Mini mount lives the country life on Mercer Island

By Nancy Hilliard
Special to the Reporter

Chickens and livestock on Mercer Island’s million-dollar waterfront? Yes. In fact, creatures have ruled a lakefront home in the Fruitland neighborhood for years. As you enter the driveway, you see a kids’ playhouse and former chicken coop- turned-horse barn and a small paddock behind a white picket fence.

Thirteen-year-old Paladin, a miniature horse the size of a very large dog, shuffles from within to welcome you to his kingdom for a carrot.

Chatting with his mistress, 23-year-old Ashley Brewer, you find he’s just part of the domestic livestock over 20 years at the Brewers. They’ve had at least 20 chickens, several ducks, a pot-bellied pig, dogs and cats, a Cockatoo and other horses stabled at Stevenson’s.

But Paladin, one can see from his braided mane and friendly disposition, has been the high-level official of this domain for the last 11 years. He sometimes jumps the fence to graze on the lakefront lawn or strolls through the house. He rides in the Brewers’ van to the center as they go through drive-ins for eats, hanging his head between driver and passenger. He does his civic duty by visiting senior centers, pony parties and other “outreach” gigs.

He and Ashley’s two other standard-sized horses have done 4-H shows at the Monroe and Evergreen fairs. Paladin became the Overall Grand Champ “Pony” in 2001 for the entire County Fair, and competed in the Puyallup State Fair in 2002 where he was Reserve Grand Champion in every division.

“Owning a miniature horse actually is not that difficult,” says his keeper. “They don’t need a lot of space and eat about one-fifth of what large horses eat.”

Paladin’s favorite sidekicks have included a miniature black Japanese Silkie chicken who endlessly rode on his back after being exiled from the pecking order within the coop. Now, Dinah — an orange kitty — has taken Black Chick’s place as Paladin’s paddock buddy and sleeps on the bench in his stall. Paladin often strolls the neighborhood with the Brewers’ three dogs as well — all on leashes.

Since 2002, Ashley has attended Central Washington University in Ellensburg, where she started the equestrian team. It begins its second season this month. Ashley will student-teach from January through March and will graduate with her teaching certificate in school health and P.E. in March 2008.

She plans to marry next August and relocate to Ballard, which could really mean the end of Mercer Island farms — even its teeniest tiniest.