Sally Ann Cheyne Sally Ann Cheyne

✨ Welcome to Our 6th Summer at Cheyne Ranch!

🐴 Welcome to Our 6th Summer at Cheyne Ranch! 🌞

Howdy families!

We are thrilled to welcome over 80 families—including more than 30 new families—this summer for our 6th summer at Cheyne Ranch! Whether you're here for PALS, riding lessons, Nature Club, or our fabulous summer camps, we’re so happy you’re part of this community.


📍 Important Logistics: Summer Camp & Nature Club

Drop-off: 8:55–9:15 AM at the playground
Pick-up: 1:00 PM, usually at the pool (sometimes barn or playground)
Waiver Required: ✅ Only once per year — chra.us/w
Location & Directions: chra.us/loc


💸 Payment Info

Preferred: Zelle to 407-680-3348 (Philip Cheyne) — or keep scrolling for Direct Pay via SUFS
All payment options: chra.us/pay

Summer Camps: $165 per camp week
Friday Nature Club: $55 per Friday
Riding Lessons & PALS:
– $400 for the full 8-week session
– $200 for 4 lessons (please arrange in advance if attending less than 8 weeks)

(Many of you already paid—thank you!)
We’ll send out invoices in mid-June, but if you’d like to take care of payment now, you’re more than welcome to do so!

💸💬💳💬💸💬💳💸💬💳

For Families Using SUFS

We’re a DIRECT PAY provider through SUFS! 🙌
• We’re working to list our $5/day fee on the EMA portal

Please either:
Wait to reserve funds until it’s listed
OR
Reserve $50/day now, knowing you’ll have a $5/day balance to reserve later

Want to add a donation? 💛
Cheyne Ranch is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit offering low-cost programs and free services to adults with special needs
chra.us/give


🧃 The Return of GATORADE SLUSHIES!!

• Back by popular demand!
• Made with Gatorade powder (white, yellow, or light blue) + sparkling water + ice
• Served at snack time each day
• 🍓 No red or dark blue Gatorade
• 🚫 Let us know if your child should skip the slushie


🗓️ Visual Camp Schedule

Want to help your child know what to expect each day?

• View the visual schedule below 👇
Click here to download the printable PDF version





🧳 What to Pack

Refillable water bottle – filtered refill station available
Extra snacks – kids get HUNGRIER than usual! Snack is around 10:00 AM
Packed lunch – we eat together around 12:00 PM at the playground
Closed-toed shoes – sturdy sneakers or hiking boots
Swimsuit – best worn under clothes if comfy
Towel, dry change of clothes (goggles are not provided)
Optional: Flip-flops or Crocs for swimming
(Plenty of cubby space for each child’s things)

🏊 Swimming offered daily from 12:20–1:00 PM


❄️🧊 ICE! (Seriously, We Love Ice)

Here are two small but meaningful ways anyone can pitch in this summer:

Bring a bag of ice one morning – We go through a ton of ice daily—for animal care, cooling towels, slushies, and staying hydrated! If you’re able, grab a bag from any gas station or grocery store and drop it off at arrival—it’ll be put to great use.

Check out our Amazon Wish List – We’ve put together a list of useful items that help us keep things running smoothly and safely for everyone.
💛 Amazon Wishlist 💛


📸 Photo Album

• I’ll do my best to take photos each day and upload them to a Google Photos album
• 📷 Please share your photos too — we love seeing camp from your perspective!


💥 Program Overview

Here’s what our 8-week summer looks like this year:

🌈 Summer Camps
• Held on TUESDAY / WEDNESDAY / THURSDAY, every other week
Time: 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM

Camp Dates:
Week 1: Tues 6/3, Wed 6/4, Thurs 6/5
Week 2: Tues 6/17, Wed 6/18, Thurs 6/19
Week 3: Tues 7/1, Wed 7/2, Thurs 7/3
Week 4: Tues 7/15, Wed 7/16, Thurs 7/17

🌿 Friday Nature Club
• Runs every Friday, June 6 – July 25
• Sign up for individual Fridays — flexible and fun!
• ⏳ Need to cancel? Please give at least 48 hours’ notice for a refund
• This allows us to offer your spot to someone on the waiting list
• ⚠️ No refunds for last-minute changes or no-shows

🐴 Riding Lessons & PALS
• Scheduled for MONDAYS / FRIDAYS / SATURDAYS, all 8 weeks
• You’ll receive an email confirmation and text reminder for each lesson


Thank you for being such a fabulous part of this community.
We’re honored to grow with your family for YEAR SIX of magic, learning, and connection at Cheyne Ranch.

