There are few profits in low-end racing and even less room to carry the costs of a racehorse who is no longer running. Her time and use had run out.
Choosing who to welcome to Tomten means not stepping up for a horse that is simply in need of retirement. It means not stepping up for one that is simply ready to be re-homed. It means not stepping up for something just because it speaks to you, is impressive, or kind, has a beautiful floating trot, a lovely dished face or is the type of horse you would want to own. It means being selective, being careful and listening to your gut. It requires weighing every possible angle before offering your one promised spot to an animal so close to the end of the line that somehow, he/she already knows they are at risk. Our new mare knew we were her chance, the girls who introduced us to her knew the same and we, in our hearts knew it too. Anyone could see she was in trouble.
Despite her restless antics (the result of months of living in a stall with no turnout and no racing), when we stopped to evaluate her, she paused just enough to flirt with our past intern, Aileen. Head stretched, nose quivering, eyeball rolled, she reached and asked with every fiber of her being. She was humorous and proud and I am sure that is how she tolerated the racing game for so long. It is, in fact, one of our favorite things about her to this day. At the end of the morning when it came time to choose, we purchased her for the same price that we would have paid at auction, her worth determined by the going price per pound. She truly is one of the fortunate ones, narrowly escaping an ending that would have made her one of thousands of racehorses who lose their life to slaughter every year.
We named her "Freya Firetail" and she spent that winter here on the farm detoxing and learning to simply be. We asked little of her, appreciated much and watched as she flourished, befriended my personal off-track thoroughbred "Sassie" and transitioned into a life she had not known in years, if ever. Our silly, joyful, demonstrative and sensitive mare shed layer after layer and finally, when we knew she was ready, she became available for adoption to a carefully screened adopter. While we were sad to say goodbye, we celebrated her new beginnings and a spot that would open up to save another, but unfortunately, despite every precaution and every reference, her new home, her new beginning, did not work out as planned.
Here at Tomten, we take the long-term safety and well-being of each animal seriously and while I wish I could say the return of Freya Firetail was amicable and speedy, the truth is that it was not. When we learned of her deteriorating mental and physical condition and her owner’s disinterest and inability to do right by the horse, we fought hard for her return to peace, protection and possibility. After just a few months away she somehow returned more damaged than she had been when first coming off the track and we immediately made the decision that here she would stay, in Sanctuary, for the rest of her days. It took some time but she returned to the mare we knew and grew deep roots, determined to remain here for the rest of her journey.
Freya truly is fortunate. No matter how much we may want to, we cannot absorb every animal who needs our help into Sanctuary. The number of lives in need is just too great and we do not have the resources to say yes as often as we would like. But our commitment to each life we embrace is unfaltering and there are times that even the best laid plans must be laid aside to give the gift of dreams come true. When this mare told us she preferred to stay right here, thanks to your generous support, we were able to listen. We welcomed Freya Firetail back permanently this time, a beloved symbol of all those thoroughbreds who quietly ship to the end of the line.
Freya Firetail
Meet and Greet: Dobbin R. Bergiland
We were first approached about this beautiful draft (or as many commonly call this category of equines, "work horse") late last Summer by a good Samaritan who had rescued him and was looking for a bit of advice. It seems that when his body wore out and there was nothing more to give after a lifetime of work and weight-pulling contests, this horse had literally been put out to pasture. There, with his aging body and useless teeth, he was left to starve, little-by-little losing his life.
I hadn’t realized that the actual phrase, “to be put out to pasture" came from the practice of putting draft horses that were too old to work into a pasture where they were quietly left to die. To be honest, I had never given much thought to the phrase that, to me, had only brought up sad images of retired forgotten lives. I had not processed the true heartache of such “care,” and while I knew such things happen far more often than we realize and while I had seen so many in similar condition at auction, my heart still ached every time I saw a horse in such an emaciated state. After seeing the initial pictures of this gelding, he was often on my mind and I was hopeful he had found his way.
However, things don’t always go as planned and although his kind rescuer had the best of intentions, she quickly realized that with his worn down teeth and shriveling bulk, he needed special care. She approached us again that October. This time she was not looking for mealtime advice, but rather further help. It is a hard thing to ask for help and know that despite your best intentions you are unable to give enough. We are honored that we were asked to welcome this beautiful Belgian and so very grateful that together with you, we were able to be there both for him and the woman who tried to save his life. Dobbin is a very lucky horse. First, to find his way out of that field and then, to find his way here. He would not have made it through the winter without us. He would not have made it through the winter without all of YOU.
