Meet the Farm Family

Meet the Farm Family of Apolloson Acres!

Apollo

Apollo's story can be read by clicking on his picture from the homepage of this blog. You can't miss his face along the right side and it says 'Click here to read my story'.

Gypsy

Gypsy came to the horse rescue back in 2005. I believe she was about 19 then. She came with another mare, who was 29, and whom she had been with her whole life. They came to the rescue because their owner was sick and could no longer care for them. Gypsy was the sweetest horse I had ever met and I was instantly in love. I learned so much on her. And I also say, if you can learn to sit your trot on Gypsy, you can sit your trot on any horse! Gypsy is calm & patient and so forgiving with new riders. She taught young & old at the rescue for 4 years and I truly believe she loved every moment of it! She now is living out her retirement with us at Apolloson Acres. She still teaches; I learn from her every day! And she teaches my nieces and nephews all about horses....and now too, hoepfully soon, a child of our own!

**Sadly, our sweet Gypsy passed away, peacefully, September 16, 2012. Rest in Peace Gypsy Girl...you will always be part of our herd**

Wednesday, aka Whinny

Wednesday Winifred...or Whinny, Win, Mia, Midge, Mameechey [etc etc!] was rescued from a life of broken homes :( Originally bought by a girl and her boyfriend who ultimately had to find her a new home, they sent her off to live with a family member who didn't care for dogs and poked her with his cane. She then landed in the arms of a former co-worker of mine. This co-workers brother thought about taking her but it was later discovered the wife purposely let the back gate open for Whinny to run away because she didn't like her. She was picked up by the pound and my former co-worked had to go 'bail her out'! In the end, she found us and I think this picture speaks a thousand words! She is happier than ever! No longer does she have to be a traveling gypsy dog! We gave her the name Wednesday, or Whinny for short....or any of her thousand nick names. She loves her Daddy and going bubye in the truck with him. She'll settle for the car if she has to go with me. She likes shredding anything she shouldn't, running loose, curling up on the couch next to anyone who will love her and playing with kids when they come to the farm.

Mossy

Oh Moss Dog. My Hound! Where do I begin! I was filming an episode of the adoption show I do with our local animal shelter for work. I knew we wanted a second dog, but I really had no intentions or desire to get a puppy. Then out came the dog warden with 3 month old Mossy.....carrying him. He was too scared to walk out on his own. *sigh* My heart melted. Whose knows what happened to him in his first 3 months of life, but that is all behind him now. When he came home, he could walk right underneath Whinny; now he towers over her. He is a huge momma's boy and follows me everywhere. EVERYWHERE! He likes to be the king so new dogs coming around takes some time for him to accept. He is scared of lots of things too, like loud noises, fireworks and the basement stairs. He loves to get a running start and lunge onto our couch as well as beat up his sister! And, though he is a big chicken most of the time, he is most definitely the protector of the home.

Romeo

Poor Romeo came to the rescue and was nothing but skin and bones. The story we were told by the couple who brought him was that they discovered him tied to a tree with no food or water. He had worn out all the grass around him from walking into circle and what he could reach, he had mowed down to nothing. He was about 10 when he came to the rescue and still 'in tact'. After we got him to a proper weight, he was gelded! He eventually moved off to a foster home where he recieved some daily interaction with a young girl. Unfortunately, the family could not adopt another horse. I never received many adoption inquiries on Romeo and those that I did, mostly for children to show in 4H, turned their nose to him because he has a parrot mouth. (This means his top jaw overlaps his bottom and he looks like he has buck teeth...hence Allen calls him Bucky!) To me, this is an awful principle to set for kids!! Romeo is an awesome pony, so willing and so full of life and moves beautifully; just because of one 'imprefection', everyone turned away from him. Now he lives with us at Apolloson Acres and we hope to eventually teach him to pull cart. Maybe one day, our child will be the one to break that barrier and show the 4H world all this pony has to offer!