Sally Ann Cheyne

Founder & President 

Cheyne Ranch, Inc.

nonprofit 501(c)(3)

Located in Oviedo, FL

Call / Text: (407) 205-7744 

email: Sally@CheyneRanch.com

Website: www.CheyneRanch.com

Facebook: facebook.com/CheyneRanch

Instagram: instagram.com/CheyneRanch

Our mission: 

To teach animal care and connection in a safe, inclusive, accessible community where individuals of all abilities build confidence, form meaningful connections, and develop essential life skills.


Please donate and help us with our mission:
chra.us/donate

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Sally Ann Cheyne Sally Ann Cheyne

Project - Horse Shade + Hay Shelter

Line Item: Open-Sided Equine Shade Pavilion with Central Hay Storage
Amount Requested:
Purpose and Impact:
This durable, open-sided wood pavilion will provide much-needed shade and weather protection for our horses, while housing a central hay bale in a gated, protected area. The structure allows multiple horses to comfortably feed in the shade, supports herd health by reducing sun exposure and stress, and prevents hay spoilage from rain or UV damage. By protecting both animals and feed, this structure enhances the daily comfort and well-being of the equine partners who make our inclusive, therapeutic programs possible.

Proposed Size of overall shade structure:

36’ l x 12’ w x 10’ h

Size of hay box:

8’ x 8’ (consider having 2 hay boxed areas)



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Sally Ann Cheyne Sally Ann Cheyne

Project - Wash Stall Sink area

Line Item: L-Shaped Elevated Wash Station with Utility Sink and Drying Racks
Materials Cost: ~$600
Labor Cost: ?
Purpose and Impact:
This custom L-shaped wash station will include a wood-framed countertop with a large utility sink and overhead hose boom access, eliminating the need for a built-in faucet. Designed at waist height for accessibility, it enables special needs students and adults to safely and comfortably participate in bucket washing—a vital daily ranch task. Integrated metal drying racks will promote independence, skill-building, and a deeper sense of contribution, in alignment with our commitment to inclusive, hands-on learning and meaningful participation for all abilities.

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Sally Ann Cheyne Sally Ann Cheyne

Project - mounting block

Project: Accessible Mounting Block (Sturdy, multi-step with handrails)
Materials Cost: ~$600
Labor Cost: ?

Need 2 - one for front riding area and one for back riding area

Impact Statement:
This adaptive equipment will allow students with physical or neurodiverse needs to mount horses safely and confidently, fostering independence and inclusion from the outset. It also protects horse welfare by reducing back strain during mounting and dismounting, supporting our evidence-informed practices in Equine-Assisted Learning.

Photo for Inspiration, Changes for our needs:

  • handrails on both sides of stairs

  • No handrails on center of block

  • Possibly under 11 feet total in width

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Sally Ann Cheyne Sally Ann Cheyne

Trying to Keep the Ranch Open (and Cool) This Summer

📝 It’s 2:00 AM on a Friday night.
And I’m at my computer, running numbers and staring at spreadsheets.
Trying to figure out how to make this summer work—
how to keep the programs operating, the animals fed and healthy, the staff paid.

I’ve done this before. I’ll probably do it again.
But it never gets easier.

tl;dr: We need donations to continue operating this summer. And we need SHADE.

At Cheyne Ranch, we’re best known for our adaptive riding lessons, inclusive nature clubs, and summer camps. We charge below market value because we believe access to animal connection and growth should never depend on a family’s income.

