“The thing is, I want Rosie's Ranch to be a place where kids succeed… if they can come to a place and succeed and feel successful in life, chances are they’re gonna go out and succeed [even more]...” Mary Mosher-Stathes shares her passion for kids to feel successful and in control of their lives through her work at Rosie’s Ranch.
A teacher for 40 years, Mary opened Rosie’s Ranch with a mission to empower all children. She and her team provide lessons, parent talks, birthday parties and programs where kids with or without special needs can succeed and grow.
She says, “It's so much more than just putting a child on a horse.” She describes the type of therapy Rosie’s Ranch provides. The kids learn how to take care of the horses both physically as well as discuss their emotional needs.
An example Mary provides is with their horse, Pepsi. She says, “Pepsi is a very kind horse, and she has a club foot. So, I ask the kids, how do you think Pepsi feels? And the kids will reply, she probably feels left out? We could probably give her some extra hay, maybe she needs some more alone time…” Mary explains, “They’re telling us what the horse needs, but it’s actually what they need.”
To celebrate the holidays, they put up a wreath on their barn and decorate with lights.
“We usually have a stall decorating party. We send out a message, ‘if you want to decorate Dallas’ stall or bring a special ornament or something, come on out!’ I send a recipe for making horse cookies, if they want to make horse cookies and bring them… and we have a weekend where everyone can just stop in…”
Heavily intertwined in the community, Rosie’s Ranch partners with local businesses like Fika Coffeehouse to service their guests which includes local schools, the fire department, first responders and even the Navy’s Chiefs program. They’re supported by the Department of Education and have special certifications to work with kids that have special considerations.
“Everything we do is all designed for children, everything is lower, we have accommodations/modifications everywhere, we have FM system, whiteboards,” she gestures to all the resources they’ve methodically provided.
Without a doubt their horses, Gabe, Hearts of Fire, Pepsi as well as their ponies, Dallas, Pachuco and Suzy are giving these kids the reins, and empowering them to be confident, feel powerful and take control of their lives.
"If they can come to a place and succeed and feel successful in life, chances are they’re gonna go out and succeed [even more]..."