Excelsior Ranch

Excelsior Ranch Excelsior Ranch offers equine assisted therapy to promote growth and personal awareness.

🐴 Confidence doesn’t always grow loudly. Sometimes it grows quietly.One of the things we see often at the ranch is a chi...
02/24/2026

🐴 Confidence doesn’t always grow loudly. Sometimes it grows quietly.

One of the things we see often at the ranch is a child arriving unsure, quiet, or anxious around the horses. At first, they might hesitate to lead, speak softly, or avoid taking up space.

But over time, something shifts.

As they learn to guide a 1,000-pound animal, set boundaries, and communicate clearly, confidence starts to build. Not overnight, and not dramatically, but steadily.

And often parents tell us they begin to notice those same small changes showing up at home or at school.

That’s one of the reasons equine-assisted sessions can be so powerful. Working alongside our mental health professionals and equine specialists, kids get to practice confidence, communication, and emotional regulation in a way that feels natural and safe.

Growth doesn’t always make noise. Sometimes it shows up quietly, one small brave step at a time.

If your child could benefit from time with the horses, we’re always happy to talk about how sessions work.

One thing horses teach us every day at the ranch is that leadership isn’t about force — it’s about trust, consistency, a...
02/16/2026

One thing horses teach us every day at the ranch is that leadership isn’t about force — it’s about trust, consistency, and calm presence.

The horses naturally follow the one who creates safety and clarity, not the one who tries to control everything. And honestly, the same lesson applies in families, classrooms, and communities.

As we head into Presidents Day, we’re grateful for the leaders, parents, teachers, and mentors who show up with patience and steady guidance, even when the work is quiet and unseen.

Sometimes the strongest leadership simply looks like showing up every day.

Wishing everyone a warm and restful holiday weekend from all of us at Excelsior Ranch.

02/14/2026

Valentine’s Day photoshoot plan: “Let’s get one adorable picture of Nugget and Snickers together.”

Reality:
They chose violence.
✔️ Running
✔️ Kicking
✔️ Play-biting
✔️ Absolute chaos

They love each other dearly — they just express it like tiny, fluffy WWE wrestlers. So here they are in their Valentine’s best — just not next to each other 😆

Sometimes love needs boundaries for the camera 📸😂

Happy Valentine’s Day from our wild little hearts to yours.

Valentine’s Day photoshoot plan: “Let’s get one adorable picture of Nugget and Snickers together.”Reality:They chose vio...
02/14/2026

Valentine’s Day photoshoot plan: “Let’s get one adorable picture of Nugget and Snickers together.”

Reality:
They chose violence.
✔️ Running
✔️ Kicking
✔️ Play-biting
✔️ Absolute chaos

They love each other dearly — they just express it like tiny, fluffy WWE wrestlers. So here they are in their Valentine’s best — just not next to each other 😆

I guess sometimes love needs boundaries for the camera 📸😂

Happy Valentine’s Day from our wild little hearts to yours.

Horsin’ Around at Excelsior Ranch 🐴Today’s episode features Willow- our sweet, gentle mare... and full-time escape artis...
02/10/2026

Horsin’ Around at Excelsior Ranch 🐴

Today’s episode features Willow- our sweet, gentle mare... and full-time escape artist.

At chore time, all the horses were calmly inside the pen, while Willow was peacefully grazing on the outside, because to Willow, fences are optional suggestions.

After about 30 minutes of detective work, I finally discovered how she managed her latest escape. Let’s just say Willow has strong opinions about fences and impressive determination when she wants a change of scenery.

The funny thing is that this clever girl, who once came from a kill pen situation and is now around 25 years old, is one of the kindest, softest souls in the herd… unless you’re a fence trying to keep her contained.

Maybe the lesson Willow keeps teaching us is that even after hard chapters, personality and curiosity don’t disappear. Sometimes, once someone feels safe, their real spirit starts showing again… even if it means testing a few fences along the way.

Life with horses keeps us laughing, humble, and constantly fixing fences… and honestly, we wouldn’t have it any other way.

Sometimes growth is happening in ways we cannot see yet.This week, I spoke with a parent walking through a hard season w...
02/03/2026

Sometimes growth is happening in ways we cannot see yet.

This week, I spoke with a parent walking through a hard season with their child. They are showing up, supporting, encouraging, and doing everything they can, yet still worry they are failing because progress feels slow or invisible.

Working with horses reminds me of something important. Every time we interact with a horse, we are training them, whether we realize it or not. They are always learning from our presence, our consistency, our energy, and our boundaries. Even small, everyday interactions shape trust and behavior over time.

Parenting is much the same. In difficult seasons, it can feel like nothing is working, but simply showing up, loving your child, and staying present teaches them safety, resilience, and trust in ways that are not always visible right away.

Real growth often begins underground. Roots form long before anything blooms above the surface. Strength and stability are developing even when we cannot yet see progress.

At Excelsior Ranch, our one-on-one equine-assisted sessions bring together mental health professionals and equine specialists who work alongside individuals and families as they navigate these seasons. Horses have a unique way of helping kids and adults build confidence, regulate emotions, and reconnect with their own strengths in a setting that feels safe and supportive.

If you are walking through a difficult season with your child, please know that your presence matters more than you realize. Even when progress feels quiet, roots are still growing.

Sometimes we just do not get to see the bloom right away. 🌱🐴

01/30/2026

❄️ Dreaming of summer on a cold day… and getting excited for Horse Camp 2026 at Excelsior Ranch! ☀️🐴

Watching the kids build confidence with the horses, cool off on the giant water slide, and even make homemade ice cream together are some of my favorite memories. Horse camp is so much more than horses! It’s friendship, confidence, teamwork, and kids getting to just be kids outdoors.

If you have a child who loves animals or could use a little confidence boost, we would love to have them join us next summer. Spots always fill faster than expected, so we have extra slots this year and are offering early sign-ups now.

You can grab details and sign up here:
https://forms.gle/yvDt9fSE9H65TVjq9

Already looking forward to another amazing summer at the ranch. 🐎💛

10/15/2025

It’s always a little hard when you plan your day and a client no call no shows, but today I turned it into something good!

Two rides, no saddles… just sunshine and stillness🥰

Sometimes the best therapy sessions are the ones we don’t plan!

These incredible volunteers have been with Excelior Ranch since the very beginning when we opened our doors! For over a ...
09/28/2025

These incredible volunteers have been with Excelior Ranch since the very beginning when we opened our doors! For over a year now, they have given their time, energy, and heart to make sure our mission comes alive every single day! From caring for the horses to supporting our sessions, they have been the steady hands and compassionate spirits behind the work we do.

We truly could not do this without them! 💙 Thank you for showing up, for believing in our vision, and for pouring so much love into this community. You are the reason Excelsior Ranch is what it is today.

Here’s to the trail we’ve ridden together, and the many more ahead! ❤️🐴✨

09/28/2025

Today’s ride is more than just time in the saddle- it’s a celebration! These incredible volunteers have been with us since we opened our doors on September 11, 2024!

Day 2!
09/07/2025

Day 2!

Day 1 ✅Now off to the hotel to get some sleep!
09/07/2025

Day 1 ✅

Now off to the hotel to get some sleep!

Address

25777 257th Street
Princeton, IA
52768

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm

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