And we don’t stop there. About 15% of our students receive full or partial scholarships—families who pay even less, or nothing at all—because inclusion isn’t just a philosophy here. It’s a practice.

There’s another part of what we do that most people don’t see:
We welcome adults with special needs year-round—for free.

These individuals come to feed and love on our animals, fill water buckets, sweep our barn, walk our horses, and quietly build confidence in ways that are hard to measure—but easy to feel.

And this summer, we’re welcoming even more of them.
More groups. More sessions. More lives touched through hands-on animal care and compassionate inclusion.

There are few programs out there for adults with special needs.
We’ve become one of the rare places where they’re not just welcomed—but needed. Valued. Believed in.

We’ve never charged them. And I don’t want to start now.


💸 The Cost of Doing It Right

Right now, it costs about $12,000 each month to keep Cheyne Ranch running.

That includes:

  • 🐴 Animal care: feed, vet visits, medical supplies, shelter maintenance

  • 💼 Staff wages: for the team who shows up with skill and heart

  • 🔐 Admin & overhead: safety certifications, CPR/First Aid training, insurance, bookkeeping, tax prep, software systems, and more

Out of the six members of our family, only two teenagers are paid—and even they donate our family’s required 7 hours each week.
The rest of us—including me—do not take a salary. We give everything we can.

But we can’t cover it all. Not even close.


☀️ The Heat Isn’t New—But It Can’t Be Ignored Anymore

Florida heat has always been part of life here on our five-acre property.
We’ve managed with temporary setups, scheduled around the sun, and just pushed through when we had to.

But now, things are shifting.
While summer is still our slowest season overall, we’re seeing more adults with special needs coming—as word spreads about the inclusive, hands-on experiences we offer.

And what used to be uncomfortable is becoming unsafe.

This summer, we’re finally addressing something we’ve put off for too long:
We’re working to install three shade structures—each one meeting a real, growing need.

  • 🐴 For the horses: A large structure to keep their hay dry, their bodies cooler, and their stress lower as they stand and eat in the summer sun

  • 🌞 For the kids: A smaller shade over the summer camp play area—where our youngest students rest, snack, laugh, and just be kids between activities

  • 🐎 For our riders: A cover for our round pen, so we can continue adaptive riding lessons without risking anyone’s health or cutting programs short

Together, these projects total $9,000:
$5,000 for the large horse shelter
$2,000 each for the camper and rider shade areas

These aren’t luxuries.
They’re about safety, comfort, and continued inclusion.

If we’ve learned anything in this work, it’s that small adaptations make big impacts—especially for students with sensory sensitivities, physical differences, and neurodiverse needs.

Shade isn’t just about comfort—it’s about belonging.
It’s how we say: “We see you, and we’ll meet your needs.”


🌱 What We’re Building Toward

Someday, we hope to build an endowment—a simple, sustainable fund that helps cover our monthly costs so I’m not writing appeals like this at 2:00 AM.

But today is not that day.

Today, we need a bridge.
Just enough to get through the summer—while keeping our standards high, our programs open, and our most vulnerable participants safe and included.


🛠 How You Can Help

Whether it’s $25 or $2,500—your gift will make a real, immediate difference.

  • 💸 Donate at cheyneranch.com/give (Zelle = fee-free!)

  • 🎨 Sponsor summer camp supplies – Due to a billing snafu with the Family Empowerment Scholarship, we couldn’t apply our intended $15 supply fee. With 300 camper spots across 20 days, we need help covering crafts, snacks, and activities

  • 🧾 Buy a gift card to Lowe’s, Home Depot, or Tractor Supply

  • 📦 Shop our Amazon Wish List for small but vital items

  • 🐴 Add credit to our feed account at the Oviedo Tack Shack

  • 🐾 Sponsor a visit from a special needs adult day program – $200 helps cover staff salaries for a full session, ensuring these visits remain free, safe, and meaningful

  • 🧤 Join a project day – Help with tidying, gardening, or organizing supplies. No horse experience needed—just a willing heart! (Email me to join the list.)

