December mid-month NEWS!!
Yay for Kiwi! She has her spay surgery scheduled!
🐖 🤝 Thank you for your generous donations for Kiwi's Spay Surgery!
We were able to schedule Kiwi's spay surgery at the University of Florida Large Animal Hospital for Monday, December 23rd. We will drive her 2 hours north to Gainsville, FL early Monday morning and pick her up on Wednesday or Thursday of that same week. The expected cost is about $1,800. Your donations mean so much - Kiwi is SO SWEET and we are so glad she will be a safe part of Cheyne Ranch.
Holiday Drop-off!
🎄💝 Do your kids need some farm time? 💝🎄
🐐 Its kind of like a Kids' Night Out! 🐐
🌞 But it is during the day - on a TUESDAY!! 🌞
🐶 And hosted by Pediatric Occupational Therapist, Tyler Lacertosa 🐶
WHEN: Tues, Dec 24
TIME: 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM
WHERE: Cheyne Ranch
AGES: 5 - 11 (ask about other ages)
WHAT: Fun at the Farm!
Nature Based Crafts
Animal & barn care
Guided Hike
Outdoor games
Register Online: chra.us/events
Winter Break Camp
Yay! We are having a Winter Break camp! These are always so fun! If you are familiar with our programs - each day of camp is similar to a Friday Nature Club (which is a sold out program with a waiting list)
🐐 Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday
🐐 Dec 31, Jan 1 & Jan 2
🐐 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM
🐐 Ages 5 - 11 (age 12 & 13 is 50% off - we have several of them attend - it is volunteer fun!)
🐐 Playground, community time, animal care, nature walk, mounted skill, lunch together, open / free play
🐐 $150 for 3 days ($50 each day x 3 days = $150)
🐐 Eligible for reimbursement for the UA / PEP scholarships
Please visit our website for online registration. Please text with any questions! (407) 205-7744
Fall Semester coming to a close
Our fall semester is coming to a close - we are in the middle of week 16 right now!
**I never know whether to call this week 8 of the Fall 2 session or week 16 of the fall semester. If you have any ideas, let me know).
A few notes for our current students
Please reach out if you need a makeup lesson: text Sally: (407) 205-7744
Do you want to talk about a change to your child’s lesson schedule? Yes! let’s please talk more: text Sally: (407) 205-7744
We start back on Friday, Jan 10th. See this calendar for more info: chra.us/c
More Therapy options coming soon
The following therapists are all remarkable individuals, all successful in their own private practices and all personally known by us. They are all aligned with our mission and love being around the animals. They love it so much they see clients here! Whether it is speech or counseling or occupational therapy, it all is better outside the 4 walls and immersed in nature. Each therapists handles their own client schedules. Contact info for each therapist is in the links below:
We are always trying to figure out how to offer programs and services to our community. If there is a service or program you would like to see us offer, please let us know.
More Soon
There is always so much more to tell you, but only one more thing for now…
Are you thinking about some end of year giving? Do you receive an employer match for your donations?
We host our programs to community groups like BoysTown, MaPLE22, Mephibo’s House, Central Florida Down Syndrome Foundation, Seminole County Public Schools and many more.
We are listed on all the sites for employer match donations:
and you can donate through our website too.
Cheyne Ranch is a 501(c)(3) and your donations may be tax deductible. Everything we do here at Cheyne Ranch is subsidized by donations. The more money we raise the more people we can help.
Sally’s Lesson Barn Recommendations
The Central Florida equestrian community is both a large and a small community. When I look around as a parent and as a professional, here are a few things I look for in a lesson barn:
Business and Insurance: Anyone can offer riding lessons without a license or state approval. This can be both a blessing and a curse, as it allows for diverse opportunities but also increases the risk of unqualified instructors.
Legal Structure: Ensure the trainer operates a legitimate business, registered with the Florida SunBiz.
Insurance Coverage: Verify they have commercial liability insurance to protect both the rider and the trainer in case of accidents.
Horse Care: A trainer's commitment to horse welfare often reflects their overall dedication to the sport and their clients.
Equine Welfare: Observe how the trainer treats their horses. These complex animals require proper care, including appropriate feeding, veterinary care, hoof care, parasite control, and training.
Safety and Training Certifications: Choosing a certified trainer often indicates a higher level of expertise and a focus on providing a safe and effective learning environment.
Professional Credentials: Look for trainers with certifications from reputable organizations like PATH Intl, ARIA, or CHA.
Raising Industry Standards: While these certifications aren't mandatory, they signify a trainer's commitment to ongoing education and safety protocols.
Here are a few lesson barns I recommend below:
Nutcracker - What to know
Hello everyone! I'm excited about our field trip to the Dr. Phillips Center for the 12:30 PM performance of the Nutcracker!
