Sun River Season 3 Sessions

Oh how we have miss everyone over these cold months! It does give us the opportunity to reflect and revise how best to implement our mentoring program. This year has been especially exciting as we prepare our new location for events, volunteers and our families!

There are many important dates coming up here at the ranch:

March 22nd (This Saturday)-Volunteer Orientation 10:00-11:30AM

March 29th, April 5th, and April 12th-Volunteer Training/Meet the Herd

April 12th-Volunteer cleanup and Season Preparation Day beginning at 1:00PM

April 26th-"Gallop Into Spring" Season Opener Fundraiser 5-7PM

May 1st-Mentor sessions begin!!

 As you can imagine, we have a list of fun projects in store. Our new round pen, named: "The Horse Play Pen," is located at the far corner of our property, away from distractions and noise.

Stay tuned for fireside worship evenings as the weather changes. Mike and Ranch Pastor Sam will head up the music as we gather for fellowship around the fire.

 S

 Just a funny picture of Scrapper hanging out with Alley ( :

This is such a creative idea! Thank you Mom (Gail Stearns) for sending it over. We think it will make a perfect home for our goats, Seymore and Merle and for Hammy. 

Some of the changes to our youth program will be the following:

-Morning and afternoon session times available
-Saturday sessions offered
-Special event days
-Junior Volunteer Program Additions

We are so excited to have Mrs. Marisa (Reesy) Hone as part of our Sun River Family. This has been a dream of hers ever since she read Kim Meeder's books as a little girl. As program Coordinator, Reesy will be on site during sessions to help with any tasks and to answer questions. 





Thank you Gail Stearns (My Mama) for volunteering to do the volunteer schedule! This is quite the task and takes a very organized individual . . . not a gift I inherited. 

Please check out our new website for all upcoming dates and information. Spring is ALMOST HERE!

www.sreyr.org

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 
 -2 Corinthians 3:17

SREYR 2013 Season Review in Photos

"All horses deserve, at least once in their lives, to be loved by a little girl." –Author Unknown.

Destiny and Belle

"Horses lend us the wings we lack."  ~Author Unknown

Sammy and Beauty

"Gardening is about enjoying the smell of things growing in the soil, getting dirty without feeling guilty, and generally taking the time to soak up a little peace and serenity."  ~Lindley Karstens

"Children are the hands by which we take hold of heaven."-Unknown

"Horses and children, I often think, have a lot of the good sense there is in the world."  ~Josephine Demott Robinson

"He knows when you're happy
He knows when you're comfortable
He knows when you're confident
And he always knows when you have carrots."
~Author Unknown

"A horse is the projection of peoples' dreams about themselves - strong, powerful, beautiful - and it has the capability of giving us escape from our mundane existence."  ~Pam Brown



Shannah and Belle

Crystal Peaks Youth Ranch exists to Rescue the Equine, Mentor the Child, offer Hope for the Family and Empower the Ministry.

"The heart of a volunteer is not measured in size, but by the depth of the commitment to make a difference in the lives of others."
DeAnn Hollis

The idea of kids helping other kids is such a great way to introduce children to being involved in charitable causes and volunteer work, setting them on the path to doing good for others throughout their lives.
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/volunteer.html#7lQYuvzMR4KT6Bw2.99

The idea of kids helping other kids is such a great way to introduce children to being involved in charitable causes and volunteer work, setting them on the path to doing good for others throughout their lives.
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/volunteer.html#7lQYuvzMR4KT6Bw2.99

"Never doubt that a small group of committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." -Margaret Mead

         Makiah and Belle

Maddie and Willie

  

“When we come together to play and be we are truly ourselves When we are truly ourselves it is wonderful and when we act collectively in that wonder we do transformative work for our community and our world.”-Brad Colby

"The essential joy of being with horses is that it brings us in contact with the rare elements of grace, beauty, spirit, and fire."  ~Sharon Ralls Lemon

Malieha and Willie

"A man on a horse is spiritually as well as physically bigger than a man on foot."  ~John Steinbeck

"I like to see a man proud of the place in which he lives.  I like to see a man live so that his place will be proud of him."  ~Abraham Lincoln

Issac and Ty

Ty and Shadow

"I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel."-Maya Angelou
u

"A dog may be man's best friend, but the horse wrote history."  ~Author Unknown


Grandma Louise and Dude

"Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end."-Seneca

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"Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is FREEDOM."

2 Corinthians 3:17

http://www.sunriverequineranch.org/how_to_help/

Healing

There are many natural remedies that we have found to be helpful when working with our horses and in aiding their illnesses. This is not to say that we do not consult a veterinarian first. When considering natural remedies:

-Are they truly "natural" or do they include additives?
-Are there any side effects?
-Cost?

Apple cider vinegar (ACV) is a favorite in our household and for our animals. Not only is the vinegar an aid in fly prevention, but it is also excellent for the digestive system. One of our horses benefited from ACV with his bladder issues.

http://gerson.org/gerpress/8-amazing-uses-for-apple-cider-vinegar/

Essential Oils: Herbs

Essential oils can be expensive but are very potent in small doses. Because they are completely natural, we have used a few on a number of our horses.

Lavender Oil: Often used for anxiety and nerves.
Peppermint Oil: Aids in digestion and respiratory issues.

