After rescuing thousands of equines for nearly three decades, there isn’t much that surprises us anymore. Our latest rescue, though, brought something new to our sanctuary. Last December, we welcomed an adorable pair of miniature equines: A miniature horse, who we named Sir Paul, and a miniature mule, who we named Little Richard.
“It’s extremely exciting to have a mini mule join our sanctuary for the first time,” said Equine Advocates Care Manager Melissa Murray. “However, it also brings additional training challenges.”
Little Richard was born in June of 2021, making him the youngest equine at our sanctuary. As cute as he is, he’s feral and requires special attention and care. We decided to take him in when we realized it’d be difficult for him to find a good home.
“It’s a sad fact that equines who are hard to handle often end up falling through the cracks because people grow impatient or frustrated when trying to work with them,” said Equine Advocates President Susan Wagner. “This is one of the main reasons we have taken in equines over the years who have had this behavioral issue.”
While all equines require similar care, there are some differences between horses, ponies, donkeys, and mules that caretakers need to keep in mind to help these animals the best they can. Mules and donkeys are highly intelligent and extremely communicative, but in a slightly different way than horses. It’s important to recognize these differences. Fortunately, we have had experience working with these equines since our inception. Therefore, our organization has knowledgeable and dedicated staff who can provide humane training methods for Little Richard. We’ll work on leading and haltering skills and help him get used to being handled by people. Keeping him together with his friend Sir Paul will help with that goal.
“Sir Paul is sociable, so seeing him interact positively with staff encourages Little Richard to get closer to people,” said Murray. “We’ll need to show him that human touch isn’t something to be scared of.”
Sir Paul was born in 2011 and is one of many miniature horses we’ve rescued over the years.
“Many people think of them as baby animals due to their small sizes and irresistible cuteness,” said Wagner. “However, that is not enough to protect them from abuse or ending up at low-end auctions. Rescuing a Miniature Equine or adopting one from organizations with adoption programs can be extremely rewarding if you have the proper facilities and experience to provide them with a loving home.”
Providing a loving home has been our goal for every equine, big and small, we’ve rescued. Since we don’t adopt out and we care for our rescued equines for life, we’re able to work on their timeline and the pace they’re comfortable with. Welcome to the family, Sir Paul and Little Richard!
This story was published in Berkshire Animal World’s March 2025 issue.