In keeping with its mission, one of Sunrise’s key goals is to educate the community on how vulnerable horses are, not just those that are abandoned because of financial concerns, but also those who are unwanted because they can no longer be ridden, compete, or serve as a lesson pony are now at risk.

Back to the horses: as it says on the Sunrise Horse Rescue website: “The horses have a role again and thrive on the interaction. A bond made with a horse can be magical and often leaves us wondering, “Who’s saving whom?”

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Another fun side trip is a visit to Sunrise Horse Rescue, a nonprofit horse rescue and sanctuary located on Tubbs Lane, just outside the city.

“Over the past four years Sunrise Horse Rescue has received hundreds of calls for help for horses in desperate need in Northern California. They give priority to those in Napa and surrounding counties but have helped horses from farther away if they are at extreme risk."

“During the 15 years the nonprofit has been in operation, Calistoga's Sunrise Horse Rescue has never owned its own vehicle. Instead, it has been relying on staff and volunteers to carry out the multitude of daily tasks. All that changed on Saturday, with the delivery of a Ford F-250 donated by the new owner of Sager Ford in St. Helena…”

“Sunrise Horse Rescue’s latest fundraiser, Harvest of Hope, raised a record amount at last Saturday’s event held at Tamber Bey.”

“When he first was seen by two sisters the 20-something-year-old Quarter horse was emaciated, his ribs so pronounced it seemed as if they were barely holding his hide, and open wounds on his back gushed blood. Now in his forever home with Sunrise Horse Rescue, scars mark the areas where the worst wounds were, and he’s continuing to heal and put on weight…”