When Christin Dennis, an Indigenous knowledge-keeper, agreed to lead a recent discussion on Ojibwe Horses with a group of visitors to a nearby sanctuary, the unique attributes of the endangered breed were there for all to see.
Dennis was in the midst of teaching a song, recalled Dale Patch, owner/operator with wife Sallianne of Aspens Ojibwe Horse Sanctuary, near Gads Hill.
“He started to drum. All the large horses just stood and watched but (a) foal went to him and, while drumming and singing, put her nose on the drum.”
Dennis told a similar story of the breed to other visitors and classes - when he first met a herd of Ojibwe Horses he began to drum and all the horses gathered around him, as if they were drawn to the practice.
On that day, Dale said, the story was repeated and reaffirmed.
“Indigenous people, they have words for it, but for me it’s the connection these horses have,” Dale said. “Our other horses, they turn away from that.”
The foal that approached Dennis was Eclipse, the newest addition to the Takona herd at the sanctuary, which now numbers six. There, the small herd is thriving, despite the endangerment of the breed.
The Ojibwe Spirit Horses, known also as the Lac La Croix Indian Pony, are a breed of pony native to North America.
The prevailing theory about horses in North America is that they went extinct at the end of the last Ice Age about 10,000 years ago, and reintroduced by the Spanish after they made contact in the late 15th century.
The presence of the Ojibwe Horses complicates that theory.
Called “living artifacts,” there are conflicting histories on the horses. A common thread in the oral stories passed down about them is that tens of thousands once ran wild through the forests of Canada like deer – prior to European contact.
Although not domesticated by Indigenous people on the continent, they were closely tied together, following groups as they travelled and staying close to humans.
Dennis said there was no need for early Indigenous people to domesticate them. If they needed a horse, they only needed to walk a few feet into the bush and hop on one.
After contact, the Ojibwe Horses were displaced by European breeds, larger and domesticated. Eventually, the Ojibwe Horses were systematically destroyed.
Reportedly, European teachers and priests that came to reserves with the horses said it was a health hazard to have horses running loose and breeding in front of children. The horses were reported to the Health Ministry who arranged to have them exterminated.
By 1977, there were only four mares left, located near Lac La Croix First Nation, near Thunder Bay.
At that time, a group of settlers and Indigenous people rescued the horses and brought them to Eastern Minnesota where they were bred with a Spanish Mustang.
The 25 offspring were eventually returned to Canada in 1993, brought back by Rare Breeds Conservancy (now known as Heritage Livestock Canada). Today, through careful breeding practises, there are less than 200 horses located across Canada and the United States.
The Patch family involvement with the horses started four years ago, after reading an article, and realizing how critically endangered they are. With experience handling horses and having the facilities to accommodate a small herd, they became caregivers of the Takona family.
Dale and Sallianne spoke about the temperament of the horses, how gentle and calm they are.
Depending on how deep you want to believe, Sallianne said, some believe the horses are so gentle because they learned the Seven Grandfather Teachings through the generations they spent with the Ojibwe pre-European contact.
The Seven Grandfather Teachings have been passed down in Ojibwe culture and vary from region to region. All of them revolve around abiding by a moral respect for all living things.
Although the horses have come a long way since 1977, there is still much more work that needs to be done.
Following the lead of the Ojibwe Horse Society, which has spearheaded conservation efforts of the breed, Dale and Sallianne are focused on three key points: preservation, protection, and promotion.
Currently, they are focused on spreading the story of these special horses.
They frequently hold open barn days, for visitors to come and meet the horses and learn about their history. With Dennis, they have frequently visited schools in the Avon Maitland District School Board, teaching students and showing them living history.
