MISSION & PROGRAMS

Mission:
We are on a mission to advance equine welfare through education, access and advocacy. In recognition of the fact that a large number of people have never had the ability to interact with horses in a meaningful way, we believe that creating opportunities for the general public to develop the human-horse connection is paramount to the cause of equine protection. Our program accomplishes this by:

-Offering unmounted horsemanship clinics to the community, including low & no-cost sessions
-Partnering with natural & accredited therapeutic equine organizations to amplify our impact
-Using social media & events to educate the general public on horse welfare issues
-Encouraging volunteerism to facilitate human-horse connections
-Providing opportunities for the public to build equine relationships regardless of financial or physical abilities
-Creating a sanctuary for rescued equines that prioritizes their physical and emotional health & wellbeing

Our organization provides programs involved with equine rescue, adoption & retirement
Our organization conducts Equine Assisted Services in accordance with the EQUUS Foundation Guidelines on Qualifications of Organizations Conducting Equine Assisted Services (EAS).
Our organization provides outreach and/or public education programs involving horses.
Over 90% of our total programs and services are equine-related.
Our organization is directly responsible for the care and shelter of equines involved in our programs.
Our organization CURRENTLY uses satellite, overflow, foster, and/or outreach facilities which adhere to all the policies, procedures and practices of our organization or did in the previous year. Facility information is provided for the organization's main, satellite and overflow facilities.
Summary of organization's recent accomplishments, goals, strategies to achieve the goals, and capabilities to meet the goals, including its long-term plans to sustain its programs:
Red Feather Equine Sanctuary is dedicated to rescuing, rehabilitating, and providing lifelong sanctuary for at-risk and unrideable horses, while creating opportunities for community education and hands-on engagement with equine welfare. Over the past year, we have deepened our impact in both rescue operations and public education while laying the groundwork for long-term sustainability and expansion.
     
     Recent Accomplishments (Past Year):
     
     Increased Lifesaving Capacity: In the past 12 months, we provided lifelong safety to 12 additional equines, including Standardbreds, Mustangs, and senior horses with chronic health or behavioral challenges. These are horses who would otherwise have few to no options for safe placement.
     
     Veterinary Rehabilitation & Training: With the support of expert equine professionals, we’ve continued our individualized approach to care, prioritizing trauma-informed groundwork and behavioral rehabilitation to help each horse gain confidence and stability. Notably, several residents once considered “unmanageable” are now thriving in herd settings.
     
     Community Engagement: We hosted over 100 volunteers on site and expanded our Equine-Assisted Learning offerings, including humane education visits from local youth organizations and service groups. These engagements promote empathy, responsibility, and inclusive access to animals for individuals of all ages and backgrounds.
     
     Ethical Advocacy & Outreach: We launched public-facing educational content around responsible rescue practices, the risks of the auction/slaughter pipeline, and the welfare needs of non-rideable horses. This includes storytelling, outreach campaigns, and collaboration with aligned equine welfare partners.
     
     Organizational Goals:
     
     Expand Access to Equine Experiences: Launch the Red Feather Experiential Learning Center—a permanent facility offering immersive education and humane programming rooted in equine history, welfare science, and responsible horsemanship.
     
     Deepen Equine-Assisted Learning Programs: Establish recurring workshop series for teens and underserved populations focused on social-emotional learning, empathy-building, and vocational awareness in animal-related careers.
     
     Improve Facilities & Land Stewardship: Upgrade paddocks, run-ins, and shelter structures to support aging residents and special needs horses, while promoting rotational grazing and pasture health.
     
     Sustain and Diversify Funding Streams: Build out a monthly sponsorship program, pursue grant funding, and increase donor retention through transparent communication, storytelling, and community partnerships.
     
     Strategies to Achieve Goals:
     
     Strategic Partnerships: We are forging relationships with local nonprofits, educators, and veterinary professionals to develop curriculum-based programs and expand our public reach.
     
     Volunteer Development: We are formalizing a volunteer engagement model that includes mentorship, skills training, and deeper integration into our rescue mission.
     
     Long-Term Site Planning: We are actively exploring land acquisition to create a purpose-built home for the Experiential Learning Center, with classroom space, accessible barns, and designated fields for wild and special-needs horses.
     
     Narrative Fundraising: By leveraging compelling storytelling and transparent reporting, we are increasing sponsor engagement and donor trust—critical for long-term viability.
     
     Capabilities & Long-Term Sustainability:
     Red Feather is led by a team with deep experience in animal welfare, nonprofit leadership, education, and community building. Our board and advisors bring professional backgrounds in veterinary care, communications, and social services. We have successfully operated within our means while steadily increasing capacity and visibility.
     
