Category Archives: Rescue Center

Think You Want to Buy a Horse?

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Photo by Sarah Olive on Unsplash. How to buy a horse.

Should you go to a breeder or is a rescue a better place to buy a horse? With so many paths for first time horse buyers and long-term horse owners, it can be hard to decide. Should you spend a ton of money on trained horse, or do you get a horse that you’ll have train? You can Google until your hands hurt, or you can learn everything you need to know from a professional. Colorado Horse Rescue‘s Head Trainer and Clinician Sarah Hofkamp is one such professional.

She will be going over how to buy a horse and horse ownership at the CHR’s March 15th clinic. Thickets for the clinic is only $65 per person and will begin at 10 AM. This clinic educates horse-buyers on the intricacies of selecting the right horse and how to keep it happy and healthy. Also, CHR is a great opportunity to get involved in your local equine community.

About Colorado Horse Rescue

If any one facet of the Colorado horse community were building a better future for horses, it would be CHR. There slogan is, “We see it. We believe in it. And we are here to make it happen.” Colorado Horse Rescue is an impact organization that has been operating in Colorado since 1986.

The organization works to create a reality where safe solutions exist for every horse. Unfortunately, due to poor education and limited options, not all horses have a safe home and that’s why CHR actively seeks out and takes in all types of at-risk horses. They enable owners who have fallen on tough times to re-home their beloved horses without judgement. They do their best to make sure that no horses are sent to slaughter or unsafe conditions via auction or sale. Looking for a new home for you and your horses? Call the Colorado Horse Property team today for the best horse-person realtors in the state.

Horse Properties in Arvada CO

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Horse Properties in Arvada CO

City of Arvada

There are many horse properties for sale in Colorado. Colorado Horse Property alone has over 3,000 listings to choose from. With so many great locations, it can be hard to start your search. A great place to look from horse properties for sale is Arvada Colorado. Arvada CO is in Jefferson and Adams counties, and a part of the Denver-Aurora-Lakewood metropolitan area. Therefore, this city has a great mix of urban and rural life that accommodates horses as well as their owners. In other words, you will have the space to care for your horses and then not have to drive a ton to get to civilization.

Arvada is the seventh most populous city in Colorado. The Olde Town Arvada historic district is only 7 miles away from the Colorado State Capitol in Denver. In fact, many horse owners work in Denver and are still able to go home to a quiet life with their horses. Check out our listings in Arvada today.

Arvada CO Attractions

Arvada CO, is full of things to do. For the horse owners, you can visit the famous Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities. Also, their is the Cussler Museum, which boasts a rare automobile collection. For the horses, their are many equine trails in the area they can benefit from. Most noteworthy of these trails follow beautiful creeks and canals. They are also Regional in nature, linking to other cities and counties outside Arvada’s boundaries. Popular trails include Ralston Creek Trail, Van Bibber Trail, and Little Dry Creek Trail. Arvada is also home to Rocky Mountain Horse Rescue and Iron Gait Ranch.

Arvada Weather

The city of Arvada has just the right climate for rearing horses. The average high temperature in Arvada is in 88 degrees Fahrenheit in July. Average low temperatures occur in January at 16 degrees Fahrenheit. The average precipitation is approximately 15.6 inches per year.

Colorado Horse Rescue

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Longmont Horse Properties for Sale

Longmont Horse Properties for Sale

If you are looking to purchase a Colorado Horse Property then you should look into Longmont Horse Properties for Sale. Longmont is home to the Colorado Horse Rescue. Colorado Horse Rescue, as its name suggests, is a horse rescue based out of Longmont Colorado. This horse rescue dedicates its time and money to saving the disadvantaged horse. Their motto goes, “One human, one rescue, one home at a time.”

History of the Colorado Horse Rescue

Today Colorado Horse Rescue is a powerhouse of the community. The rescue is a place where horse owners and enthusiasts can come together and share information as well as meet with local horse clinicians and veterinarians. The Colorado Horse Rescue is a great place to visit today and has come from a long and vibrant history.

