There are some powerful reasons why experiential learning is one of the most effective ways to learn. Experiences pull together what we do, what we think, how we feel, and why we want something in order to accomplish a specific goal. When people physically take part in learning activities, the learning sticks.
Why Experiential Learning?
The thing that makes experiential learning with horses different from any other kind of experiential learning opportunity, such as a ropes course, is that you’re interacting with a large, powerful, sentient being. Since the horse is not an inanimate object you get feedback immediately. In fact, the way horses communicate socially can be very similar to how we communicate in teams. You do not need to have any training to accomplish incredible things with the horses in the arena. Once you know what you want, you or your team will communicate that to the horse, problem solve, work on your teamwork skills, ask for help, rely on one another and in the process you will learn so much about yourself and leadership skills in the process. It’s a pretty amazing experience for individuals, teams, leaders and soon-to-be leaders.
Why Horses?
- Life is about relationships. Relationships require communication. It has been said that most of all communication is non-verbal yet many of us are unaware of our own non-verbal communication or the non-verbal communication we receive from others. Horses naturally dwell in the non-verbal world and yet are able to communicate with one another in very specific ways. Through your work with the horses, you will discover how your non-verbal cues and energy affect your relationships and your results in life.
- Working with horses forces you to stay in the moment and focus on the task at hand. Horses provide non-judgmental feedback regardless of your gender, height, weight, or personal life accomplishments. Horses read energy and intention so it is difficult to hide or lie to a horse – and the horse will not hide or lie to you. They can be a perfect reflection from which you can start to improve any part of your life.
- Horses are “foreign” to the majority of people. The majority of people who come to Crossroads Ranch have only seen horses from afar. Some believe horses are like big dogs (not true). Because most people have no prior experience with horses, their focus is heightened and attention is keen which ensures learning becomes more permanent.
our staff
Tamra Ranard
Hello! My name is Tamra and I am an Equine Experiential Learning life coach. I offer classroom training and leadership presentations and will many times use horses in experiential learning situations to build life skills such as communication, clarity, consistency, confidence, personal responsibility, focus and fun. After going through a traumatic personal experience at age 52, I decided it was time to pursue my dream and start Crossroads Ranch LLC to share the teaching power of the horse with others. My personal life purpose is to motivate and empower people to FIND, live and protect the abundant (rich & satisfying) life that God gave them.
Cynthia Sanders
Cynthia was raised and currently lives in south central Indiana. She graduated from Indiana University with a focus in Event Planning. She worked at a local therapeutic horseback riding center for many years. There she learned all the ins and outs of a business including; marketing, operations, event planning, human resources, and accounting. One of Cynthia’s greatest passion is helping people reach their goals and discover their true purpose in life. She truly believes in the Crossroads Ranch mission and hopes to share her love of horses. In Cynthia’s free time she enjoys baking, crafting, horseback riding, photography, and playing with her pets.
Meet the Herd
Diesel
Diesel is a 10 year old blind gelding who reminds us every day that we are so much more than our limitations.
Bindi
Bindi is a 6 year old feisty mare, extremely sensitive & loving but always bursting with energy!
Annie
Annie is a 5 year old miniature horse with a great spunky personality – the perfect Crossroads greeter!
Rocky
Stoneys Rockin’ Robin (aka Rocky) is a 24 year old paint horse. He is a favorite because of his goofy personality.
Bear
Brown Bear (aka Bear) is a 11 year old quarter horse. He is one intelligent and curious horse that is always up for a challenge!
Ebby
Ebby is a 21 year old Tennessee Walker. She stands at a short 14.1 hand high but likes to walk fast. Ebby is a gaited horse which means her gaits are very smooth.
Misty
Misty Rose is a 1.5 year old Percheron Quarter horse draft cross. She has a sweet and caring personality with a lot to learn! As Misty continues to grow, she’ll be around 16 hands high.
Our other furry friends! 🐾
Love Bug
niko
Joey
sunny
bunny
Lucky
superman
Bella
tom
cone
Our Board members
In the picture, from left to right:
- Terry McDaniel – Board Member
- Deb McDaniel – Board Member
- Holli Truesdel – Board Member
- Tamra Ranard – Co-Executive Director
- Julia Crumbaker – Secretary
- Vicky Hillenburg – Treasurer
- Carol Gardiner – Board President
- Cynthia Hillenburg – Co-Executive Director
Our certifications
John Maxwell
John Maxwell was named the “#1 Most Influential Business Leader” by the American Business Association. Our sessions pull from Maxwell leadership topics to create a comprehensive curriculum that covers Leadership and Team Building. With over 24,000 members in over 150 nations, the John Maxwell program is the top leadership certification in the world.
Equine Experiential Education Association
E3A is a professional membership organization that offers individuals a structured training approach to the corporate, educational, coaching and personal development fields through learning experiences based on the horse/human connection.
E3A works with members to promote the Equine Assisted Learning (EAL) field as a powerful, successful method of learning and development worldwide. E3A’s mission does not include equine-assisted therapy.
Association for Experiential Education
The Association for Experiential Education (AEE) is a nonprofit professional membership association dedicated to experiential education and the students, educators, and practitioners who utilize its philosophy. AEE is committed to supporting professional development, theoretical advancement, and the evaluation of Experiential Education Worldwide. We believe learning through experience positively transforms people and our world