and still more.....

Our photographer for the day was my brother, Jeff (Toffee) Knobloch, and he did such a fabulous job, I am having a hard time knowing which photos to share, so here are a few more.

Lilly & Jack Lewis on the cart behind Ruby (w/ Shannon)

Willy Davis - or Cowboy Willie - as he is known around the ranch has been faithfully coming each week since the beginning to train our horses. He has been a huge blessing to this ministry.

Our guests helping themselves to the free lunch

Tami Pflum is our faithful decorator, waiver sign-in host, gear-seller, cheerleader and prayer warrior. Her husband, Keith, is on our board of directors.

Amber & Jennifer Rassi put in HOURS of hard work helping us prepare for the fundraiser. They willingly showed up to do many less-than-glamourous jobs to help us out and we are so thankful for them. They are shown here enjoying a well-deserved cup of Starbucks coffee w/ Tinsley Tuley.

More photos from the fundraiser...

My dad (Bill Knobloch) having a chat w/ Ruby

Norman Haerr & Louis Hoerr manning the welcome table
(Norman is president of our board of directors.)

Our fabulous grill team!! - Rusty Adrian, Brad Gehring & Norm Reckhammer

(Brad's son, Jacob, is in the background.)

Angelica working her magic on one of MANY face-painting customers

Alicia (formerly Steffen) Schrenk waits for the next rider. She and Matthew made the trip from St. Louis for the weekend and we were so thankful to have them back "home" to help! We were also blessed to have Anneliese Hoerr back from Phoenix! Thank you ladies (& Matthew:-))!

Humbled, Blessed & Overwhelmed

The hay pile provided hours of entertainment!

Shannon takes some guests on a cart ride w/ Ruby

Our fabulous face painters (Bethany & Angelica) were a huge hit and very busy.

One of MANY pony rides that day

Our "sand" (sawdust) box

Our 2010 Fall Fundraiser was a huge blessing! God provided beautiful weather and you turned out in great numbers to help us celebrate another year of God's goodness to us. THANK YOU for your part in that day. Whether you prayed from a distance, worked along side of us, took time out of your weekend to join us or supported us financially, we were overwhelmed by your response. Your support helps to equip and enable us to continue providing this ministry to the community. God bless you abundantly.

IT'S ALMOST HERE!!

We are counting down the last 48 hours to our fall fundraiser! There has been quite a flurry of activity as we clean out the corners and prepare for a great day of food and fun. The Lord has given us a great forecast for the day: 69 degrees and mostly sunny! We promised you details so here they are:

HIS Ranch Fall Fundraiser

This Saturday, October 30

11am - 2pm

free lunch

free Starbucks coffee

pony rides

face-painting

stick horse races

cart rides w/ Ruby (our Clydesdale mare)

straw play gym for kids

Kids' Corner play area in the sawdust

Several of our former volunteers/staff members are going to make the trip "home" to join us so please pray for safe travel for them. Also, please join us in praying for God's blessing and protection for this day. Please pray for wisdom and energy for us for our time of preparation and for the big day. Our deepest desire is that this day brings great glory to GOD as people witness HIS incredible provision for this ministry. Thank you, thank you, thank you!! We hope to see you there.

p.s. Special thanks to Amber & Jennifer Rassi, Kyle Reinhard, Willy Davis and our parents-Norman & Sally Haerr for helping us "clean out those corners!"

FALL FUNDRAISER!!!

Come join us on:

Saturday, October 30, 2010

Annual Fall Fundraiser

Free food, drinks and fun

More details to follow....

Our New Pet!

We have a new addition to our HIS ranch team. Last week a goat was donated to the ranch. He belonged to a little girl that had him for 4-h. We decided to name him Buddy. He is super friendly and will follow us around everywhere we go. When we could not ride last week due to the weather, some of the kids got to just hang out with Buddy.

They got to brush him and even take him on a ride in the gator. The horses don't seem to mind having the

goat around and hopefully they will become friends. It sure is fun to have a little goat around!

Sharing the Good News!

One morning a couple weeks ago, Susan was getting something out of the tool room when she passed this little empty wheelchair. It belonged to one of the kids who was having their horseback riding lesson at that time. The empty wheelchair made her stop and just praise the Lord for the children that come to HIS ranch. As she shared this moment with the rest of the ranch volunteers, we all were reminded of why we are here at HIS Ranch. Here disabled kids can come and be a normal kid who gets to ride a horse. They are able to leave their wheelchair and experience the simple pleasure of riding a horse. As they ride, we can't help think of that day when they get to heaven and will get a new healthy body. They won't be confined in their wheelchair but will be singing and dancing for joy around the throne of God. Praise the Lord!

