Tie-Dye!!
Tie-Dye shirt - Instructions for home
We love pouring joyful color on our Cheyne Ranch t-shirts! Now your child is home with a very wet, very colorful shirt in a plastic bag, here’s what to do next to help that vibrant color last:
Step-by-Step Tie-Dye Care
1. Do NOT open the bag!
Instead, toss the closed bag with the shirt straight into your freezer.
2. Let it freeze for 6–24 hours.
This helps lock in the color before rinsing.
3. Time to rinse.
Take the shirt out of the freezer and head to a sink, bathtub, or outdoor hose area.
4. Remove the rubber bands.
Unfold the shirt carefully and take off all rubber bands.
5. Rinse with cold water.
Keep rinsing until the water runs clear. (This might take a little while—totally normal!)
6. Wash it solo.
Pop the shirt into the washing machine by itself.
(If you have multiple tie-dyed shirts, wash them one at a time.)
Use cold water.
No detergent.
7. Don’t use the dryer!
Instead, hang the shirt to air dry.
🎉 That’s it!
These extra steps are all about making sure your child’s shirt stays bright and beautiful—just like the memories they made at the ranch.
Kids are welcome to wear their shirts - we are going to try for a group photo on Thursday!!
✨ 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
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)
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.
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
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
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:
Cheyne Ranch Core Beliefs
At Cheyne Ranch, relationships are at the heart of everything we do. Through honest communication and intentional connection—with animals, nature, and one another—we create the conditions for learning, growth, and belonging in a safe, inclusive community.
1. Safety That Supports Growth
Safety comes first—because it’s the foundation for everything else we do. Our environment is built on calm, steady awareness, with clear expectations, thoughtful preparation, and nationally recognized standards that keep people and animals protected. We lead with consistency and care—so that everyone can participate confidently, grow with trust, and feel safe enough to take brave steps forward.
2. Adaptive and Inclusive by Design
We welcome individuals of all abilities and backgrounds into a setting intentionally designed to respond to diverse needs. Our approach is responsive, respectful, and neurodiversity-affirming—honoring the many ways people think, communicate, and experience the world.
3. Connection with Animals is Transformational
At Cheyne Ranch, animals are trusted partners in healing, learning, and growth. Our animals are kind, well-cared-for, and deeply valued. Through connection, students experience trust, regulation, and the calm confidence that connection brings.
4. Growth Through Meaningful Work
We believe in the power of hands-on work. Through caring for animals and engaging in real farm responsibilities, students build skills, confidence, and resilience. Even when tasks are challenging, we support them in discovering what they’re capable of—and in learning that we grow by doing hard things.
5. Grounded in Evidence, Practiced with Care
We stay current with research in Equine-Assisted Learning, Animal-Assisted Activities, and neurodiversity practices to ensure our work is effective and aligned with what we know helps people grow. Research informs what we do—but it’s how we show up that makes it meaningful.
6. Committed to Continuous Learning
We believe growth doesn’t stop with experience—it requires reflection, mentorship, and a willingness to evolve. We learn from every student, family, and animal we work with, and we seek wisdom from trusted mentors and peers. Every team member is expected to stay engaged as a student themselves—through lessons, coaching, or guided learning. Our commitment to learning keeps us grounded, curious, and open to change.
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.
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):
Saturday, May 17th at 10:30 AM
1949 County Rd 419 #1281
Oviedo, FL 32766
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
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