In 1986, Sharon Jackson and Jill Pratt founded Colorado Horse Rescue to provide shelter, rehabilitation and care for horses. They began by focusing on helping horses that came from abused and neglected situations. With a handful of area stables and land from local farms, the rescue was able to offer vacancies at their facilities to help shelter horses. Two years later, the Colorado Horse Rescue received its non-profit status from the state of Colorado.

Throughout the following years, the rescue has seen some wonderful improvements. Just last year the rescue’s indoor area was refurbished into a safe and usable space for riding and training purposes. This new development gave the rescue the ability to host clinics and events in inclement weather, as well as continue to ride and train horses year-round! In 2017, Colorado Horse Rescue received the Top Nonprofits Award, and the Boulder County Horse Association’s Appreciation Award in recognition of its support of horses and equestrian interests in the community. This year the rescue has continued to grow with its new dedicated adoption and volunteer coordinator position.

Friends of Horses Rescue and Adoption

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Friends of Horses Rescue and Adoption is a horse rescue center located in Centennial Colorado. This equine rescue got its start back in the nineties. Bill Stiffler picked up over thirty horses going to Colorado State University. Many of the horses had Strangles. Strangles or equine distemper is a contagious upper respiratory tract infection. A specific bacterium causes this disease. Friends of Horses Rescue and Adoption got the horses proper care. Then the rescue found the horses reliable and safe new homes.

The rescue was founded in 2001 as a 501(c)(3) not for profit. It has expanded to include community service, therapeutic riding, education, and rehabilitating abandoned, abused, unwanted, neglected or slaughter-bound horses. In 2002 their dreams became a reality when they got the opportunity to consolidate from five locations into one facility. They’ve called this new place home for the last 16 years (the former El Jebel Stables). Friends of Horses currently occupies the ten acres of land equipped with an indoor riding facility.

The rescue’s proximity to Cherry Creek State Park is ideal; it is only steps away from a sprawling prairie surrounding eight hundred and eighty acres of reservoir. Their horses come from owner surrenders. They also rescue horses off the track. This includes Thoroughbred racehorses doomed for euthanasia, as well as horses bought from slaughter auctions. Unfortunately, they sell horses by the pound and slaughter them for their meat.

Friends of Horses Rescue and Adoption

Friends of Horses Rescue and Adoption offers a number of community activities such as riding lessons, pony camps, equine educational programs, fulfillment of service hours for school scholarships or court dictated hours. Also, coming up again this June, the rescue will be offering their eight weeks of summer camp for children ages seven through thirteen.

Spring Creek Horse Rescue

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Spring Creek Horse Rescue has been saving horses in the Durango area since 1976 and has no intentions of stopping any time soon. In their own words, Spring Creek was an equine rescue before rescues were cool! The owner of this horse rescue center, Diane McCracken always had a way with animals. Things got started when a local breeder had an injured colt. Also, with nowhere to go, Diane took in the animal. You could say that this rescue was born out of a need to shelter and rehabilitate horses.

They have thirty-five irrigated acres, four stall barns, and several run-in sheds for the many different equine families living on site. As a part of the local community, Spring Creek has been a driving force as horse advocates since its inception to local school groups, special needs groups, and other private groups. The rescue also gives horsemanship lessons and are La Plata county’s hay bank for people that are in need.

Spring Creek Horse Rescue

Like all non-profit organizations, Spring Creek Horse Rescue needs donations and volunteers to keep its doors open. Also, they need donations to complete their new facility. This includes like help clearing the land and help putting up fencing. Having been in the business of saving horses for as long as they have, Spring Creek’s truck has over six hundred thousand miles on it and they could really use a new one to haul their stock trailer. In conclusion, with the help of donations and volunteers like you, this rescue hopes to one day afford an indoor facility so that it can do training all year long and host more equine clinics so please give today.

Images provided by Spring Creek Horse Rescue.

