Nessa (Adopted)

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!

 

Bruce (Adopted)

Bruce is a 2024 miniature horse 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. He was a stallion at intake but has now received his initial intake veterinary care and has been gelded. He has now been adopted by his foster provider.

Lieutenant Dan (Adopted)

Update on Lt. Dan 04/16/25: Thank you to Adam Duxter and WCCO News for doing this story on Lt. Dan! And thank you so much to Dr. Schwinghamer, all of the staff at Anoka Equine Veterinary Services, Winkley Orthotics and Prosthetics, and everyone who donated to help this special mini horse! We have had many people reach out about adopting Dan. We are happy to say that he will be going to a new forever home soon with someone who has been with him throughout this process, and who knows exactly what he needs and what to watch for to ensure that Dan continues to live his best life.
Update on Dan: Dan’s custom  had his custom prosthetic leg was finally finished and fitted March 25th. We want to thank Winkley Orthotics and Prosthetics and Anoka Equine Veterinary Services for all of their help in this situation. Dan is doing very well. Radiographs show no signs of laminitis in his 3 remaining hooves, which is a huge factor in his positive prognosis. From MHARF director Drew Fitzpatrick: “How he healed by himself, didn’t get eaten by predators, bred mares, and gave us a hard time trying to round him up is a testament to his resilience! Most of an equine’s weight is carried on the forehand, when he moved at a run he was smooth but walking and turning was awkward. Radiographs show no laminitis in any hoof. Lt. Dan is a lightweight pony, that has made the difference.” We will continue to work with Dan’s veterinarians to closely monitor his condition and comfort. So far everything looks very positive!
Lieutenant Dan is a 2020 miniature stallion who came to us from a January 2025 Carlton County case. He is MISSING the lower part of his left hind leg and has been living this way for at least a couple of years. We started his care by doing complete discovery vetting to determine the best way to proceed (a prosthetic specialist is included in the process) in order to provide him with the most humane care possible and to do what is in his best interest. He was sedated, radiographed, and his leg stump was bandaged for protection after a cast was made of it to make a prosthetic. He also had blood pulled for a general workup and Coggin’s testing. The big news to come out of the exam is the fact that he has bullet fragments in one of his front legs (seen on radiographs) which makes us suspect that this may be related to his missing hind leg as well.  This little guy is truly a survivor! Thank you so much to everyone at Anoka Equine Veterinary Services for taking such an interest in Lt. Dan’s case and helping to make sure he receives what he needs with their excellent care. His comfort is our main concern and so far he seems to be doing quite well with his prosthetic.
Dan’s care won’t be cheap, but this little fighter has made it so far already and we want to give him every chance. If you would like to help out on this journey, donations are greatly appreciated!

Teddy Bear (Adopted)

Teddy Bear came to us as a 2024 stud colt 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. He has now received his initial intake veterinary care, has been gelded, and has been adopted by his foster home.

Pocket (Adopted)

Pocket is a 2024 miniature gelding 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. He was a stud colt at intake and has now been gelded and had the rest of his intake veterinary work. He is in a great foster home and we want to thank Patti for sending us a great “Pocket Guide” containing everything a potential adopter would need to know about him:

– He can be reliably caught, but still with a gentle approach.
– After a quick initial objection, he then realizes that ear scritches feel good and he’ll lean in.
– He has never turned to kick. He has not kicked in place.
– Pocket is willing and able to jump a 3.5′ fence, without a running start.
– He loves Strategy feed and paws at the ground when eating. He does not like apples.
– He enjoys chewing trees.
– He’s good with a hay net.
– Pocket allows handling and touching his front legs, squeezing even.
– He allows grooming his back legs (but we haven’t gotten to handling those, yet.)
– He doesn’t mind the radio and he’s curious about the barn cats.
– He is currently not nose-to-nose with a herd, but he doesn’t pace or express distress at that. They can see each other.
– Pocket likes to smell grooming tools before use. He really enjoys the comb, even on his left side which was originally off limits.
– He loves to play! Gloves, hats, balls, anything! He especially enjoys the ball hay feeders.
– He will always come over for nose kisses and forehead rubs, if you’re outside his stall.
– If something displeases him, he will occasionally attempt to bite. He’s not aggressive about it and he hasn’t been successful, but make sure his head is straight or turned away.
– Pocket has an outside area and spends all day in the sunshine and fresh air. He is confined to a stall overnight and displays no objection.
– He poops in one spot in the stall! He’ll even go in from outside to poop in that spot!
– He will jump and flee, if surprised, so it’s best to talk and let him know you’re coming by. It’s much improved since his arrival!
– He’d love to be with the herd with lots of space, but would be difficult to catch in that case.
– Pocket may occasionally resist being caught, but once on the lead is agreeable.
– He is bright eyed and coming along!