Wild Souls Ranch

10/13/2026

Our fall newsletter is here! Within it, you’ll see a donation ask for a very special horse. Anyone who has come to the ranch over the past decade has met Cante, the heart of our herd. Last month Cante required a vet visit with a bill well over $1000- and later that same week had a colic scare that resulted in another emergency vet call…. and another large bill. The vets also recommended he be tested for Cushing’s disease which, while manageable, requires ongoing medication.

To cover the vet bills, as well as his ongoing care, we are asking for donations from the public. Even one monthly donor could make a huge difference to our monthly medical bills, as well as a huge difference for this horse who has supported our community for years.

Please check out the link in our bio to learn how you can make an impact in Cante’s life, as well as read our newsletter for exciting news about Arcata, information about three (!!) new programs happening at the ranch, and a tribute to our beloved herd member, Goose. Thank you, Humboldt 🐴❤️

10/12/2026

Want to learn about nature and meet all the critters we have here at the ranch in Fortuna? Then come on down to our free open house and nature talk on Saturday the 17th from 12:30-2:30.

This will be taking place at 2870 Nelson Ln, Fortuna. Please drive slowly and be considerate of our neighborhood :)

10/05/2026

Many stages of grief walk through the front gates here at Wild Souls Ranch. Some are carried by clients, some by staff, and some by the animals. All are honored. All are important parts of people’s healing journey.

Maybe it’s a child who comes here every week because they lost both parents before the age of five. Or a family bringing their terminally ill mother here to fulfil her dream of petting a horse for the first time. Perhaps an elderly man who presses his head against one of our herd members and tells us of his fear of losing his wife, the light of his life, to dementia.

This time of year in particular brings grief to the forefront, as summer eases into fall and things settle in for whatever winter might bring. It’s a reminder that cycles end.

However, it also could be considered as a reminder that we all need rest, even nature. Healing isn’t linear. It’s important to take a step back sometimes and remind ourself of what we have accomplished. Baby steps.

Hold onto those small moments that bring joy to your heart, because they can add up. We are proud of everyone who has been working through difficulties, and we are here for you.

10/02/2026

09/29/2026

Healing can be uncomfortable. Spend time in the company of any horse and they’ll show you things about yourself that might take some time to come to terms with.

But horses are patient. They’ll wait for you, calmly showing you the same lesson over and over until you’re ready to listen.

Everything we bring with us into the roundpen- all the memories, the worries, and the fears that we would rather avoid- horses will reflect back to us. It’s up to us to listen. It might take time. That’s okay. The horse is in no rush.

And one day, you look back and realize that the horse wasn’t asking you to become someone different. They were just giving you the space to be authentic- to take the first few steps on your journey of finding yourself.

We are grateful for our herd and the lessons they show us every day.

Have you signed up for our mailing list yet? If not, head over to our website at wildsoulsranch.org to keep updated with what we are up to. It’s been a season of changes here at the ranch and we are excited to begin sharing more and taking you along on our journey.

07/17/2026

Wild Souls Ranch is now accepting donations of new and used riding boots for sizes 4-10. After all, having two locations means we need to have double of everything! We provide riding boots for our clients during their sessions to ensure that there are no barriers for participation. This week there will be a red box in our Fortuna parking lot for contactless donation drop-off (2870 Nelson Ln, Fortuna) or feel free to message us for assistance with pick up or drop off.

Our staff and volunteers are still working hard to get our new Arcata location in tip top shape so sessions can begin later in the year. Thank you to everyone for your patience and support during this exciting phase of Wild Souls Ranch’s expansion!

05/12/2026

We are pleased to announce that Wild Souls Ranch has purchased a second location in Arcata! That’s right- not only will we be keeping the original Fortuna location we all know and love, but we will also soon be offering both client services ✨️ and ✨️ full service horse boarding at our second location. Income generated through the boarding will directly help support our nonprofit, allowing us to continue offering trauma-informed equine services and accessible wellness opportunities to Humboldt residents.

This announcement is just the beginning.

It’s going to take a village, and we will need your support more than ever before. We want everyone to feel like this facility is for them- a place where everyone is welcome. A place where everyone is a wild soul.

Thank you to our staff, volunteers, board of directors, clients, donors, and all of our community supporters who have made this happen. All of us together is what makes Wild Souls Ranch the special place it is. With this second location we are so thrilled to be able to serve more clients, create more community connections, and share the incredible power of our beloved herd with the greater Arcata area.

We are now accepting waitlist applications for both our Arcata client sessions and Arcata horse boarding, with a tentative start date of mid to late July. Please bear with us as we adjust to this new influx of change. We will try to be as transparent as possible as we settle into a new routine. As a reminder, our Fortuna location remains open as per usual!

Our new location is located at what was previously Mad River Stables in Arcata- note that this location is a closed, private facility. For now please do not visit so as to not disturb current tenants. The community will have plenty of time to come visit once we are ready for an open house and volunteer days, so keep your eyes peeled for those announcements. Questions? Email [email protected] or call 707-617-0356.

Please submit client, boarding, and volunteer applications through our website wildsoulsranch.org.

Thank you, Humboldt!

05/08/2026

As we head into this weekend, all of us at Wild Souls Ranch wanted to say Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms out there. Everyone here knows that Goose welcomed a dashing c**t into the world last month (name announcement coming next week 👀), but what some may not know is that our very own Program Manager, Chessalynn Jones, also welcomed a beautiful baby boy last month. We can’t wait to meet him, and are so happy for her and her family!
 
This season has been full of new life, growth, and so much love. Today we are especially grateful for all of the mothers and mother figures in our lives: the ones who nurture, guide, support, and care for the next generation and beyond 🐴❤️

05/06/2026

We have noticed an uptick in scam comments. Please note that https://wildsoulsranch.org/shop is the only place to buy Wild Souls Ranch merch online. Thank you!

Hi Wild Souls Ranch community. Please know that the only place to buy our merch is from our official website- any comments such as the one below is a scam. We have no affiliation with links such as this one and see none of the proceeds. If you ever have questions about whether Wild Souls Ranch merchandise items are legitimate or not please feel free to reach out. Thank you!

04/29/2026

Wild Souls Ranch is collecting new and gently used art supplies for youth and adults participating in programs at Wild Souls Ranch. We are especially looking for paint, canvases, sketch paper, brushes, and other crafting supplies. Donations help ensure everyone has the tools they need to explore healing through creativity and connection.
 
Please contact us to organize pick up or drop off. Thank you!