Pony Hair and Poker Faces
Korrine and Wayne Jordan of Perth, Ontario, never dreamed they would become a couple when they first met almost 12 years ago. They met by chance, as a result of Korrine’s efforts to register the offspring of Captain Sweetapple, her first Newfoundland pony stallion.
In the fight to ensure a critically endangered breed’s survival, every registered pony counts. After discovering Sweetapple had sired six foals, Korrine went on a mission to get them all registered. The largest part of this work involved jumping through hoops to register Pallas Athene, a mare Captain Sweetapple had sired four foals with.
Korrine said she had no idea what she was getting herself into. “Approximately five hundred emails and phone calls later and eighteen months of investigation and energy I got it done. …Fortunately, I’m a little on the stubborn side so I didn’t give up until Pallas Athene (“Polly”) and her foals got the recognition they deserved.”
After going through all that to get Polly registered, approaching a stranger for pony hair must have seemed like a somewhat less daunting task. She first spoke with Wayne Jordan when she cold-called him at the hardware store where he worked to ask if she could obtain a DNA sample from his pony, one of Sweetapple’s foals.
“I called Wayne up out of the blue … I literally stalked my husband for pony hair, and it was a good deal because I eventually got him and the pony.”
Korrine said she didn’t think either she or Wayne had a fantastic first impression of each other at their first meeting. “We joke around about it. I’m the outgoing, chatty one and he’s the quiet, more reserved sort of person.”
At first, Korrine thought Wayne had a bit of a “poker face.” “He almost looked kind of grumpy, but he’s the gentlest person in the world. He’s the first one to get through to the most timid horses.”
Korrine said Wayne’s first reaction to her may have been an eye roll when he heard her refer to Captain Sweetapple as “her son.”
In the succeeding years, Wayne became a stalwart advocate of the Newfoundland breed as he grew to understand the importance of the cause. Korrine and Wayne slowly formed a friendship based on their shared love of horses and Newfoundland ponies. They grew closer by supporting each other in the way people in the equestrian community often do, by sharing resources and knowledge.
The First Rescue
After inheriting a run-down 90-acre cattle farm, Wayne told Korrine about his dream to start a boarding barn — but he needed help to get the place up and running. He asked Korrine to board her two ponies at his new place, with the idea that she would help him manage the boarding barn.
The ponies enjoying turnout at Willow Creek. (Willow Creek photo)
“[The property] was a disaster and needed a lot of work,” said Korrine. “He’d inherited a lot of junk. It was a lot of clean up.”
Korrine agreed to help with the clean-up, and eventually, she persuaded Wayne to drop the boarding barn idea and consider a rescue instead. A former professor of English at Algonquin College, Korrine had then been serving on the board for the Newfoundland Pony Society as chair of their Rehoming Committee for a number of years. She never thought she’d get the opportunity to start a rescue. “Wayne gave me an inch and I took a mile,” said Korrine.
But they didn’t officially make their dream a reality until, one night, Korrine got a phone call about a Newfoundland Pony called Rusty. “He was this 29-year-old toothless stallion, completely emaciated. We were told that Rusty was going to be put down, and if we wanted him we had to get him by one o’clock the next day.”
Korrine borrowed a horse trailer from a friend and managed to meet the deadline just in the nick of time.
Rusty gained weight and thrived with the care provided by Wayne and Korrine, proving that they were capable of creating a great environment for horses viewed as lost causes. After Rusty, Maggie, Mae and Flash joined their herd, and things snowballed after that. Willow Creek Newfoundland Pony Rescue had its official opening back in 2017, when they hosted their first Open Farm Day.
“We thought we had something pretty special with seven critically endangered ponies here in Perth. They just kept coming after that. We have twenty-six living here now, with a thirty-year-old on the way.”
In total, Wayne and Korrine have helped 89 Newfoundland ponies to date. They’re currently rehoming numbers 37 and 38 right now to become part of a horse therapy program for veterans.
Providing a sanctuary for seniors is also a mandate of Willow Creek. Seniors are not rehomed because they require specialized food and dental care. Their focus is instead on rehoming healthy riding ponies that can potentially contribute to the breed, so anyone of breeding age goes to a home where registered offspring can be produced. “A handful of foals is not enough to sustain a breed. We need to encourage others to get involved. Extinction is a real possibility.”
But Willow Creek also functions as a breeding operation, adding another layer of complexity to their rescue. Currently, their ponies Carling, Jiggs and Velvet are pregnant, and they are expanding their breeding facilities to accommodate more foals in the years to come. “We are relatively new to breeding, but when it comes to a rare breed it’s important that we do what we can.”
So far, Willow Creek has been responsible for adding eight new ponies to the Newfoundland pony population in addition to the ones they’ve rescued – Wilson, Georgie, Rosie, Firefly, Luna, Chaska, JamJam, and Touton. Touton’s full name is Willow Creek Touton of Jellybean Road – a “touton” being a kind of Newfoundland pancake made from leftover bread dough that’s fried and served with molasses.
The Proposal
Looking back, Korrine can’t put her finger on just when her partnership with Wayne grew into more than simple friendship. “I can’t really explain how Wayne and I went from rescue to marriage. It just sort of happened … We were not dating or a couple when we decided we were going to start the rescue,” Korrine said.
