Meet Our Herd!
God has gifted us with an amazing equine family to shoulder with us in the ministry at Haven Acres. Nearly all of our horses have been rescued or adopted, and because of their stories they are living parables–teaching everyone who steps foot on the property that even though we are all broken in some way, we can still love and be loved. All of us have had experiences in life that have left us broken, but God reached into our world to tell us that even while we are broken, He loves us so much that He died for us. These horses all have stories of their own brokenness, but because they have been rescued and loved in their brokenness, they in turn are able to love those who are broken. We truly have some amazing horses!
Even though we do horse rescue, none of our horses are available for adoption. Our horses are used in our mentorship program and this is their home!
Our Horses:
Bay
Photo by Amanda LaRae Photography
Hard-Working – Sweet – Confident
Meet Bay! Bay is a hard-working, been-there-done-that kind of guy. He is a Quarter Horse in his late twenties who is living out his retirement at Haven Acres after being an award-winning roping horse. Bay was donated in the spring of 2023 because of his age and some soreness in his feet, so he gets arthritis medication every day. He also has a common equine disease called Cushing’s which requires medication as well to keep him happy. On top of that, because of his age he also gets a daily ration of “senior feed” which gives him some extra calories to keep him at a healthy weight. Despite being the second oldest horse we have, Bay still loves to work and does an amazing job with the kids!
Bay is lovingly sponsored by the Lubinski and Womack families!
Beau
Photo by Pam Heikkila
Friendly – Mellow – Cuddly
Beau is a beautiful chestnut gelding in his mid twenties. Beau is a big sweetheart who would much rather cuddle than work hard, which works great at Haven Acres. He also has allergies, which one fall (before we realized he had allergies) led to multiple ulcers from eye scratching and multiple vet appointments. Now he gets allergy medicine during the warm months and that works great!
Buttercup
Photo by Pam Heikkila
Bossy – Forward – Confident
Buttercup, aka “Barbie horse,” is a gorgeous palomino mare in her early twenties. Her previous family had been looking for a new home for her since their kids had grown up, but she needed a home where she would not have to work hard or compete because of a previous injury in her hoof. While her injury is healed, she still requires shoes to maintain her hoof after the injury. Despite her limitations, Buttercup still prefers to speed walk or go as fast as you’ll let her! She also had a respiratory infection which has left her lungs a bit damaged, and she requires medicine in the warm months to prevent her from coughing. Because of her get-up-and-go, she has developed a great relationship with a few of our more experienced riders who have been really enjoying her spunk.
Click here for a video of Buttercup!
Buttercup is lovingly sponsored by Deborah Shanahan and a family in Prior Lake, MN!
Cassia
Spunky – Sweet – Energetic
Cassia is a sweet bay mare in her late twenties who came to Haven Acres in 2017. She was very loved by her previous owner, but developed some major hoof problems. Our farrier said he thought he could help her if we got her, so we brought her to Haven Acres. After he worked on her she was better within a week! She has been a joy to have “on the team” and is one of the sweetest mares you’ll ever meet. The last few years as she has gotten older she seems like she has been feeling her age and not enjoying sessions anymore, so we have decided to fully retire her. She seems perfectly happy and comfortable though getting to just hang out with the herd, and we are happy to have her here!
Cody
Photo by Pam Heikkila
Reliable – Willing – Confident
Meet our hunk of a guy, Cody! Cody is a Paint gelding in his early twenties who has come to us after being a grandkid trail horse most of his life. He is a big, strong boy who instantly became the boss of the herd. Cody can be a little stubborn and definitely teaches kids to be better rider, but he’s a level-headed, smart horse who wants to learn if you take the time to teach him. Cody also has some arthritis just due to age which requires arthritis medicine each day in the summer and injections each spring to keep him comfortable.
Cody is lovingly sponsored by a family from Burnsville, MN!
Deuce
Photo by Amanda LaRae Photography
Sweet – Affectionate – Eager-to-Please
Deuce was donated at the end of 2024 due to a chronic hoof problem called navicular. He is a tall, beautiful, seal brown Quarter Horse gelding in his early teens who was trained as a pleasure horse and then purchased to be a trail horse. However, it was discovered that he had a pretty bad case of navicular and was unable to be used as a trail horse. Now that he is out here we are working with our farrier to get him sound for being ridden very lightly with the kids. He has been one of the sweetest horses we have ever had though, and really likes attention from humans!
Deuce is lovingly sponsored by Amanda Stamm!
Hope
Photo by Amanda LaRae Photography
Hard-working – Obedient – Forward
Hope is a 20-year-old bay Quarter Horse mare who is sound and healthy. She has been very well trained and loved by a sweet gentleman for the last 16 years, but he is not able to ride anymore, so we are blessed to be her retirement home! Hope is a spunky girl who likes to work rather than stand still. The barn where she was boarded is where two of our best horses we’ve ever had, Joe and Jac, are from, and we are excited to have her at Haven Acres now too.
Hope is lovingly sponsored by Judy Peryea and someone in Burnsville, MN!
Jetta
Photo by Pam Heikkila
Confident – Calm – Sassy
Jetta has the honor of being the first horse at Haven Acres. She has seen other horses come and go while continuing to be a steady presence in the herd. Jetta is a tall Quarter Horse mare in her late teens with a rich dark brown coloring. Because she is so patient and quiet, Jetta is a great horse for participants who have a hard time riding independently due to their physical limitations. Through a relationship with this gentle horse, these kids have been able to gain confidence and a feeling of satisfaction that they cannot find anywhere else.
Click here for a video of Jetta!
Jetta is lovingly sponsored by a family in Burnsville, MN!
