Cimarron Equine Sanctuary and Center for Learning

06/01/2026

This is Pete.

Pete is a 30-year-old gelding and a member of our senior herd. He shares a close friendship with Breezy, and together they spend their days among a group of horses who have all experienced many seasons of life.

Pete is a calm, easygoing fellow. When I look into his eyes, I see a horse who has traveled many miles and witnessed much along the way. There is a quiet wisdom there that is hard to describe but easy to feel.

What I notice most about Pete is that he still greets each day with joy. He is always welcoming, always affectionate. As I write this, it brings a smile to my face knowing that most mornings begin with a Pete hug.

If you're reading this as someone who cares about horses like Pete, thank you. Our Circle of Care supporters help make it possible for senior horses to enjoy their later years surrounded by safety, friendship, and compassion. Their steady support ensures horses like Pete can simply be horses, exactly as they deserve.

People sometimes ask why we care for horses in their thirties.
Watching Pete has helped me find my own answer.

Life is not only about what something produces or accomplishes. There is value simply in being. There is value in presence, companionship, and the quiet gifts that reveal themselves over time.

The older horses remind me of this every day.
Pete doesn't ask for much. A safe place, good friends, and a little kindness. In return, he offers something that has become increasingly rare in our world—a gentle reminder to slow down, appreciate the moment, and simply enjoy being alive.

Today, Pete was doing what he does best: standing in the sunshine, greeting the morning, and reminding me that growing older can be a beautiful thing.

05/29/2026

05/29/2026

This is Farrah.

If you look at the Big Jetts group, you might see a lot of movement, play, and energy. But if you watch closely, you’ll notice that everyone ultimately anchors themselves to her.
Farrah is the matriarch of the herd.

In the horse world, leadership isn’t about being the loudest or the most dominant. It’s about being the most dependable. Because horses are prey animals, their nervous systems are constantly scanning for safety. Farrah is their living reminder that it’s okay to let their guard down.

When a plastic bag blows across the fence or an unfamiliar sound echoes through the valley, the rest of the herd doesn't panic—they look at Farrah. If she’s calm, they breathe a collective sigh of relief, drop their heads, and go back to grazing. They outsource their anxiety to her, trusting her years of wisdom completely.

She doesn’t lead by force; she leads by being entirely grounded, clear, and present. She is the quiet emotional anchor that holds the Big Jetts group together.

Watching her today reminded me of how much we all need an anchor like that in our lives—and how beautifully each horse carries exactly what the herd needs.

TheMatriarch

05/27/2026

Jack is 28 and Summer are both 30 years old.

They're part of the same herd here at Cimarron — Jack Summer, and Fancy.

What you're watching is mutual grooming. Not all horses do this. When it happens it means something — safety, trust, a kind of ease that takes real time to arrive.

This is what a Tuesday evening looks like out here.

https://donorbox.org/cimarron-equine-sanctuary-most-urgent-needs-for-hay-veterinary-fund-fencing-supplies-labor-2 ~if you want to be part of our circle of care community

05/25/2026

This Daisy

Daisy is part of Big Jett’s group and the youngest of the herd. She has been watched over by Big Jett since she was foaled.

Daisy will turn 12 on July 17.

Her mother, Razzy, was the very first rescue horse to come to Cimarron. There’s something meaningful about seeing generations continue here — not just surviving, but living in peace within the herd.

Daisy is incredibly intelligent and intuitive. Horses, um hum .. and mules notice far more than most people realize.

Sometimes, it feels like they understand us long before we understand ourselves.

At the end of this video, when I say her age, she looks up at me for just a moment. A small thing, maybe… but moments like that are part of what makes life with horses so special.

Caring for horses like Daisy is only possible because of people who believe in this work and help support their ongoing care.

In the coming weeks, we’ll be sharing more stories from the herd and ways people can sponsor and support individual horses here at Cimarron Equine Sanctuary.

05/23/2026

Jack and Summer

In this video, Jack is grooming Summer.

Jack is the quiet patriarch of this little herd. Summer, now 30 years old, has lost most of her vision, and he stays close to her almost constantly. Watching them together reminds us that horses understand relationships in ways we are only beginning to rediscover.

When horses engage in mutual grooming — called allogrooming — they are doing far more than cleaning each other. They are regulating each other’s nervous systems, strengthening trust, lowering stress, and reaffirming connection.

There is something deeply peaceful about it.

Ancient Daoist philosophy speaks of living in alignment with “The Way” — moving naturally, without force, in harmony with life itself. Horses do this instinctively.

You can see it in moments like this.

They do not schedule connection.
They do not perform it.
They simply settle into it.

One horse grooms.
The other receives.
Then they switch.

A quiet rhythm of reciprocity and trust.

When horses groom each other, their heart rates slow, their eyes soften, and tension leaves their bodies. The area around the withers and neck is rich with nerve endings, and grooming stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system — the body’s natural calming response.

It is biology.
It is relationship.
It is healing.

In the herd, grooming is also social glue. It builds alliances, eases anxiety, and reassures vulnerable members that they are safe and not alone.

That may be part of why Jack stays so close to Summer now.

She cannot see the world the way she once did.
But she can still feel safe beside him.

There is a lesson in that for us too.

Sometimes the most meaningful care is quiet presence.
Not fixing.
Not forcing.
Just staying close.

— Cimarron Equine Sanctuary & Center for Learning

05/20/2026

People sometimes ask why this work matters.

Why care for elderly horses, injured horses, or horses that will never be ridden again?

The truth is… when I walk out into the pasture in the morning, I don’t just see horses.

I see relationships.�I see trust.�I see beings who still want comfort, affection, safety, and connection — just like we do.

This is Desmond demanding his morning affection before anything else begins for the day.
Moments like this remind me that gentleness still matters in the world.

Maybe now more than ever.

“We’re all just walking each other home.”
— Ram Dass

05/19/2026

An afternoon stroll with Duke and Daisey.

Sometimes I think one of the most important things is simply becoming familiar with the horses as individuals. Each has their own personality , just like you and I .

Of course the girl with the larger ears is Daisey. Her close partner here is Duke.�
Each has their own history, personality, friendships, and place within the herd.

Just horses moving through spring grass together after a long winter.

Maybe tonight you simply take a quiet moment and walk with us for a minute.