Iron Horse Christian Youth Ranch is a non-profit youth ranch committed to providing both young people as well as individuals with disabilities with the opportunity to benefit from the therapeutic qualities of horses combined with Biblical principles to develop character and confidence.

Youth Ranch will be closed due to the Temperature on Dec, 3  2011 for Riding Instruction. 

The make - up date for todays Youth Ranch is December 17, 2011 on the thrid Saturday in December.  We will have Youth Ranch the  3rd and 4th Saturday of December.  Lets hope the weather is good!  Thank you, See you then! PLEASE REMEMBER TO ALWAYS CHECK THE WEBSITE BEFORE COMING TO ANY ACTIVITIES AND CHECK THE CONTACT PAGE FOR THE TEMPERATURE TO MAKE SURE WE ARE OPEN DUE TO WEATHER. 

   Volunteers and Youth with Parent supervision are welcome to visit the ranch Mon through Friday 8 - 4:00pm to groom, turn out, leasing your favorite horse, clean, or join a feed crew.  The Volunteers are the life of the youth ranch!  Caring for the horses needs, loving them we hope  is a blessing to you!.  Please email or text  to set up an appointment for this purpose  before coming to volunteer. ihcyranch@yahoo.com (719) 243-0843, we will text or email you for a fast response.  Saturday is set up with Francine for Riding instruction at this time or  contact your instructor for lessons during the week or weekend.

Please remember anyone coming to the Youth Ranch or horses for any purpose, PLEASE  park back behind the barn and not at the residence or on any areas of the sides of the driveway.  Do Not park on or pull onto the sides of the drive way or smoke anywhere on the property.  No Smoking is allowed anwhere on the property.   I appreciate your respect for the property in this way.

Please contact Francine for scheduling/ rescheduling or with questions at 661- 4555. 

                        Larry Killiam at 495-3148  cohorsegate@q.com

 Please remember pre-arrange any lesson instruction or cancellations 24 hour in advance for any riding instruction times with your instructor, Thank you for your consideration so we can serve you better and make sure we have the horses available for your instruction. 

Please contact Michelle Giordano at (719) 649-7538 if you have questions concerning Susan or her son Jesse, who left  this earthly home on Oct 27th, 2011. You may leave a written message at www.thespringsfuneralservices.com    These messages will be printed and bound into a book.  The site will be up for three months.  If you have any memories of Jesse, this is a wonderful place to write them for Susan.  It means so much to her of your memories and stories of her son.  

 For donation information, please contact Michelle Giordano, or Ent Federal Credit Union has an account set up for Jesse Kamlan to help with a remembrance Tree planting at the youth ranch and specific area for prayer and remembering Jesse. It will be on July 2, 2012.  I don't have the time yet.

 Personal message from Susan:  I want to thank everone for their prayers, coming to his service and your outpouring of love and care with your cards, gifts, meals and with all my heart, thank you!  It is vital for me to stay as close to the Lord Jesus and not lean on my own understanding, I am in great pain and sadness because I miss Jesse so much.  I am so thankful for my son Brian, Chantel and my granddaughters,Michelle,( the most amazing friend ever),Pat, Jan,Kristen, Anne, Mark, The Osborne Family, Misty, The Sartons, the Pastors, my new Peterson AFB family, Frank,  and my dear parents, who have been through all the suffering too.  They have been there through the loss of all  of my sons and Brians dad.

 My first son David was born April 1, died April 2, 1984.  My third son Anthony was born July 8, died July 29 1987. Timothy James Wyson, (Brians dad) died July 20, 1989, now Jesse born July 2, 1992 and died October 27, 2011.  I know they will all be there for the  "Welcome Home", but   Its been alot for me, I miss them all here on earth and for some reason thought the tragic things in ife had ended. Jesse  taugh me how to love richer and truer than ever before.  We were very close through all the home schooling, 4-H, piano, taking him to hang out skateboarding, shopping, through the treatment center at Synergy in Denver, going out to eat, with him and I here at home alone, and with his age, and all we went through, it was always us.  I took him to just about everthing he did, church, youth groups and got on his case more than anyone too when he was really struggling with things in life or that attitude he went through.  I was so proud of him coming through so much, when I got him is car, I was amazed I could afford it and wanted to be a gift.  Jesse said "I will come feed every night or do what ever you need, thank you so much!"  He had come such a long way and even feed everyone right instead of it being something he "had to do", he truely was caring and came into his own of loving and was so kind to me and wanted to make sure I was okay. I miss him greatly, and thank you for the time for me to work through  my pain.

