Willow Creek Stables

Willow Creek Stables Willow Creek is home to 23 critically endangered Newfoundland ponies! We are a not for profit rescue

Critically endangered Newfoundland Ponies

It may have ears that are furry and short, and a low-set tail that’s as rough as a bottle brush, but it’s strong, brave, and endlessly forgiving. There was a time in Newfoundland when ponies were as plentiful as dories and cod—a time when human survival depended on the shaggy, sure-footed descendents of Mountain and Moorland breeds that arrived there as l

ivestock with the first British settlers. But progress put the ponies to pasture, and by the 1980s their numbers had plummeted from more than 12,000 to fewer than 100, as meat trucks carried loads of them to processing plants in Quebec. Despite the harsh conditions of life on the land, Newfoundland ponies bred and prospered over the years, adapting to everything that nature and man could throw their way. But as tough as the ponies were, they were no match for machines. Tractors, snowmobiles and ATVs took their jobs, and in the 1970s, communities enacted anti-roaming laws that required ponies to be fenced in, taking away their primary food source. Unable to afford to feed the animals year-round, owners sold them to the highest bidder, which in many cases was a meat truck.

Wilson says “Snowfall is nature's way to inspire us to slow down and breathe.”Wilson is clearly not responsible for shov...
02/17/2025

Wilson says “Snowfall is nature's way to inspire us to slow down and breathe.”
Wilson is clearly not responsible for shovelling. Sure we have slowed down, one can only walk so fast in waist high snow but as for the breathing, panting and gasping seem more accurate.

George and Lottie have decided it’s not fit to be outside. The wind has picked up and the snow is blowing. The barn is a...
02/17/2025

George and Lottie have decided it’s not fit to be outside. The wind has picked up and the snow is blowing. The barn is a much nicer place to be.

Hope no one calls us for a pony rescue today. Trailers, trucks, tractors are all snowed in. We have been clearing snow f...
02/17/2025

Hope no one calls us for a pony rescue today. Trailers, trucks, tractors are all snowed in. We have been clearing snow for several hours and haven’t even put a dent in it!

It’s been snowing for 30 hours with no signs of it letting up. Some of the drifts are almost as high as the fences. The ...
02/16/2025

It’s been snowing for 30 hours with no signs of it letting up. Some of the drifts are almost as high as the fences. The ponies and horses have only left the feeding stations to drink. Walking to the barn for a water and wellness check on the herd I got caught in a drift that was almost to the top of my legs. No idea how much snow we have received at this point. Any earlier signs of plowing have disappeared. Tomorrow we will have wind gusts of 70kms which will create even more challenges trying to manage this snow. Devlin is tucked in. Beauty is standing under a hay feeder using the paths made by the horses to get into the barn. You can only see the top of her head when she is walking to the barn. Ponies are all doing well. The next few days will likely be harder on the humans. Thank goodness it’s cold and the snow is light. ❄️☃️❄️

02/16/2025
02/16/2025

Just a reminder that due to weather the 50 Shades of Red Barn Tour is cancelled for today! Hope to see you all back at the farm soon!

Mayden is the sweetest boy and he’s pretty wise to. Mayden says “If you want to, you can find a million reasons to hate ...
02/15/2025

Mayden is the sweetest boy and he’s pretty wise to. Mayden says “If you want to, you can find a million reasons to hate life and be angry at the world. Or, if you want to, you could find a million reasons to love life and be happy.
Choose wisely.”

So much love for the ponies today on our Valentines Pony Trek! We so appreciate our amazing volunteers who helped with t...
02/15/2025

So much love for the ponies today on our Valentines Pony Trek! We so appreciate our amazing volunteers who helped with the trek today and this wonderful group who came out in the snow to show the ponies some love!

50 Shades of Red was all about love today! ❤️
02/15/2025

50 Shades of Red was all about love today! ❤️

Personal space refers to an area with invisible boundaries surrounding a person's body into which intruders may not come...
02/14/2025

Personal space refers to an area with invisible boundaries surrounding a person's body into which intruders may not come. Wilson has not grasped this concept.

