The Middle Way Sanctuary

Background Statement

The Middle Way started in 2018 in an effort to bring quality riding lessons to our small rural community high in the mountains of Colorado. We continue to grow, offering more therapeutic services as well as riding lessons and clinics for all levels of students. In 2021 we joined forces with Big Mountain Wildlife and Animal Sanctuary, established in 2004 by Mary and Sam Calanni. By making The Middle Way a dba of BMWAS, we were able to have the reputation and longevity of Sam and Mary’s decades of work rescuing animals as well as The Middle Way’s social media presence and branding as an accessible, professional, contributor to our community. We started with school horses and an arena at the home of one of our founding members. You can see our original facility in the video on our home page as well as in various pictures throughout our website. This is part of our legacy, helped to make us who we are today. Since then, our mission has continued to expand to include providing sanctuary for horses and then sanctuary and advocacy for America’s wild horses. We had the opportunity to move to 35 acres just outside of town, by the grace of a Middle Way advocate and founding member who stepped in and bought the property when we most needed help. This allowed us to continue building what was started. One of our main goals is to buy this property and expand our resources. It is a beautiful location, flat land surrounded by majestic mountains with unbelievable sunsets. Our farm is open by appointment to meet the horses, learn about mustangs, positive reinforcement training/least invasive minimally aversive methods, volunteer, sign up for services and take lessons.

We NEVER charge veterans for services and strive to provide the highest quality riding lessons and therapeutic services for low to no cost so that no one is ever turned away for inability to pay. We depend on our volunteers and donors for continued success.