Coral Acres Wellness Sanctuary

18/04/2025

Jessi here. The other night, Megan and I had the pleasure of attending a community networking event in Denver with a few friends we knew, and many more we didn't. Throughout the evening, we had many conversations about CAWS, our mission, our dreams, etc. Now, I want to be sure and preface this by being clear that I in no way intend any blame or ill-will toward those who made these comments. It just became more apparent that there is a true need for CAWS, now more than ever.

In getting to know each other, one gent simply asked, "what do people do with horses when they are done with them?" Well let's just say, Megan and I don't have the greatest poker faces. Done with them?! 😳

But it led to a wonderful discussion about how this is EXACTLY why organizations like CAWS need to exist!

Society as a whole, including many that are already within the equestrian community, still see horses as tools, as a means to an end, while many of us simply know them as companions, pets, pieces of our souls.

I felt more empowered than ever to make CAWS a reality, a real live place where we make an endless difference by showing what these incredible creatures mean to us, and (possibly) what they should mean to you.

14/04/2025

Jess Roberts of Harmonized Horsemanship is leading the way for Coloradoan’s in new approaches to horsemanship. Honestly, in our opinion, how things should’ve been done a long, long time ago. We can’t wait to utilize her strategies and gentle approaches with our future herd! 💕🐴

Someone asked me recently how long it would take me to get a horse "dead broke."

I took a breath, centered myself, and responded honestly:
There is no amount of time I could spend with a horse that would make that happen.
Because dead broke should not be a thing.

Blind obedience in the face of human hands is not partnership—it’s submission. And it comes at the cost of the horse’s voice, their agency, and sometimes, their soul. That isn’t training. That’s trauma.

You could send a horse to me for two years of full training, and when they leave this program, they will still have opinions. They will still communicate. They will still say no.
But they will say it in a way that is safe, regulated, and respectful—because that's what true partnership looks like.

They won’t be “broke.”
They’ll be whole.

But here’s the catch: you have to do the work, too.
You have to check your ego at the door.
You have to learn how to listen as much as you ask.
You have to soften when your horse braces, to be patient when they’re unsure, and to meet resistance with curiosity instead of control.

This isn’t the kind of program where you show up after six months of training expecting your horse to tick off the boxes.

This is the kind of program where you learn to ask better questions—of your horse and of yourself.

Because at the end of the day, you won’t be handed a robotic horse who performs on command.
You’ll be walking beside a sentient, sensitive being—one who knows how to regulate, how to set boundaries, how to trust, and how to dance through life with you – not for you.

And that?
That’s worth more than any timeline, any checklist, or any illusion of control.

That’s what real partnership feels like.
And it’s the only kind of “broke” I’ll ever believe in. 🐴💛

12/04/2025

Some great tips for keeping herds happy and healthy this time of year. What are your ideas or best practices? We love a track system!

10/04/2025

It's ! Did you know that horse twins are incredibly rare, about 1 in 10,000 pregnancies? And it's even rarer for both twins to survive! It can be extremely dangerous for both the mare and foals to carry them to term, but there are still miracles at work. Enjoy this image from Churchill Downs of their adorable miracle fillies born earlier this year!

10/04/2025

I am Biscuit, I am gross, it’s a pleasure to meet you. 🤣

09/04/2025

We're throwing our hat into the ring and applying for a $12,000 grant with the Hansen Family Foundation to score a horse trailer for our foster program! They're all about giving newbie nonprofits like us a leg up with some sweet, sweet seed money 🐴💸

Check them out and send us that goooood mojo!

Animals The Hansen Family Foundation believes in helping those who cannot speak on their own behalf. Animals have played a huge part in our members’ lives, touching our hearts in profound ways. Animals, to us, are the most agreeable of friends–they ask no questions and pass no criticisms. The Ha...

08/04/2025

Okay but CAWS is essentially brand new, how do we receive funding without really any proof of impact to the community yet?

Hitting us with the deep questions this week! Alright then, saddle up (see what I did there?) for some good ol' fashioned transparency, 'cause here at CAWS, that's our promise.

Before we had even finalized our very basics, a horse in need was immediately placed in front of us, and we felt compelled to help him. With help from our growing monthly donor base, Biscuit has been chillin' in foster care waiting for the perfect home and the perfect adoption contract!

