Our Horses
The horses at Hidden Pastures are not equipment, props, or interchangeable program animals.
Each has a history, personality, preferences, abilities, boundaries, and a different place on the farm.
Some teach riding. Some participate in Equine-Assisted Learning & Wellbeing. Some are still figuring out where they belong. And some simply get to be horses.
The Horse Comes First
At Hidden Pastures, participation begins with the individual horse.
Health, age, comfort, temperament, training, workload, weather, and daily needs all affect whether a horse participates in a program or activity.
Not every horse does every job.
A horse may need rest. A horse may need rehabilitation. A horse may not be comfortable with a particular activity or person. Sometimes the right answer is simply no.
Participants learn to pay attention to those signals rather than expecting automatic compliance.
Working well with horses begins with paying attention to the horse in front of you.
Meet the Big Horses
Lucky
Rocky Mountain Horse Mare | 13
Lucky came to Hidden Pastures through the North Texas Humane Society’s Right Horse Right Rider program after a difficult past.
Today, she is the clear leader of the pasture.
Lucky is firm about her boundaries. When she first arrived, even something as simple as a baseball cap could make her uncomfortable. Over time, we learned that the best way to work with Lucky was not to push harder, but to give her space and allow her to decide when she was ready to engage.
That is still true today.
Lucky always gets the final choice.
She participates in Private Equine-Assisted Learning & Wellbeing Sessions when she chooses to engage, and Allie is the only person who rides her.
Her favorite treat is carrots, and shoulder rubs are far better than head scratches.
Known for: boundaries, leadership, and making her opinion very clear.
Mattis
Paint Horse | 10
Mattis was the first horse Hidden Pastures adopted.
He came from the SPCA after being one of 65 horses rescued while sharing a single bale of hay. His nutrition and skin condition were so poor that there were real concerns he might not survive long enough to be adopted.
Seven years later, Mattis is healthy, thriving, and very much himself.
Named after General Mattis, he has fully embraced the call sign: Chaos.
Mattis participates in both Horsemanship & Riding and Private Equine-Assisted Learning & Wellbeing.
He and Comanche are pasture brothers and are frequently found playing together.
His most memorable quirk may also be his least dignified: Mattis is scared of his own farts and has been known to buck and run away from them.
Known for: resilience, playfulness, and chaos.
Comanche
Paint Horse | 10 | Approximately 17 Hands
At about 17 hands tall, Comanche is hard to miss.
He came to Hidden Pastures from a trainer after we watched him perform at several horse shows. He eventually became Katie’s learning horse and is now one of the staples of the Horsemanship & Riding program.
Comanche has some striking physical characteristics. His skin is black and white, but he grows only white hair, so much of his darker coloring is visible only when he is wet.
He also has heterochromia: one blue eye and one brown eye.
Despite his size, much of his daily entertainment comes from Mattis. The two are pasture brothers and love to play.
Known for: size, steady riding experience, and his unusual coloring.
Goose
Quarter Horse | 4 | 14.1 Hands
Known around the farm as Silly Goose, Goose is Katie’s pride and joy.
She came to Hidden Pastures as a yearling from the SPCA and has grown up knowing people as a source of care and consistency.
At 14.1 hands, she is fairly small for a horse, but she has become a strong confidence-builder for many riders.
Goose is a regular part of the Horsemanship & Riding program and has also participated in several private wellbeing sessions.
She is curious, social, and rarely misses an opportunity to investigate what someone is doing.
Known for: curiosity, confidence-building, and being very interested in everyone’s business.
Medusa "Maddie"
Horse | 17
Maddie is one of the newest members of Hidden Pastures.
She came to us through a community rescue after another nonprofit learned that her owner’s medical condition made continued care difficult.
Right now, Maddie’s role is rehabilitation.
She has ongoing veterinary and farrier needs, a carefully managed diet, and a structured hand-walking schedule.
Because of previous hoof problems, her care has to remain carefully managed.
Maddie loves people and already enjoys quiet grooming sessions, but she is not currently used formally in programs.
We are taking the time to meet her needs, let her settle, and learn who she is before deciding what role, if any, is right for her.
Maddie does not need to earn her place here by becoming a program horse.
If she eventually enjoys an appropriate role in programs, we will discover that with her. If she does not, she still belongs here.
The Mini Horse Family
A Family That Gets to Stay a Family
Buttercup, Peanut, and Lolly came to Hidden Pastures together.
Their previous owner donated them so they could become part of something bigger.
It is unusual for an entire horse family to stay together for life.
Our promise to them is that they will always stay together.
Buttercup
Palomino Miniature Horse | 15
Buttercup is the mom of the mini family and very clearly the boss. She knows what she wants and has no problem telling Peanut or Lolly.
Because of her eye structure, Buttercup requires daily eye care. She participates in many Hidden Pastures programs and is one of the most familiar faces on the farm.
Peanut
Paint Miniature Horse | 13
Peanut is the dad of the mini family. He is calm, confident, spunky, and usually happiest when something interesting is happening nearby.
Peanut participates in many Hidden Pastures programs and loves having something to do.
Lollypop "Lolly"
Paint Miniature Horse | 7
Lolly is the baby of the family and full of personality. Spunky, curious, and opinionated, she approaches farm life completely as herself.
Whether she is chasing Petunia away from the best pile of hay or being startled by one of the barn cats, Lolly is hard to miss.
Different Horses. Different Roles.
There is no single job that every horse at Hidden Pastures is expected to perform.
Some horses participate in Western riding lessons and horsemanship instruction based on their training, health, temperament, and current workload. Participants learn riding alongside groundwork, horse care, communication, and responsibility.
Equine-Assisted Learning & Wellbeing
Some horses participate in non-clinical, ground-based experiences involving observation, communication, boundaries, choices, and practical interaction. Riding is not the primary focus. The horse is a participant in the experience, not an interpreter of what someone is thinking or feeling.
Farm & Educational Experiences
Depending on the horse and the day, horses may also participate in camps, youth programs, tours, demonstrations, community events, or other farm experiences.
A horse’s participation is never guaranteed simply because an activity is scheduled.
Caring for Horses Is a Long-Term Commitment
Responsible horse ownership involves much more than feed and a pasture.
Throughout the year, care may include:
Everyday Care
- Hay and feed
- Fresh water
- Grooming
- Shelter
- Fencing
- Bedding
Health & Specialized Care
- Veterinary care
- Farrier care
- Dental care
- Medications
- Supplements
- Specialized diets
- Rehabilitation
Training & Wellbeing
- Groundwork
- Riding and training
- Enrichment
- Rest
- Appropriate workload
- Safe pasture relationships
- Emergency care when needed
Some horses require relatively routine care.
Others require considerably more.
That responsibility does not change based on whether a horse is currently participating in programs.
Help Care for a Horse You Know
Horse sponsorship helps Hidden Pastures support the real cost of responsible care.
Sponsors help make feed, hay, veterinary care, farrier services, medications, rehabilitation, training, shelter, and everyday care possible.
Support may be directed toward an individual horse or toward the herd as a whole.
Sponsorship supports the horse’s care. It does not create ownership rights or guarantee private access, riding, or interaction with a particular horse.
Come Meet Them in Person
Every horse is different in person than they are in a photograph.
Hidden Pastures offers scheduled programs and farm experiences where visitors may have opportunities to meet the horses, learn about their care, and see how they are part of everyday farm life.
Remember: participation and interaction always depend on the individual horse and the conditions that day.