The Horse Shelter opens its gates for its Annual Open House on Saturday, October 10, 2026, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at its scenic 128-acre property in Cerrillos. About 50 miles northeast of Downtown Albuquerque along the Turquoise Trail, the working equine rescue invites you to experience its rehabilitation mission firsthand. If stormy conditions roll in, the backup rain date is Saturday, October 17, 2026.
Visit the pastures, see live horsemanship demonstrations, and meet more than 100 rescued horses. Admission and vehicle parking are free, and concession stands will offer drinks and snacks.
Visit The Horse Shelter online to donate, volunteer, sponsor, or adopt a rescued horse.
When and Where Is the 2026 Open House?
Schedule details, driving directions from Albuquerque, and guest guidelines include:
- Date: Saturday, October 10, 2026 (Rain Date: Saturday, October 17, 2026)
- Time: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
- Location: The Horse Shelter Ranch, 100 AB Old Cash Ranch Road, Cerrillos, NM 87010
- Admission and Parking: Free
- Footwear and Gear: The gathering is staged across rugged pastures and unpaved dirt trails. Lace up sturdy, closed-toe walking boots or athletic shoes, and bring sunglasses, a wide-brimmed hat, and sunscreen.
- Pet Policy: Pets must stay at home. Outside animals are strictly barred from the grounds to prevent stress or safety hazards around the herd.
Sign up for The Horse Shelter’s newsletter.
What Is The Horse Shelter?
Accredited by the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries, The Horse Shelter is a dedicated 501(c)(3) nonprofit refuge for mistreated, neglected, and displaced equines throughout New Mexico. The sanctuary coordinates directly with sheriff departments, animal welfare officers, and state livestock inspectors to take custody of horses facing severe hardship. It then brings them to live at the Cerrillos facility for comprehensive recovery care.
Upon arrival, each animal undergoes a customized rehabilitation plan featuring individualized feed regimens, professional veterinary interventions, rehabilitative farrier care, and consistent, gentle training to rebuild confidence around people.
The Horse Shelter actively evaluates recovered horses for placement with qualified, caring adopters across the Southwest. When chronic health conditions, advanced age, or lingering trauma prevent adoption, the facility grants permanent residency so each animal spends its life in secure, stress-free pastures.
Shop high-quality home goods, clothing, and gear at The Horse Shelter’s Resale Store to directly fund daily horse feed and medical care.
What Is The Horse Shelter Annual Open House?
The Annual Open House gives Albuquerque residents an inside look at the daily labor, resources, and compassion that go into regional horse welfare.
You can take part in several planned events:
- Ranch Tours: Wander through the barn corridors and turnout pastures to see daily management routines and visit long-term sanctuary residents.
- Rehabilitation and Riding Demonstrations: Watch experienced trainers and handlers demonstrate low-stress ground manners, training stages, and ridden exercises.
- Rescue Spotlights and Horse Stories: Hear true stories about individual rescue investigations, health recoveries, and heartwarming adoption updates.
- Program Information: Meet shelter coordinators to ask questions regarding adoption criteria, foster options, regular volunteer duties, and monthly sponsorship tiers.
- Family Photo Stations: Pose for keepsake family picture at festive, horse-themed backdrops arranged across the grounds.
Attend and Support The Horse Shelter
Take a scenic trip from Albuquerque to see how New Mexico caretakers rescue and rehabilitate local horses. Public contributions provide the reliable backing needed to buy hay shipments, maintain turnout fencing, cover expensive surgery bills, and fund training programs.
Set aside Saturday, October 10, 2026, for a drive up NM-14 on the Turquoise Trail to spend an afternoon on the horse ranch.
To adopt or sponsor a horse, register for a volunteer shift, or make a tax-deductible contribution, visit The Horse Shelter online or phone Executive Director Susan Hemmerle at 505-471-6179.
The Horse Shelter Annual Open House FAQs
Yes. Gate entry and vehicle parking on the ranch pastures are free for every visitor during the annual open house. If you’re driving up from Duke City, you can check out the facilities, tour the turnout areas, and view all scheduled horsemanship demonstrations without buying tickets or paying gate fees. You can buy snacks and soft drinks at the event.
No. Pets are strictly not allowed at the event or on the property, including inside parked cars. Dogs can trigger sudden flight reactions, high anxiety, and unpredictable movements in trauma-affected rescue horses, creating genuine safety concerns for handlers, riders, and surrounding crowds. To keep the environment peaceful for recovering horses and to prevent accidents, leave family pets safely at home.
Wear durable, closed-toe walking shoes or work boots made for navigating loose dirt, uneven trails, and gravel barn roads. Sandals, lightweight slip-ons, and high heels are unsafe on raw ranch soil. Autumn weather in Cerrillos is typically sunny with brisk mountain air, so it’s a good idea to dress in layers. Pack a warm fleece or windbreaker jacket, apply sunscreen, and bring a wide-brimmed sun hat and sunglasses.
If heavy rainstorms, flooded dirt access roads, or unsafe wind gusts impact the Cerrillos area on Saturday, October 10, 2026, the entire Open House will pivot to the rain date of Saturday, October 17, 2026, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the ranch grounds. Shelter staff will broadcast weather updates across their official website and social media feeds early that morning. Check those digital platforms before heading north along Highway 14 if unpredictable autumn weather moves over the Sandia Mountains.
Yes. Shelter adoption staff and counselors will host an on-site information desk to guide those interested in horse ownership through the adoption journey. Visitors can observe available horses, inquire about individual temperaments and handling levels, and review basic facility standards, such as sturdy corral fencing and run-in sheds. The organization uses a thorough screening process involving an application form and an on-site property evaluation before finalizing any placement. The event gives prospective adopters the chance to meet horses and evaluate the commitment firsthand.
The Horse Shelter is located at 100 AB Old Cash Ranch Road in Cerrillos, roughly 50 miles northeast of Albuquerque. Drivers leaving from Albuquerque can take Interstate 40 east to Exit 175 at Tijeras, then follow NM-14 north through Cedar Crest and Madrid toward Cerrillos. I-25 north is the faster alternative. Look for event directional signs marking the turn onto Old Cash Ranch Road. Attendants will guide your vehicle into the designated open pasture parking lot.
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