Two abused mares join our organization — Spring 2025
On March 2, the Cascade County Sheriff's Office seized two mares in starving condition. The mares, now known as Serena and Miranda, spent the next five weeks in a veterinary clinic receiving daily care and re-feeding. The Sheriff’s Office turned the mares over to the Sanctuary after the owner surrendered them as part of a plea agreement. They moved to a lovely foster home in mid-April and are enjoying healthy hay, supplements, and pasture. Their foster folks are giving them lots of love and care and both are coming back to health. It’s always a long journey back to full health and normal weight but these two are on their way.
Many thanks to all the generous donors who are helping us pay for their rehabilitation. If you would like to help us cover their costs of care, you may send a check to: Montana Horse Sanctuary, PO Box 551, Stevensville, MT 59870 or click the donate button. The mares will soon be ready for their forever home and we very much want them to spend the rest of their lives together. As far as we know neither of them have been trained as saddle horses and the veterinarian determined them to be about 15 and 19 years old but possibly older. They have gentle, sweet personalities and are friendly horses.
Montana: Trending in the Right Direction
When the Sanctuary opened in 2004, there were few horse sanctuaries and rescues in our huge state. For the following 10 years, massive amounts of work were accomplished by very few people. Today there are many more private rescues, nonprofits and individuals rescuing horses, a trend that bodes well for Montana.
And, as the needs of Montana change, so will the sanctuary…
Coral and Joanna - Photographer Roni Hale
Our new mission
Our new mission is to empower more people and groups to take an active role in rescue and prevention of cruelty, thus creating an ever more sustainable rescue network which results in dividing the effort more evenly across Montana. We help horse lovers rescue and help horses in their own communities.
Farrier Josh Bidlack. John Ashley Fine Art Photography
Extending our reach:
Our grants are for horse care necessities.
From the beginning, we provided hay and veterinary grants for horse owners in financial crisis and for law enforcement during cruelty seizures. We have expanded our grants to also include individual rescuers and other nonprofit groups who have a proven record of helping horses.
We continue to increase our assistance in the form of:
Direct one-on-one education: Nutrition, care and rehabilitation of abused/malnourished horses
Horse owners in need of other necessities but can’t afford them are encouraged to contact us. We may be able to provide equipment such as winter blankets, stock tanks, water heaters and other necessities.
Is there something we haven’t thought of that can help you help your horse? Let us know.
What the Future Holds
As a result of our new goals and our expanding network of rescuers, we have decided to sell the ranch. This will provide funds to increase the availability and effectiveness of rescue activity in Montana. This is a little sad, because the ranch has been a symbol of the rescue needs in our state, and it has served the needs of many horses over the years.
The profit from the sale of the Sanctuary ranch near Simms now funds our current mission. Part of the profit — $200,000 — stays in an interest-bearing account so that we can keep a solid footing. The interest from this account is added to license plate profits, donations and grants to pay our ongoing expenses and to help horses in crisis. For more information about how the money is spent, request a copy of our most current 990 by contacting us or finding it on Candid, formerly known as Guidestar.
Even though we no longer have a ranch or facility for horses we continue to honor our adopt-back agreements with adopters. Any horses we take back will stay with a foster care home until we can place them in a new adoptive home.
We’re also providing more support to Sanctuary adopters
With hands-on assistance and education, as well as care grants, when needed.
Adoptee Zoey hangs out with her family. Jessie Bidlack photographer
In Addition…
We have taught a number of adopters how to assess when to deworm their horses, how to feed healthier foods, bandage wounds and more.
We have transported horses to and from veterinary appointments for adopters and provided winter blankets to adoptees.
We have also begun providing grants of equipment, tack and winter blankets to adopters.
If you are one of our adopters and need assistance, please feel free to contact us.
Help Us Help You Help Horses
If you are involved in horse rescue, tell us how we can support your efforts and be sure to check out our grants page. If you are a horse owner in need of help, let us know.