NOW Accepting Horse Donations!
If you are interested in donating a horse, the forest preserve's Forest Foundation's 501c3 status allows horse donors to receive tax deductions. For more information on donations for the center, view our Donation Brochure. 
Faline
Show Name: Faline's Fancy Sparkle
Breed: Quarter Pony
DOB: 1997
Sex: Mare
Height: 13.2 Hands
Weight:
Color: Chestnut
Markings: Stripe
Fun Fact: A general rule of thumb is that a horse can carry a rider who is about 20% of its own weight. Since Faline weighs in around 650 pounds she can carry a rider around 130 pounds. However a horse pulling a cart on wheels can pull about 1.5 times their own weight. A team of draft horses each weighing 1,000 pounds can pull a carriage weighing 3,000 pounds!
Faline is a 12 year old quarter pony mare who wins over everyone with her sweet nature. Faline is very gentle and even tempered but she has plenty of spunk if you ask her to work! Faline used to be a competitive jumper and still loves to hop over anything in her path. Faline works at Ellis as a lesson pony. Because of her small size she is great for children and small adults. She also does pony rides for children’s camps and birthday parties. Faline is pretty low in the herd hierarchy and spends most of her day hanging out alone or with Polly or Grace.
Grace
DOB: 2002
Breed: Grade
Sex: Mare
Height: 14 Hands
Weight:
Color: Liver chestnut
Markings: Small Star
Fun Fact: We did not know Grace's age when we bought her. However, we were able to closely estimate her age by looking at her teeth. The top surface of the horse’s front teeth wears down as the horse ages. The wearing of the tooth causes it to show different cross sections at different ages. Horse’s teeth also become more angled with age. At age 10 a mark called Galvayne’s groove appears on the top portion of the horse’s outer incisors.
Grace is a 7 year old grade mare. Grace is incredibly smart and brave. Grace’s handlers must work to keep her from getting bored as she can get impatient if she doesn’t have a job to do. Grace is used in Ellis’ lesson program. Grace is still learning a lot of things, but she picks up new lessons quickly and is a lot of fun to work with. Grace is also a pony, but she is larger than Faline and can carry a larger rider. Grace is in the middle of the herd hierarchy and likes to spend most of her time with Bridgette.
Jazz
DOB: 2004
Sex: Gelding
Height: 15.2 Hands
Weight: 1000 lbs.
Color: Black, Tobiano
Markings: 4 Stockings: above both knees and both hocks; left hind stocking extents up to dock of tail, black tail, wide star connected to narrow blaze, snip to lower lip.
Ermine markings RF, LF, RH
Jazz is a 5 year old grade gelding from Wisconsin. His owner also sold us Princess, Jazz's Mother. Jazz came with a little less training than Princess, but has a quick mind and gentle spirit. We have to be careful in the pasture with him because he wants to climb into our pockets! He is still a little attached to Princess. He is young and tends to try to test his handlers. We ask volunteers to be firm but fair and consistent with him. Young horses can pick up bad habits very fast and they can be very difficult to unlearn!
Princess
DOB: 2001
Height: 15.2 Hands
Weight: 1100 lbs.
Color: Bay, Tobiano
Markings: 3 Stockings: One above right knee and both hocks; one sock above left fetlock, tail white on top, black on bottom
Princess is an 8 year old grade mare that we found loafing in a pasture in Wisconsin. Her owner also sold us Princess's son, Jazz. Jenna Lubak was very generous and let us purchase these horses at a great price (which was all we could afford!). Princess has a very laid back attitude and is the "boss" mare in our herd. She is still a little attached to Jazz, but is acclimating well to the facility and work schedules.