Weeping Willow Miniatures, LLC

12/09/2025

I will work on answering messages as I am able, but I may be a bit delayed this week due to one of our biggest dog shows of the year! Thank you for your patience!

11/28/2025

Hope everyone had a fantastic Thanksgiving 🦃 We are working on getting messages answered by Monday, Dec 1st! Enjoy the holiday weekend!

11/25/2025

11/24/2025

Always something happening at the barn!

11/24/2025

Wrangler was unamused with the rain last week 😂 🌧

11/22/2025

Foggy evening on the farm 🚜

11/22/2025

Lunging spicy ponies before their lessons ⚡️

10/23/2025

Watch Rock
“Apollo”
January 28, 2007-October 21, 2025

Very unexpectedly we lost our Apollo last night. I’m still kind of reeling from the shock with how quickly this happened as he had given a great lesson to one of our wonderful students just a few hours before, ate his dinner before that, and seemed to be his normal self. Our vet said it sounds like it was most likely an aortic rupture (he was gone very shortly after contacting her to come out), but obviously, we won’t know for certain unless we were to do a necropsy. I’ve decided to forego the necropsy just due to the logistics of getting such a large horse over to UT.

What can I say about this horse? He’s probably taught me more than any other horse I’ve met. They say the “tough” ones will teach you the most and I can attest to the truth of that. He stretched me as a trainer and an owner in ways I didn’t know I needed to improve. He was probably the quirkiest horse I’ve ever met. I’ve always said if horses could be autistic, that would be him. He definitely would make you think outside the box, continuously develop your patience, and yet still be the sweetest boy. Trying to explain him to others was always difficult since he didn’t fit into the “normal” horse mold. People probably thought I coddled him, but it was more giving and taking in order to get him to be the best and happiest he could be. I don’t believe in forcing a horse to work no matter what; if he’s telling you something, you need to listen. Horses aren’t machines and should not be treated as such.

Apollo was also my first OTTB, which was a whole adventure in itself (most of my background is stock horses and minis). He broke us into the world of dressage and combined training, as well as taught numerous students through our lesson program. If you were willing to learn, he had SOMETHING to teach you; even if it wasn’t what you wanted to be taught that day lol. He didn’t care what anyone thought or for their time schedule, and was just always himself. That’s probably the best way I can say it. Oddly, his favorite thing was summer camp week…

This is my first horse I’ve lost (so I’m lucky in that respect), and to lose one in such an unexpected and, honestly, traumatic way was not something I wanted to experience. I’m honored that God gave me this horse to enrich my life and learn so much from.