Summer 2008
ESS has evolved over the past three years from being a dream and a vision to becoming an active equine center with programs devoted to education, healing and outreach. Today we are fortunate to have a lovely facility complete with horse barn, offices, a classroom, and turnouts for the resident equines. Since renting the facility at the start of this year we have been working towards organizing and developing ESS programs. We have had various activities, have a growing group of dedicated volunteers, and have had visitors from all over.

A couple things have emerged as a result of our growing process. First, due to funding and need for additional requirements associated with a therapeutic riding program, we have not yet been able to offer the NARHA-based therapeutic riding. But we do offer equine assisted therapy/growth and development sessions for people of all ages with special needs. We've worked with a number of autistic persons and other disabilities, who benefit from the interactions with our miniature donkey and horses. The need and the response to this program is tremendous, greater than our similar program for persons without special needs. Basically, the lessons are the same regardless - we introduce people to horses and assist them with learning and experiencing as much as they are comfortable with. An autistic person learns to lead and brush a horse the same as another young person, or an older person who is new to horses. Sometimes it's enough that they just come and see the horses from a distance, not even handling the animal, for it to be an exciting experience and to brighten their day. We are excited to see the possibilities and to witness the positive impact that comes from these interactions.

Second, our program here has been very successful and positive for both the equines and the people who come to ESS. We are fortunate in this community to have many people who do alternative healing modalities that come to ESS to volunteer their time and services. Our equines benefit regularly from Healing Touch for Animals, Equine Touch, T-Touch, Reiki, and other healing work. ESS currently has just one horse and one donkey; the other four horses used for our programs belong to me. Two are rescues that I adopted, two are older horses that I raised from foals. All are used for therapy sessions, lessons and other ESS activities. They are well mannered, love interacting with people, are healthy and safe to be around. Putting horses in a new environment, asking them to do work they are not familiar with, having many different people handle and work with them, changing their routines completely can be very stressful. These horses take it all in stride - I feel - largely because of the extra attention that they receive through regular healing treatments that address any physical discomfort or emotional stress, and gives them a sense of well being. They are happy horses and are the foundation for our work here at ESS.

It has become apparent that our program here is a bit unique compared to other horse stables, rescue or therapeutic programs. Aside from being a bit different, it's working! ESS is evolving into the equine center that we had visualized, not totally in the order that we'd set out, but obviously in the way that it was meant to be. And that, as anyone familiar with this area knows, is the Taos way!

ESS is the vision of a small group of horse lovers. Our primary directors are myself (Ruth Bourgeois), Pam Barker, Lee Mills, and Jerry Padilla. Our advisory board members are DeAnn Hall and Dr. Bessie Babits. We have several other friends and supporters in the community, and we welcome anyone who wishes to share in our vision and our work.

ESS is registered in the State of New Mexico as a non-profit organization and is a 501(c)(3) recognized public charity.


I could have spent hours working on text for this page, trying to explain who we are and why we do what we do. But the folks at Habitat for Horses said it better than I probably could have, and so - with their permission and with appreciation to Habitat for Horses for what they do - I am reprinting the following from their site's About Us page:

"Every horse has a story to tell. The lame, the healthy, the sick and the strong all have a long history of their interaction with people. Like little kids, horses come into this world ready to trust us, ready to be the greatest horse in the world. It's the people who change them.

There are so many people who don't understand, those who walk through life never knowing the beauty, the gentleness, the majesty of the horse.

There are those who beat them, who punish them for imagined crimes, who starve them, who kill them, who laugh at their fallen, dying bodies and who dine on their flesh.

Their eyes may see these pages, but their souls will not. They will never know what bonding means, what trust can do, why a whisper is stronger than a whip.

That you have come this far in our website tells me that you are one of us who love horses. You come here to read these stories because of what is in your heart. As we read we will laugh, we will cry, and we will understand. Though a thousand miles might separate us, we are of the same blood, we know what the other feels.

We are the horse lovers. We stand together, healing the wounds, picking up the weak, the old, the damaged, the unwanted. We bring them into our barns, feed them, love them and hope that someday they might forgive the humans for what they have done."

Habitat for Horses is a Texas-based horse rescue, "dedicated to changing the lives of horses and humans. Our goal is to create a world where horses are respected for their intrinsic value and for their ability to help us fulfill our emotional, behavioral and spiritual needs. We provide equine rescue services to law enforcement agencies, an active equine adoption program, an equine education center and equine-assisted services to youths and adults." 

Habitat for Horses' web site is a great resource to learn more about horse rescues. Their philosophies and programs are very similar to what ESS is striving to accomplish. ESS shares the thoughts expressed above and are dedicated to helping horses and people in our home area of Taos, New Mexico.

For more information, contact us at: info@equinespiritsanctuary.org.