| Newsletter February 2025 Snow arrived at the ranch this past week, which makes everything look so pretty! The Horses are handling the winter weather changes like champs, with plenty hay and grain to munch on and keep there bodies warm from the inside out. All of this is possible thanks to YOU! Below you will read all about current horses, updates on what is happening at the ranch and how you can help! We are looking forward to the Horse Shoes and Sips at Alpine Arts Center in Edwards coming up on Wednesday March 5th. Come join us and many friends of MVHR for this fun event! Scroll down for registration information. Spring Program registration has opened, so don't wait to check out below what we are offering! Are you a resident of Routt County? We are excited to share FREE Horse Heroes Day Camps for South Routt County School District Spring Break! Transportation will be provided from Yampa. These camps are made possible thanks to the Yampa Valley Community Foundation. Registration is open now! Click below to find out more! Summer Day Camp Scholarship applications are now being accepted, this year prior to registration opening on March 12th. Find the link below to apply! We are so grateful that this years scholarships are underwritten by Vail Health! Continue reading for more details and updates from MVHR! |
| Alpine Arts Center ~ Sip & Horse Shoes Join us for a fun evening at Alpine Arts Center in Edwards, on March 5th, 6:30pm-8:30pm for Sip & Shoes! Paint & Wire wrap Horse Shoes in support of the horses! Choose your own styles & art mediums for decorating. Bring your friends and share why you support the horses at MVHR! $10 per registration is donated to MVHR in honor of our 20th Anniversary. Register TODAY by clicking the link below! We look forward to seeing you there! |
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| MVHR Horse Updates Four horses so far in 2025 have found new homes, and adoption interest continues! February finalized adoptions, for Patron, Archie and Cheech, allowed us to welcome two new intakes. Duke & Ernie arrived together from Garfield County. These big boy drafts are both former dude string horses in their twenties, who worked carrying people on trail rides and hunting trips. They are now ready for a more leisurely retirement life as they are in need of supplemental grain and can't manage on just hay in a large herd. Interested in your next horse, or know someone who is? Amazing horses are waiting for their next adventure who are ready to go! Come meet Suede, Ginger, Clementine, Lucky, Cassidy, Rusty and Gem if you hope to get on the trail this Spring! Or maybe you are looking for a best friend to cuddle with and take on leisure walks, come meet Hammer, Boomer, Big, Freddie, Torec, Elvis & Belle! Adoptions make it possible for us to help more horses on to next chapters of their own! A list of the Current Herd can be found by clicking below! |
| | Calling All Adopters & Supporters! Have you adopted a horse from MVHR in the past 20 years? Did a MVHR Horse make a difference in your life? As we continue celebrating our 20th Anniversary throughout 2025, we'd like to recognize all the Journeys of Hope you helped make happen. Whether you adopted, participated in programs or came to an event, we bet there is a rescue horse that you still remember! Send your story, photos and/or videos of these horses that made a difference in your life, so we can share it with our Community! Email marleen@mvhr.net if you are interested! Thank you to ALL who have already shared a story! See the first feature below! |
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|  | Bonita Bonita, a 1.5 year old filly, arrived at MVHR in November 2021. She was part of a group of four horses bought at an auction by a good samaritan, to avoid them going to slaughter. Morgan adopted Bonita in September 2023. "I spent the first few months building trust to be able to touch and catch her, and eventually progressed to handing her feet, standing tied, loading in trailers, basic groundwork, and eventually wearing a saddle." Morgan can now catch Bonita in a 50 acre pasture, and she approaches her every time! "She is truly coming out of her shell and trusting me more every day. She is engaged and curious in all of our sessions. I’ve also implemented positive reinforcement into our training and it’s helped us make so much progress!" Morgan is taking her time and letting Bonita grow to full adult size before trying to ride her. Bonita currently enjoys being ponied off Morgan's older mare. "I’m really taking my time with her training process to make sure she is physically and mentally ready for whatever I ask next. She currently enjoys living on pasture with her small herd near my home in Longmont. I’m looking forward to a lifetime of learning and growth with her!" Thank you Morgan for sharing this update and for adopting Bonita in 2023! |
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| | MVHR Community, Events & Programs |
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| Spring Break March 2025 for South Routt County! MVHR is excited to be offering Routt County kids ages 6 and up the opportunity to spend Spring Break with horses, with our popular Horse Heroes program FREE of Charge for Routt County Residents, with transportation from Yampa. This camp and the transportation is made possible thanks to a grant from the Yampa Valley Community Foundation. You can sign up your child for up to 2 days FREE of Charge. Kids do not need prior horse experience to participate. |
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| Mini Horse Heroes Our most popular program returns this Spring! The littles are introduced to horses in a fun and playful way. They spend time with the rescue horses and discover confidence and empathy. We learn about horse care, grooming & leading and finish with a pony ride! Registration for Mini Horse Heroes Spring 2025 is now open with the first sessions starting March 15! |
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| Homeschool Horse Heroes Registration is now open for MVHR's Spring Homeschool Horse Heroes Session. We are excited to bring back the Horse Heroes Homeschool program for Spring 2025, starting March 31st The Homeschool program is a Horsemanship program of 4 sessions focusing on Horse Behavior & Body Language, Nutrition & Horse Health, Horse Breeds & Colors and Basic Groundwork & Liberty Technics. For more information and to register by March 24, click below! |
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| Summer Camp Scholarships! Ahead of the Summer camps registration, MVHR is now accepting Summer Day Camp Scholarship applications. Full and Partial Scholarships are available thanks in part by Vail Health! If you need a scholarship in order for your child to participate in MVHR Summer Day Camps, please click the button below for our scholarship application. NEW this year: You can apply for Summer day camp 2025 assistance starting now. Scholarships will be awarded prior to general registration opening on March 12. Any questions please email programs@mvhr.net |
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| 2025 Save the Dates! Registration for Summer Programs! - Summer Break Day Camp: Will run on Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday, starting May 27 through August 7, for both Eagle & Routt County, registration opens March 12.
