Madison Grove Farm

Madison Grove Farm Madison Grove Farm a 501c3 non profit committed to helping horses & humans heal together.

Happy Tuesday, Farm Friends.I have a confession to make.I am a little obsessed with this donkey.Every morning, Clementin...
06/23/2026

Happy Tuesday, Farm Friends.

I have a confession to make.
I am a little obsessed with this donkey.

Every morning, Clementine is one of the first faces I look for. Those ears are over 13 inches long and somehow manage to communicate an entire conversation before I’ve even had my coffee. If you know her, you know exactly what I mean. She talks with those ears.

Over the last year, many of you have met Clementine through our Equine Assisted Learning programs. She’s spent time with all kinds of humans, and one of the things I love most about her is that she teaches without trying.

Spend a few minutes grooming her and she’ll teach patience. Take her for a walk and she’ll teach focus. Show up distracted and she’ll notice. Show up present and she’ll notice that too.

When Clementine arrived here, she carried a lot of history with her. She had spent years with her bonded sister and experienced significant grief after losing her. When she came to Madison Grove Farm, we decided not to choose her herd for her.

Instead, we gave her time.

For much of her stay, Clementine lived in a paddock near the main barn. From there she could watch the daily rhythm of the farm, meet the horses, donkeys, mules, dogs, volunteers, and visitors, and decide for herself who she wanted to spend time with. We weren’t in a hurry. After everything she’d been through, it felt important to let her settle in at her own pace.

Over last year, she spent time with the horses, mules, donkeys, and minis. She became a trusted friend to Abbie while Abbie was here. She learned our dogs weren’t nearly as scary as she first thought. She explored the farm during liberty time and built relationships with humans and animals alike.

Eventually, she made her choice and settled in with the mini herd.

Not just the miniature horses, but the miniature donkeys too. In particular, she seems to have become smitten with our teeny tiny donkey, Hugo. Watching the two of them together, you’d think he was her baby. He absolutely adores her, and she seems pretty fond of him too.

We know donkeys form deep social bonds, and we see every day how important choice can be.

Standing out there watching Clementine these days, I don’t need anyone to tell me how she’s doing. She greets me every morning, spends her days helping humans learn, and then heads back to Hugo, the minis, and the little herd she chose for herself.

She looks settled, comfortable, and at home.
After everything she’s been through, that’s exactly what I hoped for her.

With gratitude,
Marla and the herd

Happy Monday, Farm Friends.Yesterday we finally replaced the sign at the end of the driveway.There are still a few finis...
06/22/2026

Happy Monday, Farm Friends.

Yesterday we finally replaced the sign at the end of the driveway.

There are still a few finishing touches left, but seeing it standing there got me thinking.

The sign it replaced went up when we moved Madison Grove Farm from King County to Lewis County. At the time, we had already been serving our community for more than a decade, but moving here felt a little like starting over. New property. New community. New relationships. We arrived with a dream, some horses, and a lot of hope.

The years since haven’t always been easy. We rebuilt during COVID. We learned our way around a new county. We made mistakes, adjusted, grew, and kept putting one foot in front of the other.

Along the way, horses, donkeys and mules found safe places to land. Humans found connection. Volunteers found a place to serve. Donors believed in the mission. Community partners opened doors. Little by little, Madison Grove Farm became part of the fabric of this community.

Looking at the new sign, I realized it isn’t really about a sign. It’s about staying. It’s about showing up year after year, doing the work, and trusting that small things done consistently matter.

This farm wasn’t built overnight and it wasn’t built by one person. It was built by a whole lot of people who believed that horses helping humans and humans helping horses was worth investing in.

The sign may be new, but what it represents has been years in the making. And that’s a pretty amazing thing to reflect on this Monday morning. Thank you to everyone who has supported us along the way.

With gratitude,
Marla and the herd ❤️

Happy Sunday, Farm Friends.I want to give a shout-out to Daisy and Forest this morning after spending the day with them ...
06/21/2026

Happy Sunday, Farm Friends.

