Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Horse Shelter

EIN 52-2214286 · Cerrillos, NM

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood85 out of 100GovernanceStrong95 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

RESCUE AND REHABILITATE ABUSED, ABANDONED, AND NEGLECTED HORSES THROUGHOUT NEW MEXICO. HORSES ARE TRAINED AND ADOPTED INTO THE COMMUNITY WHENEVER POSSIBLE. MOST HORSES ARE RECEIVED THROUGH NEW MEXICO GOVERNMENT AGENCIES.

Income
$2.0 million
Spending
$957,981
Spent on programs
76%
Reserves
Over 10 years of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 67%
Employees
39
Volunteers
133
Highest pay
$114,006, executive di

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 50% of charities in its peer group (animals, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover more than ten years of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 1% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 51% of income.

  • Income trend

    0 of 15

    Income fell 90% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    76% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 10 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 95 out of 100. Higher than 70% of charities in its peer group (animals, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    6 of 6 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    0 of 5

    Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Impact evidence

Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.

Programs described in its return (3)
  1. $620,822 spent. RANCH OPERATIONS, REHABILITATION, SANCTUARY: OUR RANCH IS LOCATED ON 128 ACRES WITH CLOSE TO 100 HORSES IN RESCUE AT ANY TIME. WE DO NOT HAVE PASTURE, SO WE FEED AND GRAIN OUR HORSES YEAR- ROUND, WITH FEED COST ALONE TOTALING 179,480 THIS YEAR AND VETERINARY COST AT 63,124. THE INCREASE IN OUR ONSITE HORSE CAPACITY TO 100, AS WELL AS RISING PRICES AND WAGES, HAVE ALSO INCREASED ALL OTHER REHABILITATION AND CARE-RELATED EXPENSES, SUCH AS RANCH PAYROLL, VETERINARY AND DENTAL CARE, FARRIER, WORMING, AND VACCINATIONS. WE UTILIZE A SPONSORSHIP PROGRAM TO HELP SUPPORT OUR HORSE CARE EXPENSES AND WERE ABLE TO RAISE 131,599 IN 2024 THANKS TO 76 SPONSORS, SUPPORTING 78 OF OUR HORSES.
  2. $105,905 spent. TRAINING AND ADOPTION PROGRAM: TRAINING IS A VITAL COMPONENT IN FINDING OUR HORSES GOOD NEW HOMES AND STAYING IN THEM. A WELL-TRAINED AND WELL-MANNERED HORSE HAS VALUE AND THE BEST CHANCE OF REMAINING IN A GOOD HOME FOR LIFE. A HORSE CAN LIVE WELL INTO IT'S 30S, THEREFORE INVESTING INTO THEIR GROUND MANNERS AND SADDLE TRAINING IS VITAL TO HELP THEM BECOME GOOD EQUINE CITIZENS; BECOMING VALUED MEMBERS OF THE EQUINE COMMUNITY ENSURES THEIR CONTINUED WELL-BEING AND SAFETY. FINDING GOOD TRAINERS, THAT HAVE THE EXPERIENCE TO WORK WITH THE KIND OF HORSES WE RECEIVE, MANY OF THEM UNHANDLED UPON ARRIVAL, IS PARAMOUNT. THE MORE HORSES WE ADOPT, THE MORE WE CAN RESCUE. WE UTILIZE ONSITE AND OFFSITE TRAINERS, WITH AN ONSITE GROUNDWORK AND UNDER SADDLE TRAINER. OUR 2024 TRAINING EXPENSE WAS NEARLY 106,000 AND WILL RISE, DUE TO SO MANY HORSES COMING IN UNHANDLED. TRAINING AND ADOPTION PROGRAM: TRAINING IS A VITAL COMPONENT IN FINDING OUR HORSES GOOD NEW HOMES AND STAYING IN THEM. A WELL-TRAINED AND WELL-MANNERED HORSE HAS VALUE AND THE BEST CHANCE OF REMAINING IN A GOOD HOME FOR LIFE. A HORSE CAN LIVE WELL INTO IT'S 30S, THEREFORE INVESTING INTO THEIR GROUND MANNERS AND SADDLE TRAINING IS VITAL TO HELP THEM BECOME GOOD EQUINE CITIZENS; BECOMING VALUED MEMBERS OF THE EQUINE COMMUNITY ENSURES THEIR CONTINUED WELL-BEING AND SAFETY. FINDING GOOD TRAINERS, THAT HAVE THE EXPERIENCE TO WORK WITH THE KIND OF HORSES WE RECEIVE, MANY OF THEM UNHANDLED UPON ARRIVAL, IS PARAMOUNT. THE MORE HORSES WE ADOPT, THE MORE WE CAN RESCUE. WE UTILIZE ONSITE AND OFFSITE TRAINERS, WITH AN ONSITE GROUNDWORK AND UNDER SADDLE TRAINER. OUR 2024 TRAINING EXPENSE WAS NEARLY 106,000 AND WILL RISE, DUE TO SO MANY HORSES COMING IN UNHANDLED.
  3. $3,652 spent. VOLUNTEER PROGRAM: OUR REWARD-WINNING VOLUNTEER PROGRAM HAD 127 ACTIVE VOLUNTEERS IN 2024 WHO DONATED 7,515.5 HOURS OF THEIR TIME. OUR VOLUNTEERS BRING A VARIETY OF SKILLS THAT GREATLY BENEFIT OUR ORGANIZATION, AND WE CONSIDER OUR VOLUNTEER PROGRAM ONE OF OUR GREATEST STRENGTHS. WE ARE ACTIVE PARTICIPANTS IN THE HUMANE WORLD FOR ANIMALS AND THE FOREVER FOUNDATION'S PLAN4PROGRESS VOLUNTEER TRAINING PROGRAM, WHICH ALLOWS OUR VOLUNTEERS TO LEARN HORSE HANDLING SKILLS ONSITE, AS WELL AS THROUGH A VIDEO TRAINING PROGRAM. THEIR ADVANCED HORSE HANDLING SKILLS, IN TURN, HELP OUR HORSES WHO CAN RECEIVE MUCH MORE SOCIALIZATION AND GROUNDWORK TRAINING THROUGH OUR VOLUNTEERS. OUR VOLUNTEERS ALSO HELP AT OUR EVENTS AND RESALE STORE.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.

    Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  2. Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.

    Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.

    Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 30, 2026.

  3. Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.

    On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.

    Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 10, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2024.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since July 2000.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  6. Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.

    Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.

    Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 7, 2026.

Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.