The New Routt County Day Camps are made possible by Yampa Valley Community Foundation! 2025 Events - Mark your Calendar! - Wednesday, March 5 - Sip & Horse Shoes at Alpine Arts in Edwards. (see info above!)
- Saturday, April 12 - Easter Egg Hunt at MVHR in McCoy
- Saturday, April 26 - National Help a Horse Day at MVHR!
- Sunday, July 27 - Brunch for Horses in Lake Creek, Edwards
- Saturday, September 13 - 11th Annual Hay Day at MVHR in McCoy
More information on these events will be shared in upcoming newsletter and on social media! And we are working on even more events for this special 20th Anniversary Year! You can visit the event calendar on the website anytime! |
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| Volunteer at MVHR! Community Volunteer Days are coming up on: Community Volunteer Day is hosted from 9:30am to 12:30pm. Pancake Breakfast is served at 9:30am, after which we head out for a variety of chores to help the horses. No experience needed, and no need to RSVP either. Complete a volunteer application, this will ensure you receive a separate volunteer opportunity email each month. |
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| | Horsemanship Lessons We're excited to share that lessons are available again. Marissa, our Program Coordinator, brings a lifetime of horse experience and knowledge to the arena, and a passion for sharing all that she knows in a fun and educational manner. Lessons will be available to those age 7 and up, as well as lead line lessons for those younger. For more information click below! |
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| Other Ways to Help All Year Round! Donating to help the horses can be done in many different ways! In addition to cash, check and online donations, volunteering your time and sharing MVHR's mission with others, read on to learn about some other ways to make a huge impact to the sustainability of MVHR for future generations to come! |
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| MVHR Brokerage Account with Edward Jones Did you know MVHR has a brokerage account that you can donate to…and that you can make a gift to the horses this way? Donating stocks offers benefits for both you and MVHR. We are so grateful for the donors that have already committed to doing so. For more information on how to donate to our account with Edward Jones, contact your broker or email marleen@mvhr.net. |
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| MVHR Endowment Fund at YVCF A long term way to support the horses is by donating to the MVHR Endowment Fund at the Yampa Valley Community Foundation. Your contribution to the MVHR Endowment Fund provides support for horses today, tomorrow and beyond, truly ensuring all MVHR horses have the care and love they need throughout their lives and for generations to come. If you'd like to learn more about donating to the Endowment Fund, please click HERE. |
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| MVHR Planned Giving Create your legacy by making a planned gift to MVHR. Through a planned gift, you will be a part of making an everlasting difference in the lives of rescue equines long into the future. A hundred years from now, you will have an impact on the care of horses in need. Lend your Hopeful Heart to Helping Horses by making a legacy gift to MVHR today! Click HERE for more information. |
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| ... and then there is MORE! Visit our Other Ways to Help resource page to learn about more ways to help MVHR anytime of year. We have information on our Amazon Wishlist and how to shop and support MVHR thru organizations such as City Market & Chewy Gives Back. Check it out and sign up for some of the shopping programs, or please consider helping out with much needed supplies from our wish lists. Looking for MVHR swag? Our MVHR Webshop has several items you can support the horses and show it off to your community! From all of us at Mountain Valley Horse Rescue, thank you for your continued support! |
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| | Contact Us Mountain Valley Horse Rescue
33933 Colorado River Road
McCoy, Colorado 80463
970-653-0185
info@mvhr.net |
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