Have you ever felt isolated or feel like there’s a cloud over your head? Do you have a place or person who brings you peace? Maybe even a non-human best friend? For me, it’s horses. I always joke it’s because they don’t talk back, but truly it’s because they are my best friends. Those tiny ears have heard many secrets and have seen so many emotions. My worries seem to fade when I am around them. I’m no longer thinking about the assignment stressing me out or what I’m doing tomorrow. Whether past, present, or future, I can finally think clearly and relax. I am truly in the moment and basking in the comforting aura of horses. When I picture my happy place, I think of sitting in the pasture with the horses as they are peacefully munching away. The ability to be present in the moment and enjoy the time to disconnect is an important part of overall health. In today’s society, hustle culture is the new norm…always on the go, overextended work hours, lack of personal time, inconsistent work/life balance…the list could go on and on. If you are always hard at work, you will feel guilty, disappointed, or sad on those days that you don’t have enough steam to keep going. It is a vicious cycle of burnout. Interacting with horses is a cherished time to unwind and encourage mental peace/space. Maintaining a more positive mental mindset means you need to prioritize that aspect in your life. It can be incredibly difficult to make time for yourself when work and life duties pile up. Just a simple five minutes can help you mentally reset. Animal presence is calming and helps us regulate our own emotions. It has also been proven to lower cholesterol and blood pressure. Horses are these powerful, calm creatures we are innately drawn to. Even the largest horses can flash their gentle, kind eyes to make us feel comfortable. It’s quite interesting, isn’t it? These large, dynamic souls trust us and look for us to be the herd leader. Subconsciously, we convey our emotions to them and they have the capacity to mirror back to us. In a herd, instinct and emotional responsiveness are how they survive. Their keen emotional sense allows them to pick up on feelings of anxiousness, nervousness, anger, fear, etc. It’s through their awareness that we learn to confront and regulate our own feelings. Every time we handle horses, we are always learning and problem solving. No day or situation is always the same. Especially when our emotions change frequently. Horse care also requires a certain amount of physical labor and learned skill… proper handling, grooming, and cleaning. All of these fun things and new responsibilities are exciting and offer so much growth. These tasks improve our cognitive function, coordination, and balance. Equine assisted learning is proven to help with rehabilitation of traumatic brain injuries because of the physical skills and emotional connection to horses. For these same reasons, assisted activities are helpful in individuals with intellectual and developmental challenges. It continues to amaze me that one unique animal was created with such a large capacity to understand and heal us. They become our best friends and a shoulder of support for all the good and unfortunate aspects of our lives. Your continued support of Crossfire Ranch enables us to provide services for individuals and families who are experiencing challenging life issues. We are blessed to have you be a part of our loving community! All of our mentors, volunteers, and sponsors help us further our mission of supporting individuals through equine partnership. Thank you for all you do!
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I would never claim I’ve ever had elaborate plans or have everything figured out, not now, not then. To say when Crossfire Ranch began... is like finding a needle in a haystack. I can honestly look back at most of my life and say God has been preparing me for this. I just didn’t know it. Hindsight is a wonderful thing if used well. The curiosity of God’s rumblings began at Silver Birch Ranch when our family was the volunteer dishcrew. More specifically, it began in between meals, holding onto a tow rope while being whipped over the iced lake on an innertube behind a snowmobile. “Hold on tightly” were the whispered words. I knew without a doubt it wasn’t about the physical object that I clenched in my hands that kept me from careening into the trees. But I didn’t know the journey that was eventually to unfold. In brief (that’s super difficult, because of the richness of details) I grew up on a small family dairy farm. Dad brought my first pony, Betsy, home in the back of his pickup truck. The second, an Arabian named Silver, needed a larger vehicle to deliver her. I knew basically nothing and even at six years of age I had to figure it out on my own. I found a freedom, new fears, friends and the love of the motion/rhythm of the horse. My older childhood eventually brought me face to face with brain health challenges my brother faced, the pain of peers and the vail that shrouded his life due to things that were not in his control. My heart has since been for those that struggle with brain health challenges and the stigma that is often felt by those who live with it. Fast forward many years to 2004, growing children of my own etc, and the Lord introduces me to Crystal Peaks Youth Ranch near Bend, Oregon. My heart wraps and my eyes tear as I read the stories of hearts healing and restoration that were brought about by the simple time of being with horses; allowing them to love well and walking alongside those who suffered unseen wounds, unseen scars. Through much waiting and wrestling with what had long felt like being called to bring hope and healing through an equine ministry, in 2017 God spoke two little, but oh so powerful words to me as I drove home from visiting my mom who was spending her last days here on earth. They were “Go” and “Now”. They interrupted all that my thoughts were dwelling. My response was simply, "If this is You Lord, I need you to lay down the stones to step on.” A new chapter was being written, the story began unfolding as the path was being laid down. Crossfire Ranch moved from my head space to sharing Jasper with the first handful of kids. Since then we’ve been at a few locations, each one being a place of learning, growing and building. In October of 2019, we landed solidly in Reedsville. I’d like to say that I was thrilled but it took some time and softening of my heart to settle in. Looking back (again, hindsight is a wonderful thing) I am able to say that this was God’s plan and I am forever grateful. It has been a joy regardless of where we served, but I believe He has brought Crossfire Ranch to this area for such a time as this and we are confident in letting our roots grow. Crossfire Ranch has been a journey of connecting the dots, being willing to step into the unknown, the uncomfortable and trust that God, who own the cattle on a thousand hills, is true and faithful. If this idea is His, then He will also make the path straight. It is only mine to follow His lead. Crossfire exists to share the love, truth and grace He brings. To offer hope and freedom to the broken hearted, joy for sadness, beauty for ashes, comfort for grieving. Hope and freedom are trajectory changers. Your continued support of Crossfire Ranch enables us to provide services for individuals and families who are experiencing challenging life issues. We are blessed to have you be a part of our loving community! All of our mentors, volunteers, and sponsors help us further our mission of supporting individuals through equine partnership. Thank you for all you do!
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