Last week Alicia and Carrie were invited to share about HIS Ranch at a VBS in Palmyra, MO. They spoke to the kids during their mission time. They were able to tell the kids that they do not have to leave the country to be a missionary but that they could do mission work in their own town. They shared with them about all the horses and kids that come to the ranch. It was a great way to tell more people about HIS ranch and it also was a great reminder that we need to share the Good News with everyone that comes to HIS Ranch. The fact that HIS Ranch is a ministry can get lost in the day to day busyness of the ranch. Sometimes God uses situations like the VBS to turn our focus back to Him. It is HIS ranch and we are here to serve Him. He has given us such a opportunity to share with anyone who comes to the ranch about the saving blood of Jesus that one day we may all meet again in heaven!

More Bio's!

Kyle Reinhard was adopted when he was 5 weeks old, and has been with his parents since that day. He gave his heart to God on May 20, 2000. Kyle taught swim lessons for 4 years which is where he learned how much he loved working with children. Seeing a child learn and succeed was the greatest feeling in the world! Kyle worked at the ranch last summer, and thoroughly enjoyed his time. When the door opened for him to come back out this summer, he took the opportunity right away! He is going to school for business management and sales and marketing. Kyle loves working with people and enjoys problem solving. Also, he enjoys long walks on the beach, reading by the fire, and star gazing.

Alicia Steffen was born in Bluffton, Indiana in 1987. As she grew in years, she also grew in a love and passion for horses and for kids. Alicia graduated as valedictorian from Community Christian School in 2006. She spent the next two and a half years as a nanny before she answered the call of the Lord to move to Taylor, MO to work at HIS Ranch. At HIS Ranch she is able to continue in her love and passion for the horses and kids she works with daily.

Summer Volunteer Biographies!

Carrie Blunier arrived at HIS Ranch on May 16 , 2010. She came from the quaint little town of Leo, Indiana. She is going to be a senior at Purdue studying Veterinary Technology. Carrie not only gets to volunteer at the ranch all summer but also gets to count it as an Internship for her program. She found out about HIS Ranch through various people that had come to volunteer the first summer the ranch was open. She always had a love for animals, especially horses, and kids which is why HIS Ranch seemed like the perfect fit. Now that she is here, Carrie helps teach lessons and helps out around the ranch. Carrie has so enjoyed spending time with horses, kids, and HIS Ranch volunteers. Even though she leaves on August 19, she hopes to visit Taylor and the ranch often!


Adrianna Jones spent a month at HIS Ranch from June 8th to July 7th. She lives in Silverton, Oregon where she works as a Veterinary Assistant. Her job has given her many experiences with horses and she also has a horse of her own. When she found out about the ranch, she wanted to come and experience it for herself. Adrianna helped teach lessons and work out some behavioral problems with some of our horses. Her horse experience was greatly appreciated at the ranch. She was an avid picture taker which is where alot of the blog pictures have come from. Thanks for the good memories!

Breana Wagenbach left her home in San Diego, California to spend two weeks at HIS Ranch. She recently finished her degree at Cypress College to be a dental hygienist. Since she was in between school and work, she took some time to come see what HIS Ranch was all about. She also helped with lessons and any other ranch work that needed to be done. Her time at the ranch was short but so very sweet!

Showers of Blessings!

Wow, these past few weeks have just flown by so quickly! HIS Ranch is so blessed by all the many visitors that come whether for a one-time lesson or a weekly lesson. There has also been an abundance of rain that has changed some of our lessons plans. A couple of weeks ago on a rainy Tuesday morning, we had a group of handicapped kids from Transitions come to the ranch. We cleaned out the barn, so that we were able to give rides in the barn. Everyone took turns riding Victor around the barn. Many of the kids were not able to verbally express there excitement but it was written all over there faces. Our day was blessed by the joy and love that the Transition kids brought to the ranch.


We were blessed with the opportunity to have a lesson with a missionary family from Haiti. We fed the pony and rode Louie around in the barn. As we got to know the kids, we found out that they love to sing which coincidentally so do we volunteers. We then agreed to sing a song if they would sing a song to us in Haitian. Alicia, Breana, Adriana, and Carrie sang 'How Deep the Father's Love' and then they sang us a praise song. It was so encouraging to have the name of God lifted high. Praise the Lord!

Summertime!

HIS Ranch is so blessed with our wonderful summer volunteers! In the picture above, the volunteers,Carrie, Adriana, Kyle, and Breana, are teaching lessons. It is very rewarding to watch the kids improve in their riding skills and to see their servant hearts at work whether with the horses or doing chores on the ranch.

These past few weeks we have been doing some fun work with our Clydesdales. Alicia, Carrie, and Adriana got to learn how to oil the Clydesdale's feathers. The feathers are long hairs that grow on the Clydesdale's lower legs and around their hoofs. The oil mixture that we rubbed on the feathers will treat and prevent mite infestations. Shannon began teaching the Clydesdales how to pull a wagon. He began by ground driving Ruby and Hadassah before hooking them up to the training cart. The horses did great and will hopefully be able to pull a wagon in no time at all!

