SPOTLIGHT ON
Meet Bruce,
aka The Big Friendly Gelding!
Once again, we have partnered with Central Virginia Horse Rescue to bring a new resident into the sanctuary! He joins other CVHR alum Jonas and Zoe! Bruce is one big guy, standing over 17 hands tall. He is approximately 22 years old and what is commonly called an Appalachian Warmblood, or a grade horse. He likely has some combination of standardbred and draft horse lineage.
Bruce came from CVHR as an emaciated Animal Control Officer pick up. Once he was healthy enough for travel, he came to live with us at the sanctuary. Bruce struggles with a condition known as EOTRH, which short for Equine Odontoclastic Tooth Resorption and Hypercementosis which is a painful, progressive equine dental condition. He has already had several surgical extractions of lower incisors and is monitored every 6 months by his dental care team.
Bruce has also battled with a case of a hoof abcess which invaded his pedal bone. The potentially life threatening infection took over one year to battle with round the clock care, specialized bandaging and booting, massive amounts of hoof bandage materials, multiple specialty visits from the veterinarian and farrier and 2 rounds of super heavy duty antibiotic treatment. Bruce is stil rebuilding hoof and soundness and will continue to have his hooves carefully monitored. Your support helps horses like Bruce get all of the care they need in order to live a happy, healthy, comfortable life here at the sanctuary!
MEET THE HERD
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Arrived: 2012
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Born: 2006
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Breed: POA
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Color: Appaloosa
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Gender: Mare
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Arrived: 2015
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Born: 2015
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Breed: Miniature Horse
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Color: Buckskin
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Gender: Gelding
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Arrived: 2018
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Born: 2009
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Breed: Shetland Pony
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Color: Piebald Tobiano
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Gender: Gelding
christmas conspiracy aka Abby (aka boo)
Abby came to us from the New Holland Auction in 2012. We suspect she was a child's pony as she was well trained, well behaved in overall good condition. She even had a tag affixed to her halter that read, " Abby, March 26, 2006, POA." This would indicate she had people who wanted whomever purchased her to know her name, her birth date and her breed. POA stands for Pony of the Americas, a popular pony for children known for their hardiness, colorful patterns and good disposition. We believe she was dropped at auction after suffering a case of LAMINITIS which is a painful inflammation of the interior structures of the hoof. This condition can case lameness and even death, if the bone inside the foot rotates. It can be expensive to treat, carries a long recovery and rebuilding phase and in these ponies, can happen again if their diets are not properly managed. Abby showed signs of having recent hoof work done in an effort to correct the laminitic episode.
On arrival to our quarantine partner, Abby had extensive veterinary and farrier evaluations which confirmed our suspicions. Luckily, her hoof bone angles had barely changed and we could control her condition with proper food, care and farrier work. Since 2012, we have dutifully managed Abby's condition and watched her bloom and become an indespensible part of our organization. She works tirelessly introducing adults, children, veterans and our differently abled friends to the world of horses. She has taught children in our horsemanship lessons and competed successfully for years on our show team. She has been a main member of our offsite ourteach teams, traveling to events to help people experience horses, many for the first time. She is always level headed, brave and has a calm and capable demeanor.
In 2023, Abby contracted LYMES disease. At the same time she tested positive for CUSHINGS, which is common in older ponies. Cushings causes a reduced effectiveness of the immune system, so balancing her medication for Cushings was paramount to helping her overcome the Lymes, which she required multiple antibiotic treatments for. To top it all off, Abby also suffered from LYME INDUCED LAMINITIS, which is not related to the typical metabolic laminitis that landed her in the auction, In fact, in her entire time with us, she had NEVER had an episode of laminitis. Lyme induced laminitis is more like a neuropathy pain and required an entirely different treatment and management protocol. With the oversight of her veterinary and farrier health care team and the dedication of her support staff here at the sanctuary, Abby is set to make a full recovery in 2025.
When an animal enters the sanctuary, we provide all of the comfort and care they need throughour their lifetime with us, no matter how their needs change. Be a part of Abby's story!
I HAVE A GUARDIAN ANGEL SPONSOR!
