FAQ

While we would love to see you, Judith, people actually can’t just drop by for several reasons. One, this is a private, working farm and also the home of the people who run Mylestone. I was always told it was not nice to just trot up to people’s houses without being expected, so it’s MUCH better to have an appointment.

Plus everyone is very, very busy. There’s a lot to be done during the day for all of us, especially at feeding time. Particularly the older horses who get medication and are on a very rigid schedule which must be kept. And then the farrier comes and then the vet - it’s just not possible for the volunteers to stop what they’re doing to show visitors around.

But remember to come to Open House in October which is really the best time, and Mylestone does give tours for people by appointment, so that would be your best bet. Thanks for caring about us!

Some horses have medical problems and need to be watched more closely, or get medication. In a barn stall, we’re kind of a captive audience. Chasing horses in pastures to give meds isn’t fun for the humans, although we might find it a bit funny. But most importantly, those in the barn are older and are receiving additional and specialized meals - we want them nearby to make sure they always get what they need. Sometimes horses in the barn are recovering from some kind of illness, too. Also, some horses really don’t like the confinement of the barn - they are much happier outside and do great!

Floating teeth is a horse dentist’s term - what it really means is filing them down so they’re even and we can chew properly and better digest our feed. Without this being done, it can hinder our ability to eat. Here’s something else I learned -- did you know horses have wolf teeth? That’s what they call them! They’re little tiny teeth in front of the first molars and are usually removed.

I can speak here for Susankelly and Bruce - yes, they are tired. Me? I’m just grateful. But that aside, there are good reasons for doing night feedings. One of them is that we horses are grazing animals. If we were in nice green pasture 24/7 where yummy grass was available all the time, we’d be grazing all the time. A horse’s stomach needs to have food in it most of the time; when it doesn’t, we can be subject to colicking. Some of us are in the barn at night, (no grass), and others that are out with run-in sheds may have frozen ground, (no grass), snow, (no grass), or we already ate it all.

So late night feeding brings us hay, and another reason is that there are several older horses who can't eat hay because of their teeth and they are fed mashes. When doing night feeding they are able to get in another meal and then they feel full and happy.

The main reason Mylestone does night feedings - and that is to make sure we’re all OK. Many of us here have health problems - it’s why Mylestone took us. Sometimes we get sick at night or have some problem or another. When staff comes out to feed us, they do a nose count, so to speak, make sure everyone’s up and as we should be. It may be late, but if one of us were sick, at least we don’t have to wait `til morning for someone to find us. Sometimes one of us may be down with a tummy ache and when they find us, our nice veterinarian comes in the middle of the night to help us. Who knows what might happen if no one came around to check on us?

I’m glad they come to feed us at night - it makes us happy and we feel secure. We know they love us, even if they’re tired.

Not just me, Maria, but you’ll meet all my friends here at Mylestone - Scout and Quincy and Sundance and ... well, all of us!! It’s great if you bring special horse treats, carrots or apples, but only staff can give them to us in our meals - otherwise we’d eat everything in sight and get some big stomachaches. There’s a special spot where you can put your donations, just ask where it is - guaranteed, we’ll enjoy them!! Can’t wait to see you ... Your devoted correspondent, Dillon

Dear Anna - The very first horse rescued by Mylestone was technically Calvin, but the horse rescued by Susankelly that inspired her to found Mylestone was Myles himself. 

When horses finally come to Mylestone they have already had sad, painful lives. Even though each came with a name, and some have had many names as they went from owner to owner, when they come to Mylestone they are starting anew. Therefore, we give them the name that they’ll be known by for the rest of their lives. Often the name is similar enough to their old name so the horse can recognize it easily, but other times, the horse is named for something special about him – for instance Ghost was named because he came on Halloween (and is a ghostly gray color). Shadow was named because he followed Susankelly around like a Shadow whenever she went into his pen.

Each case is different, Anna, but most important is that each of us got a name just suited to us alone, a name that marked the beginning of a kinder, more caring life.

Rachael, that's a difficult question because there are so many great things about being here at Mylestone. It's nice to have found a comfortable home where all my troubles from the past are far behind me and there is nothing to worry about anymore. My meals all come on time, I have this beautiful open space to run around and play with my friends in, and I get so much attention from the volunteers who are always stopping by to pet me or feed me carrots! I also like my horse pals that I live outside with.

Sadly, my best buddy passed away in October 2014. We really miss him a lot, and to this day, he is very much missed by Susankelly, her family and the volunteers. He was really a great guy. 

Whisper, Wyatt, Donny and Buddy are all in their 30’s. They think Whisper is 34. Many of the horses are in their late 20’s.

We require our volunteers to be 18 years or older for insurance reasons. However that doesn’t mean our younger supporters can’t still help the horses.

You can come for tours and meet all of us, visit us at our annual Open House, collect items from our wish list, and several children have helped us by collecting spare change that is then used to buy hay and grain!
So just because you aren’t 18 doesn’t mean you can't help us out - you can!

No, I haven’t met Poppy the goat yet, but I have heard her. Poppy gets very excited at feeding time. I have met her best buddy, Mini Pearl, because Susankelly walks her around the farm sometimes. She is really tiny!!