Buck’n-R-Ranch Animal Rescue

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Buck’n-R-Ranch Animal Rescue is a no-kill animal rescue located in Franktown Colorado. Buck’n-R-Ranch was founded by Don and Bonnie Buckner. The inspiration driving this husband and wife team occurred when they discovered an abandoned cat. They rescued the fifteen-year-old cat and named her Olive. Poor Olive had some dental problems, was malnourished, and in much need of some help. After rehabilitating Olive and getting her back to full health, this elderly cat lived with the family for nearly a year. The Buckner’s didn’t know it at the time, but Olive would become the first out of many animals that would eventually be rescued by Buck’n-R-Ranch.

Fast forward from those humbling beginnings to today, the ranch has accumulated a lot more than a single cat. The ranch is now home to an assortment of animals. This includes dogs, cats, eleven alpacas, five horses, seven pigs, fifteen goats, and two sheep. Perhaps the only rescue to house one of these big and beautiful creatures, the ranch is also home to a yak named Yanni. The ranch has twenty-two acres of land and hope to build an outdoor arena because it is this rescue’s goal to train their horses to become great trail riding companions. The rescue also trains their dogs so that when they are eventually adopted the animals are rid of any behavioral problems that they may have had originally.

Buck’n-R-Ranch Animal Rescue

Like most nonprofit animal rescues in Colorado, Buck’n-R-Ranch is in need of donations and volunteers. Since the ranch’s inception, everything has been done out the founder’s own pockets. Let’s come together as a horse community and help out any way that we can! With the ranch’s stunning new website, donators have so many ways to give—you can use Paypal, iGive, AmazonSmile, and more.

View the ranch’s donation wish list to find out things that they need to help them keep their doors open to all the needy animals out there. The ranch has an adoption event coming soon on May the 5th in Castle Rock at the King Soopers so go out and support your local horse and animal community. If you are unable to adopt please consider giving a donation or sign up to volunteer!

Images provided by Don Buckner, co-founder.

Mountain Valley Horse Rescue

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Mountain Valley Horse Rescue

The founding of Mountain Valley Horse Rescue, a pillar of the local community, began back in 2004. Two horses were found abandoned in the Flat Tops Wilderness. This is the third largest wilderness area in Colorado. It has over two hundred thousand acres of land stretching across two national forests. Subsequently named Willow and Sunny, these two horses were the inspiration behind the rescue that we know today.

In its heyday, Mountain Valley was a grass-roots movement that operated out of backyards and private areas. These spaces belonged to the generous people of Eagle Colorado. However, Willow and Sunny are only two out of the estimated 6,000 unwanted horses in Colorado. Therefore the local horse community saw a problem and came together. They are doing everything they can to rectify equine abuse and neglect.

Horse Rescue History

Mountain Valley Horse Rescue works with the local law enforcement and animal cruelty investigators to save horses from bad environments. Also, there are many success stories that can be told from this partnering, like Sparky the Donkey. Sparky found his way to the rescue when it was discovered that his owner’s neglect had left him unable to walk. With the help of the rescue and some attention from a farrier, Sparky is now back on his feet. As a permanent resident at the rescue center, Sparky is now an ambassador for the rescue.

Because of a generous donation from the Shaw Family Foundation through Capital Campaign in 2015, the ranch was finally able to get land as a permanent home for horses in need. Mountain Valley Horse Rescue now operates out of a 114-acre ranch, located in McCoy between Vail and Steamboat Springs. Today the rescue has 32 horses on site. Willow is now used to help educate locals and visitors alike through the rescues outreach. Also, this outreach comes in many forms where the Mountain Valley Horse Rescue continues to bring the community together.

Images provided by MVHR Executive Director Shana Devins

Denver Horse Properties

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Denver Horse Properties

Denver horse properties are what many people are looking into these days. Have you been looking for an equestrian property for sale? Ready to settle down or are planning on retiring soon? Denver has a lot to offer horse owners. Owning a dude ranch near Denver can give you the best of both worlds. You have the benefit of being near the city with all the venues it has to offer. But then you also have a nice, stress-free place to go home to. Looking for a Denver horse property is now easier than ever with coloradohorseproperty.com, which has over 3,500 properties listed in Colorado.

