About Us
Rancho Del Sueño is the equine division of Heritage Discovery Center, Inc., a 501 (c) 3 non-profit educational organization that is dedicated to the promotion and preservation of the Colonial Spanish Mission Horse. Our ranch is the only facility that is actively dedicated to the preservation of the Colonial Spanish Wilbur-Cruce Mission Horse. We are home to the largest and most diverse gene pool for the breed that is currently in existence.
In 1989, an isolated herd of horses on the Wilbur-Cruce ranch in Arizona were discovered to be genetically pure descendants of the Spanish horses brought to the Americas in 1519. For generations, the Wibur-Cruce family maintained the purity of this line. These horses bear a striking resemblance to those depicted in the Baroque art following the Renaissance period and are more like the original horses of Spain than the breeds that exist in Iberia today.
Along with preserving the integrity of this breed, Rancho Del Sueño also focuses on developing and implementing various psychotherapy and experiential education programs which utilize the unique characteristics of the breed for facilitating interactive workshops that trigger psychological and spiritual healing as well as enhanced learning. Because of their innate desire to be deeply connected with humans, these horses are highly suitable for this type of work and have had a profound impact on the lives of the people they have worked with.
Rancho Del Sueño is a 40 acre rare equine conservation facility that specializes in the preservation of the Wilbur-Cruce Spanish Horses. These horses are living remnants of the Spanish Colonial period of the west. The foundation horses of our conservation project originated from Father Kino’s Mission Dolores in Sonora, Mexico.
Rancho Del Sueño is located in eastern Madera County in Central California. The ranch is near the junction of Highway 41 and Road 145, about an equal 16 mile distance from both Fresno and Madera. Rancho Del Sueño sits above the San Joaquin Valley floor in rolling Blue Oak countryside, in the center of California’s Sierra recreational areas. The ranch is well within an hour drive from Sequoia, King’s Canyon, Dodge Ridge skiing facility, and Yosemite National Park, as well as Millerton, Bass, and Shaver Lakes. The beautiful Chuchansi Gold Resort and Casino is approximately 5 miles north on Highway 41.
The ranch has a 12 stall barn, 2 mare motels, 1 large outdoor riding and presentation arena, 1 small training arena, 2 round pens, 10 paddocks, and 3 large pastures where visitors can observe natural herd behavior.