Mustangs MEND

Mustangs MEND Nonprofit equine assisted learning program & rescue/sanctuary that works with wild and/or neglected or abused mustangs & other equines and humans in need.
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We are Darkness to Light trained in protecting children in equestrian sports. Mustangs MEND is a registered 501c3 tax-exempt nonprofit organization founded in 2017. We are located in the Santa Clarita Valley in CA. We facilitate the healing of both mustangs and humans through the principles of Mindfulness, Empathy, Nurturing, and Dignity. Participants in our programs learn basic horse handling ski

lls and then move through a process of gentling a wild mustang so that it will be best equipped to adapt to its new life in a human world. Survivors work closely with a mentor-trainer and process successes and difficulties throughout the gentling process. Both humans and mustangs learn how to heal and create connection to the world around them as a way of coping with previous trauma. Mustangs MEND believes that both horse and human will come out on the other side of this process with positive coping mechanisms and a new sense of self love.

✨ Our boy Hawk is really growing up! ✨It’s hard to believe he’s already 2½ years old. We’ve had him since he was just tw...
11/09/2025

✨ Our boy Hawk is really growing up! ✨
It’s hard to believe he’s already 2½ years old. We’ve had him since he was just two days old, and watching him grow has been the sweetest journey. From adorable little foal to the stunning young gelding he’s becoming, he just keeps getting more handsome every day. 💛

He’s full of personality, curious about everything, and always finds a way to make us smile. We sure do love this beautiful boy — and while we’ll miss him dearly when the time comes, Hawk will be available for adoption to only the very best of homes. 🥰

As we round about the turn of the final 2 months of 2025, I want to extend my deepest gratitude to two amazing women who...
11/03/2025

As we round about the turn of the final 2 months of 2025, I want to extend my deepest gratitude to two amazing women who took chances on senior mustangs and have given them the most amazing twilight years. Amy and Allison... you are heroes. These two ol' red boys are living the best lives ever with each of you.

Puma (26 years old) on the left is losing his sight but Amy moved him to a retirement pasture where he has friends and forage and lots of space to hang out with other older horses, even though it's been a challenge for her own heart to have him a little further out from her. It was what was best for him and he gets to enjoy his retirement with friends, freedom, and forage. And Beau, our super senior (32 years old), is living the good life with Allison and her menagerie. He does have Cushings but it is managed with medication and he is going strong!

These guys hit the jackpot, but so many other horses end up in terrible situations because they are not longer "useful" to humans. I am forever indebted to these two women and the village that helped get these guys into the best retirement possible.

❤️
Tami

09/19/2025

Quick rattlesnake bite recovery... walking to help with swelling. This is looking really good. 🤞🏼🤞🏼🤞🏼🤞🏼

‼️ Emergency‼️ Quick Got Bit by Rattlesnake⚠️Our strong and steady old guy, Quick, was bitten by a rattlesnake last nigh...
09/18/2025

‼️ Emergency‼️

Quick Got Bit by Rattlesnake⚠️

Our strong and steady old guy, Quick, was bitten by a rattlesnake last night. At 28 years old, he has always been tough and dependable—but age makes this injury far more serious and his recovery more uncertain.

The vet is on the way, and Quick will need steroids and supportive care to get through the days ahead. He’s always carried his strength with quiet dignity, and now he needs us to stand strong for him.

We’ve had a few signifcant expenses lately, and this sudden emergency is just adding to our plate. If you can give anything, you’ll be part of Quick’s team, helping provide the care he needs right now.

🙏 Please keep Quick in your thoughts and send him strength and well wishes. 🙏🏼

PayPal.me/mustangsmend

Venmo: mustangsmend

Zelle: [email protected]

Donations are tax deductible as allowed by law.

✅ Update after Vet:

Quick is in significant pain. He was shaking. Vet has come and given guarded prognosis because he has a pretty significant heart murmur that was just discovered too. This is a new development. 🙏🏼 Hoping the steroids that he had to be given don't cause laminitis and that he can fight through this. Please send all the positive healing thoughts, prayers, etc you can.

08/27/2025

Fresh Sand & Pea Gravel Day! 🐴✨

Big upgrade for our rescued horses – we had fresh sand and pea gravel delivered for dust and mud abatement! It was spread and compacted to perfection, and the place looks amazing.

But… every time we try to make improvements, the city shows up. Today, someone complained we were doing “construction” (🙄) – when all we did was lay down a few inches of sand and gravel to make life better for our herd. It’s so stressful to have them watching us like hawks for simply trying to do right by our animals.

