OUR HISTORY
While Sharron was living in Australia serving with Youth for Christ, an Aussie friend told her about Kim Meeder and Crystal Peaks Youth Ranch in Oregon. Crystal Peaks is the first equine ministry to pair rescued horses with people who are hurting.
Every fiber of Sharron’s being was ignited when she heard about such a ministry. So, after 7 ½ years of being in Australia and applying for residency, Sharron instead found herself on a plane coming back to the US. Youth for Christ had agreed to loan her to an equine ministry for a year before going back overseas.
Instead of going to Crystal Peaks for a year though, God sent Sharron to the other side of the country, to VA, to serve with a similar ministry called Wings of Hope Ranch. Sharron wasn’t there long before she knew this was what she was born to do!
The one year turned into nearly 2 years in VA before Sharron came back to Colorado to get certified in Equine-Assisted-Learning and Equine-Assisted-Psychotherapy. While she was actively planning on moving to Honduras to start an equine ministry there, God was laying the ground work for Sharron to pioneer a ministry in Colorado! What got Sharron’s attention off of going back overseas and instead staying in Colorado, was the fact that within one week she found herself with 4 rescue horses, horse property and people asking how they could be involved and what she had to offer their teenager who was struggling.
All 3 key elements were now in place, all while Sharron was actively pursuing Honduras. Youth for Christ made a massive exception, since YFC does not do equine-ministry, and allowed Sharron to pioneer the ministry as an affiliate ministry of YFC for the first three years. God was on the move then and He still is now!
In July 2015 we became our own nonprofit. Much has happened since we first began this ministry, and many lives have been touched and changed, including Sharron’s life!
We now operate in two locations, we partner with multiple organizations, we have five rescue horses, a wonderful team of volunteers and an ever-growing number of people being impacted. It has been and continues to be quite an adventure, and God gets all the glory!
OUR VISION
To see lives change as people discover their God-given potential through equine-related activities.
OUR MISSION
To empower people to overcome challenges and find healing and truth through authentic, experiential, equine-assisted-learning.
The Son and Reins Ranch is certified in Equine Assisted Learning (EAL) through Greg Kersten’s O.K. Corral and through Elaine Averill’s faith-based Equine Assisted Learning.
CURRENT PROGRAMS
We offer weekly, biweekly and monthly Equine-Assisted-Learning (EAL) sessions for individuals, couples or pairs of any kind, and families or groups of any kind. EAL is experiential learning with horses and is beneficial for working through challenges and conflict, strengthening understanding and communication skills, growing in self-awareness and team unity, gaining perspective, etc. EAL sessions are customized to best meet the particular needs of the person or group.
Some EAL sessions for individuals will also incorporate the principles of natural horsemanship training, allowing the person to build a relationship and establish themselves as the horse’s leader.
STATEMENT OF FAITH
We invite, welcome and embrace people from all backgrounds, struggles and beliefs… all will be loved when they come to our Ranch!
The Son and Reins Ranch is a Christian based ministry and all our direct volunteers, staff and board members must affirm our Statement of Faith and exclusive claims of allegiance that Jesus Christ makes upon everyone who would follow Him as Christians. With that understanding, they agree with and adhere to the Statement of Faith as one of The Son and Reins Ranch leaders, entrusted to advance our mission.
Share in Ranch Life
We depend on your support & we invite you to partner with us. The three main ways to join us in our mission are listed below. Please prayerfully consider how you would like to get involved and become part of The Son & Reins Ranch family.