Thank you Harvey Family for being #teamabby
beudasious kiss me quick aka Bodi
Bodi joined the herd in 2015 when he was just weeks old. He came with his mom, Maggie, and was an actively nursing foal. In fact, Bodi is the first foal we have raised IN the sanctuary! When we tracked down information about Bodi's mom (Maggie who is also a sanctuary resident), we discovered his mom had been owned by a man who loved his miniature horses very much. He unfortunately passed away and his family sent his animals to auction. Luckily for them, WE found them, and with a generous grant from the Nadler family of Bowie, we were able to get their forever home with us!
Bodi has grown up before our very eyes! He is still the youngest horse in the sanctuary. He has an effervescent personality! He is the eternal kid who is always up to mischief and mayhem. He is now the boss of his field of pony boys and he lives life to the fullest. Nothing is safe within Bodi's grasp as he will explore, and often destroy whatever he can get his lips on. He is brave and bold and truly the wild child of our herd. Bodi has been learning to pull a cart so he can participate in some of our horsemanship lessons. He works in our ourtreach team and travels offsite as well. He is a favorite with guests as his personality is quite magnetic and entertaining. His future with us remains bright and he will continue to be an ambassador for our outreach team.
Bodi still has quite the story to tell as the future unfolds and YOU can be a part of that story!
I NEED A SPONSORSHIP TEAM!
Please join Allison W. and Paul N. and be a part of #teambodi
Quiet Riot aka Jonas
Jonas came to us in 2018 from Central Virginia Horse Rescue. He is the first of our partnerships with them. He was pulled from a rural North Carolina Auction and was wearing road shoes. Road shoes are special horse shoes with borium grips, typically used by the Amish for animals they use on asphalt roads to provide traction. The Amish use a variety of miniature horses, ponies and larger horses for transportation and to teach their youth to drive. Jonas had definitely pulled a cart. He also showed a lot of signs of anxious behavior, We decided to bring Jonas to the sanctuary to help him heal and to hopefully add him to our portable outreach team for offsite events.
Once Jonas was here and settled, it was apparent something was physically wrong. Vet and body work evaluations determined he had a subluxating patella in his hind leg and he had extensive trauma to his opposite shoulder. We suspected he had been in a cart accident while driving. The physical trauma and his resulting and very justified anxiety, likely prompted them to dump him at auction to get something new.
We have worked tirelessly with Jonas to help heal what injuries we could. His subluxation is not something that we can repair, but we can help manange it by not requiring him to work above a walk or put undue stress on him. His overall anxiety is better, but as he ages, he needs management strategies to avoid recurring GAS COLIC and IMPACTION COLIC. Jonas helps with our outreach programs and even some of our littlest riders, offering them their first experiences with horses!
He is a very sweet boy who has quite the story to tell and you can be a part of it!
I NEED A SPONSORSHIP TEAM!
Please join #teamjonas today!
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Arrived: 2018
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Born: 2009
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Breed: Morgan
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Color: Chestnut
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Gender: Mare
Statesman Summer Song aka Summer
Summer came to us in 2018. While we don't normally have the backgrounds of the animals in the sanctuary, Summer was an exception. She was bred by the late Lynne V Schpak, world renowed breeder of Morgan horses and owner of Statesman Farm Morgans in Woodstock, MD. Lynne had been a long time friend and mentor of our co-founders and had supported the growth and mission of the sanctuary since its' inception. Our E.D. was there shortly after Summer was born and had even done her foal photos. She was bred to replace her mother in the Statesman breeding program and that is the path she was set on before Lynne died in an unfortunate horse accident. Her herd was dispersed, and Summer, carrying her first foal, was sent to Georgia to complete her pregnancy. She gave birth to a gorgeous chestnut colt who would be chosed to continue the breeding program legacy Lynne left behind, Shortly thereafter, Summer found herself in Virginia and not in the greatest of care. The Equine Rescue League alerted us to her condition when they recieved a call for help from the owner of the property where she was kept. Knowing of our connection to the horses, they called us and we sprang into action to help get all 5 horses to safety.
When we picked her up in June of 2018, she was a body condition score of 1.5 on a scale of 1-8. She needed several hundred pounds of weight, farrier care and veterinary supervision for her re-feeding program. Horses that are starved can develop re-feeding syndrome which is fatal systematic collapse of the organ systems, so putting weight on was a slow steady process that took months! She had not recieved veterinary or farrier care in several years and she was also deprived of basic human kindness and was very withdrawn and depressed. The upper patch of white you see on her nose is not a natural marking. It was caused by a halter left on and rubbing her nose until it damaged her hair enought to destroy the pigment.
