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"Millie"

Willis and Millie
A number of years ago I would pass by a herd of Belgian draft horses on my way to work which were in a poorly kept, run down pasture. They seemed thin and uncared for and a couple of times I stopped and gave them carrots. In late spring one of the mares dropped a foal which concerned me as the mare looked very thin to begin with.

I inquired with the county's Animal Services Department to see if anyone was aware what the status was of these animals and I was informed that they had been put there as a result of an animal cruelty case, their owner was supposed to care for them, he had not been doing so for some time, and the matter was being attended to.

I didn't give the matter much more thought except that I felt bad for what looked like a rather nice foal which wouldn't get proper nutrition. "What a waste!"

Little did I know that our neighbors, the DeBorbas, were looking for some draft horses to publicize their DeBorba Hay Company, and lo and behold they purchased three of the horses; Molly (the dam), Millie and a stallion. To make a long story short, the stallion went out for breeding, Molly appears elsewhere in this website and Millie ended up at our barn about a year later and was the first horse I'd ever started.

At 18 months of age, Millie was just over 16hh and weighed about 1,300 lbs. She appeared very clear headed and bright so we decided to work with her and see where things led. On the first day she did her ground schooling so well I thought about seeing how she would tolerate weight on her back. I found a small step ladder and carefully climbed onto her back. All Millie had on was a halter and leadrope. She handled the situation like a true lady and we spent the next several minutes bending and backing.

The following day we were walking out from a bend, changing directions and reinforcing the halt and back aids. By the third day we were jogging and by the fourth, opening the gate from horseback. Within 2 weeks I could ride her down the road to the DeBorba's place (about a mile away), and stop and visit with people in their cars along the way. Millie would stand on the center stripe while traffic passed on the 2-lane road. She still had baby teeth so all I had that she could wear was a rope halter and leadrope, yet she never once startled, bucked or tried to run off the entire time I worked with her.

Getting started in the round corral
(Second day of work)
The DeBorbas moved out of the county some years ago, however they eventually sold Millie to the Peterson family that lives just a few miles from here, so I still occasionally get to see this special horse!

  RELATED LINKS

Molly

Marcy


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