THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

MARENGO, Ill. — Honor and Haven didn’t have the easiest start to life.

The shy, miniature horse siblings now ages 8 and 9 were born into a family of inbreds. But three years ago, they showed up skinny and scared at the farm that would become their home. They, in turn, would inspire its name.

Destination Safe Haven in Marengo first began caring for the brother-sister pair and soon moved on to help dozens of aging hooved animals, some once unwanted and others rescued from lives of mistreatment or neglect.

Honor and Haven’s malformed feet and nervous demeanor now are the only visible signs of their upbringing.

“I feel that every horse should be treated with honor and dignity,” said Jennifer Finkelman, who runs the volunteer animal sanctuary with partner Deb Novak.

“They had no honor, and they had no dignity,” Novak said.

This holiday season, Honor and Haven will be available for sponsorship in a new Adopt-A-Pony program, which will help the small group feed and care for the animals and possibly expand rescue operations on their 70 acres of rented land.

The duo joins a dwarf miniature horse, three horses, seven ponies, six goats, three pigs, and two geese also up for “adoption.”

The larger hooved animals are on the older side, such as 20-year-old horse George. Likely a show horse before retiring, George suffers from arthritis and partial blindness.

Then there’s Pumpkin, a white 20-year-old pony with a neurological disorder. He and his friends Faye, Fiesta and Pokey quietly gathered for a grooming session Wednesday after getting into a little mischief involving a burr patch.

Dwarf miniature horse Dalilah later showed off her friendly spirit by playfully trotting around Honor and Haven, who inched out of their pens for some feed. At 8 years old, Dalilah came to the farm after she was weaned with a wealth of problems, from malformed feet to upside-down teeth.

“She was wild,” Finkelman recalled. “Oh my lord, she was wild.”

People who would like to sponsor an animal will receive a packet including a certificate, photograph, coupon for a discounted pony party, and a free pony ride ticket. Destination Safe Haven has separate working ponies on its land for riding lessons and events.

Sponsorships for horses cost $50 a month and ponies can be sponsored for $30 a month. All other available animals such as two new kids from a rescued mother goat can be sponsored for $10 each a month.

Larger donations from businesses would warrant a special visit from Dalilah, who enjoys dressing in holiday garb for public greetings.

Volunteers to help feed and care for the animals are needed, as well.

“To have a team of people is what will make things fruitful and successful,” said group member Lori Seekamp, who always dreamed of owning a horse and now visits a farm full of them twice a week.

“There’s so much work that needs to be done.”