Horse Program History
Our First Horse Farm
Mission:Wolf started our horse sanctuary program in the year 2000 when we saw a local need to provide horse sanctuary. With the help of generous supporters we were able to secure a down payment on a 40 acre farm located approximately 4 miles from the sanctuary.
Initially, the farm was dedicated to a few equines to live out their lives. Two retired Percheron horses were part of the original deal to purchase the farm and we also gained temporary care of two other Percheron horses.
At the time, we did not know what a huge impact the horses would have on the sanctuary, especially in how we interact with the wolves.
We came to see that both wolves and horses share a fundamental mammalian instinct of “Fight or Flight”. We found that natural horsemanship techniques, designed to connect and communicate with horses, were extremely effective in working with the wolves. Our ability to create deep trust with the Ambassador Wolves skyrocketed, creating immediate improvements in the well-being of our wolves and their interactions with visitors.
Small Barn at Sanctuary
Once we announced our program, we saw an explosion in demand to take in horses. Building a small horse barn with significant grazing pasture directly at the sanctuary became a necessity. In 2001, a small black barn with stalls and space for hay and accessories was built. The on-site barn hosted many horses, provided staff with hands-on horse learning experiences, and allowed us to share these teachings with visitors.
Today, we built Jane’s Studio, our new vet room, visitor center, and mechanic shop adjacent to the small horse barnThe creation of Jane’s Studio has superseded the land the barn was built on, and that space is no longer open for horses.
Ranch Barn
Over the years, our horse sanctuary program grew beyond the on-site barn and removed farm.
In 2020, we purchased a new property just behind the Refuge with the help of a longtime supporter. At this new location that we currently call “the Ranch”, we planned the creation of a 3,000 sq ft horse barn with stalls, tack room, and teaching spaces.
Since this acquisition, the new barn site has slowly taken shape. It will offer much more space for the horses to graze, with approximately 70 acres of mountain pasture grass. The barn will house four horses who will enjoy large stalls and a small indoor area that will serve for bad weather refuge, learning, and playing.
During the summer months, scheduled groups volunteering at Mission:Wolf will have the opportunity to work at the Ranch and will have two hours of teachings and hands-on experience regarding in natural horsemanship. This includes learning and practicing behaviors such as pressure release, (a handy tool to use with dogs), and mirroring with the use of body language to help create trust with the horse.