Our Herd History
About Maggie
Fair Winds Farm concept began with Maggie, a beautiful Morgan mare, in her mid-twenties, when we discovered Maggie living in a small paddock, covered in mud, neglected, and facing imminent euthanasia. To rescue Maggie, Jen first had to quickly find a place to keep her. As it turned out, a resident of Newbury had a backyard barn and a young daughter who loved horses. Within a matter of days, Maggie was delivered to her new home. What a life-saving moment for Maggie turned into a life-changing moment for Jen.
Having spent her youth around horses, Jen rediscovered her true passion for life-caring for horses and animals. She began a vigorous program of equine certifications in 2013, enabling her to combine her passion for horses with her other passion-working for children and youths. It took no time at all for Maggie to be surrounded by loving kids who signed up for Jen’s first equine program.
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Maggie also found a new friend of her own, a local high school student who came to the farm and was a rider. Several days each week, she would visit Maggie to groom and ride her. Over the next three years, she and Maggie developed a very strong bond. Their bond was so strong, that when she was leaving for college, she asked if she could adopt her. Although we were all very sad to see Maggie go, we knew she was leaving with someone who loved her and she had found her forever home. Maggie now lives in Vermont, amidst rolling hills and acres of green grass. During the summers, when she comes come from college, Maggie lives in Rowley MA where her old friends from Fair Winds Farm can frequently visit her. But, back in the beginning, we could sense Maggie needed a friend ……and things began to grow.
About Candy
Candy a lesson pony in her late twenties, was Jen’s second adoption. Unlike Maggie, Candy’s life had been a good one. She had been with one family her whole life, but after the kids had moved away from home, the parents were looking for a home for her. The family was very careful in finding her a new home, especially because she had developed Cushing’s Disease, common in older horses. The hallmarks of Cushing’s are a long and shaggy coat, loss of muscle mass, laminitis, and susceptibility to infection due to a compromised immune system.
Candy’s diet had to be strictly regulated and her overall health carefully monitored. After a lengthy search, they were greatly relieved to find Jen, someone they could trust with their precious family pet. A gentle soul with a nicker and whinny that warms your heart, everyone instantly fell in love with Candy!
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She was a wonderful companion for Maggie, who revealed her alpha mare tendencies, and watched out for her new friend. Candy was also a favorite for the little children. Though she was getting on in years, she loved letting the kids ride her, mostly bareback. She was a trustworthy and reliable friend. After about a year of gentle walk trot riding with light riders, Jen realized it would be best for Candy to live out her remaining years in retirement. The kids still love to groom her and take her for walks in the neighborhood.
On hot summer days, Candy would stand in her stall in front of her fan, and let the cool air rush over her shaggy mane. She loved mints! An older girl, with more than a few missing teeth, brought great joy and laughter to everyone who would watch her take 30 min to suck down a tiny mint-it just kept going on!
When we moved from our lovely but relatively small backyard barn to our own 9-acre farm Candy surprised us all. We all thought the younger horses would run like crazy in their newfound open space. Nope! It was Candy! She ran around like a kid in a candy store-thus maybe her name (that and her love of mints!) For over a year in her new home at Three Hearts Farm, she greeted us every morning with her infectious nicker-a joy for us. Sadly, after her thirty-five well-lived years, our beloved Candy girl gave out. Losing Candy was not only tough on us, but it was also tough on the kids who came to know her so well over the years. But it was also an important lesson about the cycle of life for them to experience and be able to express their sadness in a sage and comforting environment. We talk frequently about Candy and how she taught us the value of compassion and unconditional love. One of our favorite kids at the farm, Haley, hand-painted a stone for her memorial. Though we remember her fondly every day, her morning nicker is sorely missed!
About Trisquit
Trisquit came to us as a “foster” horse from NEER North (New England Equine Rescue) run by Mary Martin of West Newbury. Mary had just rescued several horses (Trisquit, Haflinger gelding, among them) and was short on space. So, we agreed to foster him in our Newbury barn while Mary searched for a permanent home for him. Well for Alison it was love at first sight. Within two weeks, she had officially adopted Trisquit and he became part of our herd and family.
Triquit was originally from Pennsylvania where he had been an Amish carriage horse. Sadly workhorses are worked so hard that they wear out. And when they wear out, they are often sold at auction where they sometimes end up on trucks headed to Canada for slaughter. This was the fate Mary saved Trisquit from.
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About Daisy
Daisy a stunningly beautiful Belgian Draft horse was living in a backyard barn. For nearly a year, Jen would drive by and marvel at her magnificence and drop in and visit her. When she learned that Daisy’s owner was selling her, Jen leaped at the chance.