     Sustainability is anchored in our belief that education and rescue go hand in hand. By investing in programs that foster empathy, advocacy, and awareness, we are cultivating future supporters, partners, and changemakers. Our long-term vision is a sanctuary that not only saves lives—but changes how people think about horses who are no longer rideable, yet still profoundly valuable.



Please describe what steps your organization takes to ensure that:
1) all interactions between your equines and people are mutually beneficial and conducted in accordance with the Guidelines for Human-Equine Interactions stated below;
2) all equines in the care of our organization and/or equines that participate in the organization's program have access to clean drinking water at all times; nutritious food in sufficient quantity, including natural forage such as pasture grass and/or hay; appropriate veterinary, farrier, and dental care; shelter and protection from the weather; sufficient safe space to move around comfortably on a daily basis; and daily opportunity to freely interact and have contact with other equines:

We are deeply committed to ensuring that all human-equine interactions are grounded in mutual respect, empathy, and informed consent—especially as we work with a population of horses who have experienced trauma, abandonment, or neglect. Our approach prioritizes emotional well-being, choice-based interaction, and ethical standards of care in all aspects of our programming.
     
     1) Ensuring Mutually Beneficial, Ethical Human-Equine Interactions
     
     Choice and Consent-Based Interactions: We follow a consent-forward model, meaning horses are never forced to participate in any activity. If a horse walks away, shows signs of discomfort, or declines engagement, their choice is honored. We teach all volunteers, visitors, and program participants how to read equine body language and practice respectful, non-coercive behavior.
     
     Trauma-Informed Horsemanship: Many of our horses have histories of abuse or high-stress environments. Our team—including our trainers and volunteers—are educated in trauma-informed care, including groundwork that emphasizes calm, predictable, and trust-building interactions.
     
     Volunteer and Program Participant Education: Every person who interacts with our horses receives training on boundaries, safety, appropriate touch, and pressure-free interaction. We often say, "The horse is the teacher; we are here to listen." We use groundwork, grooming, observation, and herd time as primary modes of interaction.
     
     Program Design Rooted in Welfare: Our Equine-Assisted Learning activities do not involve riding and are instead centered around relationship-building, emotional regulation, and observation of herd dynamics. All programming is designed to be enriching for both humans and horses, with clear objectives, reflection, and facilitation.
     
     2) Equine Care Standards for All Horses in Our Program
     
     Red Feather meets and exceeds best practice standards of equine care in the following ways:
     
     Clean Drinking Water: Horses have 24/7 access to clean, fresh water in all paddocks and stalls, with troughs filled multiple times daily and cleaned on a regular basis.
     
     Nutritious Food & Forage: All residents are fed high-quality hay, supplemented with grain, vitamins, and specialized feed as needed for age or health conditions. Horses have unrestricted access to forage throughout the day.
     
     Veterinary, Farrier, and Dental Care: We have established long-term relationships with trusted veterinarians and farriers who visit on a regular schedule. Dental care is provided annually or more frequently as needed, and all medical needs—from chronic illness to emergencies—are attended to promptly.
     
     Shelter & Weather Protection: Horses have access to large run-in shelters and/or stalls that provide protection from sun, rain, wind, and cold. Horses are blanketed when medically necessary and monitored closely in extreme weather conditions.
     
     Safe, Spacious Environments: Our fields and paddocks are designed to allow for natural movement and grazing, with proper fencing and footing. Horses live in bonded herds or compatible groups of their own choosing with space to explore.
     
     Social Interaction: All of our horses are given the opportunity to form natural herd bonds. We do not isolate horses unless required temporarily for medical or behavioral safety reasons, and even then, we ensure visual and tactile contact with herd members whenever possible.

Equine Transition Services:
Overview of our programs involved with rescue, rehabilitation, retraining, re-homing and/or retirement:
     We rescue equines from situations that are abusive, endangering and neglectful, which includes livestock auctions, animal shelters, unclaimed strays, owner surrenders in dire situations and irresponsible breeders.
     
     Our primary focus is on sanctuary, therefore we accept the most at-risk animals and work to stabilize their lives and provide them with permanence. Sometimes we are called to assist law enforcement in cases that are larger than our ability to house on-site, in which event we utilize pre-qualified foster homes to help open capacity until we can secure adoptive homes.
     
     Adoption is reserved for instances where a pre-screened applicant has formed an obvious bond with an animal and has demonstrated that they have the ability to properly house, handle and care for them. We regularly visit our horses post-adoption and will accept them back into the program with no strings attached.

Equine Assisted Services (EAS):
Our organization provides the following Equine Assisted Services (EAS):
    Therapeutic/Adaptive Unmounted Horsemanship
    Personal Development Learning