Fall 2018

“Are you ready?” I ask, leading Herman toward the mounting block. The small child in front of me nods, looking a little nervous. It’ll be her first time climbing onto the big Belgian’s back. After many sessions of learning to groom and work with him on the ground, they’ve built a trusting relationship. She climbs up the steps of the mounting block and swings up into the saddle. Sitting straight up and looking around, her face breaks into the most radiant smile I have ever seen, her eyes wide with wonder of this new perspective. I explain how to communicate with her horse and ask him to walk, stop and steer, and she lets out a small giggle as she feels him begin to walk. Recognizing the joy in her face, I realize, Herman is giving her a very special gift. As we finish up our riding portion of the session and are heading back to the barn she stops to pick one of the wild daisies and hands it to me, instructing me to fix it into my ponytail. I smile and feel a nudge in my spirit, another gift.

Throughout our sessions this Summer the ongoing theme of gifts has been woven. The children give the gift of friendship and attention as they work with the horses and the horses exchange with gifts of trust and confidence. Some of our sessions included writing cards to people to encourage them or talking about ways we can be helpful at home. The sessions at the Ranch are free and as part of them, we often do a farm chore with the kids, instilling a sense of ownership in their time with us. This Ranch belongs to them too.

We received a very special gift from some of our kids who have been “regulars” to the ranch over the past few years. They decided to have a lemonade stand this summer and donated the money they earned to our Ranch. It wasn’t the monetary value that made this gift so outstanding, but rather the excitement these special kids had to do something kind for someone else.

We feel indebted to those who volunteer at the Ranch. The gifts of friendship and commitment over the years humble us. Our people have been willing to come out and finish building a stall for our new horse during the snowiest night of the year, or have joined us after work on a Friday afternoon to unload a wagon load of hay in the sweltering Summer heat. You can’t just find those kind of people anywhere, they truly are unique. As the Summer and our sessions have gone on I’ve thought about what it takes to give a gift, and it comes down to willingness. Everyone has something to offer if they are willing to look for a recipient and give what they can. If our blind old work horse can gift special moments to children, anyone can be a gift giver. What are the resources you are willing to share? Can you be a friend to someone? Do you have time to share? Maybe you are an encourager or have the gift of listening. All of these things are really special gifts that don’t require money at all. The Summer sun has set at the Ranch and we welcome a new season with cooler temperatures and beautiful colors. It’s a season of thanks and a season of giving, everyone has something to offer, no matter what your capabilities or restrictions are, let’s find ways to bless others.

Ranch News

We were priviledged to have horse trainer and preacher Ben Freeman visit for a “Message from the Mount” presentation. “Be transformed by the renewal of your mind” from Romans 12:2 was the theme and he expertly demonstrated the difference between how a young horse responds to a trainer and how a horse with many years of experience responds. It was a clear visual of how our lives are transformed by Jesus when we have a relationship with Him.

Summer sessions have come and gone and we are in an exciting time of year, planning for our annual “Harvest Party” and “Christmas Story Reading in the Barn”. Keep an eye on our facebook page with more information about these events to be announced. As we head into colder temperatures and shorter days we discontinue sessions for the season, but the horses always enjoy being groomed and having time spent with them. Contact us if you would like to visit!

Prayer Requests

We ask for your support in prayer for the following:

Guidance in the development of the ranch, we look forward to expanding our program and looking into various ways we can connect with the community

That the Lord would continue to send people to us

That the Holy Spirit would guide us as we interact with children and families

Volunteer Opportunities

We have many different opportunities for anyone who has a willing heart to invest in the Ranch. Whether you’re good with kids or adults, horses or mechanical things, we’ve got opportunities to help here. Let us know if you’ve got a free weekend to help with a project or two, or you just want to spend an hour once in a while unloading a hay wagon, grooming a horse, or picking up poop! There’s always stuff to do here!

Donate

Donations to support our ministry can be submitted on our website or sent to:
Timber Ridge Ranch, 2691 Route 174, Marietta, NY 13110.

We are a 501(c)(3) tax exempt organization.