A Valpo Life in the Spotlight: Jasmine Lindley 

Jasmine Lindley’s story begins in South Haven, Michigan—a lakeside town where she grew up with Midwestern roots and a quiet determination that would one day shape her life’s purpose.

After getting married, Lindley found herself traveling often for her husband’s career. Between moves and new towns, she worked toward her degree in legal studies through Purdue Global—determined to keep moving forward, even when life felt uncertain.

Eventually, the Lindleys settled in Winfield near Crown Point, Indiana. But what seemed like stability soon turned to survival. After enduring domestic violence, Lindley made the difficult decision to separate from her husband and start over as a single mother.

Her focus was on healing—especially for her children, who were struggling to make sense of the changes. Nothing seemed to help. That is, until horses entered their lives.

Lindley signed her daughter up for horseback-riding lessons, hoping the time outdoors might lift her spirits. It worked. She saw her daughter’s smile return each time she was near the horses. But the lessons quickly became too expensive for a newly single mom trying to rebuild.

Still, Lindley couldn’t ignore the transformation she was witnessing. “I saw my daughter healing when she was around horses,” she said. “I didn’t know how I could afford it—or how to bring that kind of peace home for all of us.”

One night, she decided to attend a local horse auction, hoping to find an affordable horse for the family. Instead, she discovered a harsh reality that changed her life forever: many horses sold at low prices were being purchased by kill buyers—traders who sent them off to slaughter for meat.

“That didn’t sit well with me,” Lindley said. “These horses deserved a better life.”

That night, she took a stand.

“We outbid the kill buyer that night and brought Winter home—a skinny gray Arabian,” she said. “I watched my daughter bring life back into that horse, and that horse bring peace to my daughter. As a mom, that was healing for me, too.”

The experience lit a fire in Lindley’s heart. “The more I watched, the more I knew something had to be done to save these horses,” she said. “They don’t deserve the ending they were facing.”

Her mission grew into Broken Road Equine Rescue and Sanctuary, named for the rough path that ultimately led her to healing. The rescue focuses on saving slaughter-bound horses—especially those from Texas, where Mexico’s border often marks the end of the line.

Each horse rescued by Lindley and her team receives medical care, farrier attention, proper nutrition, and above all, love. Once they’re healthy and ready, the horses are adopted or leased (at no charge) to qualified homes. Many go on to inspire others far beyond what their pasts might have suggested.

“We have horses now being used in equine therapy for people with disabilities,” Lindley said proudly. “Some have become kids’ 4-H horses winning ribbons at the fair. We even have one that’s a Sheriff’s Posse horse. We couldn’t be prouder.”

The rescue has also brought profound peace to Lindley herself.

“I found so much healing through the rescue that I didn’t even realize I needed,” she said.

Perhaps most special of all—her daughter, now 14, has become her closest partner in the work.

“Luckily, through all these years, my daughter has grown to not only be my best friend but also my main helper at the rescue,” Lindley said with a smile. “Most of the time she tells me, ‘I got this, Mom—go sit down.’ She knows what we’ve both been through, and she appreciates what this journey has given us.”

Lindley dreams of making horses accessible to everyone, regardless of income.

“There are a lot of families with lower incomes who simply can’t afford horses—and that’s tough, because horses have been proven to be incredibly therapeutic,” she said. “They’re something everyone should have the chance to experience at least once in their lifetime.”

Her next goal is to develop a program that allows the rescue to keep a select group of horses on-site permanently, rather than rehoming or leasing them, so more people can spend time with them free of charge.

“It’s about giving folks a chance to experience the healing and peace horses can bring,” she said.

When she’s not rescuing horses, Lindley juggles two careers: she’s a human resources administrator for HAN Capital and a property manager for Courthouse Square Lofts. Both roles allow her to connect with people from all walks of life—a skill she’s carried into her rescue work.
On weekends, she enjoys watching football or exploring local parks like Potato Creek, Stoney Run, and Deep Lake—places that let her reset and recharge.

Working in Valparaiso has been a joy for Lindley. She loves helping locals find the perfect office space downtown, surrounded by what she calls the heart of the city.

She describes downtown Valparaiso as vibrant, family-friendly, and filled with warmth.

“Mornings are made by the coffee shops, and evenings come alive with the restaurants and eateries,” she said. “It’s such a strong, connected community. You get that old-town feel—everyone is so friendly, outgoing, and happy. There’s kindness everywhere you go, even at the grocery store. If I’m trying to reach something on the top shelf, there’s always someone ready to help. It’s just a gracious, wonderful place to live.”

From surviving hardship to rescuing horses and building community, Jasmine Lindley has walked a difficult road—but a meaningful one. Through Broken Road Equine Rescue, she’s turned her own broken path into a sanctuary for both horses and humans, proving that healing can come from the most unexpected places.