Return To Freedom is dedicated to preserving the freedom, diversity and habitat of America's wild horses through sanctuary, education and conservation, while enriching the human spirit through direct experience with the natural world.

Welcome to our 2008 Tour Season!

Tours begin on Friday, May 2nd, 2008. Click here for descriptions of our tours and how to book.

Return to Freedom on TV

Return to Freedom will be featured on Starfish Network this month. Starfish is a television network that supports charitable causes by providing non-profits with airtime to help raise awareness about their good work. You can find them on Dish Network 1000, channel 9408. Our feature will be aired on the following dates and times. Hope you can tune in!

Tuesday, April 08, 2008 - 4:56 AM EST
Wednesday, April 09, 2008 - 1:30 PM EST
Monday, April 14, 2008 - 5:30 AM EST
Wednesday, April 16, 2008 - 3:18 PM EST
Monday, April 21, 2008 - 4:18 AM EST
Friday, April 25, 2008 - 4:48 AM EST
Monday, April 28, 2008 - 4:21 AM EST

Join Return to Freedom and the Rickman Family to preserve an American legend

Wild horses galloping across the Western plains is an image that has long been associated with the spirit and freedom of America, and in 2004 Americans fell in love with a legendary mustang, thanks to the Disney film Hidalgo.

The film featured the story of Frank Hopkins, a man who devoted his life to protecting wild horses, and his famous mustang Hidalgo. Descendants of Hidalgo still range free in Blackjack Mountain near Finley, OK, along side original strains of the Choctaw Indian Horse. Owned and overseen by Bryant Rickman, the horses have been able to range in hundreds of thousands of acres, until now. Having endured centuries of change, the survival of this herd is now threatened. They are facing their last stand.

The Oklahoma Land and Timber Company has, with very little warning, terminated the grazing leases on Blackjack Mountain. They have just sent a final notice demanding that the mustangs be removed by March 31st 2008 and then it will be handed over to the local Sheriff’s department who will take the horses to auction.

In an effort to preserve this historical herd, John Fusco, Bryant Rickman, Dr. Phillip Sponenberg (geneticist), Return to Freedom Founder Neda DeMayo, and other conservation groups have joined forces to launch an urgent rescue operation.

The IMMEDIATE and URGENT need is to safely relocate the horses to a 300 acre tract of land owned by the Rickman family, and to provide feed and veterinary care for the herd. More...

Make a donation to this historical effort via paypal or call (805) 737-9246 to make a donation over the phone.
Please note: Choctaw Horse Conservation on all donations.

February 27, 2008: Update on Scout

A couple of weeks ago I emailed you about Scout, our 15 year old “miracle horse” who needed emergency surgery. I wanted to let everyone know that Scout’s surgery was a tremendous success and she has returned home to the sanctuary where she is recovering next to her pal Comanche.

Her surgery ended up costing over $12,000, which is quite a financial challenge for any non-profit. Return to Freedom asked our supporters to help and were overwhelmed by the outpouring of support and generosity. We were able to raise all of the funds to cover Scout’s medical expenses! Thank you from the bottom of our hearts to everyone who made a donation, sent a kind note or just kept this mare in your thoughts.

Job Opportunity At Return To Freedom: Equine Manager

Return to Freedom is looking for a full time, live-on Equine Manager to join the team. Candidates should have experience managing large numbers of horses, including handling and working with young and/or challenging horses, as well as the ability to communicate effectively and articulately with the public. Interested parties can contact (805) 737-9246 or email admin@returntofreedom.org for more information.

71 Burros Shot by State Employees at Big Bend State Park

As you welcome the new year, please keep in mind the plight of America’s wild horses and burros. Round ups are ongoing, with more wild horses now living in captivity than in the wild. Moreover, over 9000 wild horses remain threatened with slaughter. We must continue to let our lawmakers know that the American wild horse is our living heritage, and worth saving.

We need to send the same message to the land management agencies that are entrusted with the care of our wild horses and burros. Sadly, over 70 wild burros were recently shot to death by State employees at Big Bend State Park in Texas. More...

Foster a Horse

Although Return to Freedom does not maintain a formal adoption program, due to the constant need to find safe, permanent homes for some of the horses that cross our path, we do place horses through a strict and formal application process. Learn more...

Support Return to Freedom when you shop at Ralphs

You buy your groceries, we get a donation: Return to Freedom can now be linked to your Ralphs card so that each time you purchase groceries, Ralphs will donate between 1 - 4% of your total bill to us. It only takes a moment to link Return to Freedom to your card. Follow these easy steps:

1. Go to www.ralphs.com/ccprogram.htm and click on Participant.

2. Register your Ralphs card number (if you don’t know it you can call 800 660-9003).

3. Choose Return to Freedom: NPO number is 90094.

4. Hit Submit.

Want to help protect America’s wild horses?

Download our “Take Action Packet” today. You can help Return to Freedom raise awareness about the plight of our remaining wild horse herds by sharing the Take Action Packet with friends, family, neighbors, and co-workers. Also, please consider making a donation today! Your generosity helps us provide sanctuary for over 200 wild horses and burros.

Did you know that our wild horses are actually a re-introduced native wildlife species?

Traditionally, horses were thought of as an exotic species that arrived on this continent for the first time with the Spanish in the 1500s. However, advances in molecular biology prove that the modern horse, Equus Caballus, actually evolved on this continent and migrated across the Bering Land Bridge. Though the horse disappeared on this continent between 11,000 and 13,000 years ago, when the Spanish brought horses back to North America they were simply returning home. Click here to read more.

Viggo Mortensen speaks out on behalf of our wild horses:

Click here to watch his PSA. Special thanks to Midthunder Productions

And while you're surfing... visit www.frankhopkins.com, the official tribute site to America's great distance/endurance rider and early-day champion of the Mustang horse: Frank T. Hopkins.

Who we are

Return to Freedom is home to The American Wild Horse Sanctuary, a non-profit animal sanctuary and educational retreat. We provide a safe haven for animals and offer educational programs that are based on direct contact and sensitive observation of the natural world.

What we do

As a solution-based organization, we address the plight of America's Wild Horses through a three-tiered approach of:

• Sanctuary
• Conservation
• Education

• Take a moment to learn about the horses at our sanctuary and some of the rare breeds that we are preserving.
  
  
• Help Return to Freedom protect America’s wild horses by sponsoring a horse or donating items on our wish list.
  
  
• Learn more about The American Wild Horse Conservancy, and how you can sponsor an acre of land to help us achieve this vision.

We would like to thank the ASPCA for their very generous grant commitment of $300,000 over 3 years to help Return to Freedom realize its mission to protect and preserve the American wild horse through Education and Conservation.

© 2003 Return to Freedom
P.O. Box 926
Lompoc, CA 93438
Phone: 805-737-9246
Fax: 805-800-0868