Even we underestimated the cost of his care during those first cold months as he gobbled up the calories that would save his life. Dobbin ate close to 100 pounds a day, the equivalent of two bags of Standlee timothy pellets and multiple small meals of grain—double the amount he would have eaten had he not been so underweight. But thanks to contributions from people like you, we had raised enough to get him through those first six months of care. He had a soft bed to lie in, a full stomach and a home for the rest of his days, of which he has had many. We do not know the exact age of this special gelding but three vets have each estimated him to be thirty years old. That's quite old for an equine, especially a draft and especially a Belgian whose average lifespan is about 20 years. It is, in fact, considered rather rare and we cherish every day he remains with us.
Those who know him and have followed his story know that we named him Dobbin R. Bergerlind. He is named Dobbin after the draft horse in the story of The Tomten by Astrid Lindgren. The R. stands for Rydberg (as in Viktor Rydberg the original author) who gave the story life with his words and the Bergerlind is for the magic of the story captured by artists, Harald Wiberg and Jan Bergerlind. It is a name infused with magic and the peace, protection and possibility Tomten Farm and Sanctuary is itself named after.
We have no doubt that each evening when all were sleeping, it was the Tomten who visited him and helped bring him back to life. We have no doubt that it is his friend Pippilottaspotslongstocking and all of you who have given him his dreams come true. Thank you for believing that every animal, young or old, is deserving of rescue and for being here with us to offer each a very good life.
It is very grand to “die in harness,” but it is very pleasant to have the tight straps unbuckled and the heavy collar lifted from the neck and shoulders.
—Oliver Wendell Holmes, 1891
Dobbin R. Bergiland
Meet and Greet. Taabe Summerstorm.
As is often the case, when the universe throws a Rescue your way, you feel compelled to throw your net even though you were not even close to being prepared to jump in the game. Such was the case with the paint mare, "Taabe Summerstorm" and her now adopted foal, "Tindra Highstockings". Two lives in trouble that were just days away from a deadline that could have easily become the end of the road. One can never be exactly sure of a horse’s history, but here is what we know of hers, this beautiful, dappled mare who has moved far beyond her past and long since settled into her future, right here at Tomten Farm and Sanctuary. In 2017, just before foaling, this registered paint mare traveled all the way to New England from Texas where she had previously been a broodmare for a very large breeding farm after short stints at a few other homes. She had given birth to seven babies (!) and then somehow, she found herself and another mare, both heavily in foal, sold and on a trailer embarking on a trip of 2000 miles. I would like to be able to say that how that could happen escapes me. But so, seems to be the path of many middle-of-the-line broodmares past their prime. As breeding becomes a bit more complicated, a bit more expensive and a bit more taxing on the mare, they are often sold down the road usually in foal. Her friend foaled on the trip, in the trailer and Taabe foaled shortly after her arrival at her new home. It was not to be her forever home, nor, it turns out, even her home for very long. Something must have gone awry in the few short months she was there before we met her. The barn where she was housed was to be vacated, the horses were being sold one by one and suddenly, she, her friend and their young foals found themselves in trouble with a deadline that loomed just a few days away. Time had just about run out when we got involved. While we would never pass along details of previous owners, I think it is safe to publicly say that both of these two mares and their babies were in trouble. Yet, when push came to shove and a deadline loomed, these owners chose to put these horses first. Although they could easily have made a quick sale with a dealer, shipped both mares and foals to auction or weaned the foals too early for a quick check, they did not. While they sold their other "stock," they simply, humbly, persistently sought alternatives in an effort to keep the moms and their respective babies together—in an effort to keep them out of the wrong hands and give them the bright future they deserved. That is to be applauded. Their rescue required fast teamwork. We stood tall and determined beside our Vermont friends at Dorset Equine Rescue joining forces to step up for both mares and foals. We are proud that we worked together, to have gone above and beyond together to be certain these horses found homes. I think that is what rescue is really about—Rescues helping Rescues, Rescues helping animals, Rescues helping people— all of us doing more to make Peace, Protection and Possibility a reality for needy lives. Tomten Farm and Sanctuary stepped up for Taabe and her foal and DER stepped up for the other mare and foal. At first, it seemed that Taabe not only had a foal at her side but was also in foal. She was pregnancy tested and then tested again and when her tests remained in the "gray" zone Cornell speculated that she carried a mummified fetus with some intact placenta remaining. Perhaps she had been bred just after foaling. Perhaps her foal had been conceived with a twin. We will never know. But because she was otherwise clinically normal, after speaking with our vet, we opted to do nothing at that time. There was no need to put her through anything just to satisfy our curiosity and while it is always in the back of our minds, she has never exhibited any distress and so we chalk it up as another learning opportunity.
