Lac Lacoix Indigenous pony makes stop in Erin
Visit part of a Every Child Matters campaign on national Truth and Reconciliation Day
ERIN – As part of a Every Child Matters Campaign held on national Truth and Reconciliation Day (Sept. 30) Kelly Page and her Lac Lacoix Indigenous pony named Legend visited the Erin office – and even made their way inside the building.
Page and Legend have spent the past six years promoting this rare breed at various horse shows, events and at schools in Erin, Brampton, Belfountain and Mississauga.
Page has also been a long-time supporter of the Erin Fall Fair’s Equine Tent and HorseDay Erin.
From the time Page adopted Legend from a sanctuary farm in Sudbury, she has spent her time developing the potential of this little horse, with a variety of clinics, horse advents, fairs, parades, Legions, pow wows and Indigenous ceremonies, to bringing awareness of the versatility of this extremely endangered Canadian Heritage Horse.
Page has also worked with Legend to share stories related to Truth and Reconciliation, and as a symbol of hope and healing in promoting and building awareness towards the Every Child Matters campaign.
The Lac Lacoix Indigenous pony, also known as the Lac La Croix Indian pony or the Ojibwe pony, is thought to be the only existing breed of horse developed by Indigenous people in Canada.
It takes its name from Lac La Croix First Nation in northwestern Ontario, where it was last found in the wild.
Known in the Ojibwa language as bebezhigooganzhii or mishdatim, it is a small, semi-feral horse that once lived in the wild and worked as a service animal – but is also considered a spirit animal – for the Ojibwe people of northwestern Ontario and northern Minnesota.
Today, this friendly, all-purpose breed is used in equine therapy, Indigenous heritage programs and tourism.
Conservation efforts in Canada and the United States strive to protect the breed, which is critically endangered. There are thought to be less than 200 Lac La Croix Indigenous ponies left in the world.
Ojibwe Horses were developed by Indigenous people, primarily in the boreal forests of present-day Canada and the U.S.
Small and resilient, a spirit animal and traditional helper, the last four of these ponies were rescued in 1977 at Lac La Croix, Ontario.
The Ojibwe Horse Society preserves the breed archives, researches the history of these horses, and maintains the registry and DNA records of all known horses.
The society works to promote truth and reconciliation by sharing research, art, music, stories and writing about these horses and their parallel journey with people of all Nations.