Can’t donate right now? That’s okay—here’s how you can still help:

  • 🗣️ Tell a friend about Cheyne Ranch

  • ⭐ Leave a review on Google or Facebook

  • 💬 Engage with our social posts—likes, shares, and comments really help

Thank you for believing in this place.
For standing with us through the heat.
And for helping us build a place where inclusion isn’t optional—it’s who we are.

With love and hay dust
(where is the rain, drought-y Florida?)
Sally Ann Cheyne
Founder & President
Cheyne Ranch

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Sally Ann Cheyne Sally Ann Cheyne

The Voices in My Head (and Why They're All About Cheyne Ranch)

I’m obsessing over words. It’s Mother’s Day, and my lovely family is making sure I have time to relax. My immediate responsibilities are few, so I've chosen to obsess over the words for Cheyne Ranch. I’ve updated our Mission Statement, Vision Statement, drafted 9 Core Beliefs, created a Welcome Statement, and wrote a Founding Narrative—the "why." Since Saturday afternoon, I’m probably on hour 18 of this.

My brain does this to me sometimes. I’m not mad about it.

I keep combing through every word, searching for clarity and cohesiveness. I want to articulate what we do that is making a difference. I want to express my passion—the energy that drives me every single day. I want to put into words why I’m so compelled to continue this, even when there are hard days.

I want to express just how talented and dedicated our staff is and why they’re so motivated to give so much to this job. I want to capture the incredible feedback from families and students about the impact Cheyne Ranch has made on their lives. I’m also thinking about how we continue to improve for the future.

And I want to have the right words at the front of my mind when potential donors or grantors ask why Cheyne Ranch deserves their investment—the opportunity to keep improving, keep serving, and keep changing lives.


Will you please review my words? There are many. I’d love your feedback when you have time. It doesn’t need to be detailed—I know my manic obsession with words is necessary in my own mind, but anything you can give feedback on would be appreciated. I’m adding some photos from the last couple days for some visual interest. I love what we do here.

**For the board members of Cheyne Ranch - I do need your approval on the updated mission and vision statement.

I’m certainly open to revisions as well.

And here we go…


Our Nonprofit Mission:

To teach animal care and connection in a safe, inclusive, accessible community where individuals of all abilities build confidence, form meaningful connections, and develop essential life skills.

Our Vision:

To create a future where individuals of all abilities experience authentic belonging, emotional resilience, and confidence through meaningful connections with animals and community, fostering purpose and empowering lifelong success.


Welcoming Statement: 

Welcome to Cheyne Ranch! We are a safe, inclusive, and accessible community where individuals of all abilities, backgrounds, and neurodiversities connect with animals and the outdoors in ways that inspire growth and well-being. Whether through learning animal care, the unique experience of horseback riding, or simply spending time with our gentle animals, students grow in emotional resilience, develop essential life skills, and build lasting confidence in themselves.

As a non-profit organization, our work is guided by a set of core beliefs that shape everything we do, from our interactions with students and animals to the programs we offer. We are committed to making these powerful connections accessible to everyone through scholarships and a welcoming environment. Join us and discover the simple yet transformative magic of Cheyne Ranch.

Learn more about what drives us:


Our Core Beliefs:

  1. Safety and Well-being First: The safety and well-being of our students and animals are paramount at Cheyne Ranch, a working farm environment. This commitment is reinforced by our founder's PATH certification, comprehensive professional liability insurance, our dedication to continuous safety learning and improvement, and the added reassurance that all adult workers and volunteers maintain current First Aid and CPR certifications.

  2. The Value of Inclusion:  We believe in the immense power of an inclusive community where individuals of all abilities learn and grow together.​ Students of all diversities being together builds empathy​, understanding and acceptance​.​  

  3. The Power of Connection with Animals: We believe in the powerful and positive connection our students can develop with our animals, who are genuinely kind, well-attended to, and thrive in their role here at the ranch. These animals become special partners in their learning and well-being within our working farm environment.

