There are 57 horses currently residing at Double Rainbow and Milton Wallace (the MLW of MLW Stables) introduces visitors to each one during the 50-cent tour. “People have to see the horses that we have,” Wallace said.

The 28-acre farm in Farmington Township welcomes visitors and is hoping to see more. Whether they are on for a therapeutic visit, for a Pony Camp, or are volunteering in order to spend time with the animals, doesn’t matter. But it’s not all about riding. Visitors also learn about life on the farm and the hard work required to care for animals and keep the farm running.

“Our Emotional Support program has been going for the last two years,” Warren County School District Emotional Support Teacher Julia Murphy said. “At the ranch, the students help clean the stalls, direct the animals to the pastures, feed and water the animals, groom them, and get to explore the farm.”

The horses appreciate grooming and feeding and being walked around. They don’t care who is doing those things. “The horses are non-judgmental,” Wallace said. “So many of these kids come and they’ve never ridden before. It’s so emotionally overpowering to see the transition.”

Photo submitted to Times Observer Students in the Warren County School District emotional support program gather for a photo on the hay bales in the new barn at Double Rainbow Farms during a recent visit.

“The students have learned the hard work and dedication that it takes to care for all of the animals,” Murphy said.

“After the students put in some hard work helping out at the farm, they get to bond with the animals.”

The Warren County YMCA Firefly program for adults with intellectual disabilities also goes to the farm for therapeutic visits.

“It’s such a blessing to have,” YMCA Marketing and Grant Coordinator Kim Slocum said. “It is not only an equine center there are other animals to pet and see making it a real sensory experience.”

In addition to the many horses, there are goats, pigs, ponies, donkeys, a sheep, cats, chickens, and cows.

Photo submitted to Times Observer Youth and adults work together at Double Rainbow Farms during a visit by the Warren County YMCA Firefly program.

“Many of them have a favorite horse, pony, donkey, or pot belly pig that they take selfies with,” Murphy said. “The students gain confidence in their own abilities and increase social skills and problem-solving skills.”

“The smiles and interactions it provides to them is very important,” Slocum said.

Firefly program participants are often helped out by young people who are volunteering at the farm.

“Socialization is very important to our goal in offering experiences to FIREFLY. (At Double Rainbow Farm) they also get to interact with youth which is rare in our setting seeing as kids are either engaged in their own activities or not near their programs at the Y,” she said. “The teens that volunteer at the Double Rainbow Farm are kind and generous to the participants. They aid them in mounting their horses and walking them around the arena.”

“Older kids teach visitors about feeding, grooming, tack, and leading… the first day,” Wallace said.

“The YMCA also has held summer camps there and has taken the childcare up for farm visits,” Slocum said. “It is wonderful to be able to have a place like this in our community to offer to the area. There is nothing else like it.”

“This spring, the students will be working with Milton to ride some of the horses,” Murphy said. “They are looking forward to this as many of them have never ridden a horse before. They are also looking forward to playing on the hay bales, exploring the farm, and bonding with each other and the animals; hopefully with some warm weather. The students return to the building with muddy shoes, hay covered clothes, and fatigue, but they count down the days till we get to go again.”

“One thing that sticks out to the students is that Milton takes in all different types of animals; injured ones, sick ones, ones that were going to be killed, or ones that nobody wanted anymore,” Murphy said. “Our students feel compassion for these animals and enjoy helping to give them a better life.”

Horses come to the stables in many ways, from many places. Some of the horses have medical conditions. Some require special feed.

Whether it’s a mustang that was at risk back home in Utah, a horse with a medical condition that its owner wasn’t prepared to handle, an abused animal, or a perfectly healthy horse from a good home, they all require care.

It’s a lot for Wallace. He didn’t plan to invited visitors to his farm to see 57 horses when he first moved there in 2003 and bought a single horse.

But, the farm became a haven for rescues. And, for people who need a little non-judgmental interaction.

“We have to be sustainable,” Wallace said. “I can’t do this by myself.”

Campers, students, and other volunteers help him out.

Donations — cat food for the spayed and neutered cats that are welcome to stay, monetary donations, volunteer hours — come in.

The farm gets income from Pony Camps and from providing pony rides and the like at events. There are also visitors from all over the world who spend time at the farm’s Hipcamp. It was a very popular destination through the pandemic and is still going strong.

“We are so grateful to the community,” he said. “We constantly put every penny that we’ve ever made back into taking care of these horses because somebody has to.”

But, there’s a lot to spend money on.

Wallace estimated his hay expenditures at $30,000 to $35,000 a year and grant at $40,000 to $43,000.

Wallace is also looking ahead and sees a time when he won’t be in charge.

“We have to find somebody who wants to manage and run this farm the way we do,” he said. “I hope it will grow.”