Miniature horses bring a special kind of joy to Susie Grady. “We take the minis out for walks and every time we do, people are stopping us,” she says. When she first saw a mini horse, Grady’s daughter Poppy was surprised to learn they existed. “I was just so amazed by them. And then as we got more and more, I just love them even more now,” Poppy recalls. Now, she has 11 mini horses on Sunshine Ranch in East Lawrencetown, N.S., including baby Milo who is three weeks old. They are expecting two more in the coming weeks. “I feel like looking after them and being responsible for them has taught me a lot in just caring for another life, basically,” says Poppy. “I was so excited to see him and to have a baby horse. I love carrying them around when they’re so little.” Grady originally bought Sunshine Ranch to take care of her older horse. From there, they bought a mini horse and started to grow the farm. “I think it’s because they’re so similar to dogs, and I always had dogs. And, if anybody knows me, they know it’s very odd for me not to have a dog,” said Grady. “But these really replace the dogs. You do everything you can with a dog, and they stay outside and they live a heck of a lot longer.” Miniature horses live 35 to 40 years. After noticing how much attention the mini horses get on their walks, Grady and her family started doing events with them. “It kind of gave me the idea that, well, maybe we should invite people up,” she laughed. “And that’s how we started our first event last October and from there it just kind of grew.” “I’d like to see it grow, but not too much. We want to keep our family peace and the business at a good balance.” Buying a farm and moving out of the city had many advantages for the Grady family, specifically for that balance. “It’s a great opportunity for Poppy because she’s outside all the time. She’s learning to care for another animal,” said Grady. “It’s just the responsibility and to be honest, we don’t even watch much TV. We don’t have the time, but we enjoy this, and it’s just something that brings our family together.” Something Poppy, really does not mind. “When I first started riding, I was four years old, and when we moved here, I’m pretty sure I was nine,” she said. “I think it’s just like being on the horse and having the bond with an animal, it’s just really special to have.” Poppy competes in riding competitions and helps with showing the minis. She is also the mastermind behind the parties and events that are thrown at Sunshine Ranch. The ranch has a pony club, where people can learn how to groom the minis properly, and they even dress them up and take the for walks. They would like to add events, as they continue construction on the farm and area. For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page
