"My granddaughter and I have had the privilege of spending time at The Refuge Ranch this summer, and what a blessing it has been! To give you a little snapshot of what our experience has been like, I’ve listed out the top ten things I love about the ranch—in no particular order, except that I saved the best for last!

1. Mike & Rachel’s kindness and care. Their love for God and people is what makes The Refuge Ranch a ministry.

2. Lizzie, the cheerful, tail-wagging welcoming committee that greets us each week. What a good dog!

3. Chores. Not only do they show us a realistic facet of owning horses, but sharing in the chores also makes us feel like we’re a part of the ranch.

4. Chores, pt. 2. There’s always learning opportunities in the chores! We’ve learned the whys of keeping the barn, pens, and water troughs clean, as well as what those many horse droppings can tell us about horse health.

5. The devotions.  Those good nuggets of sound, biblical truth are delivered in a way that stick in our thoughts—and the points are often referenced throughout our sessions. Plus, I love that our time at the ranch begins and ends with prayer.

6. The Ranch’s motto: from fear to faith. Boy, did we see that play out over the first several weeks with the horses! And the principles definitely transfer to other parts of life. 

7. Tonia’s vast knowledge about horses and the skillful way she instructs us. She is quite an amazing teacher!

8. Tonia’s patience in working with us greenhorns! I’m sure she’s secretly amused. Or something!

9. The life-giving environment. We’re outside in a lovely setting growing in horsemanship—could it get any better than that? Plus the steady stream of encouraging words from Mike and Tonia! I love Mike’s reminders that much of what we learn about horses can be applied to growing in “peoplemanship” too!

10. And best of all are the horses! *Insert dreamy sigh.* How we’ve grown to love those beautiful creatures! Though we started out as nervous strangers, our steady interaction with the horses has produced a bond of fond partnership over time. Every aspect of working with them is a delight! On one trip home, my granddaughter and I joked about not wanting to wash the smell off our hands!

So there you have it—my top ten reasons why I love The Refuge Ranch!

P.S. My granddaughter gives the above a thumbs up and said to emphasize the fear-to-faith element, with cleaning hooves a case in point. It was so intimidating at first, but now it’s normal routine! She adds that she never feels pushed to do anything, but we’re invited to work up to the challenge. She says, “Five stars! I love The Refuge Ranch!” JC

"God divinely reconnected me with Mike and Rachel, and has led me to experiencing the peace, calm, serenity and healing to be “still enough” to allow the Holy Spirit to move greatly while experiencing The Refuge Ranch!  I have learned so much knowledge, understanding and bonding with the horses, and it has allowed a true Refuge for my mind, body, spirit, and soul. Mike, Rachel and Tonia are absolute Blessings and a true gift from God to everyone they meet I thank God for using them as his vessels and being the hands and feet of Jesus here on earth!" KM

"Our daughter‘s experience at the Refuge Ranch has enriched her life in a far greater way than just time and experience with horses. It’s been a joy for us to see her do hard things, be successful in new areas, become more independent, speak up for herself, overcome fear, and enjoy things she was dreading. It has encouraged us as parents to set the bar higher and give her the chance to grow. The cherry on top is that all of the lessons and teaching come from a biblical worldview that grow her faith in God alongside her self confidence. We are so grateful for the huge investment that the staff at the Refuge Ranch have put into our daughter." MC

"Our daughter's been taking lessons at the Refuge Ranch and has grown immensely both as a person and a rider.  She looks forward to her every week lesson and to the next adventure!  They work on everything from the basic needs of the horses, skills and what it takes to own and maintain your horse. Also the knowledge of the trainer is impeccable and we trust the full process.  There have been so many valuable lessons thus far and she looks forward to her future and progress at the Refuge Ranch." HL

"Our family has been incredibly blessed by The Refuge Ranch. Both of my children have had the opportunity to work with the horses, and the experience has been nothing short of transformative. The staff leads with genuine faith, patience, and compassion, creating a safe and uplifting environment for everyone who comes through the gates.The way the ranch blends horsemanship with biblical principles has helped my kids grow not only in confidence and responsibility but also in their walk with Christ. They’ve learned valuable skills—both practical and spiritual—and they come home each day excited to share what they’ve learned.The horses are well cared for, the atmosphere is peaceful, and the ministry’s dedication to serving families is evident in everything they do. We are truly grateful for the positive impact this place has had on our children and on our family as a whole." JS