Summer is now happy and healthy and has an absolute best friend in Jewel. In fact, they are almost inseparable! Summer LOVES children and has a true Morgan personality, full of curiosity and gentleness. She works in many of our outreach programs and is a favorite of guests. Her story could fill the chapter of a book and she is part of a legacy of greatness. You can be a part of the story she still has left to tell!
I HAVE A GUARDIAN ANGEL SPONSOR
Join Taylor G. on #teamsummer
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Arrived: 2013
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Born: 2011
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Breed: Morgan (?)
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Color: Chestnut
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Gender: Mare
arkenstone aka JEWEL
Jewel is our amazing one eared marlet! Marelet is a term we coined to describe her when she was a fiesty, baby boss mare in training. Her story begins at the New Holland Auction in 2012 where she was purchased by a kill buyer and destined to be shipped to Canada for slaughter. As a young horse of only a year old, unhandled and missing an ear, her plight tugged at the heartstrings of internet warriors that paid her fee and saved her from shipping! She was moved to a quarantine facility, but the internet lost interest in her aftger she was pulled from the pen. She was unaware that The Big Purple Barn was tracking her whereabouts and safety.
We tried contacting everyone we could to take her in, but after months of no progress, it became evident to them that she belonged here in the sanctuary. Just before her move from Pennsylvania to her temporary home in Maryland (which would allow her to acclimate and gain much needed weight) she got her curious head stuck in a fence and looked like she went several rounds with a prize fighter. Along with abrasions, she damaged a cranial facial nerve which left her face partially paralyzed. Her quarantine foster was worried that we wouldn’t welcome her to the farm, but didn’t realize our utter committment to her safety and care. We arranged a top class ride in an equine ambulance with cameras to watch her on the long trip and stepped she off of the trailer and into her new life on April 20, 2013. Once she arrived, she got cleaned up and showered with food, love and care! 6 months later she started shedding all of her baby teeth! With consistent care and handling, she turned into an entirely different animal!
Her initial integration was difficult. She lacked social skills and hermissing ear made effective communication difficult. I was also very bratty and full of spunk which irritated the older herd members. Jewel quickly learned the ropes of horse life and how to compensate for her communication handicap. She turns her good ear to those she is commmunicating with. Read more about her missing PINNA on our resouce page. She has grown to become the leader of her mare herd and she is Summer's best friend. She LOVES meeting new people and will happily involver herself in your selfies. We believe she is a morgan and she displays all of the traits of bravery, curiosity and smarts. She also LOVES neck scratches so feel free to scratch away!
In 2021 she manged to dislocate or "pop" a rib out of place. The vet had no idea how she managed it, but with some taping, chiropractic and massage care, she was back to good in no time and has had no more issues.
In 2023, she suffered a kick in the field, likely from Suzie. Because of the location being near vital structures, the vet had her come in to the hospital for an emergency evaluation. Despite not being in a trailer for over 10 year and being in significant pain, she walked right on and headed to the hospital. She required emergency surgery to remove spilnt bone fragments and a lower limb perfusion to reduce the risk of infection. This was followed at home with 3 weeks of bandage changes and stall rest and another 2 months of slow rehabilitation. She has made a FULL recovery!
Jewel works in many of our education and outreach programs and is a gentle and curious teacher. She is writing quite the story here in the sanctuary and you can be a part of it!
I NEED A SPONSOR!
I am looking for my own #teamjewel
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Arrived: 2015
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Born: 2006
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Breed: Miniature Horse
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Color: Buckskin Tobiano
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Gender: Mare
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Arrived: 2009
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Born: 2004
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Breed: Appendix Quarter Horse
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Color: Bay
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Gender: Gelding
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Arrived: 2018
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Born: 2008
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Breed: Morgan/Arabian Cross
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Color: Bay
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Gender: Mare
maggie maywho (steel magnolia's dolly pardon me) aka maggie
We found Maggie in 2015 with her newborn foal at a large auction. It was very stressful for her and her foal both, and the conditions were filthy. Luckly, with a watchful eye and a grant from the Nadler family of Bowie, we were able to purchase them both at auction. They stayed for two weeks at Charming Acres in Pennsylvania to complete a medical check and quarantine, and so her foal could gain the strength he needed for the long trip to Maryland.
