Broken horses healing broken children. That is the mission of Charis Youth Ranch.
Tucked away in a serene meadow, Charis Youth Ranch is nestled securely against a rocky cliff and provides pastoral views of silos and church spires peeking through leafy green trees. It truly is a sanctuary. Both kids and horses alike come here for respite and healing.
Situated on 35 picturesque acres, Charis Youth Ranch currently cares for 21 rescued horses from all over the country. Many were rescued directly from the slaughter pipeline and neglectful or abusive situations. Others are surrendered to us by caring owners seeking a safe retirement for their older steeds. We value each horse regardless of their age or soundness. All of our horses are respected for their unique gifts and talents. They each have a story to tell.
Our rescued and rehabilitated horses connect with at-risk kids and families in individual and group equine interactive sessions. We share the stories of each horse’s journey with the kids and as they identify with one or another horses’s story, based upon their own passages through trauma, abuse or neglect, a kinship between them is born. As horse and child mirror one another in brokenness, healing begins.
Isaiah 61:1-3; “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, Because the Lord has anointed Me
To preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to those who are bound; 2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, And the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn,
3 To console those who mourn in Zion, To give them beauty for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning, The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; That they may be called trees of righteousness, The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.”
We could not do what we do without our volunteers!! We currently have 43 volunteers on our roster. They are the reason why horses are saved and kids are loved on our ranch They are the ones that feed the hungry, give attention to the neglected, heal the broken, tame the wild, and teach trust to the wary. Our horses and kids are blessed to have this group of dedicated people who believe that each life is important. Visit our volunteer page to meet our volunteers and learn how you can join us in making a difference.
We are passionate about healing broken kids and horses! We need your support to continue reaching out to at-risk children and families, and saving the lives of deserving horses. Every drop adds to the ocean and your donation touches each kid, each horse, and each volunteer. Thank You for your support. Please visit our Support page for more information.
