Adopting a wild horse is a unique and rewarding experience that not only changes the life of the horse but also enriches the life of the adopter.

The origin of MCR's red dun mustangs traces back to a pivotal moment in the summer of 2010. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) had rounded up 174 wild horses that had wandered off public lands in Nevada's Pilot Valley and Toano Herd Management Areas.

As the seasons change, so too do the faces of those who work closely with the mustangs at Montgomery Creek Ranch. It's with both gratitude and a touch of sadness that we bid farewell to one of our dedicated seasonal trainers, Hannah Murphy from Trinity Equine. Hannah's journey with our mustangs has been nothing short of inspiring, and as she prepares to embark on her next adventure, we've taken a moment to reflect on her experiences and achievements at MCR.

We are ecstatic to welcome Hannah Murphy to our team, she is our new trainer in residence. We sat down with Hannah to ask her a few questions and get to know her better!

On Saturday, October 14th, 2023, Montgomery Creek Ranch was proud to participate in UC Davis Horse Day, a day dedicated to continuing education for horse enthusiasts featuring workshops, demonstrations, and lectures. The event covered a wide range of topics including equine diseases, nutrition, lameness, current research, and reproduction, making it an ideal place for any horse lover to learn and grow.

We sat down with new trainer Sydney, to hear about her experience with training and mustangs!

Wolf – named after the full moon which occurred on the day he arrived at the Ranch – is a 14 H Dark Bay youngster born in 2021. Since he arrived here with his three herd mates, he has been in training. Wolf is a very laid back and friendly guy, a favorite of everyone who has worked with him so far. 

On Thursday, May 4, 2023, Montgomery Creek Ranch (MCR) hosted equestrian, trainer and all around adventurer, Lena Haug at the Sebastiani Theatre in downtown Sonoma, California. It was a wonderful night, we all laughed and cried and were mesmerized by Lena’s stories. Proceeds from the event went to MCR’s work rescuing and training mustangs. 

Our team at Montgomery Creek Ranch is thrilled to welcome our newest horse trainer, Angelica Bloomfield. Being the newbie, we sat down with Kai to ask her a few questions!

Josh has settled in nicely to his new home in Oregon and likes to play with his pasture mate, Bear. He has a new name as well, Heyoka – which roughly translates to jester or sacred clown in Sioux.

Separated from her mother. Brutally chased down. Penned. This is a glimpse of what happened to Monica, a wild filly, during a horrific roundup of wild horses in Nevada. Unlike federally-protected mustangs, Monica was rounded up from tribal lands and was headed for slaughter. When we answered the call about Monica, we heard the story of the roundup.

Horses in the wild will travel many miles each day for water and food. The terrain is usually harsh— rocky and expansive. Even though Montgomery Creek Ranch’s 2,000-acres is a lot of land, it's not large enough or rough enough for the horses in our care to wear their hooves down naturally like they would in the wild.

Reggie is a 9-year-old Nevada mustang from the Fox Hog Herd Management Area in the High Rock Complex. He has quite the story.

We just welcomed two Devil's Garden mares and their colts to Montgomery Creek Ranch.

The mares were rounded up in the Fall of 2019 alongside 499 other federally-protected mustangs from the Modoc National Forest in Alturas, California. Three horses lost their lives during the operation.

At Montgomery Creek Ranch (MCR) we are dedicated to providing refuge, opportunity, and space to wild horses. Providing sanctuary and training for formerly wild mustangs plays an important role in this issue. We know that we are making a difference for each individual horse so that they don’t have to spend a lifetime in a holding facility, or worse.

Horses are prey animals, and living as part of a herd provides ‘safety in numbers’. Every horse should have a buddy who they can touch, or at the very least, that they can see. Horses are extremely sociable animals who learn about their world through other horses.

Hawk was 1 of 25 stallions that were rounded up in 2012 by the McDermitt Tribe in Nevada and sent to auction. MCR’s founder, Ellie Phipps Price and Christ Towt were there and when they saw this large group of wild ones all between the ages of two and five, they knew that they had to help.

In 2019, MCR team member Rachel came across a post on Facebook of an elderly BLM mustang at an infamous kill pen in Texas who would be shipping to Mexico to be slaughtered the next day.

What distinguishes a mustang to most people is the freeze brand on the left side of his neck.

For as long as I can remember, horses have always held a special place in my heart. The first time I sat on a horse at the age of 2, it was quickly apparent that horses were to become my greatest joy. I couldn't get enough of them! 44 Years later they still remain my biggest passion in life.