Several months later when Taabe's foal was weaned it was obvious that she and Tindra Highstockings (her foal) were comfortable going separate ways. Tindra was adopted by a wonderful family of her own and Taabe temporarily stayed. Thanks to the strong and sudden bond between her and Pippalottaspotslongstocking and the offer to TAdopt (a gift of partial expenses) her by Cheryl C, Taabe got to remain at Tomten Farm and Sanctuary. No more foals, no more owners. She has found her home and her family. Unfortunately, as Pippa has aged and can no longer safely eat hay, they can longer be housed together but she has formed quite the friendship with Fern Raventail and is within sight of her old best friend Pip.
The truth is whether they come from near or far or are young or old, full of potential or all used up, there is no animal that does not deserve the gift of life. But opening our gates to a mother and daughter right here in our community and keeping them out of the pipeline felt pretty darn good. Not only were we able to help the horses who needed us but we were able to help the humans too and that is something to be proud of.
Money drives us all to make decisions that we would often prefer not to and I am so grateful that her past owners made a choice that was right for her and it seems, right for them. Asking for help and surrendering an animal is never easy but I hope their decision has gifted the peace of mind that a quick sale or trip to auction could never bring.
We are so grateful we were here with you, safety net in hand and able. May her story prompt others to do right by the animals who depend on them, animals with nowhere to go. They cannot choose their journeys or who they travel with. It is up to us to be sure they are safe and that means doing all that we can to help them find their tomorrows.
Taabe Summerstorm
Hwee Hwee Hwee Whinny Wildfire
Five years ago on December 20th, we welcomed two senior best friends into the embrace of Tomten Farm and Sanctuary. Hearts open and fingers crossed, we leapt to embrace these little lives, hoping and believing we could make their dreams come true. Just in time for Winter Solstice 2017, we picked up a small pony (who would later be named Percival Pintomint and his mini friend, Hwee Hee Hee Whinny Wooly Wildfire) and shuttled them first to quarantine and then, a month later to Tomten. It seemed fitting that as we entered new and longer light, they found a second chance at life and they have certainly brightened our every days ever since.
Once loved and provided for, we were told that their senior owner's ability to care for them had declined along with his health for the past decade. They were not in the best condition, but the introductory photos did not quite allow us to see the full picture. It had been some time since these seniors had had their hooves trimmed but, even longer since their old teeth had been cared for. While their owner had loved his animals and always put out hay, I don't know if he knew that their teeth should be looked at yearly or if he noticed how thin the old little pinto pony had become. Perhaps, he didn't realize that the pony had an increasingly difficult time eating, balling up his hay as he tried to chew and eventually spitting it out. He simply could not grind most of the stems into small enough pieces to swallow.
But they had had an owner, they were together with their friends (an older horse, a sheep and goat) and they were loved in the ways their owner had been able to do. When he sadly and unexpectedly passed away, the animals were left alone in this world, with no one except concerned neighbors who compassionately, thankfully, stepped up to advocate and temporarily care for them the best they knew how. Without the kindness and advocacy of those people, we are not certain where these lost souls or their friends would have ended up and we suspect, based on their age and condition, it would have been nowhere good.
A long-distance heir signed them over to us with an ease that suggested they did not know how much they had been loved and together we worked with another organization, The Dorset Rescue, ensuring spots for all. They took the horse and placed the sheep and goat and all the animals luckily had a chance at a future, a shot at dreams come true. It was a holiday miracle when just days before it had seemed they had no chance at all.
