How Many Animals Does Katie Van Slyke Have? The 2026 Count

As of my most recent count, we care for roughly 176 animals across the whole operation at Running Springs. That crew includes about 42 equines (full-sized Quarter Horses and Thoroughbreds, miniature horses, and donkeys), more than 60 cattle, Nigerian dwarf goats, a mini pig, barn cats, and our dogs.

Every year I walk the farm and count every single head, and every year the number climbs.

I count all of these animals myself, by hand, every year, and I know most of them by name and personality. So this is not a rounded-off guess, it is my actual barn on my actual farm.

Here is the full 2026 breakdown of how many animals I have, group by group, plus a video where I introduce every single one of them.

Key Takeaways

• Running Springs is currently home to roughly 176 animals across the entire operation.
• The count includes about 42 equines, more than 60 cattle, goats, a mini pig, barn cats, and dogs.
• The horse program, built on Quarter Horses, is the heart of the farm.
• The mini Highland cows, like Poppy and Petunia, are the animals that first went viral.
• The total grows most years as new foals, calves, and additions arrive.

How Many Animals Does Katie Van Slyke Have?

The short answer is about 176 animals. But a single number never tells the real story, because those 176 are spread across horses, cattle, and a whole mini farm of smaller critters. Here is the simple breakdown:

The easiest way to actually meet all 176 is to watch me walk the whole place and say hello to each one:

Video: Every single animal on Running Springs farm in one video (Katie Van Slyke).

The Horses, Minis, and Donkeys

The equines are the heart of everything, roughly 42 head when you count the full-sized horses, the miniature horses, and the donkeys together. The full-sized side is my American Quarter Horse program, anchored by our stallion VS Code Red, along with broodmares, foals, and show horses like our Congress champion Hank.

Then there is the mini side, which is pure personality. My mini horses, like Regina and Coco, and my mini donkeys, Dolly, Blanche, and their crew, are some of the most-requested faces on the farm. You can find the official registered names behind all the barn names in my herd roundup.

The Cattle: Mini Highlands and Simmentals

Cattle are the biggest slice of the count, more than 60 head, and they come in two very different sizes. First are the famous mini Highland cows, led by Poppy and Petunia and their whole "P" family. Those fuzzy little cows are the ones that first pulled a lot of you onto my page, and I wrote a whole guide to mini cows because of them.

The bigger slice is our registered Simmental beef herd, which we run as a family. Between mama cows, heifers, and calves on the ground, the full-sized cattle make up the largest single group in the whole 176.

Goats, a Pig, and the Barn Crew

The rest of the count is the mini farm crew that keeps things chaotic and wonderful. We have a herd of Nigerian dwarf goats, our mini pig Winston, who is unexpectedly large and holds his own spot in the count, a group of barn cats who run the place, and our two dogs. None of them earn their keep, and all of them are essential.

Why the Count Keeps Climbing

If you follow along, you already know the number goes up almost every year. That is mostly by design.

Foaling season brings new babies each spring, our cattle herd calves out, and every so often a new mini animal joins the family. Between the horses I breed and the calves born here, growth is just built into a working farm.

It is also why I do a real count once a year instead of guessing. You can watch a whole season of new arrivals in foaling season, and see how it all started in how it all began.

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The Bottom Line on the Count

So how many animals does Katie Van Slyke have? Right now, about 176, from champion Quarter Horses down to the barn cats, with a big herd of cattle and a mini farm full of characters in between.

It is a lot of mouths to feed and a lot of names to remember, and I would not trade a single one.

Check back next year, because if history is any guide, the number will be even bigger. That is just how it goes around here, and honestly, it is my favorite kind of problem.

About the Author

Hi, I am Katie Van Slyke, and I share my daily life at Running Springs farm with millions of wonderful people online. I breed, raise, and show American Quarter Horses, and I am best known for raising a huge variety of animals, from champion Quarter horses to famous mini Highland cows.

I am incredibly lucky to share this journey with millions of friends across YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram. You can read the full story on my about page.