In 2012, Abbey Gardens participated in the Host Farm Program run in partnership with Rare Breeds Canada (now Heritage Livestock Canada) and The Lac La Croix Indigenous Pony Society (now The Ojibwe Horse Society). We fostered a mare named Sika (Ojibwe name is Wishkossiwika) and a stallion named Chase (Ojibwe name is Biminajikawa) and welcomed their colt, Maple (Ojibwe name Akoozi) in August 2013.

In 2014, Sika moved on to her new home in Port Hope, where she became a brood mare for an Ojibwe Horse preservation program. Today, she lives at Madahoki Farm in Ottawa. Chase lives at Grey Raven Ranch in Seine River. 

Ponies and horses are social creatures that thrive in a herd, so we purchased a miniature horse to be a pasture pal with Maple after his parents left. Flapjack (formerly known as Oliver) came to us from a local hobby farm. He was born in April 2013 and is a miniature Appaloosa with a mischievous personality who loved to play with Maple! These two quickly became the perfect pair.

Ojibwe Horses

Ojibwe Horses (formerly known as Lac La Croix Indigenous Ponies) are believed to be the only existing horse breed developed by Indigenous People in Canada. Wild herds once roamed the boreal forests of northwestern Ontario and northern Minnesota often sharing territory with Ojibwe People. Elders and Knowledge Keepers place them in North America thousands of years before European contact. According to the Ojibwe Horse Society, “DNA evidence shows they are different from European-introduced horse breeds in distinctive ways that made them an integral and harmonious part of the North American boreal forest. The testimony of Indigenous elders affirms they have had a spiritual and working relationship with the Ojibwe Horse throughout time.” Horses were kept and used in the winter for hauling logs and ice, checking trap lines, and riding. In exchange, horses received shelter, food, and protection from predators. They were turned loose every spring to roam free.

Over time, industrialization and intentional culling led to severe population decline. By mid-century, only a small herd roaming free in the wilderness surrounding Lac La Croix First Nation remained. This remote community was the last to maintain its relationship with Ojibwe Horses. In 1977, Canadian health officials reportedly deemed the 4 remaining mares a health risk and planned to destroy them. Fortunately, 5 men from Bois Forte and Lac La Croix rescued the mares and transported them to a Minnesota reserve where they were bred to a registered Spanish Mustang. Dedicated breeders have since rebuilt the population to approximately 150-200 individuals located across Canada and the United States; however, the breed is still considered “critically endangered” by Rare Breeds Canada. Ojibwe Horses are now used in equine therapy, Indigenous programs, and tourism-based activities.