Raven Rock Ranch in Redmond rescues horses, changes lives

Published 11:09 am Friday, October 25, 2013

Sandy Matts has had a love for horses from a young age and in 2011, she decided to turn her passion into something much more than a personal hobby.

Matts is the owner of Raven Rock Ranch, a facility located in Redmond that specializes in pairing rescued horses with at-risk children. She and her husband, Tim, started the organization two years ago in the hopes of changing the lives of children and their families.

The ranch is 100 percent donation based, meaning there is no cost for students to attend.

“These kids have all suffered damage in some kind of capacity,” Matts said. “Some of them have been abused, some have been bullied, some are suicidal. … They’re physically able-bodied, but they’re emotionally disabled.”

Word of mouth is the main way families find out about Raven Rock Ranch. In addition, the YMCA and other organizations have referred students there.

The goal is to help children overcome their challenges and reconnect with their communities by using equine-facilitated therapy. They learn skills such as cooperation, trust and leadership.

Matts (left) believes that working one-on-one with a horse can be much more effective than just having a conversation.

“The limbic part of the brain is where relationships are formed, sort of like relationship gates. When someone has been damaged in a relationship, the walls are up, and there’s no accessing it. However, (the kids) haven’t been damaged by a horse. They trust horses,” Matts said.

In addition to being a psychotherapist, Matts is a certified NARHA instructor. This organization oversees riding for the handicapped in North America. She formerly worked in the special education program of the Lake Washington School District and was named state Para Educator of the Year. She received a master’s in counseling from Northwest University.

Robin Moore, a volunteer with Raven Rock since June, said, “When I found out that they’re matching kids that need help with horses that have maybe also had some troubles, I just thought, ‘What a great combination of services.’ It’s cool to see all of those elements come together in a great program.”

A typical session begins with about 30 minutes of work, such as cleaning stalls or sweeping. Next the child will groom the horse, sometimes with the help of a parent or guardian. Then, depending on the child, he or she might do some groundwork, which involves leadership exercises such as getting the horse to back up, walk in figure eights or follow them without a lead. Eventually, the child is able to ride.

Through various activities and games, the child forms a relationship with the horse. This relationship, according to Matts, can transfer over to the child’s relationships with people.

“Once the child realizes that (he or she) can, even with an 1,100-pound horse, set boundaries and enforce those boundaries firmly but kindly, (the child) can also regulate those boundaries with a peer group or parents,” she said, “and it’s highly effective.”

Matts likes to use something she calls “activation scales” to help children regulate their own behavior by asking them to rate their horse’s excitement level on a scale from 1 to 5. Once they assess how their horse is feeling, it becomes easier to assess themselves as well and change their own behavior in order to effectively work with the horse.

Matts recalled how having a relationship with her horse as a child helped her overcome her own adversities.

“I know that it works, personally,” she said, “but I also get to see it work every day, and it’s just a remarkable experience.”

Loren Callahan and her daughter Anna have been coming to Raven Rock for about a year and a half.

“It was just a huge godsend when it came into our lives,” Callahan said. “It’s really helped (Anna) gain confidence and it’s become a part of her identity, just something she really looks forward to and loves to do.”

According to Matts, the success rates have been remarkable.

“We have kids who went from all Fs to straight As, we have kids who have been bullies who are now receiving leadership awards for working with other kids,” Matts said.

Sue Teague, a long-time friend of Matts and volunteer at Raven Rock since its inception, said, “You can’t set everybody free from their fears and past experiences, but certainly when you see even one child start to develop a bond with a horse, and start that healing process, it’s very rewarding.”

The ranch currently has six horses, all rescued from various circumstances, and about 25 students per week. Some children who come to work on specific issues stay on as volunteers.

Matts said that she would love to expand, but notes that she can’t take on more than the organization can handle financially since it’s a nonprofit.

“We have grown so fast, and so well, that I know that it will get bigger. It’s going to happen when it happens,” Matts said.

Kaylan Lovrovich is a student in the University of Washington Department of Communication News Laboratory.