Brand Partner Spotlight: Healing and New Beginnings at Soulstride Sanctuary
At AGI Hay Rings, our mission extends beyond manufacturing durable farm equipment; we are committed to being an active resource for the equine community. We love highlighting the incredible work our partners do on the ground, and today, we are thrilled to feature our newest brand partner: Soulstride Sanctuary in Middletown, Indiana.
Draft horses are the true gentle giants of the equine world. Unfortunately, due to their immense size and history as working animals, they are uniquely vulnerable to overwork, neglect, and the auction pipeline.
Soulstride Sanctuary is committed to change that reality, one stride at a time.
The Mission: A Mutual Path to Healing
Soulstride Sanctuary is a nonprofit draft-horse-focused rescue where intentional rehabilitation, compassionate stewardship, and human-equine connection meet. Founded by a dedicated team—Keira, Lauren, and Jon—the sanctuary was born out of a shared devotion to the quiet wisdom of horses and a recognition of how deeply human and animal healing are intertwined.
Soulstride’s mission focuses on three core pillars:
Rescue & Safe Intake: The team actively steps into high-risk situations, frequently attending auctions where senior or overworked draft horses are vulnerable to unsafe fates. They provide these majestic animals a vital second chance, moving them out of environments where they were treated merely as tools and into a space where their personalities and lives are truly honored.
Rehabilitation & Rehoming: Draft horses arriving at Soulstride often require intensive medical care, nutritional rehabilitation, and emotional support. Using gentle, relationship-based groundwork and individualized care, the sanctuary helps the horses rebuild their physical strength and regain their trust in humans. While some horses find a permanent, lifelong home at the sanctuary, others are carefully prepared for adoption into loving, permanent homes.
Community & Connection: Soulstride believes that horses hold an incredible capacity to mirror human emotions and ground our nervous systems. To foster this mutual connection, the sanctuary opens its doors to the local Indiana community, offering unique wellness programs such as outdoor yoga beside the herd, sound healing ceremonies in the barn, somatic awareness practices, and mindful education days.
Standing Together for Equine Welfare
Caring for draft horses requires massive amounts of space, specialized care, and, most importantly, high-quality forage. Because draft horses have substantial caloric and dietary needs, managing their hay efficiently while keeping their feeding environment safe is a top priority for any facility dedicated to their well-being.
By partnering with Soulstride Sanctuary, we are proud to support their daily rhythms of care. Our equine-specific poly hay rings are built with a natural "give" to handle the impact of large breeds safely, featuring smooth, weld-free edges that protect horse manes and skin during feeding. Most importantly, by keeping their round bales contained and off the dirt, the sanctuary can maximize their feed efficiency—minimizing hay waste (saving them $3,600 a year!) so that every dollar donated to their general fund goes directly toward rescuing the next horse in need.
How You Can Support Soulstride Sanctuary
Running a draft horse sanctuary takes a village. Soulstride relies entirely on the generosity of volunteers, animal lovers, and community members to sustain their daily operations, cover routine veterinary and farrier costs, and stock their feed room.
If you want to get involved or support the amazing work they are doing in Middletown, Indiana, here is how you can help:
Donate: You can contribute directly to their general fund to support hay, supplements, and emergency veterinary care. Donate here.
Attend an Event: Join the herd for a donation-based outdoor yoga flow or a seasonal wellness retreat at the sanctuary. Check out upcoming events!
Spread the Word: Follow their journey online, share their rescue stories, and help them find loving homes for their adoptable drafts. You can join their newsletter for direct information to your inbox. Follow them on Instagram, TikTok or Facebook for real-time updates.
To learn more about their current herd, visit them at www.soulstridesanctuary.org.
Welcome to the AGI family, Soulstride Sanctuary! We are honored to walk this path alongside you. Thank you for your continued compassion and work to support draft horses.