Yes, their hooves needed trimming and their teeth needed floating, but it was not those things that immediately worried us. It was the alarming low body score on the pinto, Perci—a borderline 3 from the veterinarian who evaluated and worked on him before he left his home to make his way here. Had he not been in a full, long, winter pony coat, I have no doubt he would have received a score closer to 2 as when your hands ran down his body one could not help but notice he was much thinner and bonier than he first appeared. In a warm weather climate that would be bad enough, but here, at a time when we were facing night after night of negative double digits with a several-day cold snap on the way, he had no additional calories to burn and no fat reserves to keep him warm. Even with all of our efforts, we worried. Had we not gotten him when we did, I shudder to think of what we all knew would have happened to him as he faced the freezing nights that were before him struggling to grind his hay with little intake to keep him warm or nutritional benefit to give him weight.
Thanks to people like you, we immediately ordered and overnighted him two quality blankets with hoods that could go one on top of one another during the negative wind chills and allow us flexibility as temperatures improved. Although they were incredibly helpful for providing immediate comfort, they did not solve the second issue of warmth; sadly, blankets are not enough when you cannot eat well in winter. We knew that without an immediate change in diet, Perci would not make it through and we struggled to find food for him which he could eat many hours a day that would not freeze. When traditional options such as soaked hay pellets froze within minutes and failed, we tried and tried again.
Multiple soft foods, chopped hay, a special extruded feed and a healthy dose of TLC were offered several times a day and thankfully, his weight and body condition slowly returned. But just as we thought we were finding our way out the woods, his friend Hwee, the little black mini, had one of the worst laminitic flareups I had ever seen. He had multiple vet visits, received lots of medications and supplemental care, including little padded booties to help with this hoof pain. Yet even with all that, he could barely stand. After several heart-wrenching days, we reluctantly set a date for him to humanely depart this life. If we could not control his pain, we felt the only responsible thing to do was to say goodbye.
But amazingly, sometimes you just can't keep good ponies down! He too rallied and the night before our deadline, he made (literal) strides in his recovery. We were beyond relieved.
Teeth floated, hooves trimmed and weight on, our little seniors began to flourish and settle in. Our vet had determined that they were probably closer to 30 years of age than the 19 we were originally told and we discussed the probability was that even if we were lucky, it would be a blessing to have them for 3-5 years. It was no surprise. They had an air of experience and wisdom that only very old animals do. 20, 25, or 30, we still would have stepped up for them regardless of their age. And every week, every month we have made a difference.
Fast forward to today. Perci and Hwee are looking and feeling great despite their ever increasing age. Hwee is as steady and kind as they come and affectionately called the "perfect pony." He brings balance and kindness to all he meets while Perci is as smart as they come—opening gates, knocking on doors and surprising many with the depths of his personality. He is cheeky and funny and they are both quite special. Perci remains in great weight and Hwee has yet to have another flareup and we breathe easy knowing they are content.
Neither Perci nor Hwee would be here today without the efforts and contributions from people like you. True rescue means providing for an animal far beyond their initial welcome and in their case, they had some expensive (and extensive) start-up care. But the daily expenses (of these and most of our animals) continue to increase in senior years. Both now eat soaked timothy pellets several times a day and Hwee takes daily meds for Cushing's disease (which can be slowed but not cured). We are incredibly grateful to their TAdopters (Wynter and the sisters who prefer to remain anonymous) whose gifts allowed us to take that initial leap that allowed them to not only stay here together, but helped with partial support of them these past few years. Since relocating and rehoming is harder on animals the older one gets, their condition and ages motivated us to change their status and we are proud it was able to go from its original "Adoptable" to "In Sanctuary" status. I think they are happy to have remained here and have no doubt they now call it home.
Here at Tomten Farm and Sanctuary we are committed to helping animals and helping humans one life at a time and believe in doing all we can in the community. While we are saddened by the death that necessitated the welcome of these two little lives, we continue to hope their late owner is looking down and finding peace and comfort knowing that he did all that he could with the knowledge and financial resources that he had. May he travel on his own journey, knowing that all of us will continue to take it from here—to carry on and do the rest. His ponies will never be alone, they will always be loved, and we will always do everything we can to provide them the care every old soul deserves as long as we are fortunate to have them beside us.
Hwee Hwee Hwee Whinny Wildfire
Meet and Greet. Percival Pintomint.
Five years ago on December 20th, we welcomed two senior best friends into the embrace of Tomten Farm and Sanctuary. Hearts open and fingers crossed, we leapt to embrace these little lives, hoping and believing we could make their dreams come true. Just in time for Winter Solstice 2017, we picked up a small pony (who would later be named Percival Pintomint and his mini friend, Hwee Hee Hee Whinny Wooly Wildfire) and shuttled them first to quarantine and then, a month later to Tomten. It seemed fitting that as we entered new and longer light, they found a second chance at life and they have certainly brightened our every days ever since.
