Learn from the barn

Teaching people how to care for farm animals is part of why this rescue exists. These are the care guides and resident stories we have written along the way, with the videos and photos from the day it happened.

Have a question about one of our animals? Ask the barn has more than a hundred answers.

Stories from the barn

How the animals got here, what happened next, and what they taught us.

Three young Sebastopol geese standing in a raised bed in the greenhouse

Meet Gigi, Alexander and LillibetOur three Sebastopol geese, Lillibet’s bucket-handle splint, and what makes this threatened, curly-feathered breed special.

Rainey, a gray-and-white spotted mini donkey, grazing in tall grass

Rainey and Charlie Come HomeTwo mini donkeys came for sanctuary. Rainey’s choke, what to do if it happens, and why a donkey is not a small horse.

a ginger and black spotted kune kune male pig named bocephus

Meet Bocephus the Kune Kune PigBocephus came to us as one of five rescue piglets. Meet the golden retriever of the pig world, and learn where the Kune Kune breed comes from.

White rescue horse standing at a metal gate with a donkey beside her

Meet Amelia: A Story of a Rescue HorseAmelia came to us from One Wish Equine Rescue after a kill pen. A nervous soul with a rare Medicine Hat coat, slowly learning to trust.

Chestnut rescue horse grazing in a fenced paddock on a fall afternoon

A Journey of Friendship Between Human and Rescue HorseRosie went from a cautious thoroughbred to a trusting companion. What a rescue horse teaches you about patience and trust.

White domestic duck standing beside a wire fence with a goat behind it

Ginger’s Story: Why You Shouldn’t Release Domestic DucksGinger was a domestic duck released into the wild. Why domestic ducks cannot survive on their own, and what to know before buying an Easter duckling.

Jules Morris kneeling in the pasture surrounded by three mini donkeys

Every Day a Learning Day with Mini DonkeysOur two mini donkey jacks were best friends until they were not. What we learned about neutering jacks, and why to listen to experienced owners.

Horses and donkeys

Adoption, fly season and keeping equines comfortable.

Jules Morris smiling in the barn aisle beside a chestnut rescue horse with a blaze face

Rescuing Horses: Tips for Prospective AdoptersEight things to think through before adopting a horse from a rescue, from the commitment and costs to trust, training and companions.

Horse wearing a plaid fly mask standing at the fence on a foggy morning

3 Reasons Our Horses Wear a Fly MaskFly masks protect a horse’s eyes and ears from insects, dust and sun. Why ours wear them, especially Amelia with her pink skin.

Jules Morris in overalls in the kitchen with text reading Let's make homemade fly spray

DIY Fly Spray for Horses, Donkeys and PetsA four-ingredient homemade fly spray we use on our horses and donkeys: bath oil, white vinegar, citronella oil and water.

Goats

Personalities, digestion and everyday goat care.

Jules and Lane Morris working together with the animals in the barn aisle

3 Unexpected Things We Love About GoatsPlayful personalities, a sweet social nature and voices you can tell apart. What surprised us most about living with goats.

Goat standing at the fence beside a red water bucket

Keeping Goats: Rumen, Bloat and Baking SodaWhy we free-feed baking soda to our goats: it buffers the rumen, helps prevent bloat and lets each goat take what it needs.

Barn care and safety

Bedding, footing, safety and the people who help us care for the animals.

Lane Morris shoveling fresh sand along the barn stalls while a mini donkey stands in the sand watching him work

5 Reasons We Use Sand in Part of Our BarnSand under the barn overhang keeps hooves healthy, drains well, cleans up easily and gives horses and donkeys a place to roll.

Lane Morris in a canvas coat and felt hat opening a bale of straw inside the barn for fresh bedding

Winter Barn Tips: Bedding and CareHow we keep the barn warm and clean for the donkeys and horses in winter: deep fine pine shavings, daily cleanup and an ammonia neutralizer.

Brown and white paint horse walking across a winter pasture

Large Farm Animal Safety: 5 Tips to Keep You SafeAmelia stepped on my foot and down I went. Five safety habits for working around horses and other large farm animals.

Veterinary students gathered around a goat inside the barn for a hands on lesson

LMU Vet Students Bring Care Right to the FarmDr. Riedel and eight fourth-year LMU veterinary students came to the farm to examine and vaccinate our goats and mini donkeys.