Korrine introduces camp kids to one of the Newfoundland rescues. (Willow Creek photo)
During their first year of running the rescue together, Korinne doesn’t think she talked about anything but horses with the man who would eventually become her husband. “We would do chores, and if it wasn’t about the animals, we didn’t have a conversation.”
Their “dates” were always at the barn, centred around the ponies. “I can’t say we have ever been on a date, but we have spent sleepless nights caring for sick ponies in the barn. We have comforted each other when we could not save one. We have rejoiced when one had made a breakthrough and started to trust. We fell in love with the person who felt the same concern or compassion for another life.”
Korrine’s admiration for Wayne developed because of Wayne’s attentive care for ponies like Sweetie, who was abused to the point of being terrified of people. It took about eight people ten hours to load Sweetie into a trailer to make the trip from her home in Newfoundland. “She was just a super-reactive pony,” Korrine said. “If you walked up to her, she would charge you.”
Sweetie wouldn’t come into the barn for the first two years at Willow Creek, and had to be sedated for foot trims. After Wayne’s consistent efforts, they could halter her, pick out her feet, and even take her out for a walk. “She’s looking to engage with people now,” Korrine said. “She’s safe now, and realizes people aren’t going to hurt her. …Wayne is patient and quiet, and he knows how to give the ponies the time they need to come around.”
Now, Sweetie is a favourite with fans and supporters and one of the best-loved ponies of Willow Creek. “She becomes everyone’s favourite because they’re so appreciative of the fact that she’s tried to trust.”
One evening a few years ago, Wayne called Korrine out to the barn, saying there was something wrong with Maggie, one of their first rescue ponies.
“I was so surprised when he proposed to me in front of Maggie and Mooney’s stalls,” Korrine said. “I couldn’t say ‘yes’ fast enough because I already knew I loved him.”
Besides, Korrine joked, “I knew I had to say ‘yes.’ You can’t say ‘no’ in front of Maggie and Mooney. He bought this ring with a light in the box to show off the ring, but I didn’t even look at the ring. He could have given me tinfoil and it wouldn’t have mattered.” Korrine said Wayne often makes fun of her very enthusiastic response.
They were married on the farm with their ponies, making them an official perfect team. “We were there for the ponies and we were there for each other. We became such a partnership that we just relied on each other and we just didn’t function without the other.”
Korrine does the day-to-day care for the horses, and Wayne does hay, fencing, and other maintenance work like building a stallion paddock for their growing breeding operation and increasing the capacity of their quarantine pens. When things inevitably go wrong in either sphere, they rely on each other.
“Our paths obviously cross,” Korrine said, “when we end up with an issue.” For example, “When you have twelve ponies in quarantine, and we do sometimes have that issue, we might have one person taking care of the healthy herd and another person taking care of the sick animals. If the tractor breaks down or hay needs to be done, I’m pulled off what I’m doing to help with that.”
Wayne also still works part-time at the hardware store, and Korrine jokes this is to get away from her to-do list.
It takes a Village to Run a Rescue
Korrine and Wayne’s work has touched the community of horse people and non-horse people alike. Willow Creek is hugely popular with visitors, co-op students, Community Living participants, and volunteers. “We’re a bit of a tourist attraction,” Korrine said. “Being a small family farm turned rescue, I don’t have the funds to hire full time, so we keep boat afloat by doing barn activities.”
The most popular of these activities include “pony checks,” where participants – usually seniors – can learn how to lead a pony for a walk around Willow Creek, while also being provided facts about the history of the Newfoundland Pony.
“We want as many people as possible to know that Canada has its own critically endangered pony breed. We want people to fall in love with them. Most people who end up adopting originally came to farm visits.”
Mooney waiting patiently for smooches in his kissing booth.(Willow Creek photo)
Willow Creek also does summer camps and birthday parties, where they give pony rides on the ponies who are suitable for riding. They also have popular pony camps for adults and children, and offer pony sponsorship for a small fee. They open to the public on “Farm Days,” where they get hundreds of visitors.
During the pandemic, Willow Creek brought ponies to retirement homes and group homes. And when their Community Living Association couldn’t come out to the barn, they started making videos and posting them on social media for fans. They were followed by a group of frontline nurses who would meet in the hallways during breaks to watch the live broadcasts.
Happy Endings
In addition to finding their own happy ending, together Korrine and Wayne have changed many lives. One of their followers’ favourite stories is that of the official Willow Creek mascot, Mooney. Mooney had been living in a garage in rural Newfoundland when he was rescued.
“He was 33 when he passed away and was 28 when he got here. His halter had been on so long it had grown into his skin. He didn’t have a lot of faith and trust and people… He had really bad arthritis and had a difficult time walking, but within six months of proper hoof care and a better diet he was running again. The first time I saw him run it made me cry.”
Eventually, Mooney warmed up to people so much that he turned into “Mr. Smoochie” – quite literally. “All you had to do was touch your cheek and he would come and give you a kiss,” Korrine said. Mooney was famous for his fundraising Valentine’s Day kissing booth, and even gave out flowers and chocolates to guests.
Like Wayne, Mooney stole a piece of Korrine’s heart. “He would insist that he lay down with you and he would be the little spoon and I would be the big spoon, even though he was bigger than me. He was my boyfriend, and my husband was perfectly fine with it.”
