We are running an Equine Therapy program that is ministering to kids and their families. We use neurodevelopmental techniques with a Christian influence. We examine the emotional and spiritual sides to all the situations going on in the kids' lives. We fund our ministry through the sale of The Easy French and The Easy Spanish foreign language curriculums: www.TheEasyFrench.com www.TheEasySpanish.com We also work with missions group in providing training and/or a discount on our programs. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ShalomRanch/ en-us Homeschool Blogger Mon, 30 Apr 2007 13:06:00 -0500 Mon, 30 Apr 2007 13:06:00 -0500 Want to win a beautiful rare curly horse? Just enter our "I Love Horses" Contest. You can write a poem or story, draw a picture, make a video or anything you want to tell us how much you love horses. This contest is open to all ages. Shalom Ranch Dara Warrior is a full curly horse that can be registered. This very sweet filly will be ready to ship in late August/early September. Hauling is free to all major cities in Canada or America. Please go to www.shalomranch.org and click on the foal contest link for the entry form and more information.   http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ShalomRanch/321609/ Mon, 30 Apr 2007 13:06:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ShalomRanch/321609/ Want to win a beautiful rare curly horse? Just enter our "I Love Horses" Contest. You can write a poem or story, draw a picture, make a video or anything you want to tell us how much you love horses. This contest is open to all ages. Shalom Ranch Dara Warrior is a full curly horse that can be registered. This very sweet filly will be ready to ship in late August/early September. Hauling is free to all major cities in Canada or America. Please go to www.shalomranch.org and click on the foal contest link for the entry form and more information.   http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ShalomRanch/321607/ Mon, 30 Apr 2007 13:03:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ShalomRanch/321607/ See www.attachment.org.  http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ShalomRanch/319729/ Wed, 25 Apr 2007 22:32:01 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ShalomRanch/319729/ We will be hosting a Family Camp this summer.  Nancy Thomas is a Christian therapeutic parent from Colorado.  She will be our guest speaker.  You can check out her work at www.attachment.org.  If you are interested in finding out more about the camp please email me at marie@ShalomRanch.org.     Shalom http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ShalomRanch/319728/ Wed, 25 Apr 2007 22:32:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ShalomRanch/319728/ At the same time as the stallion went home, another mare was dropped off for us to train.  Cheno is very over weight.  She is not that big, standing at 14. 1 hh, but has enough attitude of a horse of 17hh.    Today we took Cheno out of her pasture to start working with her.  She is very used to humans and has no fear of us, but also has no respect for us.  She was used to being more of a pet and was not put in her place like she should have been.  We are now having to be quite tough with her.  We can see her potential, but cannot even start on proper training until she has some discilpine.   There are times that we ask something of her and she totally ignores us.  We then need to get bigger and in her face for her to listen.  Even when we lead her around she is not respectful.   She reminds me of us sometimes.  Christians that grow up in the church and are so familar with everything.  They think because they are 'good' they don't need to be disciplined.  It is interesting that these type of horses are the most difficult to train.  I think this might be true of humans also.  God has to get so big in their faces before they listen.  These horses tend to get offended; sounds like us again.   We now have Cheno isolated and dependent on us for all her needs.  She needs to learn that she is not self sufficient, that we are the boss and that she needs to listen right away, all the way and in a happy way.  Need I say more.   Shalom, Marie   www.ShalomRanch.org www.TheEasyFrench.com www.TheEasySpanish.com   http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ShalomRanch/176101/ Mon, 31 Jul 2006 21:17:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ShalomRanch/176101/ Talk about being stretched.  About a month ago we had a breeder bring a stallion onto the property to service our mares.  This was a huge blessing.  This stallion is a rare breed called Baskir Curly.  They are wonderful horses that are actually hypo-allergenic.  We are training some of her horses in exchange for the breeding.   Stallions are a "breed" onto themselves.  This particular guy was so calm.  This lasted until a mare came along.  He would then loose all sembalance of reason.  I called it "breeding mode".  The change was so complete.   Having never handled a stallion it was an experience for me.  I learnt to let him move his feet as much as he wanted until he calmed down.  He learnt the I would not let him go until he did calm down.  Horses are amazingly intelligent.    We did have one incident where he was in breeding mode and my husband was holding him.  The lead fell off.  I guess it had not been secured properly.  Kid, the stallion, took off.  He headed to a back pasture where he had been hearing another horse.  It was our gelding Bear.  You cannot mix stallions, geldings and mares.  Some stallions have killed geldings that have gotten in their way.  Stallions will precieve geldings as competition and work to eliminate them.   My husband Peter and I started to run.  I got to the gate to see Kid and Bear half way down the pasture.  They were, thank God, still on opposite sides of the fence.  I called my geldings Bear.  He came.  I think it saved his life.  Kid turned to go back down the pasture to get to Bear.  Peter drove him away, some of his mares called to Kid.   I yelled to my oldest to open the gate to the large pasture.  Kid went running in.    Tragedy was avoided.  I do know that the Lord took care of us in that situation.  Bear listened to me and turned around.  Kid allowed his being driven by Peter.  Some stallions will attack.  The mares called to Kid just at the right time.  Kid ran into the pature and not onto the road that is only 500 feet away.   