  4. Empowering Growth and Resilience: Through hands-on animal care, even in the face of challenges, individuals build emotional resilience and self-awareness. In our supportive community, they learn that 'we can do hard things' and realize their potential as they grow.

  5. Building Skills and Confidence: We are committed to providing meaningful, hands-on experiences with our animals that help build essential skills and a strong sense of accomplishment. Seeing their progress empowers each student and boosts their confidence within the real-world context of our ranch.

  6. A Truly Accepting Environment: Creating a truly accepting and adaptable environment is fundamental to what we do. As a working farm, we wholeheartedly welcome individuals of all abilities and embrace the diverse ways they may experience the world. 

  7. A Personalized and Responsive Approach: We believe in taking a personalized​ approach,​ genuinely getting to know each student and their family. By understanding their unique needs, strengths, and learning styles, we can tailor our support and celebrate every achievement, fostering their individual growth and success.

  8. Evidence-Informed Practices: We are committed to evidence-based practices, staying up-to-date with the latest research in Equine Assisted Learning, Animal Assisted Activities, and neurodiversity to ensure the effectiveness and positive impact of our programs.

  9. Continual Learning and Growth: At Cheyne Ranch, we are committed to the continuous growth of our team and organization to provide the best support in a safe, nurturing environment. Our instructors benefit from regular lessons and mentorship from experts like Chezz Perlini, alongside Sally’s PATH certification and valuable guidance from mentors such as Saebra Pipoly and Cara Blanchard. Through ongoing engagement with industry publications and podcasts, our team stays informed on the latest evidence-based practices in Equine-Assisted Learning (EAL) and Animal-Assisted Activities (AAL), ensuring we continually improve and enhance the experience for those we serve.


Founding Narrative, the “why”: 

Cheyne Ranch began as a deeply personal mission: to create an inclusive, enriching community where individuals of all abilities could connect with animals. As a mother of neurodiverse children, our founder experienced firsthand the financial barriers and lack of support for those with diverse needs in traditional equestrian settings. This ignited a passion to build something different—where the life-changing benefits of human-animal connection are accessible to all, regardless of learning styles or financial means. 

Driven by the belief that everyone deserves this opportunity, we are dedicated to making it a reality through evidence-based practices, the powerful presence of our animals, and the neurodiverse-affirming support of our team. At Cheyne Ranch, lives are transformed, potential blossoms, and a truly inclusive world where all abilities thrive is within reach.

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Sally Ann Cheyne Sally Ann Cheyne

May News!

I can’t believe next week is Week 8 and the end of our Spring 2 session! It is already time to start thinking about our summer schedules. I have so much to tell you, and ask you!

First a recap of May:

  • Week of May 12: Next week! It will be week 8 of 8 weeks for of Lessons, PALS, Nature Clubs. We are working on giving your child a certificate of completion for the semester / year. Please stay tuned for more details.

  • Week of May 19: A week for makeups/reschedules! for Lessons and PALS, we try to only have 1 makeup each 8 week session. Please reach out to me to schedule the makeup lesson. *No makeups are offered for Nature Clubs.

  • Week of May 26: Cheyne Ranch is closed! Sort of. We still welcome volunteers on Mon / Wed / Fri morning. We will be preparing for summer camp, working with the animals, doing some deep cleaning and just having a fun relaxed time with the animals

Important Reminders:

  • Please pay your Spring 2 Invoice soon! If you need the link to the Square Invoice that was emailed - please text me.

    • Reach out if you have a hardship - we don’t want finances to prevent your student from coming here.

  • We are a direct pay provider for Step Up For Students. It is so easy and fast! Click here for more info


Next, let’s plan for summer!

  • Lessons & PALS Scheduling: Please email / text me your preferred days and times for your child's summer lessons or PALS sessions (see calendar below)

  • Summer Program Support: We are a nonprofit and summer is our hardest financial season - please pay for the full 8 weeks if you can

    • If you are going to travel a lot - please still consider scheduling lessons! You can pay for 6 lessons of even 4 lessons (instead of 8) if needed.

