Volunteer Tina with Minerva and Princess

For those of you new to our blog: we take journal entries from our website doublehphorses.org and transfer them to this blog. To make room on our website.

journal entry from Nov. 14, 2008

We don't get a lot of regular horse-chore type volunteers at DoubleHP. Especially as Winter approaches. So whenever one lasts for more than a couple of months, we feel extremely thankful. Tina Hillman from Sioux Falls comes once a week, she trudges through the mud and snow and whatever else is here, cleaning up the horse stalls and yards and arenas. And every once in a while she has time to just enjoy the horses. Today Tina, along with Minerva and Princess, helped me practice with my new camera.
Both horses were rescued from starvation.

do you think Minerva likes being brushed?

Princess has one blue eye.

Both Minerva and Princess have some wild looking eyes.

Princess doesn't get to run out in the pasture anymore. She has to stay up in the barn area and not put too much extra stress on her feet. She is navicular. Her surgery did help, but if she plays too hard she gets sore again. She is not cooped up in a stall though. She has a big pen with soft ground and shelter at all times. And always at least one horse friend in an adjacent pen, so she does get some herd-type interaction. I do think she would like to go run in the pasture, but I also think she understands why she can't. She is a very happy, beautiful, well-behaved horse. And we are very happy to have her living here with us.

DoubleHP Minerva: A Roman Goddess of Many Things

This is DoubleHP Minerva, rescued from starvation in South Dakota on May 18, 2007. She is DoubleHP Hero's big sister. This photo is about 6 months after her rescue.

BELOW is Minerva, Roman Goddess of many things. That white streak in her hair must be why our DoubleHP Minerva has the cute little white blanket on her butt! Minerva the Roman Goddess was born in an odd way. She burst from her father's brain, already fully grown and wearing warrior attire. In one legend, Minerva the Roman Goddess tells a competitor, "challenge your fellow-mortals as you will, but do NOT compete with a Goddess!"

And this (BELOW) is the logo for a wonderful restaurant in Sioux Falls, SD. Minerva's Restaurant and Paul & Karen VanBockern of Sioux Falls have been DoubleHP sponsors for several years now. We always wanted to name one of our rescued horses Minerva. And this was the perfect choice.

Celebrating The Beauty & The Honesty of The Horse

Photo Shoot from April 15, 2008.

DoubleHP Rocky (sorrell) and Baylee's first encounter.

BELOW: Rocky's lifetime little friend, DoubleHP Minerva, letting him know what she thinks of his encounter with Baylee.

BELOW: "Girl Talk" -- Minerva and Baylee agreeing to share Rocky's affection.

Like This.