WHO WE SERVE
At Risk Children & Youth
Military, Fire, Police & EMS
Domestic & Sexual Assault Survivors
Couples & Families
Faith Leaders & Health Care Providers
....anyone who has experienced trauma.
ABOUT US
Wildfire Ranch, NY Inc. is a 501c3 (non-profit corporation) operated by Phillip and Carolyn Higgins. We provide equine therapy, retreats, beginner riding lessons, trail rides, horse boarding and horse care clubs. We rescue, train and care for horses, and they care for our guests. Equine therapy is clinically proven to reduce symptoms of depression, anxiety, & PTSD.
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Our Mission is for our guests to, "Experience God's healing love through Mindful Connection with horses," and in doing so, restore hope in someone's life.
Our Ranch Motto is to: "Restore One Life At A Time."
Carolyn is an Equine and Mindfulness Life Coach, with 25 years of experience as a mental health therapist, specializing in trauma recovery, emotional health and spiritual wellness. Phillip is an accomplished pianist, ordained music director, & information technology specialist with a passion for serving and encouraging others. Wildfire Ranch, NY Inc. is a sister ranch to Wildfire Ranch in Pennsylvania, their model for healing depression and anxiety, operating for 14 years.
WHY HORSES?
Horses mirror us. They do not love us unconditionally as our faithful canine friends do, at least not until a relationship of trust is built.
Horses are able to sense what we are not saying.
They are prey animals… constantly scanning their environment for safety and communicating with each other with subtle movements of their body, head, or ears.
Horses stay in a herd because they know that being separate from a herd make them vulnerable, and that there is safety in numbers. Trust is built in a herd and has to be earned and maintained. Horses connect with each other through mutual understanding and respect for each other’s place and role in the herd.
Horses are a lot like people in noticing energy and body language and sensing what others are not saying. They also are generally peaceful, they move the herd based on food availability, weather conditions, or if one of them is sick or injured. They work together as a team.
They have each other’s backs.
Horses also process threat and emotions quickly, are much better at adapting to changes and returning to homeostasis than we are. They are strong, beautiful, fragile, and majestic. They are a lot like us and have a lot to offer and teach us about living in the moment, connection, trust and being free.
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THE SCOPE OF THE PROBLEM
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There have been over 73,000 reported cases of child abuse and maltreatment in New York State since 2018. In 2019, State Agencies in the US reported 656,000 cases of abuse. Child Help states that there are over 4 million reports to child protective services each year. The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence reports that 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men have experienced some form of physical violence by an intimate partner. The Rape, Abuse, Incest National Network (RAINN) reports that 1 out of every 6 American women has been the victim of an attempted or completed rape in her lifetime (14.8% completed, 2.8% attempted) and that about 3% of American men (1 in 33) have experienced an attempted or completed rape in their lifetime.
According to the Kids at Risk Action Group 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 6 boys will be sexually abused before they turn 10 years old. 34% of people who sexually abuse a child are family members. The Department of Veteran Affairs reports that 45,390 American adults died by suicide in 2017, compared with 31,610 in 2005. (Veteran Suicide Annual Report, Department of Veteran Affairs, September 2019) According to Psychology Today research shows that one in five people experiences a mental health issue in any given year. The extraordinary stressors that first responders face boost that risk. (First responders include fire, police, and emergency services personal)
HOW WILL PARTNERING WITH WILDFIRE RANCH HELP ME?
Partnering with us will assist in providing the much-needed resources to care for our horses, so we can care for others. Your prayers, sponsorship, financial gift, time, or gift of ranch related items will help us help others. We will have what we need to provide the much needed relief, rest and spiritual retreat to at risk children and youth, service men and women, first responders, dv/sv survivors and faith leaders, community members who are suffering. We will be a safe place for someone to participated in the much-desired equine experiences that will give each person an opportunity to,
“Experience God’s love through mindful connection with horses.”
You will partner with us, in making an eternal difference, in
“Reviving One Life at A Time?”
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