Sanctuary Refuge Rescue 2

Steadfast Steeds

Currently 60,000+ wild horses and burros stand in federal holding facilities without their freedom, families, or familiar way of life. Steadfast Steeds’ dream is to one day see all wild horses and burros freed from their bondage of the holding facility to discover a new freedom, a new family, and a more familiar way of life. To implement this vision, Steadfast Steeds Mustang Sanctuary near Grand Junction, CO, educates the public about their wild horse, the American mustang. The programs impact people by raising awareness through tours (on our property), offering adoption and gentling support of wild horses, and interactive life coaching with the mustang as co-facilitator.

One of the greatest challenges we face in caring for wild horses removed from their wilderness home is offering them support as wild horses. When their needs are viewed through the domestic horse lens, mustangs are over managed – and therefore detrimental to their well being. Steadfast Steeds works to offer them their most natural state possible with a captive setting. After wild horses are gathered and removed from their vast rangeland, they are encouraged to adapt to “domestic” life. Many don’t adjust very well. While they are both equine, comparing wild horses to domestic horses is like comparing wolves to dogs. The former does not depend on humans for survival; the latter counts on humans for their needs. Caring for wild horses is different. At Steadfast Steeds great effort is made to support successful placement of formerly wild horses, from relationship building to offering care ideas for those horses.

Off-range care, in sanctuaries and private settings, which is more familiar to a formerly wild horse, contributes to the adopted horse’s success in domestic settings.

Steadfast Steeds is home to multiple Colorado Mustangs.

Piceance/East Douglas HMA: Wanbli, Wiyaka, Quattro

Little Bookcliffs Range: Ditto (Izzy), Casanova, Margarita (Zephyr), Independence, Satin, Suede, Miracle, Cole

Sand Wash Basin: Prince, Moonlight, Sunshine, Sahara (Kimimila), Chief

Born in Canon City, CO: Bourdo, Amalthea, Sage

Born at Steadfast Steeds, CO: Mazaska, Rowdy, Casanova, Jenevive

Oregon: Takoda, Ginger

Wyoming: Kabir, Gunnison, Hope, DeeDee (Paloma)

Nevada: JJ, Ina, Rosy, Mohave, Ignis, Stardust, Freedom

California: Bravestone, Taco

Arizona: Belle*

Find out more

The Middle Way

The Middle Way is 501c3 non profit sanctuary and therapeutic riding center located in South Park, CO (yes, like the show!). We are currently home to 8 mustangs, 1 from Devil’s Garden and the rest from Sand Wash Basin, including 4 generations of mares known as The Painted Ladies. We provide therapeutic services to an array of clients and students with a variety of challenges. We match our clients with both domestic and wild horses for healing. Our programs and services for veterans include annual retreats, weekly lessons and equine assisted psychotherapy and learning at no cost to our military veterans.

The Wild Horse Refuge

The Wild Horse Refuge is a 23,000-acre sanctuary that was created to provide a natural home for Mustangs that were removed from BLM Herd Management Areas (HMA) within Colorado. Through adoption and sale events, as well as private surrenders and cooperative efforts with BLM offices, hundreds of Wild Horses now have a truly unique opportunity to regain much of the freedoms they lost when they were removed from their native homelands. The Wild Horse Refuge is dedicated to preserving the wild spirit that exists within these magnificent creatures and strives to educate the public about the plight of American Mustangs through various media outlets and additional on-site tours. Further efforts to help lessen the number of failed adoptions by pre-identifying horses with a natural acceptance toward human interaction are planned and currently moving forward with multiple goal-oriented expansion projects.

Find out more