Our Story
Catalyzed by the deep and ancient mutuality between horses and people, Flag Ranch was created by two retired racehorses – Kimberly Carlisle, a Stanford swimming Olympian, and Flag, a Northern California-bred Standardbred harness racer.
Flag came into Kimberly’s life 20 years ago at a tender and transitional time for her. Getting to know Flag helped Kimberly realize a dream that was surfacing: to create a sanctuary for retired racehorses. A place where they would be returned to their true horse nature and live out their lives naturally and with good care. Flag became a metaphor for Kimberly to honor her self, and her dreams. He was literally a Flag of freedom, a stake in the ground, a symbol for a vision that had not yet materialized but which she could no longer ignore.
We are ecstatic to be fully realizing our vision now at our forever home in the gorgeous rolling grasslands of northern California, an easy drive from both San Francisco and Sacramento..