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Spreading Love

2/14/2023

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Tis the season of love! This Valentine’s Day we are celebrating the love between horses and kiddos. A relationship built on trust, stability, respect, and fruitful communication- values that are misguided or idle in their current relationships. Forming a connection with horses benefits these kiddos in a number of ways: 
  • Boosted confidence
  • ​Increase in self-esteem
  • Understanding of non-verbal body language
  • Learning to effectively verbally communicate 
  • Heightened social & self-awareness
  • Building a stable routine and relationship 
  • Greater sense of empathy
  • Developing leadership skills

We’ve seen withdrawn kiddos begin to “break down walls” and share about their lives. Or, spend some time decompressing while grooming the minis after a long, stimulating day of school. 

One big transformation can be seen from Cody! Cody asked his mom to watch him hang out with Jasper. This session Cody wanted to get Jasper through an obstacle course without using a lead rope. He said he didn't want to use a lead rope because he wanted to give Jasper the freedom to express himself. Cody was having a hard time getting Jasper to follow him around the arena. Cody would start off confident, but make his body language small and Jasper would walk away. One time Jasper walked away and Cody went over to Jasper and hugged his face. Cody stood there a few minutes just hugging Jasper's face. Cody's mom said that he hasn’t hugged an animal since his dog passed earlier that year. After Cody hugged Jasper, his body language was more confident and Jasper followed him all over the arena until the end of the session.

Jasper is the largest horse we have at Crossfire Ranch. Despite his size, he is a soft gentleman who deeply cares for the kiddos. On the other size spectrum, Tigg’r & Spirit are our smallest horses. They still offer excellent companionship and simple delight! 

“Though full of shenanigans, the minis are such a good fit for our youngest kiddos. Sometimes, when so much of life is big and unpredictable, the minis bridge a gap that would otherwise be more difficult to span. Tigg’rs humor helps to soften walls and draw children in to play and just be a kid. It can look like a game of tag to watch Tigg’r, who’s much more animated than his counterpart Spirit, playfully follow after his smaller human friends, bounding over ground poles, zooming around a cone and then cock his head when they stop as if wondering “What’s next?” To find simple delight and to play...what a sweet gift they bring to many hearts.”

Tigg’r and Spirit have been a part of our program through the generous hands of an individual who allows us to borrow them. While we are incredibly thankful, we are even more excited to say that we have the opportunity to purchase both Tigg’r & Spirit! They can finally become a permanent part of our Crossfire family. We are asking for your help to bring the minis home! The addition of more horses will increase the expenses to ensure they are receiving the proper care to continue guiding youth. Although our biggest request is to consider making your donation a monthly commitment, we now are offering a matching challenge for one-time donations! Dollar for dollar match, up to $1,000! 
​

Let's welcome Tigg'r & Spirit to their permanent home! If you’d like to learn more about Tigg’r & Spirit, please visit “Meet the Herd” and consider making a donation at https://www.flipcause.com/secure/cause_pdetails/MTc2NDc1

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 donors help us further our mission of supporting individuals through equine partnership. Thank you for all you do!

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Crossfire Ranch / 920-740-0010
​[email protected]
by appointment only: 5912 Nagel Road, Valders, WI54245
©2025 Crossfire Ranch, inc.
​All rights reserved.
  • Home
    • Meet the Crossfire Team
    • Board of Directors
  • Mentoring Programs
    • Program Happenings!
    • SPURS ( 1:1 Mentoring )
    • SESSION APPLICATIONS >
      • CLTS Session Application
      • Session Application
    • Session Contributions
  • CAMPS
    • Summer Camps
    • Saturday Adventure Camps
  • CALENDAR
  • Events
  • Donate
    • Wish List
    • Impact Report
    • Capital Campaign
  • Get Involved
    • Discovery Day
    • Mentor Application
    • Career Opportunities
    • General Volunteer Application
  • Stories
    • Meet the Herd
    • Blog: In the Crossfire
  • Resources
    • Supportive Family Resources
  • MENTOR PAGES
    • Session Overview
    • Session Logging
    • Ideas & How To's
  • Connect