Sparky

Who has the better life? Sparky or Jackie, our wonderful foster mom and volunteer holding the brush? It’s very hard to say because the level of cuteness oozing from this video should make everyone jealous that Jackie can do this everyday. To quote her “This might be why things on my to-do list don’t get done.”

But of course, truth be told, Sparky is living a fantastic life surrounded by friends, both four legged and two legged. We are thrilled to see him thriving at Slacker Camp and look forward to seeing him at our next Open House on April 22nd.

Since Sparky arrived last May, we’ve tried pairing him with a few friends for company. At first it was Ruckus, a pony, but he was adopted shortly after we paired them up. Then we tried our minis, Sunny and Shasta, but they had their routines and little home and decided they weren’t keen on sharing it with the new guy just yet. Sebastian was the first horse we introduced, because of his gentle nature and easy going attitude, we were hopeful, but the two just seemed to ignore each other.

Then one of our long term fosters (and volunteers!) offered her home as an option. Jackie has horses, ponies, dogs, goats and most importantly, another donkey. So Sparky headed to Slacker Camp, as Jackie calls it, to search for a friend and a little more fun.

When Sparky first stepped off the trailer and towards his new life, Odie the donkey, let out a huge HEE-HAW! Sparky’s pace quickened and he let out a little squeak. The two met through the fence with no drama and now Sparky gets to spend his time with multiple friends. We all would be so lucky to live at Slacker Camp and just get to be ourselves, hanging out with friends, just eating and sleeping. Sparky will still make appearances for events, he really seems to enjoy the human interaction and scratches. In between his public appearances for SAFE he will get to live the good life at Slacker Camp, making the rest of us very jealous. A big thank you to Jackie for providing a loving and caring home for our little El Burro Esparkalo. We know he is in the most excellent (and fun!) hands.

The novelty of meeting new horses as they come through the gates of SAFE never gets old. The horse person in all of us lights up with every new arrival — each new equine could be the very first one we’ve ever met, considering the way we act. And not to say that the sense of joy and wonder isn’t always present when our new residents become a bit more tenured, but acclimation is bound to happen.

Until Sparky.

Sparky sparks fresh joy each time we lay eyes upon him, and it sometimes seems that the feeling goes both ways. As you approach his paddock, it’s common to hear a hee-haw, enticing you closer. While he certainly enjoys his mealtimes, he seems equally if not more delighted by human companionship.

When he first came off the trailer, his demeanor was subdued. He’s naturally of a stoic nature, but there was something a little shut down about him. This is not an uncommon phenomenon — one of the pleasures of SAFE is to watch as horses blossom with life as they settle in. We waited with bated breath to hear his first hee-haw, and when we finally did, reacted with the same glee as hearing a baby’s first word. Now that he’s found his voice, Sparky makes sure you can hear it!

Sparky is a friend to everyone. With his gentle eyes and sweet personality, he draws the admiration of everyone on two legs. His own interest in people may stem from his selfish desires, because he knows exactly where he likes to be scratched (on the neck, thank you very much!) and that humans have hands very much suited for such a task, but regardless, it feels rather nice to be drawn in by his donkey siren song (and boy does it work like a charm).  At our most recent open house, Sparky acted as ambassador, making his rounds and greeting guests. He handled the barrage of children (and adults!) who wanted to say hello like an absolute champ, and seemed almost sad to be put back in his paddock at the end of it all.

He has also made a horse friend in Ruckus, who he shares a turnout space with during the day. The two are mostly quiet companions, but will occasionally share a roll together, and when Ruckus comes out from his stall in the morning, Sparky is waiting at the gate for his buddy.

There may come a day when the mere sight of Sparky no longer elicits oohs and aahs, but in the meantime, he will continue to draw a chorus wherever he goes.