A few important reminders:
Parking info can be found here. I park in the City Commons garage. I believe the parking charge is $13. There is no valet parking available for this morning showtime.
Please meet at the Dr. Phillips Center at 11:45 AM. I plan to be right outside the entry doors, to the left as you face the front doors. You will need to find me and check-in with me.
I am thrilled that 75 people purchased tickets as part of our Cheyne Ranch group. I voluntarily coordinated this as a community outing for Cheyne Ranch. Please be patient and be kind with everyone.
There are NO tickets or seat assignments for this event, the ushers will lead us to our section of seats once our group is present. If you arrive late, please let them know you are with Cheyne Ranch.
A few people have asked me what I'm wearing As this is a midday theater event aimed at schools and community organizations, I will be wearing my Cheyne Ranch "uniform" which is jeans and a Cheyne Ranch t-shirt, and my nonwork boots! You are free to dress as nicely or casually as you want.
A few interesting notes about the performance:
This is a field trip performance (45 minutes), meaning it is shorter than the full Nutcracker ballet (2+ hours). The actual performance will be from 12:30 - 1:15 PM
Last year, the field trip performance was Act 1. This year, the field trip performance is Act 2. When I was watching the full performance this past weekend, I was fascinated by how this field trip is going to open up.
Will it just open with Act 2? If so, here is some brief context:
Composer: Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (Russian)
Setting: early 1800's, Germany, home of a wealthy family on Christmas eve
Notes: Tchaikovsky is a Russian composer who adapted the story by German writer E.T.A. Hoffman, "The Nutcracker and the Mouse King." So the music and (traditional) ballet choreography is Russian, and the story with its cultural references are German.
Act 1: A family (mom, dad, older brother in soldier's uniform, and young daughter Clara) host a Christmas eve party with dancing, laughter and gift giving. Among the guests is the eccentric Uncle Drosselmeyer (toy maker), who arrives bearing magical gifts. He presents Clara with a wooden Nutcracker, which she treasures. As the party winds down, Clara falls asleep, dreaming that the Nutcracker transforms into a handsome prince and leads her into a magical battle against the Mouse King and his army.
In this Orlando Ballet version, the battle between the Mouse King and the Nutcracker is triumphant when Clara! saves the Nutcracker by using a candy cane to guide the rat king into a cage. This detail is "reenacted" during Act 2 when Clara is retelling the story of the battle to other magical friends.
Act 2: (as summarized by Gemini - google AI)
The Nutcracker transports Clara to the magical Land of Sweets, a realm of pure enchantment. Here, she is greeted by the Sugar Plum Fairy and her court. The Land of Sweets is a place where each dance represents a different country and its unique culture.
The audience is treated to a dazzling array of dances, including the Spanish Dance (Chocolate), the Arabian Dance (Coffee), the Chinese Dance (Tea), the Russian Trepak (Candy Canes), and the Dance of the Reed Flutes (Marzipan). One particularly entertaining dance features Mother Ginger, a giant gingerbread figure, who opens her skirt to reveal a troupe of mischievous Polichinelle dancers. These comical characters, often dressed in colorful costumes, add a playful and humorous element to the grand spectacle. <----- Grace Cheyne is one of the Polichinelle dancers - and the dancers don't come out of Mother Ginger's skirt, instead in this version, Mother Ginger is a giant goose and the dancers are around it.
The grand finale of Act 2 is the enchanting Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy, a breathtaking performance that showcases the technical brilliance and artistic beauty of classical ballet. As the curtain falls, the audience is left with a sense of wonder and the enduring magic of the holiday season.
One more fascinating note for those of you who read all my endless words...
The Dr. Phillips Center has 3!! theaters. and if you have seen a Broadway type show, those musical theater productions are in the bigger Walt Disney theater. We will be in the beautiful Steinmetz Hall, which only opened 3 years ago and was built especially for ballet and opera. I love this theater, it feels smaller, and every seat is a good seat.
Thank you all for being part of what makes this community great! Please let me know if you have any questions. I look forward to seeing you all soon!
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
Cheyne Ranch is a nonprofit that provides a safe, inclusive and accessible way for people of all abilities to learn about animal care & connections.
We serve our local community through providing scholarships to our lesson programs, caring for the many farm animals that have been donated to us, and advocating for inclusive, accessible experiences for all individuals.
Please donate and help us with our mission: chra.us/donate
November News!
Happy almost Thanksgiving!!
There is always so much news to share!!
Cheyne Ranch will be at the Makers Market (night market!) this Friday night
Thanksgiving plans for Cheyne Ranch
Orlando Ballet Nutcracker field trip
Kiwi’s Spay Surgery
December winter break camp
January classes
Volunteer opportunities
Calendar - Important Dates!