Once loved and provided for, we were told that their senior owner's ability to care for them had declined along with his health for the past decade. They were not in the best condition, but the introductory photos did not quite allow us to see the full picture. It had been some time since these seniors had had their hooves trimmed but, even longer since their old teeth had been cared for. While their owner had loved his animals and always put out hay, I don't know if he knew that their teeth should be looked at yearly or if he noticed how thin the old little pinto pony had become. Perhaps, he didn't realize that the pony had an increasingly difficult time eating, balling up his hay as he tried to chew and eventually spitting it out. He simply could not grind most of the stems into small enough pieces to swallow.
But they had had an owner, they were together with their friends (an older horse, a sheep and goat) and they were loved in the ways their owner had been able to do. When he sadly and unexpectedly passed away, the animals were left alone in this world, with no one except concerned neighbors who compassionately, thankfully, stepped up to advocate and temporarily care for them the best they knew how. Without the kindness and advocacy of those people, we are not certain where these lost souls or their friends would have ended up and we suspect, based on their age and condition, it would have been nowhere good.
A long-distance heir signed them over to us with an ease that suggested they did not know how much they had been loved and together we worked with another organization, The Dorset Rescue, ensuring spots for all. They took the horse and placed the sheep and goat and all the animals luckily had a chance at a future, a shot at dreams come true. It was a holiday miracle when just days before it had seemed they had no chance at all.
Yes, their hooves needed trimming and their teeth needed floating, but it was not those things that immediately worried us. It was the alarming low body score on the pinto, Perci—a borderline 3 from the veterinarian who evaluated and worked on him before he left his home to make his way here. Had he not been in a full, long, winter pony coat, I have no doubt he would have received a score closer to 2 as when your hands ran down his body one could not help but notice he was much thinner and bonier than he first appeared. In a warm weather climate that would be bad enough, but here, at a time when we were facing night after night of negative double digits with a several-day cold snap on the way, he had no additional calories to burn and no fat reserves to keep him warm. Even with all of our efforts, we worried. Had we not gotten him when we did, I shudder to think of what we all knew would have happened to him as he faced the freezing nights that were before him struggling to grind his hay with little intake to keep him warm or nutritional benefit to give him weight.
Thanks to people like you, we immediately ordered and overnighted him two quality blankets with hoods that could go one on top of one another during the negative wind chills and allow us flexibility as temperatures improved. Although they were incredibly helpful for providing immediate comfort, they did not solve the second issue of warmth; sadly, blankets are not enough when you cannot eat well in winter. We knew that without an immediate change in diet, Perci would not make it through and we struggled to find food for him which he could eat many hours a day that would not freeze. When traditional options such as soaked hay pellets froze within minutes and failed, we tried and tried again.
Multiple soft foods, chopped hay, a special extruded feed and a healthy dose of TLC were offered several times a day and thankfully, his weight and body condition slowly returned. But just as we thought we were finding our way out the woods, his friend Hwee, the little black mini, had one of the worst laminitic flareups I had ever seen. He had multiple vet visits, received lots of medications and supplemental care, including little padded booties to help with this hoof pain. Yet even with all that, he could barely stand. After several heart-wrenching days, we reluctantly set a date for him to humanely depart this life. If we could not control his pain, we felt the only responsible thing to do was to say goodbye.
But amazingly, sometimes you just can't keep good ponies down! He too rallied and the night before our deadline, he made (literal) strides in his recovery. We were beyond relieved.
Teeth floated, hooves trimmed and weight on, our little seniors began to flourish and settle in. Our vet had determined that they were probably closer to 30 years of age than the 19 we were originally told and we discussed the probability was that even if we were lucky, it would be a blessing to have them for 3-5 years. It was no surprise. They had an air of experience and wisdom that only very old animals do. 20, 25, or 30, we still would have stepped up for them regardless of their age. And every week, every month we have made a difference.
Fast forward to today. Perci and Hwee are looking and feeling great despite their ever increasing age. Hwee is as steady and kind as they come and affectionately called the "perfect pony." He brings balance and kindness to all he meets while Perci is as smart as they come—opening gates, knocking on doors and surprising many with the depths of his personality. He is cheeky and funny and they are both quite special. Perci remains in great weight and Hwee has yet to have another flareup and we breathe easy knowing they are content.