Akina, is  an amazing blessing through all this.  Her first thing said to me was " Grandma Giddy-up, Uncle Jesse has new skin", then weeks later she said "I hear God, Uncle Jesse is smiling".  Thank you all for loving Jesse, being his friends, mentors, and pastors in coming to his service and loving us all. Your outpouring of love is the reflection of our Lord.  We all have memories of Jesse in different ways; his cooking Hamburgers on the grill by the barn,great food- he would make sure I would eat and bring me the most amazing things.  His laughter or helping those of you with your horses,putting tack away, or getting horses out, your birthday parties in the barn.  His loud music, skateboarding in the barn, light shows, his late night hours, his  watering the horses and arena, cleaning stalls, moving hay - the two of his  worst jobs  because of his allergies - he would come and help anyway then suffer for hours in the house because of it.    Jesse would feed the horses and all those things daily things that would go on to help the Youth Ranch so Brian or I could have a break from all the daily chores and feeding that has to be done.  Jesse was extreme and creative and kind, and for me, my son. I am thankful I was able to have the time I had, for me it still is too short.  It is not up to me, he was and is a gift from our Lord, I have to remember that to carry me through.  Going it without him is the painful part, he made my life so much more complete and looked forward to many more years of laughter and smiles and watching a young boy, turbulent teenage, to emerging into the young man.  God knows the beginning to the end, and God does not change though our circurmstances do.  It proves even more, life is fleeting here on earth and each day is a blessing with those you love, treat them well, respectfully, lovingly.  It is what we are given, use your gift of today wisely to love more, forgive always, listen longer, do away with the shortness or anger , it accomplishes nothing and you will lose the gift of today.  Jesse wrote something when we were in counselling in 2008, I will end with this of him, which seems appropriate.  He drew a heart  on one side darkly colored in, the other half  had wings and open and flying underneath the heart was this writing "Negative Spaces cause a Lack of Beauty that can Never Be Replaced"   - Jesse

 This page was last modified on Saturday, December 03, 2011 09:03:09 PMGo to Youth Programs and Riding Instruction  page for information about the Youth Ranch Riding Instruction

The Youth Ranch  Riding Instruction fees ALL go to support the horses,any support above these fees will be a donation, Thank you!

Due to the loss of Susan's horse Rocket, she took on the cost and adopted the foal and the two horses that came in the same day as Rocket died of colic, Ranger and Lexi. Susan is also supporting Coco, she is so young and the youth ranch is not able to financially support her.  She may end up adopting her and perhaps she will become her new "Rocket".

We miss you Rocket!! My friend and partner!  You have your wings, but much too early!

 Betsy was riding him here.

Some of the school horses will be up for adoption unless horses are leased by the end of September. 

Please contact the youth ranch if you may be interested in adopting any of the current school horses.

Thank you to AAF  -- Animal Assistance for the grant they gave to the youth ranch.  We were able to get some of the horses teeth floated and some feed.

Thank you to Pima Medical School for the externs who are here daily for to complete their house in the Veterinary Assisant Certificate and the Veterinary Tech. Program with Dr. Kim for giving shots and worming, bandaging, blood panels on the youth ranch horses. This is been such a blessing  for the care of the horses. 

With the cost of hay and grain going up so much it has been a strain on the ranch, we greatly appreciate this partnership and are very thankful! 

We still  need help with the cost for hay and grain.  Any special donations will be greatly appreciated.

Thank you to all the volunteers for cleaning and feeding through Front Range Community Service!  With your help the horses are cared for and thier stall areas maintained and clean.  This is a vital part of caring for the horses.  We appreciate everyone who helps clean and feed.  The weekly volunters who faithfully come to care for the horses, who don't ask to ride, but desire to care for the needs of the horses, We are so grateful for your time, you are amazing!!   Sincerely, IHCYR