Unlike the rest of our crew, Daisy was a ten-year-old mare in perfect health. Jen had been looking for a riding horse for quite some time. On the first meeting with Daisy, Jen knew she had found her horse. About a week later, Daisy arrived at our barn in Newbury. For Trisquit, it was love at first sight! Since that day, Daisy and Trisquit are never been too far apart. They often stand with their heads together- and guess what shape it forms? A perfect heart.
About Cora
Cora came to us in October 2015 from a small backyard space. Cora’s story is truly one of survival and resilience. Seriously overworked in her early years in rodeo and gymkhana events, Cora came with many scars and bruises both inside and out.
Rescued from a kill pen, Cora came to us underweight and the light gone from her eyes.
Two years later, Cora enjoys 9 beautiful acres with her farm friends including 5 other rescue horses and ponies, two goats, and 2 pot belly pigs. Healthy and at a good weight, Cora can often be seen with a twinkle in her eye and a loving nudge for her new human family.
About Max
Max, a miniature stallion in his mid-twenties, was Jen’s next adoption. Max came with two of his friends Cinnamon and Sugar. Given that Max was a stallion, Jen consulted with a vet about the possibility of having him gelded. Given his age, Jen was advised that the procedure presented too many risks, So, Jen had to make sure he was going to blend into the herd with two mares. Thankfully Max integrated without incident and within a few days, his adoption was formalized.
Max became a favorite of Ari, one of our youngest regular horse-crazy kids at the barn. About the same height, Ari spent hours grooming Max and walking him around the paddocks or the neighborhood. When we moved to our new him, Ari loved to walk Max through our wooded “Find a Heart Trail” Cinnamon and Sugar loved to follow Max on his walks, chatting all the way.
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Eventually, the stallion in him just could not rest. It became clear he would need to be with Cinnamon and Sugar and not the mares. He spent hours pacing the fence line and began losing a lot of weight due to stress. Jen reached out to her friend Mary Marin at NEER North and she found him a person. the family was looking for a companion for their gelding. A true horsewoman, Deb took Max to her farm and he lived his long and very content life with her. We are forever grateful to Deb for the care she gave Max in his senior years. Thank you Deb!
About Gypsy
Gypsy a beautiful painted horse was rescued from a barn that was closing due to a divorce. At twenty-one, Gypsy is still going strong. Currently, we are giving her some time to recover from an old injury. She may one day be able to handle some light riding. But for now, she is a favorite with children and adults alike, for grooming and bonding. She has an incredibly sweet temperament and spirit.
She is very calm and gentle. Our volunteer Mary came to us looking for a way to connect with horses, as she longed for the opportunity to be with these beautiful animals in a quiet and peaceful setting. She bonded with Gypsy and soon fell in love. Mary made the move a few years later and bought her own farm in Maine. As she always had a place in her heart for Gypsy, she adopted her and she lived out her days with Mary and Cinnamon in the fields and orchards. Mary had so much love to give them both.
About Cinnamon & Sugar
Cinnamon and Sugar and mom and daughter pair of pygmy goats who came to our farm with Max (see his story) as a package deal. While we do not have precise information about their life before Max or their exact ages, our vet thinks they are probably in their early teens.
Originating from the Cameroon Valley of West Africa, the pygmy goat is a popular breed of miniature domesticated goat that was brought to the United States from European zoos in the 1950s.
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A combination of their friendly nature, their hardiness, and their ability to adapt to virtually any climate, made them popular as pets.
Goats are known for their love of climbing and jumping. Cinnamon and Sugar are no exception. They love their new home and spend hours each day climbing the stone walls and exploring the paddocks. Sugar became known as “the wise old goat” because of her quiet and calming personality. Her daughter Cinnamon is maturing into that quiet friend we all admire. Cinnamon now resides near Belfast Maine, with our beloved Mary. She has found her forever home at Mary’s large family farm.
About Eva & Zsa Zsa
Zsa Zsa and Eva, the “Gabor sisters” are Vietnamese pot-belly pigs. These sisters were rescued from a nearby farm that was closing. 6 months old when we adopted them, we were told they would probably get to be around 35lbs maximum. Well, at about 60 lbs now, they still have another year of growth.
Zsa Zsa and Eva love to swim! Their favorite foods are watermelon and celery. They also enjoy obstacle courses, and jumping over fence posts, which we call the “PigLympics”.They are friendly, lie down for tummy rubs, and are super smart. They are also very clean and prefer not to soil the place where they sleep.