Excelsior Ranch

05/08/2026

At Excelsior Ranch, we believe every child deserves the opportunity to grow in confidence, character, leadership, and resilience regardless of financial circumstances.

Each year, we meet incredible families who would love to send their children to camp but are walking through financial hardship, health challenges, or difficult seasons of life. Some of these families have spent years serving others in our community, and we would love the opportunity to give back by helping their children experience camp this summer.

Our camps are about so much more than horses. Kids learn responsibility, perseverance, teamwork, respect, emotional regulation, leadership, and confidence through hands-on experiences with horses, outdoor activities, and meaningful mentorship. We work hard to create an environment where children feel encouraged, capable, and valued.

We are currently raising funds for camp scholarships so that more children can participate regardless of their family’s financial situation.

If you would like to help sponsor a child’s camp experience, donations can be made here: https://givebutter.com/ExcelsiorRanch

If you would prefer to mail a check, please send us a private message for details.

Thank you for helping us create opportunities for children to grow, connect, and build confidence in a meaningful way. ❤️

By Excelsior Ranch

05/01/2026

What if confidence isn’t something we teach… but something kids build through experience?

So many times, we tell kids:
- “Be confident.”
- “Try harder.”
- “Believe in yourself.”

But confidence doesn’t come from words alone. It comes from evidence. From moments where a child:
- Does something that feels hard
- Learns to feel AND regulate their emotions
- Builds trust with something bigger than themselves
- Realizes… “I can do this.”

At Excelsior Ranch, we don’t just want kids to act confident. We want them to believe something about who they are.

Through hands-on work with horses, kids learn:
- How to communicate without words
- How to stay calm when things feel overwhelming
- How to lead with clarity and intention
- How to build trust, respect, and connection

And something incredible happens… You start to see it in them:
- A little more confidence.
- A little more courage.
- A little more belief in themselves.

That’s what we’re building.

If that’s something you want for your child, we would love to have them join us this summer for camp 🤍

Sign up here: https://forms.gle/zEoJRTvFii8Hs4gK8

04/29/2026

That weird moment when you are trying to plant a tree and the barn cat climbs you like a tree… 😂

04/27/2026

We thought about burning it.

As we cleared brush from the field, the original plan was simple—pile it up and light it on fire.

But the bigger the pile got, the more I started to think…
1 - About the damage it would leave behind.
2 - The scar in the ground.
3 - The way the heat would kill the good things in the soil.

We want to plant fruit trees there. We want grass to grow, and burning it would set that back for years. So we made a different choice. We’re doing the harder work—loading it up and hauling it away.

It got me thinking about relationships.

Sometimes, when we’re hurt or frustrated, it’s tempting to just burn it all down. Cut it off. Walk away. Be done.

And in some situations, that is the right decision. There are times when boundaries are necessary—especially when someone isn’t safe for you or your family.

But there are also times when relationships drift…
when distance grows…
when assumptions fill in the gaps.

And instead of working through it, we let it burn.

The truth is, it’s harder to sort through things. It’s harder to have the conversation. It’s harder to own your part and try to understand someone else’s.

But if the relationship matters…
if the person is safe…
it’s worth doing the work.

Because just like that field… what gets burned leaves a mark. And what gets tended… has the chance to grow again.

If there’s someone on your heart today… call them.

- Apologize for your part.
- Forgive.
- Tell them you love them.

You never know when your last conversation will be.

As far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 💛

04/22/2026

Carly wanted to be baptized, but she was scared to go under the water.

Her mom shared something with me that brought tears to my eyes… Horse camp helped her find the courage to do it 💛

At camp, Carly’s biggest takeaway wasn’t just how to lead a horse.
It was courage.

We talked a lot about how horses can feel scary sometimes.
They’re big. They’re powerful. Working with them with stretch you.

So we practiced something simple: Six seconds of courage.

Because most of the time…
👉 The fear passes
👉 The moment is over
👉 Or something incredible is waiting on the other side

I had shared a story with the kids about a time I was riding a horse that suddenly took off. I had never gone that fast before. I was scared.

But instead of panicking, I remembered: It just takes six seconds of courage.

So I breathed, I stayed present, and something shifted. The fear turned into excitement, and the ride became exhilarating.

Carly held on to that story.

When it came time for her baptism, she was still scared… but she knew what to do.

She practiced going underwater in the bathtub. Over and over, using the same tool: Six seconds of courage.

And last Sunday… she invited us to her baptism, and we got to witness her proclamation of faith 💛

This is why we do horse camp.

Yes, they learn about horses, but more importantly… they walk away with tools they can use in real life.

✨ Courage
✨ Confidence
✨ The ability to move through fear instead of being stopped by it

Horse camp goes far beyond the barn.

If you want your child to build this kind of confidence, camps are open for summer ☀️🐴

👉 Register here: https://forms.gle/b7jcHUAAaGWQazRq5

If you’ve been thinking about it… this is your sign 💛

04/19/2026

I would just like to know who organized this.
Because this was not an accident. 😂
Fence pulled IN (not out… in??), somehow dragged past a bush, and a group of horses decided to take a several-mile stroll to meet the neighbors… who greeted them with apples like honored guests. 🍎
Rhett declined the adventure and stayed home. Respect.
The rest had a great time and were kindly escorted back by an amazing neighbor (thank you!!).
Meanwhile, Abigail and I spent the next hour patching fence and questioning our life choices while researching electric fencing.
The horses are clearly one step ahead of us.