"The Refuge Ranch truly lives up to its name. It is a safe haven—a place to step away from the real world for a while. At the ranch, we not only work with horses, but we learn from them. I first had the joy of watching my girls participate; now I get to take part alongside one of my daughters.Tonia, Mike, and Rachel feel like family. They are warm and welcoming, and they genuinely want people to have the chance to grow, heal, and learn. Being a participant has given me time to connect with and care for the horses, reminding me that every day offers something new to learn. Mike challenges us each time by ending each lesson by asking, “Well, what did you learn today?”—and the lessons always come through the experiences Tonia guides us through.  Sometimes the learning is as simple as remembering to breathe. Other times it’s more complex: paying attention to what the horse is telling us, remembering to sit tall, or thinking through how to respond in a new situation. Then comes the riding—putting all the skills together in real time.If you ask my daughter what the best part of the ranch is, she’ll say “the horses.” But if you asked her to choose just one, I don’t think she could. And honestly, neither could I.I am so grateful for the opportunity to participate at the ranch. It has been an amazing experience—one that brings peace, learning, and connection every time I’m there." CH

"Our family began attending sessions at the ranch in November 2023 after we had been praying and searching for help for our 4 year old daughter as we helped her work through some intense medical trauma and a dear friend had suggested meeting the ranch crew. It was a joy to meet Mike, Rachel and Tonia, as well as the horses and soon we were coming weekly with multiple of our children for family sessions. We have learned so much knowledge about horses, our children have gained confidence and responsibility in caring for the horses and the way they've bonded to the horses is incredible. On a weekly basis, our now 5 year old daughter can be heard telling Lilly, the horse she works with, that they're best friends and telling Lilly how much she loves her as they nuzzle faces close together.  The staff and experience of love, kindness and caring we've experienced at The Refuge Ranch is much deeper than we could have ever fathomed and it has been an integral part of our healing journey as a family." AB

“We are in awe of what God has done in our children and family through The Refuge Ranch over the last year. We started coming to the ranch for our daughter, who was dealing with anxiety and related struggles. The safe, trustworthy people and environment allowed her to step away and reflect on her own experiences through what she observed with the horses, which was then tied into truth from God’s Word and immediately relatable to something going on in her life.  Within months we saw a night and day difference in her perspective and ability to handle situations and she has continued to grow and mature in leaps and bounds since then. Throughout the course of the last year, our boys have joined in as participants and our daughter has started volunteering at the Ranch.  We have all grown in our own areas of struggle, in our relationships with the Lord and in our relationships with others. Life lessons are being illustrated in more impactful ways than I can imagine anywhere else.  The kids are developing ‘muscle memory’ as they practice listening, observing, focus, compassion, teamwork, self control, flexibility, responsiveness, balance, boundaries, sacrifice, consistency, patience, communication, trust and so much more. As they see the impact that these things have on the horses, it helps them to better understand God’s great love and care for us, His relationship with us, and our relationships with others. The Bible study portion of our time points us to Jesus, the hope that we have in Him and the purpose that God has called us to in ministering to others and reconciling relationships of all kinds. God is using the ranch to not only heal wounds and strengthen weaknesses, but also to redeem those areas and use them for good!  We are forever grateful for the eternal impact of our time with Mike, Rachel, Tonia and the horses in this blessed place.”  GB

“When I first approached The Refuge Ranch, I was broken in spirit and hope because of trauma and grief. The people and horses here offered me a true place of refuge for mind, body and spirit. The devotional time here teaches or reminds me of the principles of the Bible through the eyes of human-horse relationships. The connections and bonds I have built with the horses here are truly gifts from God.”  SK

“We started visiting the Refuge Ranch in the last year. It has been a great experience for both my son and me, far exceeding every expectation. From the first time we met Mike and Rachel, they have taken an interest in our family and how things are going with our son. From the check in/devotional time to the closing at the end, each session is centered on teaching us more about horses and riding, with life lessons built in that teach about faith, relationships, emotions, and many other aspects of daily life. Tonia is an amazing instructor who does an incredible job of teaching us about horses, riding, and having/developing a relationship with the horses. We cannot thank the Refuge Ranch enough for the ministry they provide, the experience they create, and the memories that are being made each week for my son and me. It is very easy to see that everyone involved with the Refuge Ranch has a great love for God, people, and for the horses on the ranch. We look forward to our sessions each week. My son has said that the day we go to the Refuge Ranch is his favorite day of the week.” SS

"My kids have always been intrigued by horses and have always longed to have one. While this has never been an option for us, we've found an amazing alternative in the Refuge Ranch. My kids started attending the Ranch regularly to help with chores and just get a chance to be around horses. We really had no expectations other than wanting to serve Mike and Rachel and enjoy the animals. We got so much more than we asked or imagined! Weekly, my kids are shown God's love through His Word, prayer, hard work and the amazing animals! I can see how my kids have grown in confidence in all aspects of their lives by spending time at the Ranch. They aren't just learning to ride a horse, but gleaning life skills, courage to try new things, bravery to face the unknown, awareness of the needs of those around them, and love for God's amazing creation. The Refuge Ranch has truly been a Godsend and blessing to our whole family and we're so thankful that Mike and Rachel stepped out in faith and were willing to walk alongside our children."  SS