How it works
By committing annually to a $100/month sponsorship of a mustang or burro, you help us enormously by supporting our existing rescues so we can continue saving more.
SPONSORSHIP INCLUDES:
A personalized Certificate of Sponsorship with a photo of the horse or donkey you choose and your name.
A 60 minute one-on-one visit to Skydog Ranch to meet the horse or burro you are sponsoring, spend time hanging out with them, take photographs and ask questions of our staff.
If you sponsor more than one horse or burro, you will get one hour with each animal when you visit.
To visit your sponsored equine, you must be a sponsor for at least 9 months. Anyone who wants to see them sooner will have to pay for 9 months ($900) in advance of their visit. We regret that this has become necessary. We need to discourage those sponsoring for one month in order to visit the ranch, then canceling because they don’t actually care about supporting the animals or our work. These tours take up a lot of time from our staff and the important work they do caring for our rescues.
Choosing a Mustang or Burro to Sponsor
You can search for posts about individuals on Instagram or Facebook with a hashtag that combines the word “skydog” with their name (#skydogzebedee #skydognugget). You can also go to the Then & Now page on the website to see their photos and read their biographies. (Note: their pages are currently being updated.)
Sponsor a SKYDOG on Patreon
A great way to sponsor a Skydog is by becoming a patron on Patreon and signing up for the $100/month Lead Mare level. This automatically makes you a sponsor and gives you access to exclusive content that we don’t post on other social media platforms. Each new episode of the Horse Love Podcast is released there, as are special offers on merchandise, and breaking news.
Skydogs who need sponsors
Apollo
A god of the sun, king of Red Desert, and legend of the fall, Apollo was 22 years old when we saw him in the Cañon City auction. The oldest, he was incredibly bonded and dependent upon his son, Aslan. When they went to move and load him, he tried to go over the top several times and ran into panels, bending them with his sheer force and power. It was incredibly stressful, but putting him with together with Aslan was the best thing we could have done to calm him for safe travel to Oregon. At Skydog, we brought Apollo together with his former mare on the range, Hera, but the father-son relationship was what mattered most to him. Since then, another son, Hermés, has joined him. He keeps his distance from humans and is happy in the wild freedom that is his once again - and forever. More about Apollo
Bitsy
Bitsy was one of three nursing babies we pulled from the pens with their mothers. Two of the foals succumbed to the deadly illnesses they were exposed to in those filthy conditions. Bitsy was the only one to survive and her safe arrival in Malibu felt like a miracle. Raised right by her mother, Bibi, and Aunt Bluebell, she was well prepared to fend off the oafish expressions of love from Boots the Mini-Mule when he came a courtin’. When she was big enough, she and her matrons joined a free burro herd in Oregon, where her wild lessons continued. We always gentle the babies that come to Skydog so they can be handled for any care they may require. Bitsy still comes over to say hello to the humans who have always treated her with love and kindness. She’s a big girl now, but enjoys the very best of both of worlds. More about Bitsy
Bonbon
Great things come in small packages. This little pistol has a huge personality that cannot be contained by his little body. It bubbles over the rims and into the world as mini-mule mischief. Being adorably ornery and comically uncooperative is part of his charm. His short little legs are no hindrance to his shenanigans. An instigator, rabble rouser, troublemaker, this bolshy little ruffian wants to show everyone he’s the boss. It has never crossed his mind that maybe somebody else might be in charge. He doesn't give up and will never give in when he draws other equines into his games. Whether giving baby zebras their naughty lessons, or sunning cheek to cheek with his best friend, Waldo, his heart is open to all he shares space with. More about Bonbon
Bruno
Warm Springs once boasted the last wild burro herd in Oregon. They were a unique and special group. It’s remarkable that these desert animals adapted to thrive up here in the cold winters. I have always believed they should have been protected and studied for the unusual physical characteristics they share. Lots of these donkeys have short stumpy ears, or one ear shorter than the other. Many don't have tails. It’s also unusual that some share the same double line on their back from their dorsal stripe. Perhaps these are signs of inbreeding, something the BLM used to care about back in the days when it managed for the genetic health of herds. Today, if they leave any on the range at all, it is in numbers so small as to prevent the genetic viability of the herd. We asked to take all 41 of the Warm Springs burros when they were rounded up, but they only let us take 10. Bruno is one of them and fairly easy to spot in a crowd with his dark coat and incredibly fuzzy ears! More about the Warm Springs Herd
Wookie
Nature has many examples of loving and nurturing parenting, but burros are often overlooked. These gentle, humble, stoic creatures possess a natural instinct to care for their young, creating a bond that is even stronger than what we see in mustangs. With their tender interactions from the moment of birth and protective nature, donkeys exemplify a level of parenting that showcases the beauty of the animal kingdom. When the last wild burro herd in Oregon was rounded up, we wanted to adopt the entire herd and keep them together, but were only allowed to take 10. So we spent a lot of time at the corrals identifying bonded pairs and families. There was Wookie with her baby, Biscuit, beside her. Mother burros tend to follow their offspring throughout their lives, rather than stay with their stud in the wild. Separating them is an unthinkable act of cruelty, so we brought mother and daughter to Skydog, where they will always be together. More about the Warm Springs Herd
RESCUED MUSTANGS
THERE ARE OVER 250 HORSES AND 50 DONKEYS HERE AT SKYDOG
Click on the photos to find out more or read their stories on our Then and Now Page.
RESCUED DONKEYS, MULES, Minis, ZONKEYS & A ZEBRA