I want to give a shout-out to Daisy and Forest this morning after spending the day with them at Egg Days yesterday.

If you’ve spent any time around Madison Grove Farm at community events, chances are you’ve met these two. While many of our horses, donkeys, and mules enjoy life here at the farm, Daisy and Forest have become some of our most trusted community ambassadors.

Yesterday, like so many times before, they spent hours greeting people, listening to stories, posing for photos, meeting children, and welcoming complete strangers into their space. There was plenty of noise, activity, excitement, and more than a few dogs stopping by to say hello.

What many people don’t realize is that they always have a choice. Their event paddock is intentionally large enough that they can move away from the crowd if they want to. They can step back, take a break, or simply observe from a distance. They aren’t required to interact with anyone. The fact that they so often choose to stay engaged says a lot about who they are and the trust they’ve built with the people around them.

One of the things we talk about in Equine Assisted Learning is the power of simply showing up. Horses and donkeys don’t spend their time worrying about yesterday or stressing about tomorrow. They respond to what is in front of them and stay grounded in the present moment.

Daisy and Forest do that beautifully.

As I watched them yesterday, I was reminded that maybe the lesson isn’t complicated at all. In a world that constantly tells us to do more, move faster, and prove ourselves, sometimes the most important thing we can do is show up, be present, and create space for connection.

These two do that every single time they leave the farm.

For those who are new to our page, Madison Grove Farm is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit equine sanctuary. We are 100% volunteer run, 100% donor funded, and offer Equine Assisted Learning experiences free of charge to our community. Everything we do is built around horses helping humans and humans helping horses, creating opportunities for connection, learning, and growth for both.

Today, I’m simply grateful for two little ambassadors who help create those connections wherever they go. ❤️

With gratitude,
Marla and the herd

Happy Saturday Evening, Farm Friends.What a great day at Winlock Egg Days.Daisy and Forest spent the day meeting people,...
06/21/2026

Happy Saturday Evening, Farm Friends.

What a great day at Winlock Egg Days.

Daisy and Forest spent the day meeting people, accepting scratches, posing for photos, and making new friends. We saw so many familiar faces today. Some of you went out of your way to come find us, and that means more than you know. We also met a lot of new people and had some really great conversations.

For those who are new to Madison Grove Farm, we’re a local 501c3 nonprofit equine sanctuary and human healing farm. We provide a safe landing place for horses, donkeys, and mules in need, and we offer equine-assisted learning experiences to our community free of charge.

What I love about events like today is that people get a chance to experience a little piece of what happens here. Sometimes it starts with a child meeting a donkey for the first time. Sometimes it’s a conversation about a horse someone loved years ago. Sometimes it’s talking about volunteering, healing, or simply slowing down long enough to connect.

Our volunteers were incredible today. They cared for the animals, answered questions, ran the booth, sold merchandise, managed the bake sale, and helped us share the farm with our community. This place exists because people continue to show up, and I never take that for granted. Thank you all.

Because of your support, we raised just over $400 today, welcomed new volunteers, and connected with so many wonderful people.

If you didn’t get a chance to stop by, but would like to learn more about the farm, send us a message. We’re always happy to introduce people to the herd. Visits are by appointment only, and we’d love to show you what we’re all about.

A special thank you to Jodi Curtis and everyone who worked so hard to make Egg Days happen. Events like this take a tremendous amount of effort, and our community is fortunate to have people willing to make them possible.

Thank you, Winlock, for another wonderful year. We’re proud to call this community home and already looking forward to next year.

With gratitude,
Marla, Daisy, Forest, and the herd 🐴❤️

06/20/2026

Come see us at Winlock Egg Days!

We’re set up at the market at the school and would love to see some familiar faces. Stop by and visit Daisy, say hello to our volunteers, check out our merchandise, grab a treat from the bake sale, and learn a little more about the work we do at Madison Grove Farm.