Neither Perci nor Hwee would be here today without the efforts and contributions from people like you. True rescue means providing for an animal far beyond their initial welcome and in their case, they had some expensive (and extensive) start-up care. But the daily expenses (of these and most of our animals) continue to increase in senior years. Both now eat soaked timothy pellets several times a day and Hwee takes daily meds for Cushing's disease (which can be slowed but not cured). We are incredibly grateful to their TAdopters (Wynter and the sisters who prefer to remain anonymous) whose gifts allowed us to take that initial leap that allowed them to not only stay here together, but helped with partial support of them these past few years. Since relocating and rehoming is harder on animals the older one gets, their condition and ages motivated us to change their status and we are proud it was able to go from its original "Adoptable" to "In Sanctuary" status. I think they are happy to have remained here and have no doubt they now call it home.
Here at Tomten Farm and Sanctuary we are committed to helping animals and helping humans one life at a time and believe in doing all we can in the community. While we are saddened by the death that necessitated the welcome of these two little lives, we continue to hope their late owner is looking down and finding peace and comfort knowing that he did all that he could with the knowledge and financial resources that he had. May he travel on his own journey, knowing that all of us will continue to take it from here—to carry on and do the rest. His ponies will never be alone, they will always be loved, and we will always do everything we can to provide them the care every old soul deserves as long as we are fortunate to have them beside us.
Percival Pintomint
Sir Kappi Gray
It is the sum of our collective efforts that makes all the difference. No, we cannot touch every life, but together we can help a lucky few and for those lives, that life, it is everything. As 2022 begins and we near the end of our Virtual Tour, we continue to introduce you to the lives we save. The lives who find themselves embraced in the blanket of peace, protection and possibility. Lives like Sir Kappi Gray.
We don't know how this beautiful gelding found himself at sale or where the old large scar on his side or the smaller one on his neck and cannon bone came from. They are older and so is he. We don't know what caused the arthritis in his hocks or as x-rays show, “the significant fusion of his tarsometatarsal joint” that prevents him from being riding sound. We don’t know anything about his past except what is gathered from the clues he can’t help but share. A slight concern, a distrust that little-by-little is beginning to disappear. We do know that on the way to auction there was a trailer accident and he arrived needing stitches and care. We do know that he was seen by the state vet and allowed to run through the sale ring of one of the larger and riskier sales in the country. We do know that no one wanted him or his friend. We do know that it's thanks to Dorset Equine Rescue of Vermont and their supporters that he was initially saved, his wounds stitched by the vet and he was allowed a chance at tomorrow.
We do know that thanks to you he was welcomed to Sanctuary here at Tomten for the rest of his days. Just why would we do that? Because there is a shortage of companion homes, homes for unrideable horses (often referred to as "Pasture Ornaments" or "Pasture Ponies") like Kappi that cannot be "used" and often find themselves in trouble. A typical owner's ad trying to find placement, (even offering them for free) before resorting to auction might read like these actual ad excerpts currently online at the time of this writing:
“…I just decided to stop riding him because I was looking to get back into competing and was not looking to do just light riding with a horse. I wish I could keep xxxxxx into his retirement years. However, I just can't afford to keep a pasture ornament, and my busy schedule doesn't allow me to spend as much time with him anymore.”
Or this one:
“…She has been very good to me but her rodeo days have worn her joints down and left her with arthritis.”
It's a tragedy that every Rescue organization faces. Everyone wants lives saved but few potential adopters want to step up to offer safety to a companion equine for the rest of their days. But here at Tomten, with your help and support, we can provide that.
We do know that Kappi's placement here with us opened a spot at DER for another in desperate need. Our welcome of Kappi meant another life would be saved (and has already) and together, two organizations could make a bigger difference than either of us could alone.
We do know that this beautiful flea-bitten Arabian deserves to grow old and have the chance to raise awareness for others like him, those who simply offer a presence beside us, a picture in a field, a kind welcome and a friend to hold dear. We do know that when two organizations are able to join together with all of you, miracles happen and Kappi has thankfully found his happily ever after. If you have not yet seen it, please enjoy the video of him with his friend Anna below.
Thank you for being on this journey as together we make a difference, raise awareness and make dreams like his come true.
Sir Kappi Gray
Facts about Equines
Coming soon...