We were able to obtain her registration papers from the auction and learned she had been owned by a man who loved his miniature horses very much. He unfortunately passed away and his family sent his animals to auction. We also found she came from a line of exceptionally well bred miniature horses of world caliber breeding and was therefore unlikely to have come from the Amish breeding factories of Pennsylvania. That also meant she was spared from the road work and physical disabilities many of those minis come with. She spent the first 10 months with us being loved and handled along with raising her foal, Bodi. She was exceptionally good at being a mother! Even after we weaned Bodi and he grew up, we realized Maggie had an immense capacity to provide comfort and care for humans and people. She loves children and she is always there to help comfort any new, anxious arrival to the farm. She has helped both Bugatti and Zoe acclimate to the sanctuary and now, she is Po-Tato's constant companion.
In 2018, she sustained a traumatic injury to her right eye and despite weeks of treatment to try to save it, the eye died and had to be removed. You can read more about ENUCLEATION surgery on our resource page. She adapted well to having one eye after a relatively brief recovery from the surgery. She is the second horse we have had with one eye and she is not the last! Po-Tato had an enuclation surgery as well and when his first companion passed, Maggie was a good candidate for him. Both had one eye and because of Po's limited mobility, Maggie's small size and good nature help him in many ways have the companionship each horse needs.
Maggie has lots left to tell in her story so join her!
I NEED A SPONSORSHIP TEAM!
Please join Dawn F. on #teammaggie
the doofenschmirtz (miles to go) aka Miles
Miles joined us in 2009 from our longstanding partnership with the Equine Rescue League. Believed to have been born in Canada as part of the nurse mare industry, he was taken away from his mother so she could be sent to nurse a high dollar foal. It is also possible he came from the PREMARIN industry, which is explained on our resource page. There are many groups dedicated to helping re home these foals and he made it from Canada to a farm in Virginia that was trying to help foals like him, but in reality, they had too many to properly care for. The farm, called Eagle Hill, was under continuous scruitiny from local animal control, concerned with the state of the animals on the farm. The Equine Rescue League stepped up to try to help and take several of them to safety. Miles was pretty emaciated and small for his age, and had a large lump on his nose from where the halter grew into his face. He still has a lump on his profile, but everyone tells him how handsome he is!
The ERL helped get him strong and on the road to recovery and placed him in an intial adoptive home that didn't work out long term. They then found out they were being forced off of their 60 acre farm so a landfill could take over and had to relocate to a much smaller, 10 acre farm with limited room. They petitioned us for years to take Miles, and finally, we had the space to make it happen and welcomed him to the sanctuary.
Miles has absolutely thrived here. He participates in every aspect of our farm programs including teaching riding lessons, doing outreach work, working with our special needs friends, doing tricks and even spending several years as a successful show horse. He is one of the most personable horses you will ever meet and is a favorite with many guests! He is currently the head of his turn out group and is reluctantly the best friend of BIG Bruce, who shares a similar color and marking profile! As he ages, he has slowed down just a bit, which is totally understandable. He is on daily NSAIDS to help him keep comfortable as he is a touch arthritic as he enters his 20s. He has also been diagnosed with Fecal Water Syndrome which you can read about on our resource page.
The farm, Eagle Hill, that was once the source of a nighmare hoarding situation of young foals, now has a NEW life as the home to the Central Virginia Horse Rescue!
Miles has always woven the brightest threads into the tapestry of our farm and YOU can be a part of that story yourself!
I am looking for my own #teammiles
Interstellar aka Sophia
Hi! My name is Sophia and I joined the herd in 2018. I am a sensitive Morgan/Arabian cross mare, also known as a Morab. I was part of a humane investigation seizure in Virginia when I came to the Equine Rescue League with a colt. We were starved and needed lots of care. I was able to get healthy and get started in my training with the wonderful volunteers and a sponsor at the ERL before coming here to my forever home at The Big Purple Barn. I am learning all kinds of things I never knew before and contributing to the riding lesson and visitation programs! I enjoy attention and SO MANY SCRATCHES! I have way more to learn and contribute and my life here is really just beginning.
