Help Us Help Horses In Need
Gentle Spirit Horses is a rescue and sanctuary for horses based out of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, with a satellite location near Forest City, Iowa. Our mission is to provide assistance to neglected, abused and unwanted horses, and through outreach and education, promote responsible horse ownership.
Our Programs
Adoption Program
The main program and goal of GSH is to find permanent homes for the equines that come into our care, and to offer them a lifetime protection contract. Horses come into our program in many ways - from neglect and seizure cases, herd reductions, and many owner donations. We will also help place horses that remain with their owners until placed, to offer them the protection of our adoption contract.
The Bug Club Children's Program
The Bug Club of Gentle Spirit Horses Rescue & Sanctuary is a club for our younger visitors ages 3-13. The Bug Club promotes responsible horsemanship through online and hands-on education to potential future horse owners and supporters
Leg Up Community Support Program
Tough times happen. Gentle Spirit Horses Rescue is here to help. Our Leg Up Program exists to help horse owners for short term problems. This could be help with feed and hay, a loaned blanket, veterinary care, and farrier care in times of need, or could be a distribution of products to horse owners everywhere, depending on what has been donated and available funds.
Sanctuary Program
Sometimes, a horse comes into our care that for various reasons is best suited to spend the rest of their life with us. Whether it be for age, health issue, disability, behavioral problems, or some other reason, we maintain a small Sanctuary program to provide a peaceful and stable last home for equines that meet our criteria. Most of our Sanctuary horses find jobs in our other programs, particularly in the Bug Club Children's Program.
Internship Program
GSH Internships are available to high school and college students between the ages of 16-23 who have an interest in pursuing a career in equine management, horse rescue and rehabilitation, equine veterinary services, horse training or horse advocacy. Minor students under 18 will require parent permission to enroll in an internship. Students must provide their own transportation, insurance and bring their own funds for food and necessities.
Outreach & Education
Gentle Spirit Horses firmly believes that only through public awareness and education can we make a large scale impact. Our Outreach and Education program raises awareness through public speaking, exhibition riding, and competitive showing of some of our permanent residents.
Our Blog
04
Jun 2019
Have You Ever Frosted a Donkey?
Fun fact: Donkeys do not have the same nerve endings in their legs as horses so when a fly bites or lands on them they do not stomp to get them off! This leads to sore fly eaten legs...
02
Jun 2019
One of the Greats is Gone - Goodbye, Tommy
Tommy, our gorgeous big lug of a QH, 24 years old with Wobbles, loyal and kind, founder of the Bug Club, teacher of many a "bug" - a small child on his big, 16.2 hand back, dorky wobbly boy with quirks, originator of the "naughty name" and "Tommy Temper Tantrums" ... and all around wonderful boy who has graced our lives for the past twelve years, passed away in the blink of an eye this afternoon in pasture. One minute he was fine, the next he was gone. He didn't suffer; he left that for us.