Rest in Peace Benny Hill

Thank you to the Hempel family for this wonderful tribute to Benny Hill! The Hempel family has been a great friend to MHARF over the years!

“Dear Minnesota Hooved Animal Rescue Foundation,

It’s with heavy hearts that I am writing you to let you know that we, along with our vet, had to make the tough decision to put Benny Hill down due to issues with old age.

Benny will be greatly missed. When Benny first came to my Grandpa’s farm ( Marlyn Hempel) in 2010, he had a lot of trust issues. The husband of the couple from MHARF that brought Benny to us had grass stains all over his jeans from Benny‘s antics to try and get away. It took a long time for Benny to trust my Grandpa and I. Around this same time I starting dating a girl, who eventually became my wife. When she started coming with me to Grandpa’s that was our turning point with Benny. Benny warmed up to Jess and they soon became very close. With Jess as a bridge Benny slowly started to trust my Grandpa and I as well.
Benny was a very social guy, he loved being with other horses at Grandpa’s farm. He especially bonded with our other mule Hannah. Benny participated in a few mule shows throughout the years. Where he got to expand his horizons from halter class to egg and spoon games to an obstacle course where he did great except for that scary plastic roping steer that he wasn’t so sure about.
In 2011 we adopted Benny. Then in the spring of 2015 he and Hannah moved to our place from Grandpa’s. It was great having both of them at our place and seeing and working with them every day. He and Hannah enjoyed their new home and enjoyed visiting with the big percheron neighbors on the other side of the fence. He also accepted a new addition of Colby the mule to the family in the summer of 2016 and enjoy Colby him as a new friend.

The companionship and joy that Benny brought into our lives is something we will never forget. He was a once in a lifetime mule that we were blessed to be able to give a forever home to for the last seven years of his life.
Thank you for all that you do for equine and finding them perfect matches for their forever home!
Sincerely,
Aaron and Jessica Hempel”