Wild Mustangs Roam Free Once Again at The Wild Horse Refuge

Photos courtesy of The Wild Animal Sanctuary

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Wild mustangs are an enduring symbol of the American West, woven into the nation’s history and the landscapes they still roam today. For hundreds of years, herds of wild horses have lived on these lands, adapting to the same harsh climates and wide-open spaces as other native wildlife. In that time, they have become an essential part of the living ecosystem and deserve to be recognized and protected as a native or indigenous species. As pressures on wild herds continue, new and complementary solutions are needed to ensure their future.

There’s a place on the wide-open plains of northwestern Colorado where green prairie stretches endlessly beneath a brilliant blue sky. On the wind, past the call of blackbirds, you might hear the thunder of hoofbeats. A band of horses appears on the horizon, gray, chestnut, paint, and deep brown. These are not domesticated horses turned loose. They are true Colorado mustangs, born to the wild and now running free once again at the Wild Horse Refuge near Craig, Colorado.

The Wild Horse Refuge is pioneering a new and hopeful path forward. Working with private citizens and supporters who believe deeply in the preservation of wild horses, the refuge offers a complementary solution focused on restoring freedom, dignity, and space, giving mustangs the chance to live as wild horses were always meant to live, without replacing existing management efforts, but expanding what is possible for their future.

Until 2021, many of these mustangs roamed the nearby Sand Wash Basin, a rugged landscape where wild horses have lived for generations. But after hundreds were removed and placed in holding, their future was uncertain. That’s when Pat Craig, founder of The Wild Animal Sanctuary, stepped forward with a vision not just to save individual horses, but to return them to a life as close to the wild as possible.

After an exhaustive search, Craig and his team found the perfect property, a former cattle ranch spanning 23,000 acres just 35 miles from the Sand Wash Basin. Today, the Wild Horse Refuge has expanded to more than 30,000 acres, giving the mustangs room to roam, graze, and form natural social bands. The transformation of the land, from cattle operation to wild horse sanctuary, marked the beginning of a bold new chapter for these iconic animals.

The journey back to freedom is unforgettable. After more than a year confined to small corrals, the mustangs step cautiously onto open grassland, unsure at first of what awaits them. Then something shifts. They realize there are no fences, no helicopters, no barriers. One by one, they break into a run, mane and tail flying, kicking, bucking, and rediscovering the joy of open space. It’s a moment that never loses its power.

Today, roughly 250 mustangs call the refuge home. They live in small bands, weathering snowy winters and hot summers just as wild horses have always done. A dedicated team quietly monitors their health and provides veterinary care when needed, but human interference is kept to a minimum to preserve their wild nature.

The Wild Horse Refuge stands as a rare and powerful example of what is possible when land, vision, and compassion come together. It is a place where rescued mustangs are not simply housed, but truly free, running across vast plains, shaping the land beneath their hooves, and once again becoming part of the living Colorado landscape.

The refuge is supported entirely by donations. Visitors can symbolically adopt a mustang, become a symbolic land founder, or schedule a guided visit to witness these remarkable horses in person at wildhorserefuge.org.

For more information:
The Wild Horse Refuge
24319 County Road 17
Craig, CO 81625
www.wildhorserefuge.org