As a local 501(c)(3) nonprofit equine sanctuary, we’re 100% donor funded and volunteer run. Every conversation, every purchase, and every donation helps support horses helping humans and humans helping horses.

We’re proud to be part of the Winlock community and hope you’ll stop by and say hello.

See you at the market! 🐴❤️

Happy Saturday, Farm Friends!We’re set up at the Winlock Egg Days Market right here in our hometown of Winlock and we’d ...
06/20/2026

Happy Saturday, Farm Friends!

We’re set up at the Winlock Egg Days Market right here in our hometown of Winlock and we’d love to see you!

Daisy the donkey is here, we’ve got Madison Grove Farm merchandise, a donation bake sale, and plenty of friendly faces ready to visit. Whether you’ve been following us for years or are just learning about the farm, stop by and say hello.

Every purchase and donation helps support the horses, donkeys, and mules in our care and allows us to continue offering free equine-assisted learning experiences to our community. As a 100% volunteer-run and 100% donor-funded nonprofit, we truly couldn’t do this without all of you.

Come enjoy Egg Days, support local, meet Daisy, and help us continue the work of horses helping humans and humans helping horses.

We’ll be here all day and would love to see some familiar faces!

With gratitude,
Marla and the herd ❤️

Hi Farm Friends.It’s Friday evening as I write this, and I’ll be honest, the farm feels a little different tonight.Abbie...
06/20/2026

Hi Farm Friends.

It’s Friday evening as I write this, and I’ll be honest, the farm feels a little different tonight.

Abbie went home today.

When Abbie arrived here in October, she had just lost Chief, her companion of more than 15 years. Before she ever stepped onto our trailer, we helped her say goodbye to him. She arrived with feet that desperately needed attention, but more than that, she arrived carrying a lot of uncertainty.

The hoof care was straightforward. The emotional part takes longer.

Over the last eight months, Abbie has had time to simply be a mule. She found her place by the herd. She made friends. She spent time with volunteers. She walked the property, enjoyed her liberty time, let us ride her and slowly started figuring out what life looked like after losing Chief.

Her feet are dramatically better than when she arrived, although they’ll continue to need ongoing care. Like a lot of us, she’s still a work in progress.

One of the things we see over and over again here is how important relationships are for horses, donkeys, and mules. They do better when they have companionship. They gain confidence from one another. They settle when they feel safe.

One of our requirements for adopting Abbie was that she have an equine companion. Her new family took that seriously and recently welcomed Sadie, another mule who needed a soft landing.

After I left this afternoon, these photos showed up on my phone. There they were, standing together under the trees, touching noses and getting acquainted. That was the moment I finally exhaled.

Today was emotional. Loading her wasn’t easy. I think she knew I was struggling with it, and at one point she pretty much reminded me to pull myself together and focus on the task at hand. Once we got her loaded, off we went.

A short drive later, she stepped off the trailer and into the next chapter of her life.

I already miss her. I miss seeing her ears pop up over the fence. I miss knowing she is outside ready to greet me. But looking at these photos tonight, I know she’s exactly where she’s supposed to be.

Sometimes this work means providing a forever sanctuary home. Sometimes it means helping them get to one.

Thank you to every volunteer, donor, supporter, farrier, visitor, and friend who helped Abbie along the way. You were part of this journey too.

Congratulations to the Burk’s, to her new bestie Sadie, and especially to our sweet Abbie.
We’ll be cheering you on from just across the freeway.

With gratitude,
Marla and the Herd ❤️

Happy Friday, Farm Friends.This is Shadow, our 43-year-old miniature horse.For those who are new here, Madison Grove Far...
06/19/2026

Happy Friday, Farm Friends.

This is Shadow, our 43-year-old miniature horse.

For those who are new here, Madison Grove Farm is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit equine sanctuary. We are 100% volunteer run, 100% donor funded, and provide Equine Assisted Learning opportunities free of charge. While horses come here for sanctuary, they end up helping people in ways that are difficult to put into words.

