Alpine Herd Sponsorship

Since the very start of this great country of America, the Mustang has stood as a symbol of courage, freedom, and the tough nature of the American West. Yet today, thousands of these wild horses are being funneled into the slaughter pipeline — rounded up, separated from their families, and shipped across the border to die.

At Nirvana Mustang Sanctuary, we intervene before that happens. We rescue mustangs in danger and return them to what they were born for: open land, family bands, and the freedom to live wild. Across thousands of protected acres, nearly 400 mustangs now roam safely — together — with gentle human stewardship to ensure their health and wellbeing.

This is not just rescue. This is preservation of a living American legacy — a legacy that would otherwise be lost. By joining us, you become part of the story that keeps these herds intact, their beauty alive, and their spirit unbroken.

You are helping ensure that the American Mustang remains not just a memory in history books, but a living, breathing symbol of freedom for generations to come.

The Alpine Wild Horses

The Alpine Wild Horses of the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest have one of the most harrowing stories of all mustang herds still in existence.

Historians confirm that accounts of the presence of horses have been made in the Alpine Herd’s homeland since Francisco Vasquez de Coronado’s expedition through the area in search of the Seven Cities of Gold in the 1540’s! These horses are remnants of the Spanish horses brought along on the expedition. Many of them carry heavy primitive markings, characteristic of old Spanish breeds! And, like Spanish breeds, it is rare to see a pinto Alpine. In fact, there is only one that we know of- Nirvana, who came to us as a sickly little orphan. Just look at Nirvana today!

In 2022 the US Forest Service, who manage wild horses living in National Parks, deemed that the Alpine Wild Horse Herd was further endangering an endangered ground mouse, and declared their complete removal. They hired private contractor Rail Lazy H to remove and auction off all of the Alpines.

Shortly after the removal announcement, there was a mass shooting where over 50 Alpines were shot dead in the forest. Several horses that now call Nirvana home watched in terror as they lost their families, including our brave Guardian, who took in two orphaned babies after the shooting- one of which had been shot in the jaw and survived for many months afterwards.

Several other hoses survived with injuries, wondering why they fell prey to such a madman. The people responsible were never caught, but it is easy to see that it was likely local ranchers who graze their cattle on the very same public lands where the Alpine Wild Horses lived wild and free. Interesting that the cattle are still allowed to graze the area regardless of the endangered mouse….

The round ups officially began in late 2022 and the horrors the Alpines experienced only continued. Though we are grateful these removals were conducted via bait and trap instead of treacherous helicopter round ups, there was lots of suspicious activity and volunteers would often find horses dead with broken legs and bullet holes dumped not far from the trapsite.

It was apparent that lots was going horribly wrong as the horses were pushed in the corral or into the trailers that came periodically to empty the traps and take the horses to the Rail Lazy H facility, resulting in broken legs and lots of suffering, with the gunshots that were meant to provide a faster end, often missing vital organs and resulting in more suffering.

As the online auctions began, Salt River Wild Horse Management Group, who cataloged the horses in the wild and facilitated the rescue of most of the Alpine Herd- realized that many of the horses they had identified in the forest failed to appear online in the auctions. The horses in question could no longer be found in the forest either!

It was usually the larger stallions missing- the horses who the contractor deemed as perfect candidates for her friends to break and ride to use for their ranching endeavors. One such horse was actually identified at the ranch of one of the contractor’s friends! Due to this, many family bands were unable to be fully reunited, such as Greer’s Band- all of which now call Nirvana home except for Greer himself, who was a big stunning bay stallion.

As time passed, the fowl play within these online auctions run and facilitated by Rail Lazy H only grew. We discovered that the main employee of the operation was himself a kill buyer who took horses to Mexico by the trailer load to be slaughtered. No wonder many Alpines simply went missing!

As the round ups and auctions continued into 2023 and 2024, support for the Alpine Wild Horse Herd and their plight grew. Nearing the end of 2024, contractor Jackie Hughes stopped operating her own auctions and instead started taking trailer loads of Alpines to the notorious Bowie and Cleburne Texas auctions, known for having multiple kill buyers present and ready to load up their trailers with unwanted wild horses to take to Mexico for slaughter. Luckily, rescues were able to pull together and save most of the Alpines that were taken to these horrible auctions.

By 2025, nearly all of the Alpines had been removed. Visitors to the forest have a hard time finding any horses, and the last one seen was wondering alone, calling out trying to find any other horses he could join up with. 

In 2022 the Freedom Flyer brought home Nirvana’s first 9 Alpines! Little did we know that that very first group of Alpines was only the very beginning of Nirvana’s Alpine Herd, and that our supporters would come through in a HUGE way making it possible for us to offer sanctuary to many more Alpines.

By the completion of the Alpine Wild Horse round ups in 2025, Nirvana had become home to over 100 Alpine Wild Horses who will live out their lives in freedom with us, including four full family bands reunited from the wild, and several other bonded groups who were together in the wild!

These are not just animals- they are families with intensely deep bonds and their own histories.

Sponsorship Investment Breakdown:

Pasture Lease/Land Management $9,000 -ensures safe, natural space for the herd to roam

Hay/Supplemental Feed $8,000 -winter feed supply & supplemental feed/minerals year round

Routine Care/Emergency Medical/Hoof Care $3,500 -worming, vaccines, and protection for the occasional emergency

Training/Gentling for Handling Safety $1,500 -no force handling so horses remain calm

Transport/Fuel/Equipment $1,000 -supply runs, tractor fuel, etc.,

Total: $20,000/month to sustainably protect and maintain a herd of 100+ Alpine Wild Horses.

As a Sponsor…

You’ll be featured in documentary content and public rescue campaigns, as well as receive a tax break for your tax deductible charitable sponsorship. As a herd sponsor, you are welcome to book the retreat house located on the sanctuary property to stay in at any time it’s available!

In a world full of things to buy, this is a chance to protect something priceless. This is an investment in American History– preserving the irreplaceable American Mustang.

This contribution goes directly to preserve arguably one of the most historic herds of wild horses for the rest of their lifetime. Wild Mustangs are a national symbol in decline; once they are gone, they cannot be recreated. Your name will be tied to the preservation of a piece of America that future generations will get to see, touch, and know!