Ottawa’s Hidden Gem: Indigenous Teachings Come Alive at Mādahòkì Farm

Located on unceded Algonquin territory in Ottawa’s Greenbelt (near Hunt Club and the 416), Mādahòkì Farm has expanded its cultural offerings and is eager to share them with both locals and visitors to the National Capital Region.

The farm welcomes the public from Thursday through Sunday, with free entry to explore the site. In addition to a host of friendly small animals—including bunnies and goats—a central part of the experience is meeting the four-legged ambassadors of the farm: the rare and resilient Ojibwe Spirit Horses.

Once nearly extinct, this Indigenous heritage breed was brought back from the brink in the 1970s when only four remained. Thanks to the efforts of the Ojibwe Spirit Horse Society, their numbers have slowly grown. Mādahòkì Farm is home to 13 of these majestic animals, and its team is committed to sharing them—with the public, with Indigenous youth, and with other breeders.

Trina Mather-Simard, CEO of Mādahòkì Farm, remembers discovering the horses with her daughters who are equestrian riders: “I couldn’t believe that they existed and we didn’t know and we just thought, this is such an important part of our culture.”

The Ojibwe Spirit Horse is uniquely suited to the northern climate, with thick ears to ward off frostbite and keep the bugs out in the warmer seasons. They also have a dark dorsal stripe from mane to tail, and a strong emotional sensitivity. Contrary to colonial narratives, these horses were bred by Indigenous Peoples long before Europeans arrived on this continent.