Shadow is one of those teachers.

He lives with Cushing’s disease and spends part of his day with the other minis and part of his day at liberty, wandering the 37 acre farm wherever he chooses. At 43 years old, he’s earned the right to make a few of his own decisions.

On this particular afternoon, Shadow wandered into a n open neighboring paddock, found a sunny spot, and decided it was time for a nap.

One of our volunteers, who knows him well, noticed him resting. Instead of immediately walking up to him, she paused and paid attention. Shadow remained relaxed, comfortable, and soft, so she quietly joined him. Before long, she was sitting beside him, scratching his neck while he soaked up the sunshine.

What I love about this photo is the lesson it holds.

We live in a world that constantly tells us we need to do more, accomplish more, produce more, and prove our worth. Horses don’t think that way.

Shadow wasn’t doing anything special. He wasn’t entertaining anyone. He wasn’t performing. He wasn’t trying to impress anybody.

He was simply resting in the sun.
And somehow, that was enough.

One of the greatest gifts horses offer is reminding us that our value isn’t tied to what we accomplish. Sometimes the most important thing we can do is slow down, be present, and allow ourselves a moment of peace.

At 43 years old, Shadow has become pretty good at that. Honestly, I think we could all learn a little something from him.

With gratitude,
Marla and the herd

06/18/2026

Around here we have fun!

Happy Thursday, Farm Friends.A quick Violet update, with a little Magnolia mixed in.It’s been a couple of weeks since Vi...
06/18/2026

Happy Thursday, Farm Friends.

A quick Violet update, with a little Magnolia mixed in.
It’s been a couple of weeks since Violet’s choke episode. While the choke itself passed fairly quickly, the recovery afterward was much harder. The fevers, coughing, weight loss, and weakness stuck around for weeks, and because of that I haven’t rushed her back into the larger mare band.

Instead, she and Magnolia have been spending their days in a smaller area tucked up above the farm where they can see the rest of the herd without having to be part of all the activity. It’s quiet, peaceful, and right now it seems to be exactly what both mares need.

Violet is feeling so much better. She’s gaining weight, moving comfortably, and starting to look more like herself again.

What has really caught my attention is the relationship developing between these two.
Magnolia has always been a leader. She’s bold, confident, and likes to know what’s happening around her. She carries herself like a mare who feels responsible for the world around her.

Violet is different.

Many of you know her as our highway horse, the mare who spent years living alone before finding her way here. She isn’t interested in being in charge. She’s observant, thoughtful, and seems most comfortable when she has a trusted companion nearby.

Over the last few weeks, I’ve noticed Magnolia relaxing in a way I haven’t seen before. She doesn’t seem to feel any pressure to lead Violet. She isn’t organizing, directing, or worrying about what comes next. She simply gets to be and not worry about leading. And that may be helping her just as much as the rest and rehabilitation.

Violet, meanwhile, seems to provide a quiet kind of encouragement. If Violet heads over to her hay, Magnolia often follows. If Magnolia decides it’s time to wander around and stretch her legs, Violet usually joins her. Neither mare is asking much of the other, yet they seem to be helping each other all the same.

One of the things researchers continue to learn about horses is how important social relationships are to their overall well-being. Horses are herd animals. Their sense of safety doesn’t come from being alone. It comes from being connected.
Watching these two, I can’t help but wonder if that’s part of what we’re seeing.

Magnolia appears to be letting go of some responsibility while she focuses on healing. Violet has companionship and security after a difficult few weeks of her own. Together they’ve settled into a quiet rhythm that seems to be working for both of them.

We’re still helping Violet regain her strength. We’re still working to understand exactly what’s going on with Magnolia physically. But for now, these two pretty paint mares seem content to take things one day at a time.

Sometimes healing comes from medicine, diagnostics, and good veterinary care.

Sometimes it comes from having the right friend standing beside you.

With gratitude,
Marla and the herd
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1453 King Road
Winlock, WA
98596

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+13608270270

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