How do you accidentally end up with a farm full of mini horses? Serendipity and an eight-foot trailer truck, a likely combo. A little more than 40 years ago, that combo came into play for Judy and Norm Middleton when they jumped behind the wheel to venture to Ocala on a mission to bring home a horse as a surprise for their daughter.
OWNER JUDY MIDDLETON LOVES TO SIT AND ADMIRE HER MINIS AFTER MORNING CHORES ARE DONE. PHOTOGRAPHY BY WYATT KOSTYGAN.
Hoping to meet their new quarter horse—known for short-distance speed and averaging a bit over five feet tall—they brought an appropriately sized trailer to bring their new four-legged gift home. When they arrived, the sellers took one look at the Middleton’s giant truck and “almost laughed them off the lot,” they recall.
FRIENDLY AND CURIOUS, MINI HORSES MAKE COMFORTING AND ADORABLE COMPANIONS, ESPECIALLY FOR THE ELDERLY AND DIFFERENTLY-ABLED. PHOTOGRAPHY BY WYATT KOSTYGAN.
The Middletons were met with an unexpected, “mini” surprise. At an adorable three feet tall, a fleet of miniature horses stole their hearts. And the rest, as they say, is history. Although Judy and her husband say they knew next to nothing about raising mini horses, they learned quickly and found their 4-H groups took to them instantly.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY WYATT KOSTYGAN.
Back at their ranch in Sarasota, Fallen Pine Farm, kids found the petite breed much less intimidating than their full-size cousin. “Even a little three-year-old kid can lead the feistiest mini horse all by themself,” says Judy. “They don’t rear or buck, and they pretty much keep their four little feet on the ground.”
PHOTOGRAPHY BY WYATT KOSTYGAN.
Despite their shrunk-down size, the 50 or so horses at Fallen Pine Farm make a big impact in the lives of those who need some extra love and care. “Seeing them interact with the elderly and children with autism has been the most rewarding,” says Judy. For those in their later years, the mini horses provide gentle companionship and a childlike wonder. “I know older folks who have bought two or three of them just to have for company—especially if they have big yards with acres for them to roam.”
WITH FOUR DECADES UNDER HER BELT, JUDY'S NEWEST PROJECT IS WRITING A BOOK ABOUT RAISING AND HANDLING HER PONY PALS. PHOTOGRAPHY BY WYATT KOSTYGAN.
These small creatures seem to be intuitive to those who might need them, recalling a nonverbal autistic boy who spoke his first words at the sight of the too-cute-to-trot farm animal. “I truly believe they are sensitive to us humans. They just seem to know when to show affection,” Judy shares. “When anyone in a wheelchair comes by, they always seem to go up to them first, sniff them and lay their heads softly in their laps to be pet.” SRQ
Fallen Pine Ranch Miniature Horses 16626 Winburn Dr. Sarasota, 941-322-1897, fallenpinefarm.net
