About

5796 Wilson Hill Road

Shingletown, CA 96088

(530) 474-5770

info@wildhorsesanctuary.org

About Wild Horse Sanctuary

In 1978, rather than allow 80 wild horses living on public land to be destroyed, the founders of the Wild Horse Sanctuary made a major life decision right then and there to rescue these unwanted horses and create a safe home for them. And just as quickly, they launched a media campaign to bring attention to the plight of these and thousands of other wild horses across the west that eventually led to a national moratorium on killing un-adoptable wild horses.

The Sanctuary is located near Shingletown, California on 5,000 acres of lush lava rock-strewn mountain meadow and forest land. Black Butte is to the west and towering Mt. Lassen is to the east.

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OUR MISSION

To protect and preserve America's wild horses as a living national treasure by providing range sanctuary in an ecologically balanced environment where visitors are offered a unique opportunity for healing and are inspired to connect with nature, self and others.

Co-Founder and Directors

Dianne Nelson, Co-Founder

Elizabeth Palmer, President

Jill Tobia, Vice President

Carolyn Coates, Secretary

Liz Juenke, Treasurer

Sarah Lockwood, Board Member

A Word from our Co-Founder, Dianne Nelson

"Our accomplishments at the Sanctuary are a direct result of caring people working to make a difference. Whether you donate financially or volunteer, please continue to be as much a part of our future as you have been a part of our past. Words cannot adequately express how grateful we are for your help. Your ongoing support is needed so we can continue to provide a safe, natural, and free-roaming life for the beautiful wild horses and burros that call the Sanctuary home."

About Dianne Nelson

In 1978 Dianne Nelson co-founded the Wild Horse and Burro Sanctuary a not-for- profit 501(c)(3) organization. The Sanctuary began when 80 horses were rescued from the Devils Garden in Modoc County California - the horses were relocated to their present location in Shingletown, California in 1983. Dianne managed the Wild Horse and Burro Sanctuary for 40 years. She currently resides on the Sanctuary and continues her involvement in the daily operation of caring for the wild horses and burros. Though most of her life has involved working with animals - from ranching to removing feral goats from San Clemente Island (under government contract) - the vast majority of her time, energy, and resources have been dedicated to protecting and preserving one of America’s last living links and symbols to its rich heritage, the wild horse. Dianne is intimately acquainted with wild horses and their needs as well as the importance of a healthy, ecologically sound environment to sustain them and other species. Her knowledge and experience, coupled with a deep love, desire, and dedication to promote a quality life for wild horses and to protect the ranges they inhabit are evident to all who meet her. Throughout her life, Dianne has worked with countless organizations focused on the issues surrounding wild horse management on public lands. In her search for solutions to the problem of population control of wild horses and burros, Dianne worked with researchers from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo and University of California, Davis to investigate temporary sterility in mares. Dianne served as the Wild Horse Representative on the Modoc/Washoe Experimental Steward Program Steering Committee. She has collaborated with researchers/projects in order to document the intricate and unique social structure, biology, and native intelligence of wild horses and has demonstrated, through the Wild Horse Sanctuary, that wild horses can co-exist on the open range in ecological balance with many diverse species of wildlife. Dianne is thrilled to share the beauty and majesty of the animals who call the Sanctuary home as well as the working, replicable model for the proper and responsible management of wild horses in their natural habitat. The Sanctuary welcomes visitors, volunteers, and researchers from across the U.S. and around the world.

About Elizabeth Palmer

Elizabeth lives and works in Santa Rosa, California where she is a business and taxation attorney, helping large and small businesses navigate growth, change and transitions. Elizabeth became involved with the Wild Horse Sanctuary shortly after her first weekend trail ride in 1997. She joined the WHS board in 2000 and currently serves as the Sanctuary’s President. Elizabeth is a former board member and past Board Chair of the American Red Cross, Northwest California Chapter. She is a current board member and past President of the Sonoma County Horse Council.

About Jill Tobia

Formerly the Executive Director of the Wild Horse Sanctuary, Jill lives in Sacramento, California and works in the Marketing Division at Covered California. Jill has been with the Sanctuary since 2007 when she volunteered as a “Camp Host” before she eventually started leading trail rides and overseeing the wild horse adoption program. Jill brings experience in strategic planning and fundraising from her career in private business as well as her work with other non-profits. As a member of the Board of Directors, Jill will be primarily focused on fundraising.

