The New Sanctuary
Harrow Sanctuary October 28.2025
Free as possible in their Home
7 October, 2025
Historic Brumbies on the HOOFS find sanctuary in the West.
Since February this year, and about five minutes out of Harrow, the horses from some of Australia’s most iconic bloodlines have a place – about 172 acres of it – to quietly graze and call home. But the story of how they’ve ended up in Western Victoria goes back to when the organisation HOOFS2010 Inc. (Helping Our Old Friends Survive) had its beginnings in 2010.
By Mark Rabich
Growing our Vision
BUILD THE BARN
Project Details
For the past 15 years we have worked to rescue Australian wild horses from eradication programs, Our work brought about helping individuals from all walks of life including the amazing children with special needs and others who needed emotional and spiritual support that being amongst the wild horses bring. on February the 14th 2025 after many years of fundraising we bought a property in Harrow Victoria, a beautiful part of the country in Australia, the land needed infrastructure such as fencing, water tanks, Hay shed and shelters, We have been working hard to ensure the tasks were met to ensure the safety and care of our wild horses.
Now we need to work on building a barn to enable our work to continue assisting all who will benefit from visiting or volunteering. On the land we leased for the past 15 years we had a large American barn that sufficed not only the students or visitors but orphan foals and horses needing vet treatment, We need the barn desperately which is why we have started this campaign . I have added photos of both our new Sanctuary and our old Sanctuary to help visualize our road ahead. As a registered Charity with DGR endorsement raising funds for our projects is a long tedious task but we stay focused and continue to strive to meet our goals.
In April we sourced one quote to build the barn to gauge an idea of what funds we will need to begin the project, Without setup in side the Barn quote was $61,000 we envisage we will need an extra $20,000 to fit out the barn. So our goal for this fundraiser is $80,000
Our Visitors over the years and the old Barn , its benefits to the charity were invaluable,
Hence the new project
BUILD THE BARN
Update on The Sanctuary
Press Release
What we are up to
@ Harrow Sanctuary
The goings On at Harrow Sanctuary. Well all the Brumbies are looking very well and enjoying there freedom to choose their buddies.
We have been busy building infrastructure and now have a hay shed, with the amazing support we have recieved we have started filing the hay shed with good quality hay our first load of 60 bales is neatly stacked for the future. We will work over the next few months to fill the hay shed so our brumbies never have to struggle.
Works are in progress to build a double shelter in the front quarantine paddock and water troughs are in place just needing to be plummed.
The electric fence for the quarantine paddock is also now complete and big thanx to Lisa for ensuring the post caps are all secured .
The next stages will see us address issues for Mugan to enable his gelding and then the last of the Brumbies at Berrigan will move to their new home.
its been a long road for sure but baby steps and we are getting there, Thanx to all of you
PRESS RELEASE
22nd June 2025
​We are very Excited to Share that on the 3rd of June,14 of our beautiful brumbies were transported to the new Sanctuary location!​
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While this was a very emotional moment for us sad seeing our Brumbies leave our sanctuary but also excited for them to move to the new location was a wish come true.​
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In these Images you can see the Brumbies in there new home.
We also sent down 50 square bales of hay down along with them as they adjust to there new surroundings.
PD McDonald Livestock Transport
We would love to give a massive thank you to PD McDonald Livestock Transport for carefully and safely transporting our Brumbies to the new Sanctuary!
PRESS RELEASE
16th February 2025
We are excited to announce our mission to secure land for a new working Sanctuary has finally come to fruition.
Our new working Sanctuary called Mirrabooka Baroomby Moonyah (Wild Horse Safe House) will be located at Harrow Victoria. The property comes with 172 acres of rolling hills, three large dams, two seasonal creeks, a spring and a small cottage.
All of HOOFS existing infrastructure will be relocated to the new sanctuary. We are in the process of raising funds to establish and build extra infrastructure including sheds, water tanks, stables, yards and fencing.
Our vision for the new working Sanctuary is to ensure that it will belong to the people of Australia and be managed by the incorporated association, that being an executive and general committee.
Our Charter is and will remain that no, one person can or will gain from our work and therefore the Sanctuary will have longevity, just as the Brumby horse has endured and proved itself through the passage of time, surviving for centuries.
In pursuit of our objectives we will work with the government and advocate for government funding in the form of grants to support our cause.
Once the infrastructure is established over the next few months our Brumbies and the Brumbies coming out of the National Parks as wild horses will be introduced to their new home. Suitable Brumbies will be assessed, DNA tested and recorded before being prepared to enable finding new homes in the domestic equine world. All handling is done to a level of expectation for safe and successful re-homing.
All Brumbies before they are re-homed will be branded, micro-chipped and re-homed on a life lease with a boomerang policy, meaning the horse can come back to the sanctuary should there be any of life's unexpected events.
The new sanctuary can also work with equine veterinarian specialists to research, trial and establish a fertility control program on the mares. These fertility control trials, if successful, would become a world leading scientific breakthrough.
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As the Sanctuary establishes we will be coordinating clinics and educational events. We will also offer accommodation and camping for those who wish to enjoy their Australian legacy and study the Brumby horses in their natural environment.
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There is much work to be done in the near future and long term to establish a safe house for Australia’s Brumby wild horses. To achieve our goals and dreams we welcome any support through donations, lending a hand or advocating for our iconic Brumby wild horses.
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WORKING TO
SAVE & PROMOTE
AUSTRALIAN WILD HORSES
THE BRUMBY
HOOFS have worked in wild horse rescue and rehoming for over 14 years with over to 200 Wild Horses rescued from slaughter situations across Australia.
Our policies are to preserve, advocate and rehome any wild horses that can adjust to domestic life and retain those in the sanctuary that cannot.
HOOFS2010 is run by an executive committee with general team members who all voluntarily contribute to the running of the organisation as well as being hands-on with our Brumbies at the sanctuary.
If you are interested in becoming a part of the HOOFS2010 team then come on board and become a member. Positions are elected at our annual AGM with the majority of candidates being well informed of the wild horse issues and situations surrounding the plight to save them.
Our financials are managed by an accountancy firm and our financial records are made public every year to ensure accountability to our donors.
Our work has been conducted on private land owned by a committee member with all infrastructure and equipment on loan by the property owner.
Our vision for the New Sanctuary is to ensure that it will belong to the people of Australia and be managed by the incorporated association, that being an executive and general committee. Our Charter is and will remain that no, one person can or will gain from our work.
What will having a large sanctuary bring to our work and the lives of wild horses?
Suitable Brumbies, will be recorded and DNA tested before being prepared to enable finding homes in the domestic Equine world. All handling is to be done to a level of expectation for safe and successful rehoming.
All rehomed Brumbies will be branded, microchipped and rehomed on a life lease with a boomerang policy, meaning the horse can come back to the sanctuary should there be any of life's unexpected events.
As the Sanctuary establishes, we wish to have accommodation and camping for those who wish to enjoy their Australian Legacy.
We would envisage Clinics and educational events in the future. Whilst this is a brief outline of our goals and dreams there is still much to be done to achieve best practices and succeed.
If HOOFS2010 Inc ever ceased to exist, then under the law all assets transfer to another Incorporated Association with the same mission and purpose after all debts are finalized if any.
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If you would like a copy of our business plan get in touch with us.
HOOF IT UP AND DONATE SOME BUCKS!
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