Today, with heavy hearts, we share the sudden and unexpected loss of our dear horse friend Ginny. Virginia Creeper, “Ginny”, a Standardbred mare was born in 2001 and came to live with us in 2013. Ginny’s career in racing was ended with a leg injury and then she was sold and became an Amish buggy horse for several years. A very serious foot injury almost ended her life but a horse rescue near to where Ginny was living in Pennsylvania took her in to see if they could help her. And that was the beginning of a whole new life for Ginny.

Ginny saw some tough times in her life. And to know this amazingly sweet and gentle mare and to think of the terror she had to have felt being a buggy horse on the streets gives testament to her inner strength. She underwent a major foot surgery and long rehabilitation with the equine rescue where she lived for several years. Spring Farm CARES was contacted by that rescue when the founder had serious health issues and had to close her rescue. Ginny came to live here where she was loved and adored by all of her caretakers and horse and donkey friends.

Ginny was that solid rock that balanced everything and everyone. The matriarch of the smaller of our two barns, she was a wise and gentle leader. She was a friend to Charlie, the smallest of the ponies, as well as to her other horse friends and two donkeys. We could put her out in the pasture with anyone and know that they’d be safe and looked after.

But, her favorite friend was a mare named Nell. Nell had come from a horrific animal cruelty situation where she was the sole survivor after watching her friends die one by one. Nell was in bad shape and lost an eye due to severe infection. She was so traumatized when she first came here and was having trouble settling down. But then she came up to our smaller barn with Ginny and life suddenly made a lot more sense. Nell and Ginny became close friends and looked out for one another.

On November 18^th, the day started out like a normal day. The girls went out to pasture together with their two donkey friends Felix and Leo. At lunchtime they were fed and everyone was checked on. But suddenly an hour later, Ginny was noticed lying down and rolling in our barnyard where the horses were gathering to come back into their barn. We knew something was very wrong. By sheer miracle, our veterinarian just happened to be a few miles down the road and was here in under 10 minutes. But, sadly, Ginny was already in the process of dying and there was nothing any of us could do other than to say good-bye to a mare that truly was impossible to say good-bye to.

Her death was so sudden and unexpected and has left all of us reeling in disbelief. What an amazing gift it has been for us to have her with us for the past 12 years. We so wish it could have been many more.

Our hearts go out to her barn companions – ponies Charlie and Tulip, donkeys Felix and Leo, sheep Mary, Hershey, & Mocha – and most especially the mare whose life was healed and changed by Ginny’s friendship – Nell.

Her human companions and caretakers are beyond sad for our loss, but filled with gratitude for the gift of having loved her. For Ginny was loved so dearly that she really didn’t want to leave. We could feel her fight to stay and hold on and her resignation and peace as she knew it was time to let go.

Rest easy girl. Your heart has filled this whole farm with your energy. We are so grateful to have had you with us. We will cherish and love you always.