| | Much needed rain bring beautiful rainbows at the ranch... ...arching over Blondie's Barn, MVHR's recently remodeled Horse ICU & Quarantine barn. We were excited to open it's doors to the public this past Saturday at the 12th Annual Hay Day Open House. Thank you to all who came! Close to 200 people visited the ranch and although the weather tried to dampen the fun, it ended up being a beautiful sunny afternoon with lots of smiles. You can still support the annual Hay Day Fun from afar, in the online auction which will run through Tuesday, Sept. 29th. Scroll down to check it out! The Rescue is currently housing the most horses we have ever had at the ranch and the staff is busy ensuring everyone receives the care they need. Quarantine is yet again filled up with 5 new intakes and we are already working to make space for those looking to come in October & November. And space comes when horses get adopted! Four horses finalized their adoption this past month, and several started their adoption trials! Next week on October 1 there is a special event benefiting MVHR and two other local Nonprofits: SteamMaster's Charitable Golf Scramble at the Sonnenalp Club in Edwards! Are you a golfer who would like to support the horses and other wonderful causes by playing your favorite game? There is still time to register a team ~ see below. As the days get cooler, it is the perfect time to be at the ranch helping the horses with daily chores. If you have not done a volunteer training yet, but are interested, please know the next one is on Tuesday, October 6 followed by Saturday, October 24th. For more details about volunteering and spending time with the herd, read below! Continue reading for more details and updates from MVHR! | | MVHR Horse Updates! This past month adoptions finalized for Lucky, Blue & Crackin and Juniper! Woodrow, who just arrived last month already left for his adoption trial & finalized his adoption yesterday! The ranch remains busy with potential adopters meeting the wonderful herd. September has been another busy month with intakes and after these horses finish quarantine, a new cohort arrives in the middle of October. The most recent intakes are all senior horses looking for an easier retirement life. Sweet mares JJ & Gracie, both in their mid twenties have been working for an outfitter most of their lives in northern Colorado, and come to MVHR to transition to an easier going job in a new home. Keno, a grey gelding in his early twenties is ready for an easier job after working for the US Forest Service the past 16 years. This sweet guy would make an amazing trail partner for easy rides. Ol'Redd & Cody T, both 26 year old sweet gentlemen come to MVHR after working for a guest ranch where most recently they gave little children rides around the ranch. We are so glad these horses made it to MVHR, so that we can help them find their next adventure and safely and transition to a loving new home. Interested in your next horse, or know someone who is? Wonderful horses are waiting for their next adventures! Come meet Maverick, Dancer, Barbie, Buggs, Belle, Smokey, Darcy, Daci, Dolly, Sierra, Cody, RayRay, Calamity, Betty, Larry, Blaze, Golie, Cheech, Keno, Latigo, Rebel, Freddie, Big, Gus & Seneca! Adoptions make it possible for us to help more horses with next chapters of their own, and for you to have an amazing horse in your life! A full list of the Current Herd can be found by clicking below! | | | | | | | | Goodbye Dandy... Dandy came to MVHR just last month, years after a pasture injury that had not been treated, and had not healed well on its own. Thin as could be, and with a hind leg scarred and swollen, this indomitable mare stood strong even as it seemed that everything, even her skin, hurt. She shunned cuddles and tenderness, so we delivered love in big buckets of mash. In her short time with us her independent and determined spirit was obvious as she internalized all of her struggles and attempted to persevere. When x-rays revealed the extent of the damage to her leg, it was clear to MVHR that we had to make the most difficult decision for Dandy. She walked boldly out to the ridge overlooking the river, and rejoined the sand and sage from whence she came. The black tips of her ears and tiger stripes on each of her legs belied her former beauty as the rest of her body succumbed to the injuries humans would not and eventually could not help her with. | | | | The eagles flew from the cliff across the way as the wild world reclaimed Dandy and her spirit was freed from the confines of this human world...run free beautiful Dandy, a better world awaits you. As we are saddened by this loss, her friend Betty is making strides in her Journey, and she deserves celebrating. After 1 month of good nutritious grain mash, 3 times a day(!!) Betty has gained 133 pounds in that short time. | | | | | | MVHR Community, Events & Programs | | | |  | The Hay Day Online Auction is STILL open and you can bid from afar through September 29 on almost 100 items! There are Stays in Healdsburg-CA, Avon, Bachelor Gulch, Denver and Cabo San Lucas! There amazing activities like Dogsledding, Golf, Art, Trail Rides, Gift Baskets, Restaurant & Local Store certificates and so much more! Thank you to all our amazing community partners and supporters for all the auction items! Don't see anything that you like, you can buy items in support of the horses, like a bag of grain or a bale of hay! All donations & auction sales go directly to help the horses ~ Thank you to all who have bid, bought and donated already! | |  | | | | | Steammaster's 19th Annual Charity Golf Outing The 19th Annual SteamMaster Golf Tournament returns on Thursday, October 1st at 10am for a Scramble Tee Off at Sonnenalp Golf Club in Edwards! We are humbled MVHR has been chosen as a beneficiary again this year! This event will benefit the Vail Valley Charitable Fund, Mountain Valley Horse Rescue, and Eagle County Emergency Responders Fund. To register a team, donate a silent auction item, or sponsor the event, please contact Raj Manickam at 970-904-2409 or [email protected]. | | | | | | | | Volunteer Opportunities! Save the Date, these are the upcoming Community Volunteer Days & Orientations! - Saturday, October 24 - 9:30am - 12:00pm (moved from Oct. 17!!)