I do have a club foot that I was born with that requires some special farrier care and it caused my other front hoof to turn outward to help me move comfortably. That does NOT stop me from being AWESOME! I am told I am super comfortable to ride and I am even teaching kids to trot because my gaits are so smooth. I also have lots of allergies. When I came here, it was after the loss of a very special Arabian horse named Nova (Champagne Supernova). She was also itchy and had issues with allergies so they are well versed in taking care of me. My name, Interstellar, is a tribute to her.
I have lots of love to give and they tell me all of the time how awesome I am and how they can't wait to see all that I can do! You can join my team and sponsor me!
I NEED A SPONSORSHIP TEAM!
Please join The Gingerbread House Zoo on #teamsophia
all shook up aka presley (as in elvis)
Hey there pretty lady, or gent! Allow me to introduce myself as Presley. I am the smallest resident here and if you look closely, I am almost TWO minis in one! Facing left, you will see my brown eyed business side. Facing right, you will see my blue eyed party side and my unique ink blot marking. Some see a horse, others a dragon, and some see the state of Louisiana! What do you see? I spent my early life in a field as a breeding stallion for miniature horses. I was consigned to auction when my services weren’t needed anymore and I was rescued by Charming Acres in Pennsylvania. They took me in, fixed me up and gelded me in hopes of finding me a new home. I showed them how adaptable and trustworthy I was, but due to my small size, nobody seemed interested in me. That is when they contacted The Big Purple Barn to see if they would want to add me to their programs when they came to pick up Bodi and Maggie.
At first I heard they were unsure, but when they saw me, they shuffled me right on to the trailer and took me home! I immediately made it evident how easy going I was and became an almost instantaneous member of the outreach team! I love going to outreach events and I am pretty well on my way to being a therapy mini. I travel easily and love meeting new people. Things like wheelchairs and walkers don't bother me a bit.
I have some of the characteristics of achondroplaysia dwarfism. I was scoped and evaluated by our veterinary team and it was discovered that I have a partially collapsed trachea. The surgical repairs necessary would be astronomical and so I have been completely retired from anything but therapy work, which only requires me to be still and be loved. I get an albuterol inhaler 2 times a day to help keep my airway clear and comfortable.
I am looking for my own #teampresley
sterling cascades aka Pudge
Hi there, they call me Pudge and I am the mini Aspen. I may not look it now, but when I first arrived, I was rather portly and a short stay at a fellow horsewoman’s barn left me even heavier because she didn’t watch how much I ate! I started out at The Equine Rescue League when my owners had to surrender me. I was a pretty educated pony and knew how to be ridden and driven. I am a grey half miniature horse, half Shetland pony. Alongside Ernie, I spent many years doing outreach for the ERL and doing pony rides, lessons and even a few horse shows! My outgoing personality, cute unicorn looks and good temperament made me a great ambassador for the farm.
In 2007, The Big Purple Barn was looking for a pony to help Taz with all of the small children that requested programs at the farm. Since the ERL was downsizing to a new property, they were looking to place ponies like myself and sent me, along with Ernie, to live here. Once I officially entered the herd, they took time to trim me down with diet and exercise and get me back in shape. I quickly became part of the riding program as well as attending outreach events. While not as good under saddle as Taz, I am great at outreach and was able to help take some of the burden off of his schedule. I am flashy and bright when clean and have done very well at local competitions with our students. I look forward to many more years actively participating in our programs.
A few years ago, I was diagnosed with a common disease in ponies, chronic laminitis, also called Equine Metabolic Syndrome. This disease makes me particularly sensitive to metabolizing sugars and if I get a sugar or starch overload, it cascades into an emergency in my feet. (Please see additional posted information) My condition is chronic and can be life threatening. I require vigilant oversight of my diet, special feed and I must be kept at a lean weight to ease the burden on my feet and metabolic system. I also have some age related arthritis as I am in my mid 20s now, but nothing too bad. My largest problem is the foot soreness that can come from my condition.
I am an outgoing pony who enjoys smiling and spending time with people and helping them discover horses and ponies!
I AM LOOKING FOR A SPONSOR TEAM!
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