About Carolyn Coates

Carolyn lives in Cypress, California and has been a volunteer at the Wild Horse Sanctuary since her first 2-day trail ride in 2014. After a 42-year career in telecom working for Pacific Telephone, AT&T, Lucent, Alcatel-Lucent, and Nokia, Carolyn retired from her position as a Senior Project Manager at Nokia in 2019. Her non-profit experience includes roles as President of the Cypress High School Band and Pageantry Boosters, Cypress High School Grad Nite, and Soroptimist International of Cypress. Carolyn is the current Secretary of the Board for the Wild Horse Sanctuary where her expertise in managing resources and goal setting is being put to good use.

About Liz Juenke

Originally from the Netherlands, Liz resides on-property at the Wild Horse Sanctuary where she manages day-to-day operations and serves as Treasurer of the Board of Directors. Prior to moving to the United States, Liz worked for over 10 years in the international shipping and logistics industry for two corporations Kuehne + Nagel and Broekman Motorships where she handled foreign accounts receivable, purchasing, and managing large accounts. In addition to her responsibilities at the Wild Horse Sanctuary, Liz provides real estate administrative support to the Doug Juenke Home Selling Team. Liz and her family have been dedicated to the Sanctuary since 2010.

Sarah Lockwood

Sarah Lockwood was invited to the Sanctuary in 2016 to consult on soil sustainability and pasture management. She is a professional engineering geologist, working for a geotechnical consulting firm in Santa Rosa, CA. After just one visit, Sarah knew she wanted to get involved by sharing her skills and passion for horses, people, and the environment. Her background in soils engineering is supportive to various projects on the Sanctuary and her love for helping people connect with horses is a common thread that links Sarah to our mission, goals, and others who volunteer. Sarah lives in Sonoma County, California with her two teenage children Jessica and Patrick; her Sanctuary-born mustang, Denver; border collie, Stevie Nicks; orange tabby cat, Morris, and six chickens.

Our Goals, Programs and History

Increase public awareness of the historical value of America’s wild horses and burros and support humane solutions to the problems that threaten their existence on public lands.
Demonstrate that wild horses and burros can co-exist on open range in ecological balance with many diverse species of wildlife including deer, black bear, bobcat, mountain lion, wild turkey, gray fox, and over 150 species of birds.
Provide a model for the responsible management of wild horses and burros in their natural habitat.
Collaborate with other organizations committed to improving the well-being of wild horses and burros.
Be a voice for America’s wild horses and burros and encourage others to do the same..

The Wild Horse Sanctuary is a non-profit, tax exempt, public foundation and 5,000 acre preserve dedicated to the protection and preservation of America's wild horses. It is currently supported by contributions from individuals and organizations with a wide range of backgrounds that share a common concern for wildlife, the environment, and our American heritage.

The Wild Horse Sanctuary offers trail rides; develops public education programs; sponsors "resistance free" horse training seminars; participates in research projects on ecologically sound wild horse management; consults on related programs in order to help build other wildlife preserves; and cooperates with responsible ecology, animal protection, and educational organizations to further the protection of all species of wildlife, including America's wild horses, and the preservation of our natural environment.

We are open to the public for wild horse viewing and tours at no cost. Visit the events page for days and hours.

Over 300 Wild Horses & Burros Run Free!

Thousands of wild horses have been removed from the range and are kept in crowded holding facilities where they serve life sentences, waiting to die, unless someone adopts them.
Our horses have come from various government agencies gathered from desolate areas such as: Sheldon-Hart Mt. Wildlife Refuge in Oregon; White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico and Modoc National Forest in California.

Nearly three hundred wild horses and burros live on the Wild Horse Sanctuary. These horses are descendants of Spanish horses brought to the New World in the 1500's by the Conquistadors. In the 1800's, the Spanish stock began to mix with European horses -- favored by the settlers, trappers and miners -- that had escaped or been turned out by their owners. The wild horses were in demand until tractors and other mechanical means replaced them. Then, they were pushed back into the most arid, hostile public lands that are left. Yet they still survive!

Each New Horse That Comes In Is Recorded And Photographed

As we unload them into holding pens, we check their physical condition before they are released onto the Sanctuary's grazing land. We record the age, sex and identifying marks. This horse, for example is a Palomino 9 year old, 14 hands tall, and 850 lbs. He came to us from Sheldon-Hart Wildlife Refuge where horses have been removed by the government from public land.