And as many of you already know, we are raising money on a larger scale to help us secure our first truck + trailer setup, which will help us launch a whole heap of our other programs (starting with a bigger, badder foster program). Curious about where your support goes when you donate to CAWS? Slide into our DM's for a little 1:1 chat with a founder today!

📸: throwback to Biscuit's rescue day!

07/04/2025

So what exactly do I do all day as a co-founder of a brand new nonprofit that doesn't have a facility yet? Believe it or not, my to-do list is pretty long. And growing by the day.

For those who don't know my face yet, I am Jessi. It's a pleasure to meet you! Together with my co-founder Janice and the incredible Board of Directors, we meet weekly as a team and text daily to go over all things related to a growing organization. From creating policies and procedures to status updates on our foster horse, to day-dreaming about the perfect sanctuary, there is no time to break! Oh, except for our day jobs, pets, spouses, bills, chores... you get the idea 😆

Our dreams are big, our goals even bigger! And it will ALL happen!

04/04/2025

Resident CAWS foster quarter horse Biscuit checking in after a long winter's nap. Who else is looking forward to Spring 🌸🌼🌳??

25/12/2024

Biscuit here, wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and everything in between. ‘Tis the season to celebrate! 🎄🕎💚❤️🩵💙

20/12/2024

Fun fact Friday! Did you know that energy leeches are not just for fiction?

Here at CAWS, we aim to not only educate about a variety of disciplines, but to practice what we preach too. Board President Marissa has been practicing reading energies and working with crystals and felt a negative pull at Biscuit, our foster horse. Earlier this week she performed a cleansing ceremony for him and braided this strand of black turmoliene crystals into his mane a further protection!

It’s wonderful to have a team with such a varied background of skills and interests. Whatever our herd needs, we are prepared to support them. Thank you Marissa!

18/12/2024

Love how supportive the equine community is becoming. Know anyone that fits the bill? Let us help connect you to Colorado Unwanted Horse Alliance!

Colorado Unwanted Horse Alliance funds 2 hay banks across the state. These hay banks are set up to help horse owners that are facing short term setbacks or financial issues. The idea of providing hay for these horses and owners is that it will help horses stay in their home and out of danger.

The hay banks are located in the south east part of the state at Blue Rose Ranch Horse Rescue & Adoption and in northern Colorado at LASSO Equine Therapy and Rescue.

Keep these hay banks in mind if you know any horse owners struggling to feed their horses 🐴

10/12/2024

It's time for another POWER HOUR!! Let's see how much we can raise in the next 60 minutes!

Like, comment, share, follow, donate! 💜🐴

https://www.coloradogives.org/organization/Coral-Acres-Wellness-Sanctuary

10/12/2024

Clover says she is grateful for your donations today! However, why are we hiding the good snacks??

https://www.coloradogives.org/story/Zivxdf

10/12/2024

Coral Acres Wellness Sanctuary is setting out to make a difference. Today, your gifts go even further to help us into the next phase of our mission, by purchasing a truck and trailer so we can begin making an even bigger impact in our communities.

It only takes a few minutes to make a difference: https://www.coloradogives.org/organization/Coral-Acres-Wellness-Sanctuary

10/12/2024

We're kicking off this year's Colorado Gives Day with POWER HOUR!

The Colorado nonprofit that receives the most donations, no matter what size, from 7a - 8a will be entered into a drawing to win an extra $2,000 toward their mission. That's a huge jump toward our goal of $20k!

https://www.coloradogives.org/organization/Coral-Acres-Wellness-Sanctuary

04/12/2024

I continue to find myself at a loss for words over the generosity, love, and support we are receiving. As a growing organization, this level of continued belief in our mission is sending us over the moon with gratitude.

Thank you thank you THANK YOU from the entire team here at CAWS. And Biscuit sends his nickers of thanks as well in between bites of this delicious free choice mineral block. Does he share with his donk siblings? Depends on the day 😝

We are well on our way to that truck & trailer goal of $20k with just over $3,000 raised already. The love is truly felt!!

03/12/2024

Huge THANK YOU to everyone who has donated so far today in support of CAWS! We are $320 closer to our year end goal of $20,000.

These funds will go toward the purchase of a truck and horse trailer so that we can begin making an impact throughout our communities even faster. Every dollar counts this giving season. Our hearts are full! 💜🐴