At Misty Moor, our horses are not simply part of our programs — they are the heart of them.
They teach trust.
They model presence.
They invite people back into relationship — with land, with themselves.
The Horse Guardian Circle was created to provide consistent, intentional care for the horses who serve in educational and connection-based programs through Misty Moor Foundations.
Guardianship is not ownership. It is stewardship. It is standing beside a horse whose life quietly touches many
Shelby — Founding Guardian Horse
Shelby, our rescued mustang, opens the circle.
She represents resilience, trust rebuilt, and the strength that comes from partnership.
The first face you’ll see at the gate, Shelby keeps loving watch over all the goings-on at the farm. Like a shadow, she likes to stay within arm’s reach of those in her pen, always ready for a pet.
Shelby has become an integral part of the farm, but the stars had to align perfectly for her to get here.
If you’ve met Shelby, you may have noticed the white branding on her neck – a remnant from her youth. Shelby was born a wild horse in Wyoming, kicking up dust with her herd among the sagebrush and junipers under big, open skies. According to her documentation, Shelby was rounded up by the BLM on the Green Mountain Herd Management Area, at the southern edge of the Wind River Bighorn Basin District. It was November of 2020, and Shelby was just four months old.
These roundups are disruptive for wild horses. Often, helicopters are utilized. And Shelby was likely separated from her mother. Many western horses end up at federal holding facilities in the Midwest and, all too often, at kill pens.
This, too, is part of Shelby’s story. After being titled in Illinois in late 2022, and then purchased and brought to Michigan the following spring, Shelby found herself in a nearby kill pen at just three years old.
But by a stroke of fate, that’s where her path crossed Amy’s.
Amy had gone to the pen to adopt a different horse, Lucy, who was thought to be in foal. But when Amy laid eyes on Shelby, she knew she couldn’t leave without her. She brought both horses back to Misty Moor that day.
Introducing rescued horses to a herd is a slow endeavor. Due to some health issues, the pair had to spend more than the recommended 30 days quarantined in the barn. As Shelby’s health improved, Amy built trust with her and familiarized her with domestic life – haltering her, handling her feet, saddling her, and getting her comfortable in the round pen. About two months after adoption, the pair were integrated into the rest of the herd. Lucy being the lead mare that she was, after raising 18 babies, she showed Shelby how to calmly and confidently join a domestic herd.
Shelby has become an ambassador of Misty Moor Farm. She’s eager to be involved and, considering her beginnings, that’s no small feat. She represents resilience, built trust, and the strength that comes from partnership.
Will you be a part of Shelby’s story?
We are inviting 12 Founding Guardians to walk alongside her story.
Your guardianship helps provide steady, responsible care — including feed, farrier, veterinary needs, and the thoughtful stewardship that allows Shelby to serve in nonprofit programming.
$50 per month (recurring)
Founding Guardians receive:
- A personalized digital Guardian Certificate
- Shelby’s story and rescue background
- Quarterly Guardian updates
- Invitation to an annual Guardian Gathering at Misty Moor
- Optional name recognition as a Founding Guardian (2026)
When 12 Guardians are established, Shelby’s circle will close.
This is the beginning of a legacy of herd stewardship at Misty Moor.