These are just a few that we have tried on our animals as they have little or NO side effects. They are often overlooked because they are not regulated through the FDA. However, there are many personal  testimonies on how essential oils have both prevented and healed even the most complicated diagnosis.

http://www.essentialanimals.com/articles/how-use-essential-oils-horses

**We highly recommend discussing options with an experienced veterinarian. Many are very open to the benefits of natural medicine, along with modern medicine.

Goldilox Update #2

Goldie began limping a few weeks ago. We were unsure the cause but treated it as a soft tissue injury. The pain seemed to be in her shoulder. We gave her some Bute and separated her from the herd so she could rest. The limp continued into last week, despite our efforts.

Sometimes love and attention is the best medicine. Goldie is spoiled by our eager little girls. They brush her, feed her treats, and whisper in her ear. She lowers her head to their level, closes her eyes and soaks up the affection. Yesterday,  I took her out of her stall and the limp was gone.

I realize her injury could very well have been healed with rest and time but I like to think that perhaps it's been a while since she has been loved by little girls.

Goldilocks (Goldie) Update

Goldie is a registered Arabian/Quarter Horse mare who came to us last week. She was scheduled to be euthanized because her owner could no longer care for her. The phone call came in around noon and we had minutes to make a decision. Sun River Equine believes in second chances . . . so . . . we went to pick her up at the vet. Goldie had a clean vet check on Friday and is very gentle and loving. Yesterday we tested her in the round pen with a saddle. Even though she is 21 years old, she still has a lot of spirit and her show quality came out. She holds her head beautifully and she maintains a slow steady trot. We are thrilled with her progress after only a week!


http://www.sunriverequineranch.org/how_to_help/

"Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is FREEDOM."

2 Corinthians 3:17

The life of a horse . . .

Imagine for a moment . . .  a little girl looking up at this enormous animal. The horse lowers her head to the child's small hands. She grows up with her horse, leading her, talking to her and trusting her with not only her secrets but her very safety. The horse follows, responds, and respects this child. Then something happens. The child grows up. The horse is sold to a breeder. Now her role changes. She must produce. When she is no longer able to produce, she is cast aside as a nuisance and sentenced to death by euthanasia.

This is a story of so many of these great animals. This is why we do what we do. We believe in giving a second chance, not only for children but also for horses.

Meet "Goldie"

We received a call about this 21 year old mare a couple of days ago. She was literally minutes away from being put down. Apparently, she was used as a 4H horse for very young children for years. She is sweet and gentle and deserves to have a retirement to enjoy the rest of her life. We realize hay is expensive. It has reached over $10 a bale in the winter months but what does it say about us as a society to kill an animal who is otherwise healthy, just because we don't have use for her anymore. Well, Sun River Equine Youth Ranch has use for her ( ;


www.sunriverequineranch.org

"Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is FREEDOM."

2 Corinthians 3:17

Welcome Home Sun River!

Sun River Equine Youth Ranch has officially moved! Our program will operate at our new permanent address: 6156 Deer Flat Rd. This is about 3 miles west of the Black Cat property. 

As you can imagine, this move has been enormous. We had so much help from our family, friends and families. Thank you all so very much. We couldn't have done it without you!

 Along with our move, we have had to add material, fencing, etc. to our needs. There are many future projects planned along with the necessary set up for our animals. We cannot thank Terry and Susan Thayer enough for their TREMENDOUS donation of sand for BOTH our round pen and arena! 
Terry and Susan have become dear friends of Mike and I and of Sun River. They own and operate Dreamhaven Ranch in Eagle, a similar ministry to ours. Terry and Susan have attended seminars at Crystal Peaks and plan to open their facility in the spring. This will allow for us to reach so many more children and families in the Treasure Valley area. We will be working together to ensure that we are as efficient as possible in bringing this mentor program to as many counties as possible. They have been a rock for us through this move. We will support and encourage each other through this journey.

 The move has required so much of our time. We originally planned to host our second annual Fundraising Harvest Party in October of this year. After careful consideration, we have decided that we are going to postpone this event to the spring. We would like to focus on our little ones and getting our animals comfortable in their new homes. Having the party in the spring will allow us to settle in. We would like the party to be as organized and beautifully set up as possible. We are disappointed because we have really looked forward to seeing all of our families and supporters but know you all understand how difficult such a big move can be. 

Lauren Koller, our beautiful friend and co-founder, welcomed her little girl "Laynie" into the world this weekend. As many of you know, Lauren and I worked closely together to design and operate this youth program. Lauren has decided to step down from Sun River and focus on her family and new baby at this time. With sad hearts we support and respect her new calling. We love you Lauren and will miss you! Thank you for your service, love and understanding over these past few years! We can't wait to meet your baby girl!

Stay tuned for future events! We will revamp our website very soon which will allow for easier viewing of important dates. 

If you would like to partner with us and help in building this ministry, please visit our existing website @

http://www.sunriverequineranch.org/how_to_help/

We are thankful for each and every one of you. Thank you for hanging in there with us as we tackle all of these changes. 

Blessings,
Tanya

Our mission is to bring all children, regardless of circumstance, as well as horses who have been abandoned or abused, together to watch the Lord heal their lives.  

"Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is FREEDOM."

2 Corinthians 3:17