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Spirit Horse is galloping into the year of the fire horse through your generosity!


Hi there, it's Hannah from Spirit Horse Sanctuary, a budding non-profit in Cortez, Colorado. I'd like to share some of my story so you know how we started– following horses back home to our hearts.


After more than a decade of practicing traditional healing arts. (Japanese, Maori, Thai, Tibetan, Shamanic, and Yogic) I returned to school to earn a masters degree in Integrative Healing Arts at Prescott College. Since I graduated in 2020, I've been learning healing modalities for horses including Masterson Method, Trust technique, and Cranio Sacral.


When I was 3 my parents bought 4 ponies that were part of a liberty act. They put me on Poncho and from that moment on I was practically raised by ponies. Fast forward a few decades to this spring, when I received 3 horses from a dear friend and talented trainer, Mustang Maddy who had a liberty act of her own and was looking to reduce her herd– It seems, I’ve come full circle. 


My first session with this herd was for myself. I sat in the center of the round pen while they were milling about eating the snow. I centered and grounded and I called in my healing team in spirit.  As I opened my eyes the horses were walking toward me. I laughed because it was so obvious that I hadn't thought of it yet—they were already on my healing team! As I opened to the spirit of the place, a raven flew overhead, then another followed, then another, I stopped counting at 25 ravens in a steady stream.


Django approached and started licking me like a big puppy cleaning my wounds. He muzzled my head for a long while until I was fully present with him, then returned eventually to eating snow. Mystic was holding space from a distance, then came over as soon as Django allowed. She stopped right in front of me and focused on my heart, dropping us deep into stillness. She stayed with my grief for longer than I could stand the 20 degree weather. With frozen toes, I thanked them and she rejoined Django. As I was closing the ceremony a hawk flew right over our heads, she was so close I could see the black spots on her white belly.


The horses showed me that day that they know the way and the trail we’re on leads us home to our hearts while tending to our more than human relations. Which may ultimately help humans to trust one another and maybe even mend our relationship with the planet.


It's common for those of us healing relational trauma to trust animals more than humans. Working in the equine program at a therapeutic ranch with teenagers, I witnessed how the rescue horses opened the  hearts of the kids, as they both learned how to trust humans again. Connection hinges on trust and we need connection to feel safe in the world.


In 2024 my partner Nikita Starlight took her own life. This was excruciating and my heart is still healing. Nikita left me her raw land in Cortez, Colorado, which is becoming Starlight Ranch. I've spent the last 10 months creating a sanctuary for the horses - Hauling out loads of rusty wire and weeds, building new fences, hauling in water, figuring out how to keep it from freezing, building shelters from materials I salvaged, repairing those fences and buying and hauling hay. We’re close to having the things the horses need for their well being as well as my own, in order to offer healing sessions. 


We co-created Spirit Horse Sanctuary as a non-profit because we want to share this endeavor. We’ve come a long way, and we would welcome your help getting further along the trail.


💛 Your donation helps us:


With gratitude from the heart of Spirit Horse Sanctuary,


Hannah Ohlwiler, Director

Perry Tancredi, President

Diane Hager, Treasurer

Leigh Stepan, Secretary


Every little bit helps!! Sponsor a horse, a project or a session for someone.