There are so many ways to show someone you love them. Spending quality time together is also an expression of love. Beau...
02/14/2025

There are so many ways to show someone you love them. Spending quality time together is also an expression of love. Beauty listened very intently while Charlotte read to her. We hope everyone is feeling some love today. ❤️

Our Valentines Pony Trek is still a go for Saturday February 15th! The ponies can’t wait to show their love! Trek starts...
02/14/2025

Our Valentines Pony Trek is still a go for Saturday February 15th! The ponies can’t wait to show their love! Trek starts at 1pm!❤️

We had to share a picture of Moonie’s last Valentine’s Day. We sure do miss him! Duchess told Moonie “You don't love som...
02/14/2025

We had to share a picture of Moonie’s last Valentine’s Day. We sure do miss him!

Duchess told Moonie “You don't love someone because they're perfect. You love them in spite of the fact that they're not."
Moonie told Duchess “When we love, we always strive to become better than we are. When we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better too."
❤️ Happy Valentine’s Day from all the ponies at Willow Creek! ❤️ Wishing you all a wonderful year full of love and meaningful friendships!❤️

Beauty says “where does a girl go to buy snowshoes?”
02/13/2025

Beauty says “where does a girl go to buy snowshoes?”

Why do horses and ponies make us so happy?Connecting with horses (not just riding; grooming or just even being around th...
02/13/2025

Why do horses and ponies make us so happy?
Connecting with horses (not just riding; grooming or just even being around them) can cause our brains to release positive neurotransmitters. The three big ones that are triggered are: oxytocin (the love hormone), serotonin and dopamine, which are responsible for the happy feelings we get.
It’s amazing how a quick trip the the barn can lift your spirits and turn a bad day around.

We are expecting many many snowy noses tomorrow! We are expected to receive 40cm of snow tonight and into tomorrow. Satu...
02/13/2025

We are expecting many many snowy noses tomorrow! We are expected to receive 40cm of snow tonight and into tomorrow. Saturday another 10cm and Sunday another 20cm. This means 70cm in the next 4 days. Today we spent most of the day on storm prep. Blankets on everyone, extra feed, extra hay, securing anything that could blow away, fueling and plugging in tractors, putting away hay tarps, storm latches on the arena doors etc. Devlin and a few others will likely be inside for the winter event. Our little Beauty finds the deep snow a challenge. Tomorrow will likely be spent trying to shovel paths between the barn and the manure pile so we can dump stall shaving and just ensuring everyone has lots of food and water. Stay safe everyone!

Valentine advice from Sweetie and Wayne. Tell her she is pretty, bring her her favourite treats, and know her favourite ...
02/12/2025

Valentine advice from Sweetie and Wayne. Tell her she is pretty, bring her her favourite treats, and know her favourite scratch spot. This is the recipe for everlasting love!

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2351 Christie Lake Road
Perth, ON
K7H3C6

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+16132675123

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Videos

Red
Red

Loving up on Red!

Wilson and the tape trick
Wilson and the tape trick

There is a viral Tik Tok video where a farrier puts a piece of tape on a busy body horse to keep them amused during a trim. Wilson was a super awesome boy for the first three feet but his attention span is limited at times and by foot four he was done so we decided to see how he’d respond to the tape trick. It was a no go and just a little coaxing and he stood still to get that last foot done. Definitely his best trim thus far. Wilson is a loveable character!

Sweetie
Sweetie

It’s a little late for trick or treating but if you are Wayne’s Sweetie you can trick or treat every day.

Wilson Post Bath!
Wilson Post Bath!

It’s been unseasonably warm for a couple of days and Wilson is sweating with his winter coat already in. Tried cooling him off with a bath before he started to head for the water trough to give himself one. He was clean for a few minutes.

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