  • Summer Camp Availability (Current/Former Students): Our summer camps are full - HOWEVER! current / former students can still join us. We have 16 kids in each week of camp - we are happy to have up to 20 (our paid staff to student ratio remains 1:4). Text me if you would like a spot in one of our summer camps. 3 days of summer camp is $165.

  • Friday Nature Clubs (June & July): Still Plenty of Space. Please consider signing up for the Friday Nature Club - we do animal care, the kids get a short riding lesson, we have Gatorade slushies, playground time and SWIM!!. It is super fun. And usually a small-ish group, which is also super nice.

  • Summer Schedule Spreadsheet: Below are the (in)famous Sally spreadsheet schedules of our 8 week summer schedule. Please let me know if you have any questions.


People Spotlight:

Cheyne Ranch is a community of amazing people who care for our animals, learn together, and hopefully find belonging and joy in this rewarding work, building valuable life skills.

  • We love the therapist who hold therapy at Cheyne Ranch! Have you met Julie Gerhard? She is a speech therapist with a calling to serve families of children with special needs. She is incredible, she is always seeking growth, she studies mindfulness, she has a PhD, she is so kind - I could go on and on. Please reach out to her to discuss your child’s speech or communication needs.

  • Kristy Richardson is also a speech therapist, she is working to incorporate Yoga into her speech and communication therapy practice. If you're interested in learning more about Kristy's vision, please don't hesitate to reach out. Join her at an upcoming (free!!) session for preschoolers (flyer):


Volunteer Spotlight:

Our volunteers are central to everything we do. I especially want to recognize Abby F., who has been volunteering with us for over four years! She even introduced her wonderful friend Katelynn H, who has now been with us for over two years. We're so fortunate to have many amazing volunteers; here are some more names of those who have been a huge help in recent months:

  • Ryland K

  • Mia B.

  • Mika G.

  • Maddie C.

  • Morgan Q.

  • Emily P.

  • Eva M.

  • Gwena B.

  • Nora S.

  • Nora P.

  • Sienna S.

  • Heidi G.

  • Rosie M.

  • London N.

  • Miranda M.

  • And of course a big thank you to Katie M, Desiree F, Erin S, - you all work here but I know you give us so much more - THANK YOU!


Please forgive me if I’m forgetting anyone - I don’t mean to! All students, in fact everyone who comes to Cheyne Ranch is the momentum that keeps our mission moving forward.

Speaking of mission…

We are moving into our summer session, when we receive the least amount of income, but we give out the most scholarships. Also, all of our expenses increase: our electric bill (fans), water bill, supplements to keep the animals hydrated.

We are launching a campaign for donations for more SHADE.

The sneak peak is: The animals need more shade structures built in their turn-out areas. Students and helpers need more shade during their time working with the horses outside of the barn. I think all of Florida can use more shade in the summer - and that includes all the animals and the people here at Cheyne Ranch.

There are so many ways to give:

  • Donate to Cheyne Ranch, Inc

  • Find out how your employer might match your donation

  • Volunteer at Cheyne Ranch

  • Purchase things from our Amazon wish list

  • Follow & interact on Facebook / Instagram

  • Spread the word to friends and family about Cheyne Ranch - help us continue our mission as we continue to learn and grow together!


Yay! you are still reading!

Here are a few updates to what is happening around here:

  • We have a new horse named Honey! She is a beautiful, healthy 10 year old Haflinger with a super sweet personality. We are all so very in love.

  • Our 10 baby chicks are all still growing! We moved them out to the Big chicken coop this evening, we put them in an enclosure within the Big coop, because they were already outgrowing their smaller home in the barn.

  • We are getting so many eggs right now! (Although I probably just jinxed it). When we have eggs, we usually give them away. Please let me know if you want some!

  • Where is the rain? Well, we had some this evening (Wednesday) actually. But it was forecasted to rain many many times in the past several weeks, but we’ve had very little rain.

