Twitchell Hill Farm

01/02/2026

Courage 💕

This is Courage. 🤍

Six-year-old Sharp Jolta Courage (aka Courage) is resting comfortably in a clean, soft stall at Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital. He is recovering from his extreme rescue on Tuesday and his castration surgery later in the week. He is also healing from years of long-term neglect that left him trapped atop a five-foot mound of manure in deeply unsanitary conditions, with limited water and no routine veterinary or farrier care. On Monday, he will begin the next chapter of his life at The Dorset Equine Rescue.

Look closely at his face. That quiet contentment matters.

For Courage, simply being able to lie down — clean, safe, and comfortable — is something he was denied for years. He was one of four stallions confined to stalls, unable to move freely, standing on compacted manure so deep it raised the floor nearly five feet. He lived perched on a steep, unstable wall of frozen waste, his head nearly reaching the rafters. No turnout. No sunlight. No freedom.

After years of confinement and deprivation, Courage trusted us. He walked down the ramp to freedom.

Courage was one of ten horses rescued from this property on Tuesday. What he endured, and how gently he is stepping into this new life, leaves us in awe. His name could not be more fitting.

From filth and confinement to rest and care — this is what rescue looks like.
Welcome to your future, Courage. 💙

If you missed Courage’s rescue video, please scroll back a few posts to see the moment he walked to freedom.

Please consider donating to help cover the rescue and medical expenses for these lucky horses:
👉 https://dorsetequinerescue.networkforgood.com/projects/271562-one-last-rescue-before-the-year-ends

Or by mailing a check to:
The Dorset Equine Rescue
P.O. Box 92
East Dorset, VT 05253

Thank you for standing with Dorset Equine Rescue and with Courage. 💙🐴

01/02/2026

13 years ago!!

12-29-12

12/25/2025

Merry to all! Peace, kindness, and laughter to the humans and the lovely beasties! Thank you, all of you, for your part in making the THF dream happen!

12/24/2025

Could this be any two ponies we know?

12/20/2025

12/11/2025

❄️

12/10/2025

😝😜🤣🤣😂

12/03/2025

😂

When the dragon is a little too dragony. 🐉

©️ Emily Cole Illustrations

11/21/2025

Relatable?

A case study of one of the initial night lessons after the time change, profiling the adult amateur, with research conducted by said adult amateur.

The adult amateur, regardless of geographical location, is typically skittish in the winter. Less sunlight, colder temperatures, and holiday stress make a trifecta that can result in some interesting behavior. While many trainers and horses recommend medicating your adult amateur, it is not an option for everyone. To help gather more data for this specific case study of riders, join us as we receive a play-by-play of an adult amateur’s evening winter lesson.

3:45 PM: If I can wrap up my meeting a little early, I can sneak out the door in time to give my horse a good curry and get all the mud off of him. That will be so nice.

4:02 PM: Meeting continues.

4:15 PM: Meeting continues.

4:23 PM: Everyone in the meeting is arguing over a white paper.

4:53 PM: Okay, okay, I’m finally on the road but maybe traffic won’t be terrible and I can still get to the barn in good time.

5:11 PM: The entire world is out on the road. Millions of cars driving, or trying to drive, everywhere. Except there is not really a lot of driving happening.

5:53 PM: Finally at the barn. Surely I can tack up in 7 minutes. That will be fine, right?

6:12 PM: Mounts up and walks to the ring (late). His ears are perky. Is he fresh? Is he going to spook? Should I get off and lunge?

6:14 PM: Horse marches around the arena. Trainer compliments on the forward, commanding walk. Oh god, he’s wild. I definitely should have lunged.

6:20 PM: At least I can trot around without feeling like I’m going to hyperventilate because I don’t have to leg every single stride.

6:21 PM: Trainer informs that yes, you still have to leg every stride.

6:27 PM: Rider hyperventilates regardless.

6:33 PM: While walking and catching breath, trainer informs rider for the 317th time that she needs to stop pulling the inside rein.

6:34 PM: Rider picks up the canter. Pulls the inside rein.

6:36 PM: Oh god, his ears are forward. His ears are too forward. He’s going to spook at the tractor!

6:38 PM: He’s going to spook at the viewing stand!

6:40 PM: Rider contemplates trying to convince trainer it’s too dark to jump around. Even with the football stadium-esque amazing ring lighting, horse probably can’t see well enough… right? Probably should wait to jump around the daytime for weekend lesson… right?

6:41 PM: Asks for a pole lesson instead.

6:48 PM: Poles were a bad choice. Immediate regret.

6:49 PM: Pulls the right rein… excessively.

6:50 PM: Rider to do the exercise “just one more time.”

6:52 PM: Just one more time.

6:55 PM: Rider is too tired to look for things the horse might spook at. Also, just one more time.

6:57 PM: Unclear if rider has executed exercise somewhat correctly or trainer has given up and reconsidering a career in accounting, but the lesson is over and it’s time to cool out.

7:06 PM: Rider unmounts in the ring to avoid the 250 yard walk back to the barn in the dark past things horse might spook at. [Horse does not spook].

7:08 PM: The adult amateur sneaks horse a mouthful of treats (not in a bucket) when she thinks the trainer isn’t looking. You are the goodest bestest boy. Thank you for making good choices tonight.

📎 Save & share this article by Lauren Mauldin at https://www.theplaidhorse.com/2022/12/12/a-play-by-play-of-an-adult-amateur-winter-lesson/