Rescued, Rehabilitated,
Re-educated and (some) Re-homed.
Boo
Boo is our newest rescue and is in trial period for being re-homed.
This thoroughbred is the great, great grandson of Secretariat! But when Boo didn’t succeed on the racetrack, he was sold to owners that didn’t have the skills to ride or train him. At one point they tied him to a pole with his tongue! Boo came to us with a lot of anxiety, but within a week, calmed down and participated in equine therapy with the Big Brothers Big Sisters group. He is very calm and sweet and we expect to see him rehabilitated and re-educated with the gentle hand of Natural Horsemanship.
Isabel
Isabel is being re-homed with her mom, Lana Bey Breeze, in October 2021.
This young mare has a bouncy personality that that is in proportion to her bouncy step. Isabel is a social, inquisitive girl. Put to trot, I can envision her in the Dressage ring. She had an amazing trot that makes her a looker.
Background
She was bred to have great attributes. Then, her mom was stolen and sold to slaughter while pregnant with Isabel. Fortunately, a local sheriff was tipped off and was able to get the horses back and relocated to a safe place. I met her at the age of 2 weeks. She has been handled since birth and kept with her mom. She is confident in being a horse and accepting of training. I believe her Horsenality to be a Right Brained Extrovert.
She is currently being trained to accept a saddle and to trailer load. She has received the natural barefoot trim in order to use the entire sole of her hoof rather than just the hoof wall. This gives her great stability.
Sweet Justice
Sweet Justice is available for Adoption / Lease
Justice is the one that caught my attention which eventually lead to the beginning of Firefly Acres Horse Farm. I named her this because I felt that she had a bad break in life and was in need of justice. At a year old, she was the prettiest horse I had ever seen.
General Information: Born in 2008, Russian Arabian, mare. She is full of curiosity and play. She is now halter trained and in Level 2 of Parelli Training; and her horsenality is Left Brain Extrovert. She is gorgeous in the light of a sunset. She practically glows.
Background: She was taken from her mother at an extremely early age. Prior to 2009, had not been trained, or named, and was fearful of people. At the time I met her, she and her two brothers (Spartan & Sebastian) were court ordered to a ‘safe barn’ for protection from abuse/neglect/starvation, pending ownership dispute charges.
Sebastian
Sebastian is currently in lease/trial period of being re-homed.
This little guy is only the size of a pony and cute as can be – one of everyone’s favorites. What Sebastian lacks in stature, he makes up with personality.
General Information: Born in 2008, Russian Arabian, gelding. He is a brother to Justice and Spartan. He is in Level 2 of Parelli training for Liberty/Freestyle Riding and Level 3 for On Line. His horsenality is Left Brain Extrovert like his sister. He likes to jump and play.
Background: He was taken from his mother at three days, never trained or named. Prior to 2009, had not been trained, or named, and was fearful of people. At the time I met him, along with his brother and sister (Justice & Spartan), they had been court ordered to a ‘safe barn’ for protection from abuse/neglect/starvation, pending ownership dispute charges.
Spartan
Spartan is currently in lease/trial period of being re-homed.
Spartan, named by my grandson, because he’s tough, started out very fearful. He didn’t like anyone near his back end and wore a halter with a catch rope attached. This was the only way his owners could catch him. Unfortunately, he started to out-grow it. With the help of someone more experienced than I was at the time, we got the halter off in time before it cut into his skin. It left marks for a long time, but is fine now. I still have the halter and catch rope as a reminder of his freedom. He is loyal and friendly.
General Information: Born in 2008, Russian Arabian gelding. He is a brother to Justice and Sebastian. He is now halter trained and in Level 2 of Parelli Training. He likes to race his brother.
Background: Spartan had been bred, taken from his mother at an extremely early age and never even named. At the time I met him, along with his brother and sister (Sebastian & Justice), they were court ordered to a ‘safe barn’ for protection from abuse/neglect /starvation, pending ownership dispute charges. Prior to 2009, had not been trained or even named and was fearful of people.
Penny
Penny is currently in lease/trial period of being re-homed.
Breed: Arabian
She’s a quiet, gentle, shy girl learning to have confidence and is coming out of her shell. She recently has been training with riders and is doing really well.
Lana Bey Breeze
Lana is being re-homed with her foal, Isabelle, in October 2021.
