The little ponies were smart, maybe too smart! One little pony knew how to disappear behind coal cars or machinery in the mine. He would stand still all shift and avoid detection. At the end of the shift, when the other ponies were returning to the stable, he would quietly step out of his dark hiding place and join them. — Source: oral history<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
![\"sm3-IMG_2429\"](\"https:\/\/wend.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/sm3-IMG_2429.jpg\")
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A small building for the blacksmith was built on the hillside. It was the blacksmith’s responsibility to take care of the ponies. These little animals stayed underground for most of the year.<\/p>\n
Our guide tells us that ponies needed to pasture at least once a year as a “holiday.” These times were often stressful for the little animals because they were familiar with a confined life in the mine and not the wide-open spaces that a field provided.<\/p>\n
On the wall in the bathhouse is the story of Love Star<\/em> — one of the pit ponies from the Atlas Mine. It is a further testament to the complex relationship between horse and owner.<\/p>\n \nLove Star — June 22 1940<\/strong><\/p>\n When I was a boy. Star helped Grandfather in the Has they both got older, grandfather So I began to call the pony \u201cLove Star.\u201d<\/p>\n Love<\/em> died first and my My grandfather\u2019s name was Micheal. I loved my grandfather very much and I Micheal Jr. More Atlas Coal Mine posts:<\/p>\n![\"sm3-IMG_2393\"](\"https:\/\/wend.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/sm3-IMG_2393.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
\nMy grandfather had this new pony.
\nHe called it star.<\/p>\n
\nhardtimes with long hours in
\nthe coal mine with out a compilant.<\/p>\n
\nbegan to call the poney Love<\/em>.<\/p>\n
\ngrandfather died one week later.<\/p>\n
\nI called him Love<\/em> when he died.
\nSo both Love\u2019s of my life died in 1939.
\nThat was a hard year for me.
\nI was twelve years old.
\nI was just a boy.<\/p>\n
\ndid Love that Little pony too!<\/p>\n
\nEast Coulee 1940<\/p><\/blockquote>\n