Denver Horse Properties

So, you’re looking for an equestrian property for sale. One of the reasons why you are going to want to start your search in Denver is because of the Colorado Horse Council. Located in the Denver metropolitan area, the Colorado Horse Council is a grass roots organization that connects horse owners to the horse industry in Colorado. The Council boasts an annual expo, the Rocky Mountain Horse Expo. If you missed the expo this year (March 7—March 11), then don’t worry. The Council holds many events throughout the year. Their next event is in June, The Heritage Ride.

If you are not interested in expos and horse shows, then there are many parks and riding trails near the Denver area. Chatfield State Park is only thirty minutes away from Denver. Likewise, Barr Lake State Park is thirty minutes away from Denver and even closer to the Denver International Airport if you are thinking of vacationing in the area. Cherry Creek State Park is twenty to thirty minutes away from Denver. All of these parks offer great trails for horseback riding.

Healing With Horses at Happy Dog Ranch

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Horses at Happy Dog Ranch

Finding the right Colorado horse real estate for you can be difficult, especially if you want to live in an area that doesn’t compromise on social and night-life aspects just because you live in a rural area. Imagine that you are taking a thirty minute ride from downtown Denver. Also, you look out on over fifty acres of beautiful Colorado countryside, spotting dozens of horses.

Colorado Horse Property did some research and found that place with the perfect balance. It is called The Happy Dog Ranch Foundation. Happy Dog Ranch is a non-profit horse rescue and sanctuary, bordering the scenic Chatfield State Park to the north and east. The ranch is run by owners Bernadette and John Spillane. They now have over forty horses and an assortment of other animals including goats, ducks, chickens, alpacas, pigs and more. Also as a child, Bernadette always had an affinity for animals, and horses had a special place in her heart.

Happy Dog Ranch

The Spillane’s did not buy the property for the purpose of becoming the sanctuary that it is today. In fact they started out with just one horse. Then over the years they took in animals whenever the community needed them to. If you are looking for a horse property for sale in Littleton and the surrounding area, knowing that the Spillane’s are close by is a big comfort. The name of the ranch comes from the fact that Native Americans used to call horses dogs. Moreover, if you met the Spillane’s two Irish Wolfhounds, Carrie and Murphy, you would know why. At around thirty inches tall, these dogs are as big as their Haflinger Pony cross named Ayla.

The foundation fosters an environment in which adoption seekers really must get to know the animal first. Therefore eliminating rash decisions. They aren’t just buying a horse after all. They are also taking a member away from its herd and that is a big decision to make. Therefore, the foundation does less adoptions than other rescues.

How Happy Dog Ranch Heals

What makes Happy Dog Ranch unique is that it offers a space for clinicians, educators, and therapists to come together and serve the Colorado horse community. Through educational, vocational, and therapeutic programs, Happy Dog Ranch has helped many people with mental disabilities and behavioral problems, as well as those suffering from post traumatic stress disorder from all ages and backgrounds. The ranch is a known space for Hope Held By A Horse, an organization that assists women who have had breast cancer in healing through sessions with horses. Horsemanship classes at the ranch can teach you to become a horse therapist and get certified.

The healing here is simple. Horses, as a biological need to preserve themselves, can sense when people aren’t well. Drawing out the fears and emotions of someone can help guide trained therapists in figuring out how they can better help those in need. Bernadette, the staff, and the volunteers at Happy Dog Ranch know that horses are teachers not tools. Therefore, these animals teach love, trust, and responsibility. The ranch is also a training ground for programs at the University of Denver and the Gestalt Equine Institute of the Rockies.

How You Can Help

Like most non profit organizations, Happy Dog Ranch cannot function without the help and support from its community. However, one of the best ways that you can help this organization move forward is by sponsoring one of their many animals. You can also make a donation to Happy Dog Ranch through Amazon Smile, Colorado Gives, or simply through Paypal. The ranch also cannot survive without volunteers. Therefore, volunteers get firsthand experience with walking, grooming, feeding, and watering the horses. If you would like to volunteer at the ranch, just visit the volunteer page on their website to apply.

Happy Dog Ranch Photo Gallery