Spirit Horse Ranch teaches more than just riding

ASHEBORO — The mission of Spirit Horse Ranch is to educate, preserve horses and provide healing.

A 501(c)(3) nonprofit at 2761 Old Cedar Falls Road was founded in 2016 by Rosie Goldstein. She grew up in a horse boarding barn on Long Island, NY, learning to ride at a young age and getting her first pony at 5.

She moved to Asheboro in 2002 and brought her herd of 14 horses and ponies with her. Realizing how horses can help people, she decided to organize a nonprofit to help anyone in the community, from children to adults, and also to work with those with special needs.

Goldstein had earlier become involved with the Spanish mustang and purchased her first one in 2006. “I fell in love with that breed and I enjoy sharing their heritage and history with anyone who is interested,” she said on the website, spirithorseranchnc.org.

The education portion of the mission involves a number of things, from teaching about horses, riding lessons and even a reading program for children.

Goldstein has recently turned over the executive director duties to Kelsey Repsch, who grew up in Philadelphia and has been around horses since she was a girl. During those years, she volunteered at a therapeutic riding program and learned how to help people of various abilities. In college she majored in Equine Business Management and has earned her Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship (PATH) certification. She is also certified in equine massage therapy.

Repsch learned of Spirit Horse Ranch from a friend and came to Asheboro in 2023. She became executive director in February while Goldstein continues to be involved with the organization.

Spirit Horse Ranch not only teaches people of all ages to ride horses but all about the animal. According to the website, “There is so much more to riding a horse than signing up for ‘riding lessons.’ We start with groundwork. Learn how to work with horses safely on the ground, learn the horses body language. Infuse sense of respect and partnership. Everything needed to prepare for getting in the saddle. Then education can continue in the saddle. Our goal is to develop the proper relationship/partnership with the animal and not just learn how to ‘control’ it.”

Repsch said therapeutic riding includes work on core strength, balance, stability and “riding skills all the way to walk, trot, canter. We teach how to handle the horse and horse knowledge, then they begin to ride.”

The ranch offers a weeklong summer camp that offers riding as well as arts and crafts. A professional artist helps the students paint their own horse portraits.

Spirit Horse Ranch conducts after-school programs for youth. A group of exceptional children from Uwharrie Charter Academy comes once a month, Repsch said, adding that they hope to add more school groups.

During the summer, the ranch offers a reading program for children with issues. They are provided with books about horses, even reading to a horse, which is less nerve-wracking than reading to the group.

Emma Clark, 16, said she’s been coming to Spirit Horse Ranch since she was 7. “I did the summer reading program when I first came here,” she said. “I didn’t enjoy reading. I started reading to horses and it helped me open up more. Reading is fun now.”

As a nonprofit, Spirit Horse Ranch tries to keep prices low and uses grants and donations to offset costs. They have an adopt-a-horse program in which donors can choose which horse they want to provide for. 

Fundraisers also help the finances. Spirit Horse Ranch will host a Kentucky Derby Party on May 2 for those 18 years and up. There are other events during the year as well, which can be found on the website.

Repsch said funds they have raised recently will allow the expansion of the parking lot and paving of the driveway. In the future, they want to build an indoor riding path. Meanwhile, there’s a mechanical horse inside that can be used when the weather drives the group indoors.

There are currently 12 horses on the ranch, with nine of them in the riding program. Repsch said they “want to add two more and they have to fit in.”

She said a horse will be taken out of riding if it no longer shows an interest in the program.

Spirit Horse Ranch isn’t just for youth. Repsch said they have a horsemanship class for all ages that teaches how to care for a horse. “There’s a lot to learn when you own a horse,” she said.

For more on activities, education, healing, costs and facts about the Spanish mustang, visit https://spirithorseranchnc.org.