Raising Spirits

The wild horse herds that once roamed the Great Lakes region came to hold deep cultural significance for the Ojibwe communities who lived there. They are considered a spirit animal and a traditional helper of Indigenous peoples.

But, as centuries passed, the number of wild ponies — known as Ojibwe Horses and as the Lac La Croix Pony — inexorably dwindled until by 1977 only four horses remained.

This story has a happy ending, however. Today, there are nearly two hundred “Spirit Horses” in existence, and protecting the small but sturdy animals — while honouring the breed’s cultural roots — has become the shared goal of a devoted group of Indigenous and non-Indigenous people in the Great Lakes region of both Canada and the United States.

Leading the charge is a pair of women who share a deep affinity for and connection with the Spirit Horses.

Rhonda Snow, who is Métis from Fort Frances, Ontario, is today known as the “Keeper of the Spirit Horses.” For many years she cared for a small herd of the wild ponies. She obtained them from a special breeding program in Minnesota that began in 1977, after four remaining mares from the herd were rescued before they could be put down by Ontario health officials.