This Dwarf Calf Lost His Horse Mom to Cancer but Found Love Again With a New Mare
Elliot the Angus calf was half the size he should have been when he was born, and his mother wanted nothing to do with him.
Born with dwarfism, Elliot was rejected at birth by his mom, who sensed something was wrong. He had to be bottle fed, which made him deeply affectionate toward people, according to The Little Red Barn sanctuary.
His previous owners eventually surrendered him, and the sanctuary in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada took him in during early 2025.
When he arrived, Elliot hadn’t been around other cows since his birth. All the other cows at the sanctuary were welcoming — especially one named Daisy — but it was a completely different animal who changed his life.
Belle Takes Elliot Under Her Wing
Her name was Belle, a then-27-year-old Belgian mare horse who had arrived at The Little Red Barn one month before Elliot. The unlikely pair quickly became inseparable.
“It’s been interesting to see how Belle has taken a mothering role of Elliot. Belle spent the last three years of her life with only cows so she was quite comfortable with Elliot,” the sanctuary shared on Instagram.
Their bond deepened over the following months. The calf-horse duo ate together, drank water together and even slept together. The sanctuary marveled at the connection.
“Honestly, nothing surprises us when it comes to the wonder of our Resident’s loving relationships with each other beyond species, size, color, age, and gender,” they wrote.
But the people caring for them knew their time together might be limited.
A Heartbreaking Goodbye
“Heartbreakingly, Belle’s body is slowly failing her as her condition is palliative with suspected cancer in her abdomen,” the sanctuary shared in an April 2025 update.
“We are doing everything we can so they can spend more time together and keep Belle comfortable,” the sanctuary added. “We can’t help but worry what the future holds.”
On May 3, the worst news came.
“Unfortunately, Belle’s palliative condition became too much and their time was cut short just last week,” they wrote on Instagram.
Elliot had lost his mama horse.
Elliot’s Own Health Scare
Two months after losing Belle, Elliot started experiencing health issues of his own. According to a July 2025 update, Elliot’s abdomen was very hard and distended. He wasn’t acting himself.
But he wasn’t alone through it.
“We are currently waiting for the vet to check on our sweet Elliot. And his best friend Lucky hasn’t left his side all day,” the sanctuary wrote.
The vets treated him later that day with Anti-gaz, Resflor, mineral oil and electrolytes, which he responded to well.
“Fortunately, he drank his special medicine right out of the pail which meant he didn’t have to be tubed. So much easier and what a good boy!” the sanctuary wrote the next day.
Elliot improved. And by October, something remarkable happened.
A Second Chance at Love
On October 21, the sanctuary welcomed Dixie, an Amish mare who had lived a hard life.
“She arrived after a three week quarantine period. As you can see from the scars on Dixie’s face, she spent her life toiling in the fields with Amish owners,” the sanctuary wrote.
“Her body creeks with arthritis and she is severely underweight with cracked hooves as well. We’ve already taken steps to alleviate some of her discomfort and she has had her hooves trimmed,” it added.
One week later, Elliot wasn’t leaving Dixie’s side.
“Remember how little calf Elliot loved Belle, our Amish mare rescue from the winter? Now he wants to be friends with our newest girl Dixie who looks a lot like Belle,” the sanctuary shared.
In one video, Elliot was continuously shaking his head trying to get Dixie’s attention while she ate.
“So cute how he’s trying so hard to get her attention,” the sanctuary wrote. “Just another special friendship budding at the Little Red Barn Sanctuary in Canada.”
A Tribute to Love Across Species
In February, the sanctuary shared a tribute to the love Elliot and Belle shared — one year after their rescue and 10 months after they lost Belle to cancer.
“We didn’t know if (Elliot) would recover. But we believe Belle brought Dixie to us from the same area in Ontario. It was love at first sight for Elliot,” the sanctuary wrote.
“We wanted to honour Elliot and Dixie’s love and to show how animals have emotions no different than our own. They love, they grieve, worry and feel joy, have friends, and play,” the sanctuary added.
“While Belle is across the rainbow bridge, we are sure she is smiling down at her boy Elliot and proud of the little steer he has become,” they wrote.
A calf half the size he should have been, rejected at birth, found a mother in a dying horse — and when she was gone, found her echo in another rescued soul who needed love just as much as he did.
This article was created by content specialists using various tools, including AI.
