The County Press

New Metamora Twp. ranch to offer free therapy horse services to veterans




Sarah Mauzy tends to Reining in Warriors Ranch stallion Woodrow as the non-profit veterans therapy group prepares for a grand opening and open house this spring.

Sarah Mauzy tends to Reining in Warriors Ranch stallion Woodrow as the non-profit veterans therapy group prepares for a grand opening and open house this spring.

METAMORA TWP. — There’s a quote that Sarah Mauzy lives by, even as she works in the barn, bundled up in the unseasonably cold November, that she attributes to a pastor she follows. “I smile when I catch God watching me through the eyes of a horse.”

Mauzy owns and operates Cutting Edge Performance Horses (CEPH), a boarding and training facility in Metamora Township, but she’s in the process of converting her business into a nonprofit she hopes will make a difference for a group in desperate need of the trust and bonding only a horse can provide. In the spring, Mauzy will hold an open house for Reining in Warriors Ranch, where therapy horses will provide free services to veterans suffering from anything from PTSD to physical disabilities. The sprawling ranch is located on Thomas Road in Metamora Township.

Mauzy said the move from a for-profit business like CEPH to a non-profit is “is just the way the Lord’s worked,” she continued. “We’re just getting off the ground now.” Mauzy’s in the process of acquiring the certifications necessary to provide “hippotherapy,” or horse-based treatment, to veterans in need, as well as pursuing her 501(c)3 status with the state. As her non-profit ranch grows, she’ll downsize the business side of her operation. “We’ve got to get certified, that’s the long-term goal. It’ll just take some time to get there. Eventually we’ll be completely non-profit, helping out the vets,” she said. Mauzy has been doing all the paperwork and training herself, in order to get a better grasp on the technical side of operating a charity. “It’s been a huge learning curve for me, but it’s been very educational,” she said.

Paperwork aside, the core of the Reining in Warriors Ranch is horses, and Mauzy knows horses. Currently the ranch has seven, but two stallions, Woodrow and Huck, will be called on to breed more, to provide veterans the opportunity to bond with young horses. Mauzy said Reining in Warriors Ranch will provide lessons on riding and basic horse training to start, then onto more advanced techniques. “There’s no age limit, we’ll take anyone, there’s no expectation,” she said. “It’s just a quiet place where vets can recover, we’ll provide that.”

Mauzy said hippotherapy is proven effective, and in many cases can be more effective than office-based therapy. In May, Mauzy and her husband attended a training seminar in Oregon to witness first-hand how useful hippotherapy can be when treating emotional trauma and improving coordination, balance and strength, as well as how to start their own program. “We’re hoping this can have a big impact,” she said. “We don’t know quite what to expect but we’re hearing there are a lot of Vietnam-era vets that could use this sort of thing. Every day, 22 veterans commit suicide, and we want to help stop that.”

Mauzy said they’ve had “a ton of support” from area veterans groups, and she’s currently reaching out to more in the Lapeer County area so when the doors of Reining in Warriors Ranch open officially in the spring, they’ll be ready to offer their services to all comers. As winter comes, Mauzy said it provides a good opportunity to get their ducks in a row. “It’s just a matter of this Michigan weather, it’s hard to get people out here riding (in the cold),” she said. “I think that’s a blessing too, we don’t want to jump in and not be able to help people the way we should.”

Faith is also a significant part of the Reining in Warriors mission statement. The hope is that riders will have the chance to “lose themselves in the presence of a horse in order to find Jesus” and lessons will include faith-based education. “It gives us an open door to share the love of Christ,” said Mauzy. “These animals are just magnificent for building that trust. It’s neat to see that connection made. We always say that we don’t own them, we’re just caretakers for a while.”

Reining in Warriors Ranch will be fully operational in the spring, but Mauzy said they wouldn’t turn anyone away should they seek out their services now, and while the Mauzys are currently funding the Ranch out-of-pocket, they’ll happily take contributions. “We’ve had a small group of family and friends that have been very supportive, but we’re always looking for support,” she said. “We keep records right now so when we get (501(c)3) status we can issue receipts. But so far, the Lord has provided us with everything we’ve needed.”

To follow along as Reining in Warriors Ranch develops, follow their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/reininginwarriors. To contact Mauzy, call 810-627-1938 or email cuttingedgeequine@yahoo.com.