Calling out to the Lord in our time of need is what we need to do.  Even one word in the midst of all that is going on.  His protection is on our ranch and I will continue to trust Him with all our situations!     http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ShalomRanch/175319/ Sun, 30 Jul 2006 13:34:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ShalomRanch/175319/ Shalom Ranch has an opportunity for an older teen or young adult.  We are looking for a female who has experience with horses.  We use a natural horsemanship method.  We use a Christian method to gentle horses instead of breaking them.   We have been homeschooling since 1996, and run an Equine Therapy ministry to learning disabled kids.  For more information on our ministry please go to www.ShalomRanch.org.     We offer a Share-A-Wage Program where we can help you raise your wage.  The fall session runs from September to December, the spring session is March to June and finally our summer session goes from July to August.   If interested, please email Marie at marie@shalomranch.org     http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ShalomRanch/175187/ Sat, 29 Jul 2006 22:53:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ShalomRanch/175187/ It's been awhile.  Life happens sometimes.   Shalom Ranch is in full swing.  We have found amazing favor with two breeders.  We have a wonderful stallion on the property.  In exchange for his "services" we are training some of the breeders horses.   Two teenage homeschoolers are helping us.  We hope that we will continue to have more homeschoolers come and help us.  Their with the horses is enabling Shalom Ranch to do its God given tasks.  Please see www.ShalomRanch.org for more information.   We are looking for help for more help in September.  If anyone is interested in helping they can email me at marie@shalomranch.org.    I have some appointments next week with a principal and a superentendant.  The principal is interested in enrolling 50 students starting in September.  These funds will enable us to purchase hay, pay our helpers and take care of the horses.   Please pray for continued favor. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ShalomRanch/174749/ Sat, 29 Jul 2006 00:14:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ShalomRanch/174749/ Elle is doing so much better.  The supplements that we are giving her is putting some weight on her and her coat is looking wonderful.   Captain is still struggling at times.  His breathing problems get better and then he gets bad again.  The weather and hay that is even slightly dusty can set him off.  At least the herbs are helping.  I put too much oil in his mixture today.  Poor guy was hacking all over the place.  I always feel so guilty when I do something like that.  At least it is really good for his coat and hooves.   Cody has balance problems.  She never wants to go into a canter.  It was funny that when I did get her into a canter she was all over the place.  I decided to lounge her and see what she looked like from the ground.  Sure enough, even her trot is off balance.  I had to start right from the walk.  I encouraged her to stretch her neck out by pulling out on the line.  As she stretched I praised her.  Then I took her into a trot; it was better.  There is definately more work to be done.   It is funny when you think about it.  Here is a horse that is almost seven years old and has had hundreds of hours (maybe thousands) of riding yet, she still has balance problems.  It is funny that when even a person does not get the proper start in life it affects everything they do.  Going back to the basics is so important when this happens.  Cody's balance problems are a good example of how we use Equine Therapy to teach the students about life.  They can see concretely that this horse really needs to strart from the basics.  They can see that how the proper training results in a more balanced horse.  They can then accept that they need to go back and get some basics down.  They see how there is no shame in going back and fixing things.  It is just a fact of life and needs to be done.  They can see that no matter how much riding, this horse would not have fixed its own balance issues.  This horse was set into a pattern and did not know how to get out of it.  She needed help.  They see how there is no shame in getting help; only healing.    I am constantly amazed at how the Lord teaches us at Shalom Ranch through these Equine friends.  I hope to share more of these stories with you.    Shalom, Marie http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ShalomRanch/74808/ Sat, 28 Jan 2006 14:51:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ShalomRanch/74808/ We have been working since last September with a certain school board to getting our Equine Therapy program approved.  This past Wednesday we were approved.  We will be able to start working with their students in April.  This is very exciting!!!   The Lord is so good.  It is amazing how He opens doors that I thought would never be opened.  My journey has been one of faith.  I would take one step on His direction having no idea where I was going.  Blind faith is what you would call it.  As I would take the step there would be a next step and then a next.  This would continue for a while until I could finally figure out where I was going.  The trust in taking any of the steps builds my faith emmensely!!    I also received an email today from a lady who would like to donate her amazing Tennesse Walker.  He looks like Roy Rogers' old horse Trigger.  What an amazing animal.  As I said yes, I knew that I did not know how we were going to go get him.  We depend on God's hand to bring us people who transport horses for us.  The Lord has always provided a way before and I know He will this time!!  It is so interesting to live by faith.  You just never know where the Lord will take you.    We have been asked to come and speak on our local Christian radio station.  Please pray that someone will volunteer to help go and get the amazing horse that has just been donated.  Even this radio interview is such a blessing for us.  We have a whole hour to talk about what our vision is.  By the Grace of God go I!!! http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ShalomRanch/70701/ Thu, 19 Jan 2006 22:18:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ShalomRanch/70701/