Welcome to Return To Freedom

Return To Freedom is dedicated to preserving the freedom, diversity and habitat of America's wild horses through sanctuary, education and conservation, while enriching the human spirit through direct experience with the natural world.

Please visit our Orphaned Animals blog to view photos and descriptions of animals currently in need of a loving new family.

Mustangs & Merlot . . .

Join Wild Horse Winery and Return to Freedom on July 25th for a one of a kind wine tasting and brunch at Return to Freedom’s Wild Horse Sanctuary.

The festivities include brunch and wine on the veranda at the Return to Freedom ranch, followed by a hike into the hills to see the wild horses.

$100/pp; $75/ wine club members. Proceeds to benefit RTF. Space is limited. Call Wild Horse Winery for reservations. 805-434-2541 ext. 15

June 4: Photography Exhibition and Silent Auction to benefit RTF

Deborah Anderson Photography

Join us on June 4th from 7-9pm at Morgane Le Fay's Malibu location for a cocktail reception and silent auction featuring the work of photographer Deborah Anderson. Proceeds will benefit Return to Freedom. Download the flyer for details.

April 23-26: "Heart of Listening Clinic" at RTF

Pony Boy

Join World Famous Equine Behaviorist and Author GaWaNi Pony Boy at Return to Freedom on Sunday, April 26th, for a 1 Day Clinic focusing on equine body language, communication and behavior.

Cost is $200 per participant. To learn more contact us at (805) 737-9246. Learn more...

 

Diana Tuorto's New Children’s Book "My Desert Sun"

Diana TourtoDiana Tuorto's recently released children's novel "My Desert Sun" is a fascinating tale about a wild horse that would make a wonderful gift for a child or young adult. When you mention Return to Freedom a portion of the proceeds will be donated to our sanctuary. Click here to learn more about this and other wonderful items in our gift shop.

 

Return to Freedom’s "Orphaned Animals" Blog

Return to Freedom gets calls and emails everyday about horses, burros, dogs, cats and other animals that need a new home. In this tough economy, more animals than ever are in need of rescue. Many are simply being abandoned. Though our sanctuary is filled beyond capacity, we are doing everything in our power to make sure that each animal finds a good home.

Update on Nevada Rescue

We recently sent an urgent appeal asking the public to help Return to Freedom and Lifesavers save 52 wild horses in Nevada. We had one week to raise the funds to rescue 52 wild horses that the State of Nevada had gathered or else they would have been destined for a slaughter plant in Canada or Mexico. Our community of friends and supporters has never let us down, and they came through this time as well. We succeeded in raising the funds to rescue all 52 horses. All of them are now safe.

There is more good news though. During the course of this urgent appeal, Return to Freedom was asked to help rescue an additional 15 wild horses. We surpassed our fundraising goal to rescue the 52, and with the funds leftover we are now working to get the additional 15 to a safe haven as well. With your help, we are going to be able to make sure that 67 wild horses don't make the terrible journey to Mexican or Canadian slaughterhouses.

Return to Freedom would like to thank each person who contributed, or helped spread the word. A special thanks to Lifesavers, who first got wind of the crisis in Nevada and reached out to us for help. Also, thanks to In Defense of Animals and Front Range Equine Rescue for their generous support. Thanks also to Humane Society of the United States and the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. We know that the rescue community is feeling the pressure of this tough economy, and that we are in a state of crisis. But we are confident that, working together, we can get through this challenging time.

Upcoming Event: Reiki Clinic at Return to Freedom - March 28,29

Join Reiki Master and Animal Communicator Cindy Rackley for a Reiki certification clinic at the beautiful Return to Freedom Sanctuary. Click here for more information.

A True Miracle...

The Arrival of Miracle You don’t have to be an economist to know that times are tough right now. Businesses are closing their doors and people are losing their jobs and homes. We are seeing a significant increase in horse owners simply abandoning their horses, leaving them to die a slow and agonizing death by starvation. Should the horse be found and picked up by State livestock agencies, the horse will be spared starvation only to endure a terrifying and equally agonizing death at the slaughter plant. But this was not the case for one lucky mare. Read more...

3rd Annual Spirit of the Horse

Spirit Of The Horse 2008Thank you to all of our supporters for making the 2008 Spirit of the Horse event a beautiful and joyous celebration. Click here to share in the experience.

 

Return to Freedom urgently needs your help.

Please consider making a donation today to help us purchase hay for our equine residents, or Sponsoring a Horse to help provide feed and care for a specific horse at the sanctuary.

  • $25 will help feed and care for 1 horse for a week
  • $50 will help feed and care for a mare and her foal for a week
  • $100 will help feed and care for 1 horse for a month
  • $250 will help to feed a small family band for 1 month

Donate now via paypal.

Making a payment from outside the U.S.? Check currency conversion rates here.

Want to help protect America's wild horses?

Download our "Take Action Packet" today. You can help Return to Freedom raise awareness about the plight of our remaining wild horse herds by sharing the Take Action Packet with friends, family, neighbors, and co-workers. Also, please consider making a donation today! Your generosity helps us provide sanctuary for over 200 wild horses and burros.

Did you know that our wild horses are actually a re-introduced native wildlife species?

Traditionally, horses were thought of as an exotic species that arrived on this continent for the first time with the Spanish in the 1500s. However, advances in molecular biology prove that the modern horse, Equus Caballus, actually evolved on this continent and migrated across the Bering Land Bridge. Though the horse disappeared on this continent between 11,000 and 13,000 years ago, when the Spanish brought horses back to North America they were simply returning home. Click here to read more.

Viggo Mortensen speaks out on behalf of our wild horses:

Click here to watch his PSA. Special thanks to Midthunder Productions

And while you're surfing... visit www.frankhopkins.com, the official tribute site to America's great distance/endurance rider and early-day champion of the Mustang horse: Frank T. Hopkins.