Spring 2015

Spring is always an exciting time of year here in Marietta, New York. After a long, snowy winter, the sun’s warm rays start melting the snow. Grass and flowers begin to poke through the ground, the birds return, and the horses gladly welcome the increase in daylight hours. Amongst the daily buzz of ranch activities, we’re constantly surprised by God’s handiwork woven through the day. Sometimes it’s in the form of the thunderheads rising up on the ridge and swooping down to deliver the contents of an intense storm and sometimes it’s getting to sit in on the quiet moments of Clyde nuzzling a child’s hand in search of treats, or Herman closing his eyes and lowering his head as a child gently brushes down his face, soaking in the affection.

With the consistently pleasant weather, we’ve been able to start sessions at the Ranch again. The daily chores of mucking, scrubbing water buckets, and sweeping are eagerly attempted by little hands and, although these tasks may take longer this way, we wouldn’t trade it for the sense of accomplishment and importance they get from being able to help care for the horses. Somehow, children who have trouble focusing other places and not being motivated to clean at home, become the best of helpers at the Ranch! The horses eagerly wait for the chores to be done, as they know they’ll receive special attention from special kids. Herman with his steady and calm personality is a favorite to those who are a little fearful and would like to take things slowly. Clyde is always so curious and will be waiting at the fence to greet whoever comes to the Ranch; his large personality matches his size! It’s been wonderful to run sessions again and see how eager our horses are to work. They point to Jesus, their creator, as they love unconditionally. They are a listening ear, a shoulder to hug, a neck to pat, whiskers on a palm and a special friend in so many other ways to everyone they meet. We rejoice in all the little successes, the bravery for a small hand to feed a big mouth a carrot, the focus it takes for a busy mind to lead a horse from one place to the other.

This Summer, we’ve been learning a lot of important lessons at the Ranch. God has been using the horses, the weather, and various events as a school room to mould all of us closer to who we are meant to be. One recurring theme has been the importance of surrendering. As followers of Jesus, we’ve surrendered our lives to the One who died for us, but that isn’t a once-in-a-lifetime decision. It’s a decision we must make day by day, moment by moment. It’s choosing to find joy in Christ when we are feeling down, it’s giving up the right to hold a grudge and choosing to forgive, it’s letting go of despair and looking to Jesus for hope. Clyde has been getting and giving this lesson to me personally as we work through the adventure of teaching him to be a riding horse. In the moment, he’s sure he wants nothing to do with new things because he can’t see the fulfillment and enjoyment of the end result. He needs to surrender each lesson and trust that I have his best in mind as we work through each new thing. In the same way Jesus is asking us to chose Him in each moment, especially the tough ones, so that we can find the path of hope that only comes from following Him.

As the sun rises on a new season here at Timber Ridge Ranch we are anticipating abundant blessings and everyday miracles. We welcome anyone who would like to come visit the Ranch to contact us and set up a session time; the only requirement is willingness to participate. We appreciate everyone who gives to the ranch either financially or by volunteering their time. All are welcome regardless of Ranch experience. Every day we are so grateful to see how God can use our broken horses to reach into the lives of children and show them His love.

“For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.” Psalm 100:5

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 proj-ect 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.