Wild Heart Restart Ranch is located in Cotati, CA, and is a place for Off the Track Thoroughbreds, BLM Mustangs, and any soul who needs a restart in life.

Meet Maverick the Adoptable Puppy!

Wild Heart welcomes Maverick! A giant teddy bear of a failed livestock guardian dog. He enjoys chasing butterflies, snuggles from his people, wallowing in water troughs and goofing around with his buddies. Maverick prefers a life of leisure. He was the kind of employee who showed up late, took a long lunch and left early! Roughly 80 lbs. Anatolian, Akbash, Great Pyrenees mix. Nine months old and growing! Wants to snuggle his way into your heart. Will require excellent fencing, lots of space and someone familiar with livestock guardian dog behaviors. Maverick is learning to walk on a leash, come when called, how to sit and to sleep in a crate overnight.

We are seeking donations to help with neutering and to offset some of our costs with feed, bedding and acclimation. Thank you for supporting Maverick and Wild Heart Restart Ranch!

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Follow our journey:

Wild Heart Restart Ranch to the Rescue

On Saturday, December 2nd, 2023, a desperate call went out for help from the Humane Society for Inland Mendocino County: 7 puppies had been left in the rain in a cardboard box, in front of the O'Reillys Auto Parts store in Ukiah. The shelter was at capacity could not take them in, and the person who found the puppies could not keep them... so Wild Heart Restart Ranch decided to offer help. The puppies were delivered to Wild Heart on Sunday, December 3rd and here begins their story. With the help of Jameson Humane, we have a healthy pack of rescue puppies ready to find new homes.

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Sunset walk around @wildheartrestartranch with this beauty #dolli #blmmustang #availableforadoption shes a 2 year old who is ready for her person. She’s a smart cookie, stands about 13.2-13.3h, not reactive, loves to please and then some. Conta

Here we go!!! 🐴

If you’ve been itching to get out and participate in a clinic, we got you! Mustang Matt is coming back to California and we couldn’t be more excited!

Please head to our website for all the details:

www.WildHeartRestar

Trying to capture the morning breathing of this hunk. #marleylox #littleowyheehma #blmmustang #wild💚 #WHRR one of the main boys behind starting @wildheartrestartranch

Who might be interested in participating in another Mustang Matt clinic?! Most likely we will do a colt starting clinic, and a Trust & Respect depending on how many folks are interested. If you are interested, please raise your hand, and shoot m

#dolli is a rockstar! She stood great during her first hoof trim. Yahoo!! This lady is almost available for adoption. She is super smart, sweet, and well... gorgeous! #wild💚 #WHRR #wildheartrestartranch #gentlingwildsouls #blmmustang #adoptionislove

Evening hikes with the ladies to visit @california_centaurs #rayoranch #blmmustang #aqha #wild💚 #WHRR #adventure learning to take a little more time to actually spend with our ponies... after we get some work done at @wildheartrestartranch

Evening sunset lunge line session with this cowboy. #thebird #ottb #wild💚 #WHRR #wildheartrestartranch #groundwork #training

Took a little cruise down our dead end road to work on some separation anxiety from seeing other ponies, ground work, and getting exercise! #ottb #wild💚 #wild💚project #wildheartrestartranch #wildtomild #trustandrespect

This handsome kid, The Bird... is here at #wild💚 #wildheartrestartranch for some #groundwork #libertytraining #roundpenwork and #trailertraining for the next 30 days. He has been quite an interesting character to work with the last couple of days &a

Thanks to @dremputt for coming to donate a cold laser treatment on our most recent kid off the track. #streetjazz #ottb #bowentendon #rehabilitation #wildheartrestartranch #wild💚 this #puppy dog of a pony has a long road ahead for him to be back on

Meet DARLA. Quiet, inquisitive, who is a good eater with great feet and a wonderful mind. Tomorrow we will aim for getting a halter on this pretty lady. 💚🐴 #titled #blmmustang #wildheartrestartranch #wild💚 #Cotati both ladies will be up for adopt

Today I finally got this beauty haltered! “ok... I’m tired and I’m understanding what you are saying, can I take a break?” Everyone meet DOLLI. She’s a doll. She is the messier one, but the one who has been eating her ha

Let’s find this handsome kid his new partner. Rohan (Creole Summer) is an 8 year old rescue OTTB chestnut gelding.
After a long break, he has been trained and ridden for the last two
years. Rohan would be suitable for an intermediate rider who

#Ernie takes his debut stroll around the neighbor with his pack saddle as we delivered some grain that was donated to #wildheartrestartranch and we packed it over to @flat_broke_farm to pass it on. #minimule #killpenkid #hesthebest #packmule Friday&r

We believe that everyone deserves a chance to survive and thrive. We strive to let each animal take a break, decompress and begin a new career using groundwork, time under saddle, and adventures to new places before finding their perfect partner.

**Current Wild Heart Horses**

Meet the current Wild Heart residents who are getting a restart and will be available for adoption!

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**Wild Heart Success Stories**

Meet the horses who have gotten a Wild Heart Restart and a new chance at the life they deserve.

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Mustang Showcase

One of our goals is to raise awareness about the American Mustang and what wonderful partners they can make in the domestic world. And so, the Mustang Showcase was born.

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Heartfelt Thanks

We would like to extend an enormous amount of gratitude towards all of those who have helped turn Hilary’s dream of Wild Heart Restart Ranch into a reality! To Jessica and Lindsay Merget, who make up the hefty administrative backbone of the Mustang Showcase and Wild Heart Restart Ranch. To Hilary Merrill of Rayo Ranch for hosting the Mustang Showcase and being such a steady and inspiring supporter. To Jen Bodnar for being the most dependable ranch hand and equine bodyworker. To Uncle Bob, Charlie, Pat, DB and Kelly for putting in the countless hours, sweat and muscle to physically build the ranch into the beautiful haven it is today. And, last but certainly not least, to Hilary’s dad, John Hansen, for always supporting and encouraging his daughter to follow her heart and live her dream of making a difference to so many horses and animals in need over the years. Without him, none of this would be possible.