Inspiring, connecting and informing the horse community in San Luis Obipso County, California – and beyond.
Heather, a volunteer turned staff member at Rancho Burro Donkey Sanctuary in San Luis Obispo says her most treasured lessons are from the donkeys themselves. “You have to be able to slow down and wait. Donkeys pause to process a situation, so you learn to shift your perspective.”
“In a world where most of our communication is done through screens and quick messages, it’s getting harder to find genuine in-person connection. Joining a local riding club gives you a place where that connection happens naturally,” shares Brie Nicholson.
The affectionate qualities of donkeys drew the Eckfords to them. However, the plight of the donkeys drove the vision behind starting the non-profit sanctuary back in 2015. At that time, they kept rescued donkeys at their home on Tiffany Ranch Road in Arroyo Grande. In the meantime, they dreamt of having a facility where the rescue donkeys could be rehabilitated and they could take in more donkeys in need. Rancho Burro Donkey Sanctuary moved to its permanent new home in January 2025.
Getting the kids started with hands-on learning has ignited their interest. “We started with simple arena work to see where the project members were in their animal handling, then we hit the trail to start practicing trail riding etiquette and skills,” explains Jennifer Best the SLO County 4-H Horse and Mule Packing project founder and leader.
“What transpired was in short simply AMAZING!” exclaimed Jenn. “People reached out offering to drive with me. Community members from all over the county called the store, messaged me on Facebook and Instagram asking what supplies were needed.” Jennifer Foss tells the story of gathering and delivering supplies for horse and human fire victims of the Palisades fire.