Po-Tato Pony, A Solstice Story (2025)

21/06/2025

Good morning Po-tato Family,

I made a video to share in memory of Po. It only has snippets from the videos on my phone, so the early year videos aren't well represented. I hope to do something more inclusive for him in the coming months. I have literally hundreds of photos and videos on my various devices. At times I questioned myself for capturing so much. I grew up in 80s and 90s when many memories are only what we carry in our heads. These days I'm fairly determined to capture everything I can on camera. When looking back at the short time we had with Po, I'm glad I preserved everything I could.

This video alone was really difficult for me to make because it's like seeing him here with us and then the realization that he is not makes my heart hurt all over again.

I hope you enjoy watching this. Grab a box of tissues because if you follow this page, you loved Po HARD, right along with us.

Yours in love ❤️ and light ✨️,
Tara
🍉🥔🌈🦄💜🎉🌈🥔🍉

19/06/2025

Good morning Po-tato family,

Po always gave us a reason to smile. Steven and I had been with Po since the very start, supporting him through every hurdle. Steven was the first person I showed Po's auction photo to. He drove the trailer to Virginia to pick him up and deliver him to the hospital. He drove Po here to the farm. He also spent those first long, cold nights nursing Po along He held him during his eye surgery. He held him as he passed. Po had the best care in part because of Steven's dedication.

The three of us spent a LOT of time together. This would have been his 4th summer with us. We just wish we had more, but we are grateful for the time we did get.

Missing you today Po 💜.

Yours in love ❤️ and light ✨️,
Tara
🍉🥔🌈🦄💜🎉🌈🥔🍉

17/06/2025

Good morning Po-tato Family,

Today we've got another day of misty rain 🌧 on tap. Looking through my memories, I found this photo of Sookie, Mia and Po and I can't help but smile 😊 and think that they are all together again. The weather is perfect 👌 and Po and Mia can eat all the grass they desire. It's a perfect day, every day, at the rainbow 🌈 bridge.

Here's to memories of blue skies, green grass, gentle wind and friendship 💙.

Yours in love ❤️ and light ✨️,
Tara
🍉🥔🌈🦄💜🎉🌈🥔🍉

14/06/2025

Good morning Po-tato Family,

Po always had such wise words and deep insights. This was his post from 2 years ago and I think it's still a relevant set of words for us all. He noticed things and slowed me down so I'd notice them too. He took joy in small moments that seemed irrelevant to most, but made him so happy.

From the shavings on his back, meaning he felt comfortable enough to sleep in his deeply bedded stall, to his investigation of this leaf, Po viewed his world with wonder I wouldn't think possible after the condition he arrived in. But he opened himself up to us caring for him and he found joy in the world once more and I'm so thankful we could share it with him.

Yours in love ❤️ and light ✨️,
Tara
🍉🥔🌈🦄💜🎉🌈🥔🍉

Good morning friends!

I'm just here to remind you to take some time to notice the beauty and magic around you! Yesterday, I found this beautiful yellow leaf and I had to check it out. It's not fall, so seeing this felt unique! I sniffed it and tasted it and just enjoyed noticing it.

Don't get so caught up in the big things that you miss the simple details in life ❤️.

Love, Po
✨️🥔🦄🥔🎉🥔✨️

13/06/2025

Good morning Po-tato family,

I know how much love we all poured into Po. I would read him his posts and the comments that came in. I'd let him know about the people out there that were sending him love and light from all over and I know he felt it!

And you know what? He shared that love right back with us. Po always wanted people to know that they were loved, and even on the darkest days, they could find the light. Because he did just that! He just had to believe, and so do you.

Today, this photo reminded me we all still share the love that connected us to Po and one another. You are loved!

Yours in love ❤️ and light ✨️,
Tara
🍉🥔🌈🦄💜🎉🌈🥔🍉

12/06/2025

Good morning Po-tato Family,

I dont think any of us were really prepared to be swept off of our feet by this handsome blonde, but we were!

Did you know how Po got his name? It evolved! At the auction, dealers often give the lot numbers a name if they are not a papered horse. That's to help people connect with them. Po's lot name was Pooh Bear, like Whinnie the Pooh. We didnt really feel that fit him at all, but we dont typically name horses until we meet them. But it was going to be a little while until we got him transferred to us so we started thinking. 🤔

My mother, and co-founder, Barbara, suggested we call him Po. Po is the main character in Kung Fu Panda, the unlikely warrior! 💪Because he was dealing with so much that we could see, and even more that we couldn't, we decided a warrior name would help him be strong and fight!

So he was Po until about a week after he arrived and we got to know him a little better and his name evolved....Po-tato 🥔! He was such a little Po-tato, he even looked like one. Brown with sour cream on top 💜. For the first few weeks he moved about as much a ls a real potato bevause he was just so sick.

Because we rescued him on the winter solstice, that was added to his name. Every horse on the farm has a barn name and a fancy name and his evolved thanks to his journey to us.

He will forever be our Po-tato Pony 🐴💜, handsome, opinionated, spicy and one in a million.

Yours in love ❤️ and light ✨️,
Tara
🍉🥔🌈🦄💜🎉🌈🥔🍉

11/06/2025

Good morning Po-tato family,

Each morning I look back at the memories of what Po was up to this very day in the past years. A few years ago I was looking for fly sheets for some of the residents of The Big Purple Barn, A Sanctuary and I came across this flamingo print. Let's discuss!

1. 🦩 I love flamingos. I don't know why, but probably about 17 years ago I started collecting them. Not the real birds, lol, just things featuring flamingos. So, when I saw this print, it was a no brainer! Plus, it was ON CLEARANCE and I paid $32! What a bargain considering standard fly sheets are usually close to $100 or more.

