Help Us Help Horses In Need | Gentle Spirit Horses Rescue & Sanctuary
Lauren and Prince in winter cuddling

Gentle Spirit Horses Rescue

Helping Horses
in South Dakota

Minnesota & Iowa

Help Us Help Horses In Need

Gentle Spirit Horses is a rescue and sanctuary for horses based out of Scotland, South Dakota. Our mission is to provide assistance to neglected, abused and unwanted horses, and through outreach and education, promote responsible horse ownership.

Our Programs

Adoption Program

The main program and goal of GSH is to find permanent homes for the equines that come into our care, and to offer them a lifetime protection contract. Horses come into our program in many ways - from neglect and seizure cases, herd reductions, and many owner donations. We will also help place horses that remain with their owners until placed, to offer them the protection of our adoption contract.

The Bug Club Children's Program

The Bug Club of Gentle Spirit Horses Rescue & Sanctuary is a club for our younger visitors ages 3-13. The Bug Club promotes responsible horsemanship through online and hands-on education to potential future horse owners and supporters

Leg Up Community Support Program

Tough times happen. Gentle Spirit Horses Rescue is here to help. Our Leg Up Program exists to help horse owners for short term problems. This could be help with feed and hay, a loaned blanket, veterinary care, and farrier care in times of need, or could be a distribution of products to horse owners everywhere, depending on what has been donated and available funds.

Internship Program

GSH Internships are available to high school and college students between the ages of 16-23 who have an interest in pursuing a career in equine management, horse rescue and rehabilitation, equine veterinary services, horse training or horse advocacy. Minor students under 18 will require parent permission to enroll in an internship. Students must provide their own transportation, insurance and bring their own funds for food and necessities.

Outreach & Education

Gentle Spirit Horses firmly believes that only through public awareness and education can we make a large scale impact.  Our Outreach and Education program raises awareness through public speaking, exhibition riding, and competitive showing of some of our permanent residents.

Sanctuary Program

Sometimes, a horse comes into our care that for various reasons is best suited to spend the rest of their life with us. Whether it be for age, health issue, disability, behavioral problems, or some other reason, we maintain a small Sanctuary program to provide a peaceful and stable last home for equines that meet our criteria. Most of our Sanctuary horses find jobs in our other programs, particularly in the Bug Club Children's Program.

Our Sanctuary program is not open to intakes.

Our Blog

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Let's Talk About Refeeding Syndrome

Let's talk about one of the most controversial things in the horse world: feeding small meals of alfalfa vs. free choice grass hay to severely emaciated and starving horses. Read more about Refeeding Syndrome and why we follow it.

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The Situation in Rapid City with Thin and Dead Horses

We are aware and involved in the situation in the Rapid City area with the thin and dead horses. As always, this post is intended to provide factual information and status updates along with "what can we do" answers.

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