About Us
In 2006, John and Bernadette Spillane had a life- changing opportunity to move to the property of their dreams. At that time, they had one horse, a beautiful Arabian named Zhum, but one horse on 53 acres just wouldn’t do. So they started down, as John would say, a slippery slope, accumulating just the "right amount" of equine companions -- they now have 42! Add to that some goats, ducks, chickens, alpacas, pigs, plus one llama, a sheep, two cats and two Irish Wolfhounds! So, despite the name Happy Dog Ranch, it's really home to a wide variety of lovely, wonderful animals, and life has never been the same!
John and Bernadette thoroughly understand how lucky and blessed they have been to have this ranch so close to the foothills, civilization, and Chatfield State Park. They knew they wanted to find a way to share it with others. And as their journey to become better horsemen and to care for all of their animals began, they asked clinicians and healers, animal communicators and spiritual people to help guide them. From that guidance, HDR's mission was realized--that, in Bernadette's words, "we could provide an environment for enriching relationships with ourselves, our community and our world. Nature, animals and horses, in particular, can lead us to discover and uncover the best part of ourselves. They teach us to live in the present moment and to access the great abundance and wonder of our world, to find our unlimited possibilities and create a place of peace and joy, health and harmony, love and laughter. A better place to be inside and out!"
John and Bernadette thoroughly understand how lucky and blessed they have been to have this ranch so close to the foothills, civilization, and Chatfield State Park. They knew they wanted to find a way to share it with others. And as their journey to become better horsemen and to care for all of their animals began, they asked clinicians and healers, animal communicators and spiritual people to help guide them. From that guidance, HDR's mission was realized--that, in Bernadette's words, "we could provide an environment for enriching relationships with ourselves, our community and our world. Nature, animals and horses, in particular, can lead us to discover and uncover the best part of ourselves. They teach us to live in the present moment and to access the great abundance and wonder of our world, to find our unlimited possibilities and create a place of peace and joy, health and harmony, love and laughter. A better place to be inside and out!"
Videos
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Happy Dog Ranch therapeutic rescue and sanctuary is a place for horses, humans, and all beings to heal. Located in Littleton Colorado, HDR provides a safe and supporting environment for the journey to wholeness and peace.
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2012 promo created by Jon Fletcher. Focuses on the mission of the Happy Dog Ranch Foundation.
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RFD-TV's Equestrian Nation segment of HorseloverZ.com's Holiday Horse & Rider Make-Over award 11/2016.
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Articles
- Columbine Courier, November 30, 2016 - Forging Stable Bonds by Deborah Swearingen
- Fort Collins Magazine, Winter 2016 - Life Lessons from a Horse by Rachel Walker, Pg. 60
- coloradohorseproperty.com blog - Healing with Horses at Happy Dog Ranch by Evin Hughes
Podcasts
- Horse Radio Network's Horses in the Morning 1/6 Podcast
- Horse Radio Network's Stable Scoop 2/2 Podcast