Nessa

Update from Nessa’s foster home July 2025: |Have you ever met an “in your pocket horse” that doesn’t like to be pet? Well, that’s Nessa! She is the first to the gate and first into the barn. She will follow her foster family’s kids all around the paddock – especially if there might be a treat involved. She just is still not sure she loves human touch. The great news is that she is halter trained, stands nicely while tied and leads well. She is great with other horses, including minis and full sized hoses. She is unfazed by her foster’s alpaca and respects fence lines. Nessa loves her routine here – free access to netted hay 24/7 and comes into the barn, gets haltered and tied for grain once daily.
The perfect home for Nessa is someone who has the time to handle her regularly. She clearly wants to like being touched, but just doesn’t fully trust it yet. She will do just about anything for a peppermint treat (her foster mom can tell you the right brand). If you are looking for a companion for another horse or a project for yourself, Nessa is a really great mini horse!”

 

Nessa is a miniature mare who came to us from a January 2025 Carlton County case in which we assisted an owner to surrender horses after multiple fines for loose livestock and inability to provide secure fencing. Nessa is not used to being handled and is needing some time to learn to trust people. She has had her intake veterinary work started, including vaccinations, coggins test, and having blood drawn and sent to UC Davis for a pregnancy check. She is estimated to have been foaled in  approximately 2019. Nessa has been preg-checked and is not in foal, so she is now available for adoption. Her foster home is working hard to learn more about her and get her used to being handled. here is what we know so far from Mary:

– 5/6 Year Old Mini Mare
– Nessa is still learning to trust humans, but is very willing and smart once in hand. She currently spends her nights in a stall with a short catch rope on. She is easy to catch in the stall. She goes out during the day and will come in for food.
– Food – not scratches – is the way to her heart.
– She loves peppermint treats and is respectful eating them out of hand. Don’t even think about bringing another kind of treat. It’s a no thank you.
– Eats from a hay net well, but prefers loose hay so she can spread it around her stall and urinate on it.
– After a moment, she enjoys being scratched, but will pretend not to.
– Fast moving humans and loud noises are still scary. Small, slow moving humans are acceptable, especially if they have peppermint treats. See photo of her hanging out with a quiet, small human!
– She is a really pretty mover and has shown she is athletic. She cleared a 3 foot fence without a second thought about it when foster mom accidentally made a loud noise.
– She is still hanging out with another mare from her previous home. She is certain she belongs with the big horses and spends her day trying to make friends with them through the fence. She will likely progress best with another confident pony/mini to show her humans can be great.
– She pretends to bite when over being handled. She’s never made a real effort to make contact. A simple no moves her nose away.
– She is hard to catch when outside. A small paddock will be best for her until she is more acquainted with humans or until she knows she gets food in the barn. We put a long rope on her when out so we can step on it to catch her if she doesn’t want to come in.
– She leads well once in hand and is learning to stand tied. She just isn’t a big fan of being tied – she has places to go and horse friends to make.
– She is smart. If you catch her one way on Tuesday, you better have another plan for Wednesday because she remembers everything and will use it against you. She also remembers the good – after a lifetime being unhandled, in 5 weeks she is leading, responding to her name and tolerating (almost liking) humans!

Nessa just needs to find her person that will make her feel safe. When she feels safe, she is so sweet – that kind eye doesn’t lie!