Visit: Wild Horses of Alberta Society

Located about 15 minutes west of Sundre, the Wild Horses of Alberta Society is a must visit!

The Wild Horses of Alberta Society is a charitable organization that works to rescue and rehabilitate wild horses that have been found injured or abandoned. They have an established adoption program and provide education and training on the gentling and handling of these amazing wild animals.

Ever since I heard about WHOAS a few years ago, it has been a dream of mine to visit their sanctuary. So when we were visiting Sundre, and realized we were just minutes away, we immediately scheduled a visit. And am I ever glad we did…this was an amazing experience for our whole family.

Visit tip! Make sure to reach out ahead of time to book a time for your visit.

About Wild Horses of Alberta Society:

The Wild Horses of Alberta Society (WHOAS) is a nonprofit society that has been working on solutions for wild horse population management in Alberta since 2002. The wild horses are only protected under the Stray Animal Act, which gives them some protection, making it unlawful to shoot, hunt or snare them for capture. However, an annual capture season can be declared by the Department of the Environment and Parks.

WHOAS believes in managing the wild horse populations in a more humane and civilized manner, and have secured land that is now a rescue and handling facility. At this facility, located outside of Sundre, they work to rescue and rehabilitate wild horses that have been found injured or abandoned. They also have an established adoption program, and provide education and training on the gentling and handling of these wild horses.

A view of portion of the beautiful land secured by WHOAS, for the wild horses.

What to expect on your visit to WHOAS:

If they have horses that they are working with at the time of your visit, which is very likely, you will be able to view them in the training area and barn. The staff, who are SO welcoming and friendly, are proud to share the work they are doing. They took the time to introduce the horses they were working with, and took us out to see the herd of wild horses that live in the area. It was so great.

We were amazed to learn that most wild horses they work with can be trained and rehabilitated for adoption in just days or weeks!

They’re such beautiful creatures…we fell in love immediately!

The most exciting part of our visit was being able to see the herd of wild horses that hang around the facility…they are not a part of the training program at WHOAS, but have chosen for the time being, to roam freely nearby. So out we went to the forest and field areas where they are often seen…

And we came across the wild herd! We all felt so lucky to have been able to have this experience. There is something so magical and beautiful about being able to see horses in the wild.

This experience was fantastic! We love the work they are doing so much. The pride in their work, and the how deeply they care for the horses is inspiring. I hope you get the chance to visit!

Visit Wild Horses of Alberta Society (WHOAS):

Contact: The best way to contact them is either by e-mail or through their Facebook page. For this information, visit their website.
Location: About a 15 minute drive west of Sundre. Call for directions.
Cost: At this time there is no admission fee, but instead consider making a donation.
Good to know: Expect a rustic farm experience. They are working to create more organized tours of the sanctuary, but right now expect to jump in a wagon or quad to view the herd of wild horses that frequent the area. It’s awesome.