Jon Stojan
Image credit: Pexels
Entrenched across green fields and meadows in Boulder, Colorado, is Daisy Chain Sanctuary, a sustainable equine oasis where the divine connection between humans and horses illuminates the path to healing and growth. Founded on the principles of unconditional love and uniqueness, the nonprofit provides a wide selection of services, both fun and educational, that give purpose and happiness to horses who were once deemed ‘useless’ due to any form of disability.
Built for people, these graceful creatures, and the planet, Daisy Chain Sanctuary revolves around the 3 Cs – Connection, Compassion, and Confidence. In this heaven on Earth, visitors of all ages and backgrounds are empowered to cultivate compassion, discover confidence, and strengthen the connection they feel with nature, each other, and the horses. Through prioritizing self-growth and kindness, Daisy Chain Sanctuary sparks a chain of integrity, one where gratitude, acceptance, and selflessness intertwine.
Founded by lifelong equine lover Susan Parker, this dedication to fostering a value-driven, welcoming place is personal, rooted in a story of adversity. In 2006, after surviving a car accident and attending counseling, Susan realized her path to fulfillment started with one of the most difficult decisions one can make – divorce. While staying in Washington with her friends, Susan cared for a rescued stallion, a timid creature often standing in the corner of the pasture trying to be alone. In winter, a time when prey animals traditionally don’t cycle due to the weather conditions, the stallion was turned out in a pasture with the other five mares. Against the rules of nature and by a miraculous accident, Bobbie, Susan’s beloved mare, was the one who fell pregnant.
After picking up the pieces from her marriage, Susan moved to Colorado, where she settled on a cozy ranch. On a snowy winter night, Daisy was born in Susan’s arms, fostering a bond to last a lifetime. With a heart on her face and love in her eyes, Daisy started learning how to gallop, roaming around the fields as she followed in the footsteps of Bobbie. At four months old, when Susan moved the foal to the other side of the ranch to wean her, she noticed a peculiar head tremor, a subtle irregularity that sparked concern.
The diagnosis was clear, changing Daisy and Susan’s lives – Cerebellar Abiotrophy, a recessive genetic disorder exclusive to pure or partly Arabian horses. When asked for advice and help, Susan was told to put Daisy down, with many people deeming her ‘useless.’ But Susan’s deep love for horses and her nature-forward philosophy prompted her to seek alternatives. At first, she reached out to equine rescues located in the state, none of which could accept an ‘unrideable foal.’
“She was like family, and I just couldn’t give up on her,” shares Susan. “It was my very own, very expensive, and very loving pet, and I knew I had to nurture her.”
Through this experience, Susan realized the tremendous need for sanctuaries that focus on creatures with disabilities, abnormalities, and any characteristics that make them seem ‘lesser’ in the eyes of breeders and other professionals. With a dream of a 300-acre property in the mountains where visitors can get a taste of off-grid living while caring for horses, Susan embarked on her mission.
Though smaller than her dream property, she found land in 2017, thinking it would be the start of a new chapter. Unfortunately, ignited by the uncertain economy of post-election America, the owners sold the house, leaving Susan without a facility. In 2017, her vision and the universe started to align; inspired by a friend’s advice, she applied for 501(c)(3). While the traditional process is lengthy, Susan’s application was finalized within just weeks, and – because of a friend, a nascent lawyer unable to charge others for services – her certification was granted free of charge.
Through word of mouth, Susan gained her first Board of Directors – community members, friends, family, horse lovers, and others who believed in her mission. In 2019, Daisy Chain Sanctuary held its first pilot camp in Wheat Ridge, where the team taught youth the importance of living in harmony with the planet. Since then, the nonprofit has grown exponentially, introducing modern-day solutions that encourage equine explorations. For instance, inspired by COVID-19 and the daunting feelings of isolation, Daisy Chain introduced its sanctuary membership. “I want people to regard sanctuary membership like a gym membership, one is for your physical health and the other for your mental health.”
Now, Daisy Chain Sanctuary relentlessly fulfills its mission of igniting the 3 Cs, with plans to expand and foster a place other animals can call home in the future. As Susan explains, through Daisy’s handicap and her adorable, clumsy stumbling around, visitors feel innate compassion, following a natural urge to care for her and be their most compassionate selves. Because horses respect self-awareness, following certain, convincing orders without questions, people tap into their highest levels of confidence, becoming the leaders these four-legged animals need and deserve.
Connection, arguably the most essential element of Daisy Chain’s philosophy, is rooted in the divine, eternal bond horses and humans share. “For thousands of years, horses have been a part of humanity, accompanying us in wars and virtually every trial and tribulation,” adds Susan. “They inherently trust people. Unless they have been abused in the past, that connection will always be there – it’s a divine link with a power to change lives, both human and equine.”
With plans to purchase a bigger property where diverse animals and pet-loving people can unite to, together, care for nature, Susan is calling upon the hearts and wallets of investors, announcing a funding initiative to propel her mission. More than a place where animals considered ‘not good enough’ can be cherished, the facility, just like Daisy Chain, will shatter the common notions of equine activities being exclusive to the higher class. “It doesn’t have to be expensive, both in time and money,” stresses Susan. “When you think about it, horses eat grass and poop dirt. They don’t need fancy stables or heated stalls; they just need to interact with humans who love them. Daisy Chain makes it accessible and affordable. Here, it’s all about nurturing the divine connection between humans and horses by encouraging people to simply come for thirty minutes monthly and spend some time with these creatures. Susan believes that after just one interaction, people will want to come back for more. They don’t have to ride them – even the simple act of brushing a horse’s head can bring so much joy, healing wounds and inspiring people to grow in love and compassion.”