Bring your family, friends, co-workers, and neighbors to our upcoming Community Volunteer Days and Volunteer Training! All ages are welcome and no horse experience is needed. We’ll start the day with a FREE pancake breakfast at 9:30pm. Then we’ll take a tour of the ranch and move into the corrals to muck, fill water troughs, and meet the horses. For all who can't attend on a Saturday, we have Volunteer Trainings on the following Tuesdays coming up! - Tuesday, October 6 - 10:00AM - 12:00PM
For more dates, click below! No need to RSVP, just come on out! | | | | | | | | Thank you Lulu! We are excited to announce that Lulu has completed 1 year as a Hopeful Heart volunteer with rescue herd member Buggs! In that time she made a commitment to come spend time with Buggs regularly, preparing her for adoption. Thank you Lulu! Are you interested in becoming a Hopeful Heart Volunteer? After completing 10 hours of volunteer time, you have the option to be matched with a rescue herd member as your Hopeful Heart Horse. Reach out to [email protected] for more info! | | | | | | Mini Horse Heroes! Mini Horse Heroes for Fall are now Open for registration and there are only a few spots left! Come to the ranch for a fun program for preschoolers, age 3-5. We spend time with the rescue herd, learn about horses, groom & lead horses and finish with a ride! | | | | | | | | From Classroom to Corral Are you a teacher in Eagle or Routt County? Did you know MVHR offers educational field trips? Here is our newest school curriculum: Classroom to Corrals brings the story of horse rescue to life through an engaging, two-part learning experience. Students begin in their school’s classroom, where an MVHR representative comes to the class with students participating in an age-appropriate interactive activities. Students are challenged to think like horse caregivers. Then the learning continues from the classroom to the corrals! Students visit the rescue for a hands-on program day where they put what they learned into action! They will tour the ranch, meet the horses, participate in a service project, and rotate through 4 interactive stations focused on horse nutrition, veterinary and farrier care, & exercise and enrichment. By the end, students will have not only learned what horses need—they will have helped provide it. For more info and to book your class - email [email protected] | | | | | | Upcoming 2026 Events - September 15 - 29 - Hay Day Online Auction
- Thursday, October 1 - SteamMaster's 19th Annual Charity Golf Outing
- Tuesday, October 6 - Volunteer Training
- Saturday, October 24 - Community Volunteer Day
- Tuesday, December 8 - Colorado Gives Day!
More information on these events will be shared in upcoming newsletters, our website and on social media! You can visit the event calendar on the website anytime! | | | | | | | | Other Ways to Help the Horses! 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, there are even more ways you can help horses! Read on to learn about other ways to make a huge impact on the sustainability of MVHR for future generations! | | 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 stock 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 [email protected]. | | | | | | MVHR Endowment Fund at YVCF 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. | | | | 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. | | | | ... 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 Vail Valley Thrifty Shops, City Market & Chewy Gives Back. Check it out and sign up for some of the shopping programs, or consider helping out with much needed supplies from our wish lists. From all of us at Mountain Valley Horse Rescue, thank you for your continued support! | | | | | | Contact Us Mountain Valley Horse Rescue
33933 Colorado River Road
McCoy, Colorado 80463
970-653-0185
[email protected] | | | | | | | | | | | |
