Remembering Minnie—a Little Horse with a Big Following

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By Beth Saulnier

In what’s arguably the finest episode of the 2010s sitcom “Parks and Recreation,” the town gathers for a memorial service after the sudden passing of its much-loved miniature horse, Li’l Sebastian.

The solemn-yet-joyful candlelit ceremony winds up a recurring storyline whose humor springs from the fact that a new resident can’t fathom why an entire community is so enchanted by—why it absolutely adores—one tiny equine.

But as many Cornellians well know, anyone who doesn’t get it—who doesn't understand how a small horse can capture the hearts of many—just never had the chance to meet Minnie.

For more than a decade, Minnie was a beloved resident animal at the College of Veterinary Medicine’s Equine Hospital—not only its mascot and ambassador, but a calming influence on nervous patients, and a friend to bipeds and quadrupeds alike.

She made appearances at events like Reunion and Homecoming—where alumni and students lined up for photo ops with her—and the annual Vet open house, and even graced the college’s official holiday card.

For more than a decade, Minnie was a beloved resident animal at CVM’s Equine Hospital—not only its mascot and ambassador, but a calming influence on nervous patients, and a friend to bipeds and quadrupeds alike.

Minnie was such a phenomenon, in fact, that we at Cornellians devoted a multimedia feature to her in November 2022—including a video complete with drone footage.

So it’s with heavy hearts that we report that in mid-December 2025, veterinarians made the difficult decision to euthanize her, to relieve her suffering from a respiratory condition that had impacted her breathing.

“I truly think she loved being an ambassador for Cornell and for the hospital, and we all loved her very much,” says CALS alum Ariana Harris ’02, BS ’05, a longtime licensed veterinary technician (LVT) on the Hill who served as Minnie’s daily caretaker.

“She had a really great life here. The overwhelming number of people who came to say goodbye to her was really touching. So I think we provided her a great home, and her little Minnie legacy will live on.”

Officially, Minnie’s name was Cinnamon Sprinkle—but in honor of her effervescent personality, she was rechristened Cinnamon Sparkle.

She stood about 28 inches at the withers (shoulders), weighed some 220 pounds, and was 24 at the time of her passing—a mature age for her species, though not yet elderly.

I truly think she loved being an ambassador for Cornell and for the hospital, and we all loved her very much. She had a really great life here.

Ariana Harris ’02, BS ’05

Her nickname, Minnie, sprang from the fact that she was the “mini me” twin to the hospital’s former blood donor, a Belgian draft horse named Mike, to whom she was a longtime companion.

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Ultimately, her owners opted to donate her to CVM, where she not only kept Mike company but enjoyed a new life as a (small) Big Red celebrity—often literally, as she was bedecked with crimson ribbons woven into her silky mane and tail.

“A lot of times, she was given red-sparkle hoof paint, and it was a bit magical, like Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz,” says Dr. Gillian Perkins, a clinical professor of large animal medicine who oversaw her care. “You know, ‘Where is Minnie going next?’”

When students or staff would take Minnie out to events, they’d have to factor in an extra hour to get her there: inevitably, they’d be waylaid by admirers or selfie-takers—or slowed down by the diva herself, as she dawdled to snack on grass (a rare treat, given the need to manage her weight).

Stacks of stickers bearing her photo and emblazoned with “I met Minnie!” were handed out to those fortunate enough to make her acquaintance; the Cornell Store stocked a plush version of her—a “mini Minnie” at roughly one-fifth scale.

When students or staff would take Minnie out to events, they’d have to factor in an extra hour to get her there: inevitably, they’d be waylaid by admirers or selfie-takers.

In May 2025, she was even the surprise VIP guest at a dinner honoring outgoing Board of Trustees chair Kraig Kayser, MBA ’84—a huge “Parks and Rec” fan—where she came in character as Li’l Sebastian. (She was escorted in by none other than President Mike Kotlikoff, former dean of CVM.)

“She had this bold, mighty personality,” Harris recalls. “It was funny, because when we got her primped for events, she absolutely hated baths and clippers. But as soon as we got the little bows and braids in her hair, she’d go right out and strut her stuff. I think she really did enjoy all the attention.”

To vet students, Minnie was not only an approachable on-ramp to equine medicine—being more the size of a very large dog than a conventional horse—but a genial presence who offered companionship and stress relief.

“Minnie has always been a comforting friend,” says Perkins. “If you were walking between the hospital and our isolation facility, she’d be out in the paddocks and give you a little whinny. Or if the weather was getting yucky, she’d give you a whinny to tell you, ‘Hey, I’m still out here—come bring me in.’”

To vet students, Minnie was not only an approachable on-ramp to equine medicine—being more the size of a very large dog than a conventional horse—but a genial presence who offered companionship and stress relief.

About a year and a half ago, Minnie started developing breathing problems. She was diagnosed with a collapsing trachea, a common condition in miniature horses.

In April 2025, vets inserted a stent to keep her trachea open—but unfortunately, her body didn’t tolerate it well. That caused other issues, including infections, which they worked to manage.

“This week, all of a sudden, she was having a big problem breathing,” Perkins says, “and that’s when we decided it wasn’t fair to keep going.”

When the announcement came that Minnie would be humanely euthanized in the afternoon, many faculty, staff, and students came to say a final goodbye—plying her with treats like peppermints, always her favorite.

After Minnie’s passing, veterinary social worker Stephanie Coco—who often helps clients cope with the loss of a pet—hung a memorial board outside her stall, where visitors can post remembrances.

A service in Minnie’s memory, and a memorial plaque, are planned for 2026.

“She was an icon of our hospital,” Coco says. “It’s strange walking through the barn and seeing that empty stall. The weight of this loss, and how it’s affecting people, is really a testament to the human-animal bond.”

(Top: Photo by Noël Heaney / Cornell University.)

Published December 19, 2025

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