This was a big expense, but worth it to keep our horses safe, happy, and healthy. If you’d like to help us cover the cost, please consider donating below. Every little bit helps – especially as we continue to fight this ridiculous overreach.

Donate to:
PayPal.me/mustangsmend
Zelle: [email protected]
Venmo: mustangsmend

Donations are tax deductible as allowed by law.

UPDATE ON THE ONGOING ISSUES WITH THE CITY OF SANTA CLARITADear Friends,As many of you know, our nonprofit recently move...
08/20/2025

UPDATE ON THE ONGOING ISSUES WITH THE CITY OF SANTA CLARITA

Dear Friends,

As many of you know, our nonprofit recently moved to continue rescuing animals and providing hands-on education for our community. But what should have been a smooth transition has turned into an exhausting and costly battle with the City of Santa Clarita.

The city insists on labeling us a commercial stables—which we are not—and now they’ve taken the stance that because we don’t own the land, the equestrian-use zoning overlay doesn’t apply to us. That’s simply not how land use works. Zoning follows the land itself, not who holds the title.

This government overreach has forced us to spend countless hours drafting correspondence, pulling sections of the city’s own code, and proving—over and over again—that our mission qualifies: the use of large and small animals for educational purposes. That’s exactly what we do.

But the toll has been heavy. We’ve already spent significant funds on this move, and this ongoing fight has drained even more of our resources. Every dollar we pour into battling bureaucracy is a dollar taken away from rescuing animals, providing care, and serving our community.

That’s why we’re asking for your help.

🐴 Here’s how you can support us right now:
• Make a donation. Your gift allows us to keep operating, caring for animals, and offering educational programs while we fight this unnecessary battle.
• Refer us to a land use attorney. We need legal guidance, but at a cost that won’t cripple our mission. If you know someone willing to consult with us, please connect us.

We don’t exist to fight City Hall—we exist to rescue, educate, and serve. With your help, we can get through this storm and keep doing what matters most.

Thank you for standing with us. Together, we can protect this mission and the animals who depend on it.

With gratitude,
Tami and the Mustangs MEND Crew

How to donate:
PayPal.me/mustangsmend
Zelle: [email protected]
Venmo: mustangsmend

(Picture of one of our volunteer kiddos, Addy, learning to gentle (tame) her first unhandled horse! This is such an amazing process and this is a rare set of skills. This is what we do. Addy is in 6th grade! )

07/28/2025

We are SO proud of our team members who have poured their hearts into working with Sienna and our other formerly wild horses! 🌟

Here’s 12-year-old Addy on her very first c**t ride, with Emily on the flag helping keep forward movement—an essential skill that helps young horses feel safe and learn to think through pressure instead of reacting. This kind of foundation work is where horsemanship begins. 🐎

This is only Sienna’s 4th ride ever, and she’s handling it like a champ—even with that loud, obnoxious car racing by on the road nearby! 😅

Watching these kids learn and apply the deep, patient, often forgotten skills of horsemanship is everything. This isn’t just riding—it’s horsemanship education rooted in timing, feel, leadership, and empathy. These are the kinds of long-lost skills that shaped generations of horsemen and horsewomen, and we’re honored to help pass them down. 💛

We LOVE working with youth and are beyond excited to see them stepping up like little pros, helping these horses grow and becoming amazing young trainers in the process.

👉 If your child has some horse experience and wants to dive deeper into horsemanship, we have new youth training opportunities starting soon! Reach out to learn how to get involved.

07/28/2025

Meet Annie Oakley — a sweet, young grade mare who just arrived to begin her journey from feral to fabulous. Standing at around 13 hands (large pony size), Annie may be small, but she’s packed with potential. With minimal handling so far, she’s proving to be incredibly willing, kind, and easygoing — making her a wonderful youth project.

Annie is now a part of our Equine Assisted Learning program, where students learn to gentle and train feral and/or wild horses through hands-on, relationship-based work. Our amazing young volunteer, Addy, is stepping up to the challenge of gentling and starting her very first horse, guided closely by our experienced team.

We believe strongly in this process — not just for the immeasurable benefit of the horse, but because of the transformational impact it has on the human. It builds patience, leadership, empathy, self-awareness, and confidence — just to name a few of the skills that last a lifetime.

