HOHorselink
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About Horselink
At HorseLink in Austin, retired performance horses receive a peaceful, permanent home with pasture, shelter, medical care, enrichment, and a renewed sense of purpose. On the ground, without riding, people connect with horses while working through relationships, trauma recovery, leadership, communication, and life transitions. Your gift helps sustain the care that gives these horses a safe future and supports programs for people navigating change.
HorseLink gives retired performance horses a permanent sanctuary while creating structured, ground-based experiences for human development. No riding or prior horse experience is required, so people meet the horses where they are, often exploring communication, trust, self-awareness, and connection together.
Programs
The concrete work this nonprofit runs. Each program may later become a fundable project.
Horse retirement
Provides a peaceful, permanent, loving home for retired performance horses, including veterinary care, enrichment, purpose, pasture, shelter, feeding, medications, and other ongoing care.
Equine-assisted learning and therapy services
Provides individual sessions and seasonal workshops facilitated by experienced certified equine-assisted learning professionals. Focus areas include improving relationships, developing leadership capacity, healing from past trauma, and navigating life transitions.
Equine-assisted workshops and retreats
Offers intimate group workshops and multi-day experiences focused on themes such as energy management, authentic connection, healthy boundaries, restorative rest, stress management, emotional healing, self-awareness, leadership, and personal development.
Individual and couples equine coaching
Provides personalized, ground-based coaching sessions for individuals and couples. Sessions address communication, trust, partnership dynamics, personal challenges, career transitions, relationships, and leadership development.
Corporate leadership and team development
Offers Herd Dynamics, a one-day team leadership workshop, and Leading with Presence, an immersive leadership experience for executives and high-level managers. No riding or prior horse experience is required.
Facilitator Training Program
A nine-month program that trains facilitators to provide services in HorseLink programs, with a focus on equine-assisted learning, advanced skills, trauma intervention, and counseling knowledge.
About this work
Mission
We provide a peaceful and permanent home for retired performance horses, giving them purpose and dignity after their competitive careers. By facilitating enriching connections between horses and humans, we improve the lives of both.
Who they serve
Retired performance and competition horses, plus people of different ages and backgrounds who are experiencing life transitions, loss, trauma, serious illness, relationship challenges, leadership or communication needs, or a desire for personal development. Programs also serve veterans, corporate teams, executives, couples, and people with or without prior horse experience.
Their impact
- HorseLink’s second annual Table to Farm fundraising event raised over $40,000.
- More than 120 people attended the Pony Up for HorseLink event.
- HorseLink received a $10,000 matching grant from Tito’s Handmade Vodka in 2024.
How your donation helps
- Permanent care and sanctuary for retired performance horses
- Veterinary care
- Farrier services
- Supplements and medications
- Hay, grain, and other daily horse care
- Horse sponsorships
- Equine-assisted learning and human development programs
- Emergency veterinary needs
- Farm operations and facility upkeep
Need help?
How someone in need can access Horselink’s services.
People can contact HorseLink to inquire about individual or couples coaching, seasonal workshops, retreats, leadership programs, and other equine-assisted experiences. Programs are ground-based, do not involve riding, require no prior horse experience, and are facilitated by trained professionals. Participants work at an individual comfort level in small groups or personalized sessions.
Stories
The people behind the work.
In their words
“The horse is a gift to us, to humanity. And for that, there comes responsibility. If the horse is gonna work for you and work with you, then the best thing I can do for the horse is to make it as good a life possible.” — Buck Brannaman
“It’s difficult to find an adjective strong enough to convey the effect Saturday had on me but words like profound and transformative come to mind.” — C.E.
“I learned when I get triggered, I need to breathe and come back to the present where it is safe.” — A.M.
“I feel internal strength that has wavered so much lately. Regrouping is so important. I LOVED this!” — Program participant
“We are all too often getting analyzed, counseled and medicated, which are important, but [the HorseLink for Veterans program] gives us a hands-on approach to getting our lives back.” — HorseLink for Veterans program participant
“I feel very fortunate to have found HorseLink which has given Padi a new career working with people.” — Judi, Previous Owner
“HorseLink understands that retired show horses have been exposed to so much and have a trustful and giving nature and helping people is what they loved to do.” — Judi, Previous Owner
“HorseLink a win-win for people like me that need to retire their equines, yet, want to help the community with the knowledge that their horse will actually be retired with no riding, only receiving loving hugs and brushes from the attendees of Horselink’s programs.” — Cindi, Previous Owner
Ways to help
Concrete needs and volunteer roles Horselink has shared.
Current needs
- Ongoing horse sponsorships to support daily care for the full duration of a horse’s life
- Emergency veterinary funding
- Support for veterinary care, farrier services, supplements, medications, hay, grain, and farm upkeep
- Volunteers with horse-handling experience
- Corporate and community groups for farm work and horse grooming days
Volunteer opportunities
- Horse Leader, assisting with setup, takedown, horse handling during veterans and trauma programs, and grooming days
- Barn Buddy, helping with feeding, grooming, stall cleaning, water troughs, and general farm upkeep
- Special event assistance at the annual fundraiser and other events
- Fundraising assistance with administrative tasks, record keeping, mailings, and thank-you calls
- Corporate volunteer groups can participate in Grooming Days or farm work days involving brush clearing, fence painting, and cleaning water troughs
Recognition & press
Awards & recognition
- United States Hunter & Jumper Association approved Equine Retirement Facility
- Rescued Hearts, an award-winning documentary, was brought to the community by HorseLink.
In the media
- Austin American-Statesman and the Bastrop Advertiser covered HorseLink in a feature about the Bastrop nonprofit connecting horses and people for healing.
Partners & funders
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about this nonprofit and how its work happens.
Do participants need horse experience?
No. HorseLink programs are open to people who have never been near a horse, as well as novice riders and experienced equestrians. Prior horse experience is not required.
Do HorseLink programs involve riding?
No. Activities happen on the ground, often in a round pen, without saddles, halters, or bridles. There is no riding involved.
What types of human development do the programs address?
Programs support work around relationships, communication, leadership, self-awareness, emotional intelligence, trauma recovery, stress management, healthy boundaries, personal development, and life transitions.
How are retired horses cared for?
Retired horses live outdoors in pastures with grass and shelters, with access to a barn for medical lay-ups or other needs. They receive food and needed medications twice daily, along with veterinary care, farrier services, supplements, and enrichment.
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