Meet the Animals of Ballentine Farm!

The Horses:

 Mariposa is a 22 year old Welsh pony mare. The star of our riding lesson program, "Posa" is sweet and affectionate with friends of all ages.  Originally raised in Texas, her former owners saw her perform at a horse show years ago and simply had to have her.  So when she finally went up for sale, her new owners promptly drove all the way from Pennsylvania to Texas to bring her to their farm.  Posa spent many wonderful years with Glynmagic, a private breeding, training and showing facility, run by Diane and Lara Herger.  Mariposa was later brought to Upperville, VA to begin her retirement, where she competed in beginning shows with young riders.  Soon after, she found her new home with Ballentine Farm, where she enjoys a life of leisure while teaching young riders!

Cisco is a 18 year old Quarter horse gelding.  He spent many happy years living about a mile down the dirt road from the farm with a friend.  He grew up with his young rider and together they learned how to master English and Western pleasure.  Cisco came to Ballentine Farm several years back when his loving rider had grown up and was beginning her new life.  Since then, he has become a beloved part of our programs at the farm.  He has a passion for running and loves to lick!  Cisco is a sweet soul and enjoys sharpening his skills with taller riders!

Cardigan is a 13 year old Welsh cross pony gelding.  He has been with us from the early age of 1 and has always been quite the firecracker!  Sarah took her first hand at training by teaching Cardigan to be ridden.  Unfortunately, last year he was diagnosed with diabetes (or IR) and since then has perservered with a strict diet and a smile (most of the time.)  Cardigan has befriended all types of animals during his time at the farm.  Anything from cows, dogs and cats, to people...he is always curious to greet all kinds of friends!

Lucky is a very special 6 year old Welsh pony gelding.  True to his name, he was born 8 weeks early out in the pasture at Glynmagic.  He was incredibly lucky to survive and develop into a perfectly healthy colt, thanks to the continued efforts of The Hergers!  Lucky came to Ballentine Farm this past fall and is now undergoing training before becoming an enchanting addition to our riding program!  Lucky is a very curious and friendly pony, eager to begin his hunter jumper career!

The Cows:

Named by theme each year are our Black Angus gals.  We only house females and serve as the middle-man in their development.  Each year a new group arrives in April and leisurely grazes with the horses through November, when they move onto their next farm, where they will be bred to have calves of their own.

Pigs:

Spider Pig and Super Pig were our 2010 pigs.  Super Pig got his name due to his dark markings around his eyes, which resembled a super hero's mask.  Spider Pig was named by popular opinion of our summer campers.  Purchased as rather large piglets from a local 4H swine breeder, these quirky pals loved to slather on the mud!  Their favorite activities were EATING, sun bathing in the spring and lazily napping in the shade by summer. Unfortunately, our pig friends moved onto greener pastures in early fall, before the cold weather set in. 

Turkeys:

Tom and Harriet are 2 year old Heritage breed turkeys.  They too have a remarkable story.  Their parents were sadly attacked by a neighbor's dog last year and did not survive.  Hopeful, Mrs. Ballentine collected the remaining eggs left by their mother and put them in the incubator-not yet knowing if either of them were fertilized.  As luck would have it, a male and a female did hatch and we've been enjoying their loveable nature ever since!

Ducks:

Daphne & Diva are 1 year old female Wood ducks.  Purchased last year as ducklings, these lovely ladies are bright and friendly, since they've been handled since birth.  For the sake of space, they have been sharing quarters with Tom and Harriet from a young age.  Both species were of similar age, so they've had the unique opportunity of growing up together!  We hope to teach our girls to walk back and forth with us to the pond this year for swimming time!

Chickens:

Woody, Buzz, Rex & Sarge are our  1 year old male roosters. These fine fellas make sure all our girls are well protected and polite.  Our lovely ladies, however, consist of the following 4 breeds: Buff Rocks, Rhode Island Reds, Barred Rocks, and White Rocks.  They enjoy long walks free-ranging through the field and being spoiled by visitors with yummy green leafy stuff!  Their favorites are pumpkins and  vegetarian table scraps!

Goats:

Coming Soon!

Dogs:

Maddie is our beloved 11 year old black Lab.  Born in Cape Cod to our Ballentine relatives, she loves to swim, chase softballs, chew on bones (or any treats for that matter) and go on adventures through the fields!  She can often be found with her partner in crime:

Carter is a 6 year old Boxer-Collie mix.  Sadly, he was found in a box on the side of the road with the rest of his litter at a very young age.  A good samaritan brought the pups to an adoption agency and thankfully, they all found loving homes.  Named after Rubin "Hurricane" Carter, the famous boxer, Carter is one of the sweetest, goofiest dogs we've known-always with a smile on his face!

Cats:

Creamy is our faithful barn cat.  Her watchful eyes have been on duty for over 14 years and counting!  You'll often find her hunkered down in a cozy corner of the garage or barn, sunning herself in a flower bed, hunting, or roaming the land for her next adventure!

Coming Soon: Tree Frogs!