04/19/2026

I would just like to know who organized this.
Because this was not an accident. 😂

Fence pulled IN (not pushed out… PULLED in??), somehow dragged past a bush that seems impossible for a horse to navigate, and a herd of horses who decided to take a several-mile stroll to meet the neighbors… who greeted them with apples like honored guests. 🍎

Rhett declined the adventure and stayed home. Respect.

The rest had a great time and were kindly escorted back by an amazing neighbor (thank you!!).

Meanwhile, Abigail (who will be licensed and seeing new clients in a few short months) and I spent the next hour patching fence and questioning our life choices while researching electric fencing.

The horses are clearly one step ahead of us.

04/18/2026

☀️ Excelsior Kids Summer Horse Camps Are OPEN! 🐴

Last summer, the kids got hot… so they built a FOUR-DECKER water slide, grabbed the hose, and turned it into something unforgettable.

We made homemade ice cream, had snow cones and popsicles in the shade, and spent our days laughing, learning, and connecting—with each other and with the horses.

This summer, we’re doing it again… and I have a feeling spots will go FAST.

🐴 What makes Excelsior Camp different?

This is a ground-based camp (no riding) focused on connection, confidence, and character.

Your child will:
🤝 Bond with horses through grooming, leading, and trust-building
🧠 Learn how horses communicate—and what it teaches us about people
💛 Build confidence through calm leadership and emotional awareness
🌿 Practice mindfulness and learn to regulate energy and emotions
📚 Explore horse care, anatomy, and herd behavior
🎨 Enjoy crafts, games, and meaningful friendships

🌟 Returning Campers (Level 2 Experience)

If your child joined us last year, they are absolutely welcome back.

While many horse activities will feel familiar (because repetition builds confidence), this year:
✨ Reflection activities and workbooks go deeper
✨ We focus more on application and leadership
✨ Returning campers can help lead horse activities if they feel ready

This creates a new experience with more growth, not just a repeat.

📅 2026 Camp Dates

👧 June 8–12 (All Girls)
👦👧 June 22–26 (Boys & Girls)
👧 July 13–17 (All Girls)
👦 July 27–31 (All Boys)
👧 August 10–14 (All Girls)

🕘 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM
💰 $300/week
👧👦 Ages 7–14

✨ Optional Extended Care (8 AM – 5 PM): +$150/week

⚠️ How to Reserve Your Spot

Spots are first-come, first-served and fill quickly.

Complete registration form:
👉 https://forms.gle/b7jcHUAAaGWQazRq5
Submit $50 deposit (+$3 processing):
👉 https://square.link/u/SuZl3vVN

✔️ Your spot is NOT held until both are complete, so don't forget to do both!

If you’re looking for something that builds more than just skills—something that builds confidence, empathy, and resilience—this is it.

📌 Learn more: excelsiorranch.com/kids-camps

If you have questions, drop them below or message me.
I can’t wait to see these kids back at the ranch ❤️🐴

04/16/2026

Severe weather rolled in tonight, with the threat of baseball-sized hail. I ran out to the pasture in the pouring rain to bring the horses in… but they didn’t come when I called. Not like they usually do.

They were together, pacing, uncertain. And if I’m being honest… I felt a little uncertain too standing out there with the tornado sirens going and lightning all around.

So I walked up to Chino, took off my jacket, and put it around his neck. I started leading him toward the barn. He resisted. He didn’t want to go. But eventually… he chose to trust me. And when he did, the others followed.

Now they’re all inside, safe and dry, eating hay together in the arena.

It made me think about how often we resist being led… even when it’s exactly where we need to go.

We don’t always understand the direction.

We don’t always feel safe in the moment.

Sometimes everything in us wants to stay where we are.

But trust is what moves us forward. Trust that we’re being led with care. Trust that God has something better on the other side. Trust that we’re not alone in the storm.

Sometimes faith looks like taking a step… even when you’re not sure.

04/10/2026

This trailer full of brush doesn’t just represent yard work… it represents days and days of hard, exhausting effort.

This is our second full load hauled away, and we’re still not done. The pasture is overgrown, full of thorns and brush, and very much a work in progress.

But here’s what struck me recently… A neighbor told me that just ten years ago, this land was clear, open, and beautiful. No thorns. No overgrowth.

I couldn’t help but think… Isn’t that exactly what happens in our own minds?

Without maintenance… without truth… without intentionally tending to what we allow to grow… the thorns take over.

Negative thoughts. Lies we start to believe. Old patterns that slowly creep in and reshape the landscape.

And just like this land, it doesn’t happen overnight… and it doesn’t get fixed overnight either.

It takes work to identify what doesn’t belong. It takes effort to pull it out at the root. It takes consistency to keep it from growing back.

But here’s the truth:

✨ It is worth the work.

Little by little, load by load, things begin to change. What once felt overwhelming starts to look different. What once felt impossible starts to feel hopeful again.

Don’t give up on the work you’re doing in your own life.

Even when it feels slow… even when it feels like too much…

You’re clearing ground for something beautiful. 🌿

04/02/2026

Chino has officially promoted himself to Ranch Manager.

Last week he let himself into the feed room… today he’s opening stall doors like it’s part of his daily routine. (He got this latch on his own but we didn’t get the camera out in time!)

I’ve added extra clips to the gate, but let’s be honest… he’s probably figuring those out too.