When Pennsylvania retiree Joni Miller first met rescue horse Charlie during her time volunteering at Days End Farm Horse Rescue (DEFHR) in Woodbine, Maryland, it was not love at first sight.
Miller could not even catch the wily nine-year-old Thoroughbred in the field. Yet, what started as an elusive, complex relationship became a life-enriching experience for Miller, a secure future for Charlie, and even spawned a fundraising book.
Charlie arrived at DEFHR in early 2016 as a neglect case with a body condition score of two out of nine on the Henneke Horse Body Condition Scoring System, meaning he was emaciated.
In addition to his critically low body condition, he was suffering from several health issues, including sharp dental hooks and points that needed immediate attention to improve his ability to chew and digest food properly. He also had dermatitis, which caused skin irritation, and thrush, a painful condition affecting his hooves.
After several months of care both in DEFHR’s rehabilitation and training programs, Charlie was ready for his mental rehab and entered DEFHR’s Equidopt program, where he was matched up with Miller in September 2016. Participants in the Equidopt grooming sponsorship program play a major role in their assigned horse’s life through weekly grooming sessions, enabling a special bond.
“I thought he was beautiful and elegant, but in the beginning he wasn’t wild about people, and he wasn’t really interested in me,” recalled Miller.
But then something game-changing happened. Miller had foot surgery and couldn’t visit Charlie for a few weeks. In fact, due to the gelding’s aloof demeanor, she planned to ask for another horse to look after.
“The day I returned, Charlie needed grooming,” she continued. “When I went to put him back in the field, he wouldn’t leave my side to go back to his friends. He stood there with his head on my shoulder while I petted him. Eventually, we had to move because we were blocking the gateway, but that was the moment when he set the hook and started to reel me in.”
Miller had no plans to adopt a horse in her retirement and hadn’t ridden since she was 12, but the idea started to take root even though DEFHR was looking for an intermediate-level rider for Charlie. She was driven to get back in the saddle for Charlie’s sake and began taking lessons six times a week.
“I wanted every available spot,” said Miller. “I was not a good match for a fairly green Thoroughbred who was very forward, but DEFHR’s head trainer, Sara Strauss, told me later that the barn staff had commented that I was his person and that we had a bond from the beginning.”
Strauss recounted that Charlie was a lovely guy to work around during training. She also discovered that he was happiest ridden in a bosal, a type of bitless bridle with a braided nosepiece.
“I remember chatting with Joni during the adoption appointments and mentioning that she and Charlie may not be the best match for each other with their varying skill sets,” laughed Strauss as she recalled Miller and Charlie getting to know each other. “But sometimes you have to give a relationship a good try, and that’s exactly what Joni and Charlie did.”
Any doubts Strauss harbored evaporated as the bond between the two strengthened.
Charlie went home with Miller in August 2017, where she helped him overcome breathing difficulties, which led to a tracheostomy. This surgical procedure creates a permanent opening in the neck and windpipe to aid with breathing.
Charlie now lives a full and healthy life as a riding horse, with the tracheostomy allowing him to breathe more freely and maintain a better weight. It has also improved his demeanor around other horses and at feed time.
The now 17-year-old gelding has become such an expressive character that he inspired Miller to start writing Facebook posts about what Charlie and her other horse, a mare named Pepper, were really thinking about all her exploits. When, in the spring of 2024, a fall from Pepper resulted in a broken pelvis, Miller found herself confined to her house and “bored out of my mind.”
To use her downtime productively, friends persuaded Miller to turn the Facebook posts into a book, which she called “Straight From My Horse’s Mouth: Life According to Charlie & Pepper.” She donates the proceeds of every copy she sells to DEFHR and Turning for Home, a Thoroughbred rehoming operation.
Miller is grateful for the personal growth that owning Charlie has brought her. She has enjoyed the twists and turns of her learning curve throughout the years since his adoption.
“Horses can come with baggage just like people do, but Charlie is over his now. I’ve learned so much from owning him, like being quiet and still—and observing. I think I’m giving him a pretty good life. We do everything in baby steps, and he’s come a long way. Horses can’t use words, but they can tell us what they mean to us through their behavior. He’s a wonderful gift, and I am forever grateful to the team at DEFHR for saving him. It’s not just animals they save—they enrich human lives too.”
Miller wholeheartedly encourages anyone considering adoption to go for it.
“These horses can bring such joy to your life,” she concluded.
“I can’t imagine what my retirement would be like if I didn’t have my horses, especially Charlie. I’m having fun, but—more than that—I’m still learning, and if you don’t learn, your brain rots. Being with Charlie is my magical time. I would have given anything as a kid to ride; it took 57 years, but I got there eventually.”
“Joni has put a lot of time and effort into developing her relationship with Charlie and growing as a horsewoman,” added Strauss. “We are so thankful to her for giving Charlie a wonderful life and continuing to pursue the lifelong journey of horsemanship.”
To learn more about DEFHR’s available horses, visit defhr.org/available-horses/. To buy a copy of Miller’s book, email pepperandcharlie@yahoo.com or visit the Charlie & Pepper — Straight from My Horse’s Mouth Facebook page.