Program Horses
MuscaTina (Tina)
Permanent Resident. Background: Tina caught my eye because she had something in hers. As I was working with the younger three horses (above), I noticed what ended up being a piece of hay in her mane irritating her eye and causing a problem. I later found out she has allergies. It took me 1 & 1/2 hours to get it out of her eye due to her head shyness and lack of trust in humans. That ended up becoming our bond.
Today she is one of people’s favorites. She is very quiet and sweet. We are ready to start her under saddle.
General Information: Tina is a Pintabian (Pinto/Arabian cross) of uncertain age. She was a brood mare from her last two owners.
Scottie
Permanent Resident. Breed: Standardbred
Scottie was born and raised for his first 7 years on an Amish farm. He is a driving horse and gives us cart and sleigh rides year round. His owners sold him because “He got sore feet if he went 10 miles”. He wore shoes for 5 yrs straight with no rest. We removed his shoes forever and gave him a Barefoot Trim and treated his severe thrush. His feet and sound and healthy now. He has gotten used to being petted, talked to, and hand fed, and learned to return affection. He’s our quiet giant.
Our Four Pillars: Rescue, Rehabilitation, Re-education and Re-home
Rescue, Rehabilitation, Re-education, Re-home
Rescue In 2009, Lisa Pelky rescued 7 horses that were wards of the state of Wisconsin. These untouchable and unwanted horses, some with no names and feral, were all abused, neglected, and starved. Two other horses were acquired that were considered unusable as work animals. Through kind and gentle handling, all the horses are not only in good health and thriving, but they daily help people find hope and healing. We rescued Boo in September of 2021. All these horses have found a safe haven and a life purpose.
Rehabilitation We believe that “horses teach people and people teach horses”. We practice and teach Natural Horsemanship with the 9 horses we now house. This method allows us to connect with the horses by using their own language, a gentle hand, patience, and kindness. This method educates our participants in how to use kindness rather than mechanics and manipulation. By helping in the rehabilitation of the horses, participants can reflect on their own communication skills and interactive traits. The horses enable people to learn patience and improve listening, understand family dynamics, practice creative thinking, be better at setting boundaries and learn leadership skills.
Re-education By re-educating the horses in skills that help them learn to cooperate with humans, they accept the help of veterinarians and farriers and learn basics of handling and riding. As they learn to trust the humans they meet at the Farm, the horses become more interactive and cooperative, further aiding our efforts in providing a safe environment for our participants in the therapy programs and positively impacting those humans as well.
Re-educating people who participate at the Farm is a natural result of participation. Area children, teens, and adults who have experienced painful circumstances and need a place to be accepted and find hope are welcomed to the Farm. Learning assertive, but not abusive responses to the horses along with applying as little pressure as possible, not only effectively and kindly trains our horses, but benefits their handlers as well. Participants develop many life-altering skills through their interaction with the horses. These skills are applicable in many other areas besides horsemanship. The horses enable people to learn patience, acquire listening skills, improve family dynamics, foster creative thinking, establish boundaries, grow in leadership and decrease anxiety levels. Because we seek to include people with mental illness, intellectual and physical disabilities, as well as those who would be considered ‘at risk’, these skills find fertile soil for growth and flourishing.
Re-home The final stage with each horse is to help them achieve skills in basic groundwork, learn appropriate vet and farrier handling, and be suitable for riding. Four of our horses are targeted to go to permanent homes where the owner will continue building on the foundation that we set using the same principals. Our goal is to place 6 of our 9 horses in the next 2 years. The remaining 3 will continue in our Equine Assisted Therapy Program. For now, we invite the public to volunteer, learn and work with all nine horses.
- Belief: We are based on the idea that horses and people can heal each other of emotional pain from abuse or trauma while being drawn together by their own personalities and backgrounds. We practice Natural Horsemanship which helps with the relationship process and utilizes quietness, gentleness, and patience to communicate with the horses in their own language. This builds trust and relationship with these magnificent creatures. Our belief is in God and the saving grace of His Son Jesus Christ. It is our greatest desire to serve God by the demonstration of our faith through action, by our love for Him, and the support of families. It is our highest honor to serve children and families of all backgrounds.
- Philosophy: Horses are very sensitive and perceptive to feelings and emotions of their handlers and non-judgmental. They give feedback to people to show them what is on the inside, which is the beginning of the healing process. They support this with acceptance, teaching, and love.
Firefly Acres Horse Farm 