2. 🪰Fly sheets help protect the ponies from biting flies and the newest fabrics also reflect ☀️UV light helping reduce the temperature 🌡 they feel and the effects of sun bleaching on their coats.

Po was always up for whatever we threw at him and I think he secretly enjoyed getting dressed up. Although he could be downright outrageous when we were getting him ready each day, he looked so pleased afterwards. And I know he was so much more comfortable in his protective gear. In this photo he has his specialty boots to make his hooves more comfortable and his fly/sun protection on.

The more I look at the memories, the more I realize what an amazing 👏 life Po had in our care. I don't think we could have packed more love, adventure and mischief into that time if we tried. I know that he felt absolutely seen and completely loved. Thanks for loving ❤️ him too!

Yours in love ❤️ and light ✨️,
Tara
🍉🥔🌈🦄💜🎉🌈🥔🍉

10/06/2025

Good morning Po-tato Family,

As you know, I'm the human behind the legendary Po-tato. It took me a long time to get Po to open up to us and accept our love and care as genuine, and with no strings attached. When I first started this page, it was just me, updating you on what was happening every day, chronicling the daily struggles and small successes we had with Po. As time wore on, the voice changed to that of Po himself, because I really felt what he had to say at some point.

All of his musings from that point on were in his voice, the one I heard in my head as we spent our days making sure Po had everything he needed. Just a few days before he passed, and a week or so after Sookie passed, Po and I really did discuss how we should treasure each and every day. We are not promised tomorrow and I truly feel he knew that. I now wonder if that little conversation we had, that inspired the post, was his way of foreshadowing. Maybe he knew. Certainly he wouldn't be able to tell us something like a lipoma was lurking in his abdomen. But maybe he felt it, that sense of pressure and something being off.

I believe truly and whole heartedly that we can absolutely hear our animal friends if we just take a moment to listen. Im so glad I could hear his voice and then tell the world what was on his mind. Im so glad YOU were all here to listen along.

Remember, we are not promised tomorrow, so let's make the most of today 🥹💜.

Yours in love ❤️ and light ✨️,
Tara
🍉🥔🌈🦄💜🎉🌈🥔🍉

09/06/2025

Good morning Po-tato Family,

It was exactly 4 years ago today that we first gave Po a bath! The weather had turned warm and he needed a good body clipping to remove the thick, shaggy coat his cushings wouldn't let him shed properly. After his massive haircut, he got a good scrubbing and we finally saw the most handsome 😍 Po-tato underneath!

He was always such a gentleman for his grooming and baths ❤️. After his bath we were able to monitor and treat his lingering skin conditions so much easier and he could finally feel wind on his skin!

Keep believing in the power of love and transformation!

Yours in love ❤️ and light ✨️ ,
Tara
🍉🥔🌈🦄💜🎉🌈🥔🍉

08/06/2025

Happy Sunday Po-tato Family,

People have a way seeing animals in terms of a service they can provide. With horses, it's usually riding, because carrying a person on their back is a service and enjoyable for the humans. A lot of people contact us to request pony rides, pony ride parties and other riding opportunities. We keep our riding program small not only to accommodate the abilities of our residents (many are NOT rideable), but also because service to humans in terms of riding is NOT a core objective for us.

When we first saw Po, discarded at auction, we knew he had spent a lifetime in service to humans who dramatically let him down. Our goal was to get him and help him live the remainder of his life as comfortably and as amazingly as we could. We aimed to give him love, comfort, connection and adventure. We never had a plan for him to do anything other than live his life in comfort and care. He got to choose his adventures and activities. He got to choose whe. He wanted to interact. He literally embodied the core missions of our organization. We are so thankful for his additions to our mission and the indelible mark he left on each of us.

Yours in love ❤️ and light ✨️,
Tara
🍉🥔🌈🦄💜🎉🌈🥔🍉

06/06/2025

Good morning Po-tato Family,

It's finally gotten HOT 🔥 outside these last few days and summer ☀️ is almost upon us. We were just reminiscing over the cooler months and the time Po and Mia had matching hats and blankets 💜.

I know they have perfect weather 😌 at the rainbow 🌈 bridge each and every day. I hope they have some matching outfits again too 🥰.

Did you know that this photo summarized 30 years of rescue? Mia was my first horse, adopted in 1991, the horse who set me on this journey and guides me through it still. We rescued Po in 2020, officially bringing him home in 2021. I will always draw strength and inspiration from these two, especially on the most difficult days and even when it hurts to miss them so much.

Without them, I wouldn't be who I am and The Big Purple Barn, A Sanctuary would not exisit. We will carry on their legacy and continue to help horses in need of safety, comfort and a lifetime of care. It doesn't matter if they need 30+ years of care, as Mia did, or just a few short years packed with love and devotion, like Po. We will be that organization that strives to be the soft landing so many of these animals need.

Yours in love ❤️ and light ✨️,
Tara
🍉🥔🌈🦄💜🎉🌈🥔🍉

04/06/2025

Good morning Po-tato Family,

It's officially June and the weather here hasnt quite caught up, and we definitelynot complaining! It's been relatively chilly overnight, and in the 70s during the day. It's just one of those transitional periods of the year when the weather patterns begin to shift and the summer heat will be here in no time at all!

Today im sharing this photo of our hot 🔥 Po-tato 🥔 because he was always one cool 😎 cucumber 🥒!

Yours in love ❤️ and light ✨️,
Tara
🍉🥔🌈🦄💜🎉🌈🥔🍉

Po-Tato Pony, A Solstice Story

21/06/2025

19/06/2025

17/06/2025

14/06/2025

13/06/2025

12/06/2025

11/06/2025

10/06/2025

09/06/2025

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04/06/2025

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