10/29/2026
🐴 Rescue Spotlight: Stewie
Meet Stewie, a seven-year-old miniature horse whose story is a powerful reminder of why rescue matters.
At just six months old, Stewie was rescued by HARPS along with four other survivors during a bitterly cold winter in Marengo, Illinois. Severely starved and dangerously weak, Stewie was little more than a skeletal frame beneath his long winter coat. Without intervention, he likely wouldn’t have survived the winter.
When we returned the following morning to impound Stewie and the other horses, we discovered that two of his pasture mates had died overnight. We believe one of them was his mother.
Along with Stewie, we rescued four other miniature horses and a full-size horse we later named Garth.
Thankfully, Stewie’s story didn’t end there. ❤️
Today, Stewie is one of the highlights of our children’s program and corporate volunteer days! Children and volunteers get to brush, halter, and lead Stewie and our other small ponies through an obstacle course. Stewie happily participates, soaking up the attention and enjoying his interactions with both children and adults.
From a fragile baby fighting to survive to a beloved member of our educational program, Stewie has come a long way. When he’s not charming our young visitors and volunteers, you can often find him hanging out with his best friends, Duncan the donkey and Cosmo, another miniature horse.
We’re so glad Stewie got his second chance. His story is exactly why rescue matters. ❤️
