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Meet Olivia The Adorable Mini Horse Bringing Joy to Her Farm and Followers On Instagram
Matthew Russell
"I had been looking at a lot of different local rescues and talking to some different groups," she says.
Olivia's mom soon learned that Olivia was a part of a group of multiple mini horses that had been rescued from a neglect situation. She spoke with people from the rescue on the phone about Olivia's temperament and behavior to make sure that she would be a good fit with Sierra.
"I went out and I met her and she was a perfect fit," she says. “I really just needed a horse who was not going to be a troublemaker who wasn't going to be a bully. Olivia is a perfect fit for Sierra.”
When Olivia's mom first brought Olivia home, she was timid. It took a little time for her to get used to being around people, but she was very vocal. One of the first videos recorded of Olivia was when the mini horse saw her reflection in a window. She neighed loudly, as if to say, "look at that horse!"
"It was the cutest thing," she says.
Olivia's mom was initially told that Olivia was probably about 5 years old, but about a year and a half later, she lost her front baby teeth, which horses tend to lose at about 2 and a half years old. That's when mom realized Oliva was just a baby.
"She was probably a little bit around a year old when I first adopted her," she says. "Sierra kind of taught her how to be a horse the way that Sierra wanted her to be a horse. I think that also helped to shape their relationship because Sierra showed her the ropes of 'this is what we do.' And [Olivia] is really curious. She's really playful. She's very loving. She loves her big sister so much she wants to be with her all the time. "
Before meeting Olivia, Sierra had been injured in the field and was on stall rest. When Olivia's mom was going to turn Olivia back out, she needed a buddy. Olivia became a, "little emotional support horse," as her mom puts it.
Mom says Sierra was standoffish and a little bit jealous when she first met Olivia, but quickly warmed up to her. Sierra and Olivia have since bonded closely over the last few years.
"Olivia really filled the role very well," she says. "Her job is to be a companion and she does a really good job at it."