Also last week, the ranch staff put on the first ever HIS Ranch horseback riding play! We did the skit for the YMCA group whose theme for the week was pirates. All the ranch staff dressed up as pirates and preformed a little pirate play. The play included lazy pirates, a horse chase, and a sword fight. The kids enjoyed the skit especially when the got to throw water balloons at Shannon(the bad pirate). Everyone at HIS Ranch agreed that horseback riding plays should become a regular occurrence at the ranch. Many thanks to everyone who helped out with the pirate play!

The Ranch is Open!

HIS Ranch has been open full-time for two weeks now! There are many new faces this year as well as some familiar faces from last summer. It is such a blessing to have the kids around! They are so willing to learn and so ready to offer their love whether it be a horse or human. These first couple of weeks have been quite busy even with all the rain that has come. In the past, we would just cancel lessons if the arena was too wet to ride in, but this summer we are trying something different. When we can't ride on those rainy days, our sessions will focus more on the grooming and getting to know the horse.

We had the YMCA group at HIS Ranch last Wednesday for the first time this summer. We did not get to ride but we did fill the time with fun alternative activities. The kids were split up into three groups and went around to three different stations. There was a grooming station, an informative station, and a coloring station. At the informative station, Alicia talked to the kids about taking care of horses such as feeding and handling. All of the kids got to color pictures of horses or draw something that was on the ranch for a contest. The best coloring picture and drawing will get a prize the next time the YMCA comes back to HIS Ranch. Also, the older kids got to finger paint on Louie and Cheyenne. Both the horses and the kids had a blast with the finger paint!

God has yet again provided HIS Ranch with volunteers for the summer. Carrie Blunier and Kyle Reinhard will be helping out at the ranch for the entire summer. Adriana Jones and Breana Wagenbach will be at HIS ranch for the month of June. We are so thankful for all these ranch-hands! God Bless!

May Memories!!!

Wow! How quickly May has flown! By the end of the first week in May all of our session slots were booked! This was such a contrast to our first official summer in 2008 when we only had a few lessons each week. The Lord has truly allowed the ministry at HIS Ranch to grow!

We had our first work team for the summer season from Bluffton, IN come during the third week of May. 5 students and 2 adults made up the work team from Bluffton Christian School. Their week began by waking up on Monday morning with rain in their tents! Thankfully the wetness did not dampen their willingness to work! During the week they were here, we were able to get much accomplished! Cleaning & organizing the feed foom, completely stripping & refilling all 8 of our "finished" stalls, and putting up the canopy were just some of the things they did. A big thanks for all of their work!

We also had a group from Payson Elementary come out for a field trip. Although it was a rainy week and we could not use the outdoor arena, we were still able to give short rides on one of our best horses named Victor.

The kids also learned how to lasso Stanley the Steer! What fun!

With our summer schedule in full swing now we hope to be able to spare more time in updating our blog! Thanks for all your prayers! Rest assured that we will continue in service to our King until He calls us home! God bless!

SPRING!!!

"For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone; The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come..." Song of Solomon 2:11-12a

We are so thankful for the return of GREEN to the ranch! Everywhere you turn, God is being glorified through new life and we are so excited for the return of all the kids to enjoy it. Our "official" scheduling will be starting soon. The ranch is scheduled to open for afternoons starting Monday, May 3 and this will increase to full days (9am - 4pm, M-Th) on Tuesday, June 1st.

In addition, we have welcomed two new Shetland ponies, Minnie and Rio, to our herd. We are glad to have them with us and will get pictures posted soon.

Please praise God with us for His provision and pray for us as we move into the busy season. Hang on for the ride!

Busy in the Off-Season

While it is true that the staff and horses at HIS Ranch enjoy a much-needed break during the cold, winter months, it always seems that it remains busier than we thought it would be. Sarah, Shannon and Alicia continue to handle the daily horse chores and there is a considerable amount of work being done in preparation for the 2010 season. We covet your prayers as we plan and prepare for a new season and anxiously await what God has planned for His ranch in the new year.

If you are considering spending time as a volunteer here this year, now would be a great time to get in touch with us to discuss this and request your volunteer application. Some requirements to consider are:

1. You must be 18 years of age to apply. (In special cases, previous volunteers will be grandfathered in.)

2. A completed application must be submitted.

3. A full background check will be required.

4. A current certification in CPR/First Aid is required.

5. Previous experience with equine is NOT required, but is, of course, beneficial.

Feel free to contact us with any other questions or requests. We have said it before, but want to say it again: Thank you, thank you to all who faithfully pray for us, encourage us and give generously of their time and treasure to this special place. Your thoughtfulness means more to us than we can adequately express!

"And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."

Matthew 25:40