give once
Join the people keeping the Chaar horse alive
Twenty years ago almost nobody was counting the Chaar horses left in Kyrgyzstan. Today there are 80+ horses in the herd, new foals every spring, and a community around them that reaches from the high pastures above the ranch to living rooms on the other side of the world. Your gift makes you part of that.
What we've built together
a herd built from one horse
The Chaar horse was bred for these mountains for centuries, and by the time Munarbek started, very few were left. The herd wasn't bought in. It was bred here, generation by generation, from Chaar Suluu. More than eighty now graze the same pastures their ancestors did, and every spring there are more.
a horse back in its culture
The people who care for the herd are Kyrgyz horsemen doing work their families have always done, paid properly for the skill. The vet is local, the feed is local, and children growing up near the ranch grow up knowing what a Chaar horse is. The horse is alive in the place it belongs, not preserved somewhere else.
a community around the world
Artists, film-makers, geneticists, riders and people who simply liked the look of a spotted foal have all found their way to this project, from ten countries. Some come and ride. Some come and work. Some send €20 in January. All of it adds up to the same thing.
What your gift adds
It costs about one euro a day to carry a Chaar horse through the winter, from the first snow in November to the grass coming back in May. That's the whole sum, and it makes the rest easy to picture.
€7
One horse fed for a week of the Kyrgyz winter.
€30
One horse fed for a month, through the coldest part of the year.
€210
One horse carried right through, November to May, on you.
€840
Four horses through the whole winter, a mare and her foal among them.
Where the money goes
Six things keep the ranch running, and every donation is shared across them.
Winter feed
Extra grain and foliage through the lean months, above all for pregnant mares carrying next spring's foals.
Veterinary care
Vaccinations, worming and regular checks for the whole herd, plus emergencies when they come.
Horsemen and wages
Local horsemen like Yrys, with the herd every day from November to May and guarding it from wolves and now snow leopards, plus the vet and the project lead who look after the herd and host visitors all year.
Equipment
Trucks and grain storage that save a small team time and money on the daily work.
Infrastructure
Shelter, fencing and stabling that have to grow as the herd grows.
Running the association
Hosting, the website and the tools that keep the record public and the community in touch.
Before the breeding programme, the herd lost horses to predators, foals to hungry winters, and mares lost their pregnancies for lack of food. That has changed, and the feed and the watching are what keep it from happening again. Why the ranch matters.
You'll always be able to see where your money went
- Our annual financial report sets out what came in and where it went, and every member and supporter gets to read the whole thing.
- We're a registered French association, n° W353023160. Read how the association came about.
- The work is all out in the open. The genetic results are on the site, and the new foals turn up in the news every spring.
- Best of all, come and meet the herd. Supporters do, and the horsemen love showing people round. Visit the ranch.
Two ways to join in
Both land in the same place. Pick whichever is easiest for you.
one, from anywhere
Card, PayPal, Klarna or Google Pay
One secure checkout, any amount you choose. It takes about a minute and the receipt lands in your inbox.
Make a One Time Donation
two, if you pay tax in france
Through HelloAsso, and get 66% back
If you're a French tax resident, 66% of your donation comes back to you. HelloAsso emails your reçu fiscal automatically, and you claim the rest when you file. A €100 donation ends up costing you €34, and a €300 donation costs you €102.
Donate through HelloAsso ↗HelloAsso opens on a monthly gift. To give once, choose 'Ponctuel' (one-off) at the top of the form.
Questions people ask
Where exactly does my donation go?
Into feed, veterinary care, wages for the team on the ground, equipment, shelter at the ranch and the running of the association. Nothing is taken out for fundraising costs first. The annual financial report sets out the split for the year.
Will I get a receipt?
Yes. Card and PayPal donations send a confirmation by email straight away. HelloAsso issues a French tax receipt, the reçu fiscal, automatically.
Are there tax benefits?
If you pay tax in France, 66% of your donation is deductible, so €100 given costs you €34 once you file. Give through HelloAsso and the receipt arrives by email. Outside France it depends on your country's rules, and we can't advise on those, so check with your own tax office.
Can I give in a currency other than euros?
Yes. Pay in whatever your card uses and your bank handles the conversion. The association banks in euros, so the amount we receive is the euro equivalent on the day.
Is a monthly gift better than a one-off?
Honestly, yes, for us. A steady amount every month is what lets the team order feed ahead of winter instead of hoping. But a single gift at the right moment matters too, and you can always start monthly later. See monthly support.
Can I give something other than money?
You can, and plenty do. People come out and work at the ranch, artists licence their work to us, riders join an expedition, and businesses sponsor specific costs. Volunteer, partner as an artist, ride with us in 2027, buy something from the shop, or write to us about sponsorship.
Can I see where it ended up?
Yes, and we'd rather you did. The foals, the winters and the work all get written up in the news, and you're welcome to come to the ranch and see the herd in person.
One more thing worth knowing
A horse eats every day, so the thing that really steadies the ranch is a small amount arriving every month. €10 a month feeds a horse for ten days of every month, year after year, and it lets the team buy feed in advance instead of hoping. If you'd rather give once, that's welcome too, and you can always switch later.
Look at monthly support