Horse Illustrated Magazine

Gizmo is a three-year-old Miniature Hereford steer. Sturgis is a 33-year-old pinto stallion. Both animals were given to Sweet Farm, a California organization that works to promote humane treatment of farm animals and provides education on other agricultural topics. It is also a rescue organization that rehabilitates farm animals.

According to Sweet Farm’s website, Gizmo was a local girl’s 4-H project. Typically cattle are sold to auction at the end of a 4-H member’s time raising them, but Gizmo had endeared himself to his family so much that they couldn’t bear to send him to slaughter. Instead, the charismatic steer came to Sweet Farm where he has befriended many of the other animals and charms human visitors.

Sturgis was given to them by his owner after her pasture flooded. Because he was a stallion, he couldn’t be turned out with the mares and at his advanced age—32 at the time—he had few options. Based on the video above and reports from Sweet Farm, he’s enjoying the companionship of his new, non-equine animal friends, especially Gizmo.

Find out more about Sweet Farm’s animals at www.sweetfarm.org

Leslie Potter is a writer and photographer based in Lexington, Kentucky. www.lesliepotterphoto.com