These types of opportunities are open to youth and adults through our community-based programs. If you’re curious about learning to gentle a horse, building trust with a feral equine, or just want to grow through an experience unlike any other — we’d love to have you be part of it.

Come learn. Come lead. Come grow with us.

Message us for more details!

We are beyond proud of our longtime volunteer, Dina, who has spent the last two years patiently and skillfully gentling ...
07/23/2025

We are beyond proud of our longtime volunteer, Dina, who has spent the last two years patiently and skillfully gentling Sienna—from untouched to under saddle. 💛

Watching this once-wild mare transform into a willing partner has been nothing short of incredible, and it’s all thanks to Dina’s consistency, compassion, and quiet determination.

This journey wasn’t fast or easy—but that’s the beauty of it. It was real, respectful, and built on trust.

Congratulations, Dina and Sienna! What an amazing milestone and an unforgettable experience for everyone lucky enough to witness it. 🐎✨

Pictured is Sienna today and then Sienna when we first got her. Look at the glow up!

If you have some experience with horses and would like to have a similar opportunity, we’ll be starting a new gentling course this August! Come be a part of something truly special.

Virginia Tech has updated their helmet study to include oblique falls at high speed (this is more like horse racing fall...
07/21/2025

Virginia Tech has updated their helmet study to include oblique falls at high speed (this is more like horse racing falls rather than the average equestrian fall). This is such a good way to find a really safe helmet for riding. But just because it's more expensive doesn't mean it's better. Two of the top 15 helmets are around $50!

https://www.helmet.beam.vt.edu/equestrian-helmet-ratings.html #!

Saying Goodbye to BeautyToday, we say goodbye to a beautiful soul—a wild Mustang named Beauty—who, despite our gentlest ...
07/17/2025

Saying Goodbye to Beauty

Today, we say goodbye to a beautiful soul—a wild Mustang named Beauty—who, despite our gentlest efforts and deepest hopes, made it clear that she was never meant for our domestic world.

In my time with Mustangs, I’ve worked with hundreds of wild horses—each one unique, each one a story of transformation. Most eventually choose to meet us halfway, allowing their wildness to soften just enough to build a bridge between our worlds. But now and then, one comes along who reminds us that not every horse is meant to be tamed. Beauty is one of those rare and powerful spirits.

This isn’t a flaw—it’s a truth. Beauty never truly let her guard down. She remained wary, watchful, and always ready to protect herself. Maybe, with a dozen years of quiet, consistent work—tiny moments repeated again and again—she might have accepted a halter or a gentle touch on her leg. But the reality is, today’s horse world doesn’t often make room for horses who will never be safe under saddle or comfortable in close contact. And who could blame her for keeping her distance?

We don’t know what Beauty experienced before she came to us. We only know that when she arrived at the equine hospital—pregnant, unsure, and barely more than a baby herself—her eyes told us everything. They carried the weight of things we will never fully understand. And yet, even through that guarded gaze, she gave us her trust in the small ways she could.

She gave birth to a beautiful grulla c**t who, unlike his mother, is entirely content in the domestic world. But Beauty never quite crossed that line. And sometimes, working with wild horses teaches us the hardest and most sacred lesson of all: how to let go.

Letting go doesn’t mean giving up. It means recognizing that love sometimes looks like stepping aside so a being can live the life they were always meant to live. And that’s what we’re doing for Beauty.

We’re honored and deeply grateful to share that Beauty will be living out her days on hundreds of acres at an incredible wild horse sanctuary, where she will run free in a herd, never again asked to change. She will finally have what she always deserved: peace, freedom, and safety—on her terms.

If you’d like to help us get Beauty to her forever home, we could use your support. We’ve secured a hauler with experience in wild horses and a safe, roomy trailer for the journey—but there is a cost. Any help you can offer will go directly to making her transition smooth, safe, and filled with dignity.

Additionally, if you'd like to sponsor Beauty, please message us and we can put you in touch with the sanctuary.

PayPal.me/mustangsmend
Venmo: mustangsmend
Zelle: [email protected]

Thank you for believing in the spirit of the wild. Thank you for helping us honor Beauty’s truth.

Run free, Beauty. You were never meant to belong to us—you belong to the wind.

Address

Placerita Canyon Road
Santa Clarita, CA
91321

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 9pm
Tuesday 9am - 9pm
Wednesday 9am - 9pm
Thursday 9am - 9pm
Friday 9am - 9pm
Saturday 9am - 9pm
Sunday 9am - 9pm

Telephone

(541) 602-8415

Website

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