How did it all start?
A little girl, sitting on her bedroom floor... gifted a heart-shaped bag with tiny model horses inside for her birthday. Breyer Mini Whinnies. They didn’t start the horse obsession, but they definitely encouraged it.
I was that little girl with Breyer Mini Whinnies in hand. I even once had a birthday cake decorated with Breyer Mini Whinnies! I always dreamed I would have my own real horses some day, and when that dream came to be, I saw the benefits of being around horses in my life and the lives of the friends I shared them with.
In 2009, I acquired my first Miniature Horse, Eli and things took off with my horse ‘collection.’ In 2014, I brought home my Quarter Horse, Cinnamon. Though I love horses of all sizes, and especially the ones I can ride, there was something about Miniature Horses that got me hooked.
It may have been their compact-cuteness, their incomparable smarts, or their ability to connect with those who may be afraid of their giant relatives. Whatever it was, I knew I had to have more!
In 2016, I purchased Sweetie, my second Miniature Horse who was pregnant with my third Miniature Horse. Sweetie gave birth to her colt (Titan) under our careful watch just a few months later.
In 2017, I acquired Sweetie’s grand-daughter/Titan’s half sister June.
Eli, Sweetie, Titan, and June make up our Miniature Horse herd (for now :)) with Cinnamon being the big Quarter Horse “mother hen.”
Each mini is unique with different areas of strength, just like people. You can visit the “meet the horses” page to find out a bit more about each horse.
Where did the name “The Mini Whinnies at Quarter Acre Wood” come from?
One day, when I was watching the Miniature Horses grazing, I realized that I now had my own little herd of real, life-sized Mini Whinnies. I also had always loved Winnie the Pooh and the Hundred Acre Wood. Where the horses reside had been dubbed the “Quarter Acre Wood” long ago by my husband and his family, who also had a love for Winnie the Pooh. And so, The Mini Whinnies at Quarter Acre Wood came from that.
What is your goal?
My hope is to offer you an experience with horses (big or small) even if just for an hour. I’ve seen the benefits of having horses in my life and in others’ lives. Not only are there proven studies that show decreased depression, anxiety, etc., but I’ve also seen the joy horses bring to people’s lives. Horses are a gift from God and I love to see others blessed by their interactions with them. When God entrusts us with something that can be shared with others, then we should share those things!
As for lessons. I’ve seen many people that their horse experiences even consist of showing up to an already brushed and saddled horse for them to ride, then they simply get off the horse and leave when they’re finished. I love to work with students ‘from the ground up!’ I believe every person who is interested in riding should start on the ground working with horses and everything from there translates into how your in-the-saddle experience will go. This includes learning how to take care of, groom, saddle, and work with the horse, and activities that teach you how to ride before you even get on a horse. I believe in making learning FUN not only for students (of any age or experience), but also FUN for the horses!
What do you offer?
As part of my goal to offer you experiences with horses that are one-off or continual, we have various fun and unique events and experiences here at the barn. I'm really excited about the events that God has given me ideas for-one of our most recent being our MINI Library in the barn. The idea came early in 2023 and as we've started gathering books whether purchasing or having them gifted to us, we've now built a collection of over fifty books and expect that number to continue growing in the future. We have read-along story times with our Miniature Horses (free MINI Library events), Paint a Pony parties, Pet & Paint Parties, lessons, camps, and we have lots more we're planning for 2023.
Hope to meet you soon!
-Isabel Lange
(Owner/Founder/Primary Instructor at The Mini Whinnies at Quarter Acre Wood)
A little girl, sitting on her bedroom floor... gifted a heart-shaped bag with tiny model horses inside for her birthday. Breyer Mini Whinnies. They didn’t start the horse obsession, but they definitely encouraged it.
I was that little girl with Breyer Mini Whinnies in hand. I even once had a birthday cake decorated with Breyer Mini Whinnies! I always dreamed I would have my own real horses some day, and when that dream came to be, I saw the benefits of being around horses in my life and the lives of the friends I shared them with.
In 2009, I acquired my first Miniature Horse, Eli and things took off with my horse ‘collection.’ In 2014, I brought home my Quarter Horse, Cinnamon. Though I love horses of all sizes, and especially the ones I can ride, there was something about Miniature Horses that got me hooked.
It may have been their compact-cuteness, their incomparable smarts, or their ability to connect with those who may be afraid of their giant relatives. Whatever it was, I knew I had to have more!
In 2016, I purchased Sweetie, my second Miniature Horse who was pregnant with my third Miniature Horse. Sweetie gave birth to her colt (Titan) under our careful watch just a few months later.
In 2017, I acquired Sweetie’s grand-daughter/Titan’s half sister June.
Eli, Sweetie, Titan, and June make up our Miniature Horse herd (for now :)) with Cinnamon being the big Quarter Horse “mother hen.”
Each mini is unique with different areas of strength, just like people. You can visit the “meet the horses” page to find out a bit more about each horse.
Where did the name “The Mini Whinnies at Quarter Acre Wood” come from?
One day, when I was watching the Miniature Horses grazing, I realized that I now had my own little herd of real, life-sized Mini Whinnies. I also had always loved Winnie the Pooh and the Hundred Acre Wood. Where the horses reside had been dubbed the “Quarter Acre Wood” long ago by my husband and his family, who also had a love for Winnie the Pooh. And so, The Mini Whinnies at Quarter Acre Wood came from that.
What is your goal?
My hope is to offer you an experience with horses (big or small) even if just for an hour. I’ve seen the benefits of having horses in my life and in others’ lives. Not only are there proven studies that show decreased depression, anxiety, etc., but I’ve also seen the joy horses bring to people’s lives. Horses are a gift from God and I love to see others blessed by their interactions with them. When God entrusts us with something that can be shared with others, then we should share those things!
As for lessons. I’ve seen many people that their horse experiences even consist of showing up to an already brushed and saddled horse for them to ride, then they simply get off the horse and leave when they’re finished. I love to work with students ‘from the ground up!’ I believe every person who is interested in riding should start on the ground working with horses and everything from there translates into how your in-the-saddle experience will go. This includes learning how to take care of, groom, saddle, and work with the horse, and activities that teach you how to ride before you even get on a horse. I believe in making learning FUN not only for students (of any age or experience), but also FUN for the horses!
What do you offer?
As part of my goal to offer you experiences with horses that are one-off or continual, we have various fun and unique events and experiences here at the barn. I'm really excited about the events that God has given me ideas for-one of our most recent being our MINI Library in the barn. The idea came early in 2023 and as we've started gathering books whether purchasing or having them gifted to us, we've now built a collection of over fifty books and expect that number to continue growing in the future. We have read-along story times with our Miniature Horses (free MINI Library events), Paint a Pony parties, Pet & Paint Parties, lessons, camps, and we have lots more we're planning for 2023.
Hope to meet you soon!
-Isabel Lange
(Owner/Founder/Primary Instructor at The Mini Whinnies at Quarter Acre Wood)
The Mini Whinnies at Quarter Acre Wood
Port Matilda, Pennsylvania
Port Matilda, Pennsylvania