Growing up on a family ranch, the horses, freedom and the lifestyle left an indelible mark on my heart. The endless skies, the way of life, and the connection to something larger than myself stayed with me throughout my journey.

Even after attending college and walking down the aisle, a part of me still yearned for that way of life. After the tragic and unexpected loss of my brother, my  heart longed for it even more. I could feel a small piece of my heartache heal, every time I returned to my childhood home. I would take my boys out to the horses, and they gave me permission to sit in my pain, without judgement. Each time, my dream of owning a place where my boys would grow up and others could come and find a place to heal, grew exponentially.

Everything I had dreamed about finally came together. We purchased property big enough for our horses to be in the backyard, and all of the trades I had learned over the years came together like puzzle pieces, giving me a sense of what it had all been for.

Then, one of my boys was diagnosed with pathological demand avoidance disorder. Every day was a battle to try and keep him from being triggered into fight or flight. He wouldn't attend school, didn't want leave the house, and often ran away to hide and decompress from something as simple as asking him to put on shoes. I began using equine empowerment activities to help him rewire his brain, and I watched him transform from avoidant to outgoing, and fearful to confident. That was the turning point that I knew I could no longer wait for what I had imagined would be the perfect time to begin this work.

Circle 5 became the name of our ranch and was aptly named because I have 4 sons, and therefore am protected and surrounded by 5 men. It felt fitting not only for that reason, but for the fact that the number 5 represents freedom, change and it is the bridge between the physical and spiritual worlds. It is significant in the human experience, encouraging you to embrace transition, trust instincts and is deeply tied to divine grace. All things that this work represents and is reflected through the horses.

When you are ready, we can't wait to have you to the ranch.

-Kait