Northshore magazine showcases the best that the North Shore of Boston, MA has to offer.
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/1162395
NORTHSHOREMAG.COM 40 SEPTEMBER 2019 in carriages on busy highways. The horse was in rough shape when he arrived, but he is now prepping to do the very posh annual hunt at Appleton Farms on Thanksgiving. Jacques's quirky family even started a little traveling circus at one point, doing tricks on horses. Her mother runs the Service Dog Project in Ipswich, raising dozens and dozens of Great Danes to help people with mobility issues. Jacques has written three books on rescue animals, including the recent Make Way for Donkeys, a true story of two donkeys saved from a terrible fate and sent to Colorado, where they became pack burro racing donkeys. The titles of the other two books will make you want to devote your life to her cause: Dogs, Donkeys & Circus Performers: Hilarious Stories of Animal Adventures on a Path to Making the World a Better Place for All Creatures Big, Small, Four & Two Legged and Lost Horses: A Guide for Horse Lovers to Make a Difference. Of course, there are opportunities to benefit humans, too. Suzanne MacPhail is a licensed mental health counselor certified in equine therapy who works with Cultivate Care Farms in Bolton. The farm-based mental health and wellness practice has recently ex- panded to Ipswich. "Horses and donkeys feel energy, and they know what's going on right when you go into the ring," says MacPhail. She goes on to explain how they can help patients who are healing from trauma, depression, grief, loss, substance abuse, and eating dis- orders. "The animals break down walls and make people vulnerable." This treatment is covered by five kinds of insurance. Patients can get into the ring and tell their stories of trauma while hanging out with the animals. The idea is that we process emotions and thoughts best during activities and interactions. In addition, MacPhail recently brought her Cambridge College students, who are studying to be psychotherapists, to the farm to help them learn to manage self-care by spending time with the animals, which reduces burnout from caring for patients. Also among the volunteers today is Amy Cyr, who manages the dog and cat practice at Danvers Animal Hospital; she enjoys leading the bigger animals on Sundays, especially after having back surgery last spring. "It's beautiful. It makes sure I get out and walk every Sunday. It gives me donkey, horse, and mule time." Meanwhile, at another farm, one of the rescue network's animals is living the life. Looking like a tiny unicorn, the gleaming white miniature horse puts her head through the fence to crunch a NECCO wafer almost the same shade of pink as her muzzle. "Not too much sugar, Clementine. You are getting chubby," says Claudia Von Gumppenberg, the owner of this magical creature. Not much larger than a big dog, Clementine lives on Emerald Hill Farm in Essex, a 17-acre horse farm that looks across an expanse of pristine conservation land. Clementine is lucky to be here, where she has a job calming the expensive show horses. At one time Clementine's future was bleak. Claudia received a picture of the horse just in time and made a split-second decision to save the animal's life. Two years later, Von Gumppenberg asked her husband if they could get another, and Casper came into their lives the same way. The couple enjoys watching their big mare, Chelsea, protectively stand over little Clementine as she lies in the sun. When Von Gumppenberg bought the farm and spruced up its stalls and barns in 2011, she never dreamed the mini horses would grab her heart. "This farm is a serene and quiet setting. We gave them a second chance at life. But they give back to the farm, too." I attended a fundraiser for the Equine Rescue Network at the Service Dog Project with the Great Danes. Donkeys big and small ran free around us. They ran in clumsy packs, eliciting laughter from the crowd, many of whom wore T-shirts with various funny donkey slogans on them. A teen with autism petted a few of the gentle creatures as his mother explained their healing qualities. Jacques has borrowed tricks from her mother's playbook with the Great Danes by putting cameras on certain donkeys, allowing viewers to get involved with their lives and, in turn, help support her organization. Audiences of more than 5,000 watched Maude give birth. A naming contest followed and made her baby, Pockets, a star on social media. Salem resident Melanie Tossell had just returned from a trip to Ireland three years ago with "donkeys on the brain." She and some friends were visiting the farm, where she has worked with horses off and on for years, when she spotted a handsome American Paint donkey off to the side near a group of miniature donkeys. She purchased the donkey from the Equine Rescue Network for $200 and named him Doolin. One difference between donkeys and horses is that donkeys remember, says Tossell. And once they trust, she says, they forgive. In her experience, you can hug a donkey all day and they won't pull away. "Donkeys are the most loving beings ever," says Tossell. "They'll do anything for you. They have a spirit I never knew." Make no mistake, donkey love is a real thing, she says. "You know they're happy when they smile. You can rub their big ears and they nestle up. It's endless." FUN FACTS ABOUT DONKEYS + Donkeys live 40 to 50 years. + Their care is less expensive than keeping horses. + You can feed them a $10 bale of hay every three days. + They stave off coyotes, protect chickens, and calm bigger horses. + They are in tune with our emotions and can mirror our moods. L I V E + P L AY CONTACT equinerescuenetwork.com Jacques on a walk on the farm.