  • We are going to start a donation campaign for the summer soon, it will be all about SHADE! We can definitely use more shade for the animals and for the people.

  • New families —> start here: chra.us/top10


Sally Ann Cheyne

Founder & President 

Cheyne Ranch, Inc.

nonprofit 501(c)(3)

Located in Oviedo, FL

 

Call / Text: (407) 205-7744 

email: Sally@CheyneRanch.com

Website: www.CheyneRanch.com

Facebook: facebook.com/CheyneRanch

Instagram: instagram.com/CheyneRanch

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Sally Ann Cheyne Sally Ann Cheyne

Tony, the pony

For consideration is a 2015 gelding named Tony 13.2 or 13.3 hh. Available for a year-by-year care lease. This opportunity is only for individuals we know or those referred to us by someone we know. Tony was donated to Cheyne Ranch in July 2023 and we cannot sell him or rehome him. Tony is young, healthy, sound, so personable, attention loving and social.

However… Tony is not a match for our adaptive riding and therapy barn.


The Good:

  • 13.2 or 13.3 black pony gelding, age 10

  • Tony is playful, attention loving, cute cute, good looking.

  • We are guessing he is a Morgan x quarter pony cross. His former owner said she had his hair tested and he qualified as being a partial Morgan horse.

  • Barefoot, easy keeper. He eats alfalfa in his stall and Coastal in the (dry) pasture. He gets grain 2x a day - Seminole Equalizer (a balancer). He is on no supplements and has never been lame or showed any signs of colic.

  • Has been ridden by a professional trainer who comes here to teach our trainers over 30 times - he is great under saddle! (for an intermediate / advanced rider)

  • He is up-to-date on everything. Dentist in December, farrier trims every 6 weeks, de-wormed in early April, vaccines in November (including rabies).

  • He is “frisky” with our mares, so we had his blood drawn to make sure he really was fully gelded. His blood test came back showing he is definitely fully gelded.

  • Full of personality - everyone loves him, to pet, to say hello to. he is frequently at the fence or gate asking for attention from humans.

  • We have videos of Tony being ridden for jumping and fox hunting when he was owned by a trainer in North Carolina.


The Bad:

  • Tony requires an intermediate or advanced rider. He will try and “test” beginner riders and if they don’t have confidence, he will go have fun his own way, instead of listening to the rider.

  • We think Tony would be better off if he was in regular, consistent work. At our barn, he is occasionally saddled (once or twice a month) and he gets very nervous while being tacked up. He has broken 2 or 3 cross-ties while spooking at something while being tacked. Once he is being ridden by a confident rider - he is outstanding.

  • At our barn, we only have group turn-out - and Tony gets rough with his pasture mates. He loves his other horsey friends, but we think it would be best if he was turned out alone and near other horses, or turned out with other horses who will not tolerate his antics. Several of our horses get cuts from him.

  • We are primarily a barn that does brushing, and ground work. We have a lot of special needs students and it is so so important the horses are absolutely saints with their ground handling skills. Tony is a good horse - but he is no saint.

  • It is hard to catch Tony in the pasture to halter him and bring him in. We haven’t worked on this as much as needed, so with consistent training, this can be improved. But he cannot be caught by anyone except our lead trainer.


Google photo album with more photos and a few videos: click here

Ideally, we would like Tony to go to a home where he receives regular work by a confident rider, specifically somewhere in Florida. We are happy to take care of him now, and we look forward to caring for him when he is older. The prospective care lease family will need to sign a contract stating they will care for him at the same level of care he receives here, including:

  • yearly dentist & vaccines

  • regular farrier

  • high quality hay and feed

  • de-wormer as needed

  • Regular training and exercise

Contact info: (text is easiest)

Sally Ann Cheyne, Founder & President of Cheyne Ranch, Inc. nonprofit 501(c)(3)

Located in Oviedo, FL

Call / Text: (407) 205-7744 

email: Sally@CheyneRanch.com

Website: www.CheyneRanch.com

Facebook: facebook.com/CheyneRanch

Instagram: instagram.com/CheyneRanch

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