Zorro

the sweetest little man in the barn

If this were any other kind of a story, it would focus on his name and lineage: Zorro Express, born February 2, 2005, sire Donerail Express (out of Donerail and Cockledoo), dam Zorgwijk Anastasia (out of King Conch and Nantucket Hanover).

But at Hillesum Farm Zorro is the sweet little standardbred that came with his mom Aysha after he had languished in a small dark barn with no outdoor pasture and with hooves left untrimmed, causing him to walk on his heels. He was just 6 months old, and very sad. So we took them both in, Mom Aysha and her little boy.

Having been led to believe that a standardbred of his breeding was supposed to end up on the racetrack, we were set to auction him as a two year-old. Fortunately, the interest wasn’t overwhelming, and so we bought him back, and he came home to be reunited with his mom and the gang, never to leave again.

Everyone who meets Zorro has a different term of endearment for him; they all speak of his amazing disposition. He is variously known as “little man,” “sweetie pie,” “Kevin, “Barney,” Munchkin” and a lot of other things. He is rarely in a hurry, always exploring the world as if seeing it for the first time.

His joints are stiff now and sometimes quite sore, but he is still the kindest little horse.