ADOPTING A HORSE
Horses Seeking Humans
While some horses will never leave our care, the goal for most of the horses that come to Heart of Gold Sanctuary, is to get ready to go to a new loving forever home. Before they're ready for adoption, we make sure every horse is happy, healthy and can perform basic tasks like walking respectfully in halter, standing for the farrier and loading in a trailer. Whether each horse is considered safe and sound for riding is on a case by case basis. Certain horses who have special health needs, or who are still traumatized, will be "Lifers" here at The Sanctuary.
Ruby and Mithril
Ruby and Mithril, along with their buddies, two black miniature horses, Oscar and Plum, were inherited by a young woman when her mother passed on. She didn't have the financial ability to care for them, but loved them with all her heart. We cared for them until she was able to find a good home for them.
Horses For Adoption!
The "Lifers" at Heart of Gold Sanctuary
This is their forever home!
Black Beauty
Black Beauty is here for life, well loved by his adopted parents, Regina and Mike, who spoil their horse son along with all of the other residents! Black Beauty is a cuddle bug and treat beggar!
Rosa
Rosa is currently in training and not available for adoption at this time. She is well loved by Aisha Daniels who gives her lots of cuddles and rides her on the trails.
Addicus
Addicus is King of the Ranch, and King of My Heart. I got Addicus when I was 13 years old, and in a way, he is my first rescue. His spirit remains unbroken which has led many trainers to suggest euthanizing him. We celebrate his desire to to thwart hierarchal power structures at every opportunity, our beloved Anarchist. He will be my bad baby forever.
Recent Adoptions
MISTER
My first rescue horse. It was my 20th birthday, and the farrier came to do Addicus' hooves. While working on him, Roberto Variales told me my horse was lonely and needed a friend, and that i could follow him back to some land he rented in Novato where he kept several horses that were unwanted due to their inability to be ridden. I chose Mister, a blind and chronically lame flaxen Chestnut, who was absolutely beautiful. He was sweet and made a best friend for my boy Addicus. Addicus loved being needed as Mister's protector and guide. They lived together for a couple years, in giant grass pastures in beautiful Bennett valley. One day, I came over to groom the horses and noticed that Mister was occasionally walking in circles to the left. I was going and thought it was just a strange behavior he had picked up and had something to do with his blindness. He didn't seem unwell. Within a week, the circles to the left became more frequent, and I haltered him to see if I could get him to do circles to the right. He immediately ran me over going left anyways. I tried again and again to make him turn but quickly realized something was very wrong. I called the vet and my parents out to the ranch. By the time they arrived, Mister had become dizzy and fell to the ground, his head still trying to make circles. The Very informed he he had severe EPM and had to be euthanized. I was absolutely heartbroken and so upset with myself for not recognizing his ailment sooner. I made it my mission to understand the symptoms, causes, prevention and cures to the diseases that affect horses. I have since used functional practices and healthy food and supplements to prevent and help cure the ailments that my rescue horses have faced. I am grateful to Mister for our time together, his friendship with Addicus, and the important lessons his death guided me to.
SHASTA
Flower
Age : 22
Breed : Pony Power Puff
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Flower was formerly a trail horse who started losing her vision and was surrendered to us. Flower's vision seems to be related to her stress, making me believe she gets stress-caused inflammation pressing on her optic nerve. When she got regular exercise and was kept separate from the other horses, she had fine vision, mostly in one eye. But when we tried to pasture her with other horses, she lost her sight completely. She was still a joy to ride, being great in the arena and on the trails. Flower is quite forward and strong and wants to run. She found her perfect forever intermediate rider who wanted to ride often and vigorously.
Louie
Louie came to us at only about a month old, with his mother Athena. Both were terribly sick with Strangles, one of four pregnant mares with foals saved in June 2020 from a feedlot who intended to send them to slaughter. At Heart of Gold Sanctuary, this cuddly little curious kid learned to lead well on his halter, round pens perfectly, pick up his hooves for the farrier and stand happily for the vet. He was adopted to a loving family when he was just over a year old.
Indy
Age : 11
Breed : Quarter Horse
Height : 15.2hh
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Indy is a gentle sweetheart, calm enough for children to ride. She came to us quite overweight (a first for us!) but while under our care, she trimmed down and gained muscle. Indy was trained as a roping horse but got a shoulder injury in the gate. She was sold to a children's riding academy, then was sold to a woman who originally wanted her for a trail horse, but really had too many horses and wasn't able to give her the attention she deserved. Indy lost weight and felt so much better on her feet, eventually finding a home along with Sultan (above) in a lovely private ranch home in Los Gatos, California.
TILLY
Age : 12
Breed : Standardbred (Gaited)
Height : 17hh
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Tilly was only 10 years old when she came to us, formerly a show horse. She had a hock injury that she had recovered from about a year before. She was extremely well trained and very respectful of people. She found her forever home in a giant pasture overlooking Mount Shasta, surrounded by open acreage and beauty forever!
Age : 3
Breed : Pure Arabian
Height : 15.2hh
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LEGEND
Legend, the sweetest puppy of a horse, started his training here at the Sanctuary in early 2022, and by the time he was adopted, he had done arena work and trails with calm ease! Like any Arabian, he was forward, but not naughty, and I had the honor of being the first person to ride him! Of course, he was perfect from the very begginning - watch the video -
Sultan
Sultan came to us May of 2023, abandoned by Chanslor Ranch when he was deemed dangerous to ride. They stopped feeding him and his hooves hadn't been touched in at least 6 months, no wonder he bucked! When he arrived, he could barely walk, and refused to take another step on his way to the farrier. The farrier came to him, trimmed him, and gave him fancy comfort boots, and he galloped away within seconds of realizing he could walk again without excrutiating pain! We were so happy for him, we let him roam the ranch free for the day. Within a few months, Sultan was fully recovered and joyfully galloping on our trails, even safely carrying inexperienced riders. He found a wonderful home in Los Gatos, along with another rescue of ours, Indy.