Jubilee
Photo by Pam Heikkila
Friendly – Willing – Smart
Meet Jubilee! Jubilee was rescued January 2018 along with her sister Liberty from a humane case. They came from a property where they had never been touched, given any sort of vet or farrier care, or given good food or water. When they came they had lice, worms, and they were terrified of us. But God doesn’t love us because we’re lovable, He rescues us even when we’re still a mess, and their story is a wonderful picture of that. Since coming to Haven Acres Jubilee has learned to trust humans and actually be one of the most respectful, willing horses we have. She is now nine years old and she is a beautiful little mare who loves to run around and play!
Jubilee is lovingly sponsored by a family in Elko, MN!
Maya
Photo by Amanda LaRae Photography
Beautiful – Confident – Happy
Maya is a little Paint mare in her teens who came to Haven Acres in the spring of 2025. She was a trail horse for a trail riding company, and then she was well-loved an older couple and just needed a new home due to circumstances with her previous owners. She is very sweet and not scared of anything! We are so thankful to be entrusted with her!
Maya is lovingly sponsored by a family in Lonsdale, MN!
Maximus
Photo by Pam Heikkila
Confident – Slow – Gentle
Maximus is our first draft at Haven Acres and we are thrilled!! He is a big Percheron gelding in his early twenties. He was donated to us by Ironwood Springs Christian Ranch who used him as a trail and pulling horse. In fall 2018 he had a serious infection in his leg that ruptured and put him on stall rest for months. The following spring Ironwood Springs decided to donate him to us so we could continue to aid his healing. After nearly a year of time-consuming care, his wound is completely healed! Max is a big horse but he’s also incredible gentle. The kids who get to work with him just fall in love with him!
Click here for a video of Max!
Max is lovingly sponsored by a family in Apple Valley, MN!
Mocha
Photo by Amanda LaRae Photography
Well-Trained – Hard-Working
Mocha is a bay Quarter Horse mare in her twenties. She had been used as a polocrosse pony but aged and couldn’t keep up with the hard sport. She was basically just hanging out in retirement at a dressage barn, but her owner thought she would be a good fit for us and offered her to us. And she has been a great fit! She is one of our very best trained horses and does a great job with the kids. She’s a little swayed-backed and arthritic in her old age, but daily arthritis medicine she’s doing good!
Opie
Photo by Pam Heikkila
Laid-back – Affectionate – Playful
Opie is a Thoroughbred/Quarter horse cross who was bred and trained to race. However, with his laid-back personality and a coffin bone injury, he was retired before he could run even one race. After passing through a few different hands, he came to us in the summer of 2017. Opie is one of our tallest horses and he is donned with a unique brown coat that changes colors throughout the seasons. He is nicknamed “Opie Dopie” because of his relaxed attitude, fitting right in at the ranch. Opie has also turned out to be the “little brother” of the herd. He is constantly pushing the other horses’ buttons and getting in their space like a good little brother would do!
Click here for a video of Opie!
Opie is lovingly sponsored by the Baxter family!
Shiloh
Photo by Amanda LaRae Photography
Adorable – Food-Obsessed – Calm
Shiloh is a cute gray mare in her teens who came to Haven Acres in the spring of 2025. She was very loved at her previous home, but she has heaves, which is like equine asthma, which required a lot of extra care. Her person had started college and could not care for her as well anymore. Shiloh is a very laid back girl who has done great being a level-headed horse for her kids. We love having her here!
Shiloh is lovingly sponsored by the Olson family!
Teddy
Photo by Juniper Digital Media
Calm – Stubborn – Patient
Teddy is a sweet Haflinger pony in his later years of life. His prior owners basically rescued him from slaughter, but after they got him he developed multiple health issues that prevented him from being ridden very much. So he was donated to us summer 2021. Teddy is very laid back and calm, which is great for the kids! He is so calm and slow moving that he can be dubbed “stubborn” by some. But we are so thankful for this wonderful pony!
Teddy is lovingly sponsored by the Stacey and Storm!
Tobi
Photo by Amanda LaRae Photography
Sweet – Calm – Friendly
Tobi is a medicine hat paint gelding in his early twenties. Tobi is a very friendly, sweet horse who was loved by a great family for many years but when the kids grew up he needed a new home and he was donated to Haven Acres the summer of 2024. Tobi has a chronic, progressive problem in his feet called navicular that has been well maintained and does not cause him any trouble in his life at Haven Acres. He is also unique with one blue eye and one brown eye!
Trixie
Photo by Pam Heikkila
Patient – Kind – Sweet
Trixie was our first rescue horse. She is a little chestnut pony with a blonde mane and tail and she’s super sweet. Since she’s a pony she’s pretty small, which is perfect for some of the kids! Trixie came from the largest horse rescue in Minnesota, where the horses on the property were so starved that they had eaten each other’s manes and tails. In these conditions Trixie received a wound that resulted in blindness in her left eye. After rescuing her she was so terrified of people that it took her a long time to trust again. Now, a few years later, she is one of our most willing, patient, trusting horses, and has aided in the healing process of multiple children going through their own seasons of anxiety and fear.
Trixie is lovingly sponsored by a family in Farmington, MN!
Zacchaeus
Photo by Hannah Mountain
Spunky – Sassy – Smart
Zacchaeus is our wee little mule! Zacchaeus came to us from Ironwood Springs Christian Ranch with Maximus in the spring of 2019. In the fall of 2018 he was three years old and had never been handled. By the time he was donated to us he had been somewhat halter broke but still very scared of people. Since coming he has already learned a lot and become much less fearful when we halter and lead him! He is a sweet, quick learner but he also has a mind of his own. We are so excited for him to keep progressing in his training so that he can be a friendly guy for all the kids that come out to enjoy!
Click here for a video of Zacchaeus!
Zacchaeus is lovingly sponsored by a family in Apple Valley, MN!