Daisy

Peace, Love and a Hinny! Daisy is quite a story! Myself and the founder of the horse rescue went out one night to see this gal; she was for sale and something about the ad just wasn't quite right. I somehow managed to get Allen to tag along too...or maybe that was just when we went back to pick her up. I cannot remember anymore! In any event, Daisy is rare; she is what you  call a 'Hinny'. A hinny is a mule, half donkey/half horse but it is her sire that was the horse, her dam was the donkey. This is rare because usually it is the other way around, which is then officially a mule. And she is a 'mini hinny' at that! Are you confused yet? In any event, Daisy was scared of EVERYTHING and EVERYONE and the poor girl would only be turned out with her halter on and a long lead line attached because the woman said it was the only way they could catch her. She told us a story of one time, they had to chase her down a highway. (this I can believe due to my OWN stories of similar content!) In any event, Daisy come home to the rescue and instantly bonded with my 6' 1" husband. Daisy doesn't really even come up to his knees!! Daisy spent at least 3 years at the rescue providing entertainment for volunteers and horses alike! When Allen & I purchased our farm, Allen made a special stall in a smaller barn just for Daisy (and a neighboring stall for friend Romeo) and she moved home to live happily ever after!

Savannah

Savannah, or as we call her, our resident Farm Manager. Savannah came to us from a local rescues president. She rescued her from the pound pregnant and then she miscarried. The president of the rescue kept her at her own home with her dogs for awhile but it was clear she wanted to be an outdoor kitty. I met this lady filming a pet adoption show and the rest is history... I said I live on a farm, she said she had a cat that would love to live on it too. Mice now run when they see her coming. The presents she leaves me at the back door are priceless....and gross! She even chases the 160# Rottweiler next door back into his own yard if he dares to cross that property line - seriously! I about died the first time I saw it! She is about the best farm manager we could ask for!

Magdalyn

I never truly understood the saying "Cats have Servants" until we adopted Maggie! Or, as I call her, Magdalyn. [One of my childhood dogs was named Maggie] She came home with me on a whim; my niece was coming over for the weekend and I needed a new foster cat to occupy her. Mag-pie was making terrible panther like noises in her cage at the rescue and we weren't sure about how she'd be with a kid, but none the less, I brought her home. It was just supposed to be for the weekend. She was skinny, scared and so malnourished that her coat was disgusting. When my husband saw me bring the carrier out of my car he just shot me a look and I said "she's just here for the weekend"! As that weekend progressed into a month, the rescue said they had an opening for Maggie to go up to PetSmart. Knowing her history of being in settings of that nature, and that she is a little older [exact age unknown] and that she is a black cat, Allen & I knew she'd be a hard one to adopt out. One look at her and then to hear her panther noises, no one in their right mind would even want to take her out of her cage! So, Allen and I decided that if we could get her and Mossy to get along, she could become a permanent member of the family. Allen was really pushing for it and now, low and behold, she'll snarl at Mossy even when he isn't even looking at her!! She is princess diva of the indoor farmstead; some days Mossy tries to take her on and other days he doesn't feel like a boxing match. Whinny walks the other way if she sees her coming. And thus, life as a cats servant!

Sugar Daddy

Sugar Daddy came to us from a cat rescue [with the name Sugar Daddy!] that knew he needed a farm type of home where he could live outside and be anti-social but still have food set out for him! And so here he is! Some don't even believe he exisit because they never see him, but I kid you not, this is 'Sugar Daddy'!

Hubby!

What can I say? This farm wouldn't exist without him! The work horse of our farm, I guess there really isn't anything I can say that would justify having him! He's smart, he's a hard worker, he is skilled in trades and can fix about anything, build about anything or solve about any problem that arises. The knowledge he has for growing things and caring for animals amazes me. And the miles he goes for me and the farm never cease to amaze me.

The Babe

aka Chedda

What can I say? For now, he can 'milk it' and in a few years, he might literally have to 'milk it'!

Chedda likes helping with chore time which includes, giving the horses hay, flinging poop, feeding the chickens and learning to gently collect eggs!