The Abilities Workshop presents Makers Market!
Cheyne Ranch will be there with Pearl & Princess (miniature ponies).
We did this last year and it was SO FUN!! and the park is SO BEAUTIFUL with all the Christmas lights!! Please come see us!
This Friday night from 6pm - 9pm
Lake Concord Park
127 Quail Pond Circle
Casselberry, FL 32707
More info: Makers Market
Thanksgiving!
What are you all doing for Thanksgiving? We're not exactly kitchen wizards in this house, so we're going the easy route: takeout! Yes, I’m not kidding! We're ordering from Brisket BBQ Shack (fabulous mom & pop restaurant near the traffic circle towards Oviedo) again this year. Their Thanksgiving boxes are SO YUMMY.
Before I was married, I spent a few very lonely Thanksgiving holidays alone, usually working. If you are alone on Thanksgiving, or just want some animal (or people) (or puppy) love, please reach out. My house is messy and our food is take-out, but you are WELCOME HERE!!
The 5 teenagers on Thanksgiving 2023
Our fabulous Thanksgiving in 2023
Field Trip to the Orlando Ballet Nutcracker!
This is our 3rd year for this incredible field trip opportunity. Last year, we had over 140 people join us. This year, we have 100 tickets (and only 100 tickets). They are $22 each. Please purchase online tickets here: chra.us/ballet
We're excited to share that we're working with the Dr. Phillips Center to create a more inclusive environment for groups with diverse needs. While this year's invitation is a bit late due to unexpected circumstances, we're hopeful for a more accessible future. If you're interested in learning more about our advocacy efforts, please don't hesitate to reach out.
Cheyne Ranch is excited to offer this ballet field trip opportunity for a few reasons:
Community Connection: Inspired by our friends at MaPLE22, we love sharing inclusive & accessible cultural experiences with our community.
Family Pride: Grace Cheyne, one of our 18-year-old twins, is a talented performer in the ballet.
Supporting a Good Cause: By attending the Nutcracker at a special price, you can also support Cheyne Ranch through a donation.
oh Kiwi - she needs a special surgery
Have you all met our adorable, sweet, gentle 18 month old pig named Kiwi? She is so smart. and so sweet. Except when she is “in heat".
Which is every 3 weeks.
The University of Florida Animal Hospital offers a spay surgery to adult sows (female pigs). It is so much more costly than we originally thought. It is about $1,800 for her to receive the special surgery. And she needs this surgery - she is actually quite pushy and a bit aggressive when she is in heat.
Please consider a donation to help get her spayed.
If 25% of our readers readers donate $5 each - we can cover this expense.
Have you heard that big things come in 3’s? We are currently experiencing this:
Kiwi needs a spay surgery ($1,800)
Our 10 horses are receiving dental care on December 3rd ($1,700)
Luna, our black spaniel dog needs her eye removed (this is a Cheyne family expense for $1,800, which means our family can’t cover Kiwi’s spay like we normally would)
Please Donate, we accept all the ways to pay 🐷 Click here
Winter Break Camp!
Yay! Registration opening soon. contact me with any questions.
January classes - our Spring semester! Starts Monday, January 13th!
Can you believe it is already time to start thinking about January classes?
For current families: Please let me know your plans for the spring, we would love you have you continue with us.
Are you new to Cheyne Ranch? There are 2 important steps to get started here:
Read this webpage: Top10 FAQ (thank you if you already read this top10)
To secure a spot in our weekly lesson schedule (for any of our programs), a visit to Cheyne Ranch is required: If you have never been here before, please schedule a Family Visit
When possible, you and I can usually come up with a lesson time spot right as we are meeting during our Family Visit!
Volunteer Opportunities!
Did you know I receive inquiries from new families every single week asking how their student can volunteer here at Cheyne Ranch? My answer is always the same: Our volunteers start off as students so they can get the safety and animal care training necessary to contribute here.
For those families who have students who volunteer here - THANK YOU!! We appreciate all of our volunteers and the work you all do is essential to continuing our mission.
There are SO MANY opportunities in November, December and January to volunteer. I will get a list prepared and sent out soon. An example is when groups of students come to Cheyne Ranch for a field trip. We have several scheduled:
2 High schools in Seminole County are bringing their students with special needs here
Down Syndrome Foundation of Florida is having a field trip here
A homeschool group is having a field trip here
Our Winter Break camp!! we love volunteers for camp
Several more… I need to look at the schedule
Please reach out if your middle or high school student would like to volunteer here. I can explain the process and share specific dates we need help (and it is really fun too).
Please check out our yearly calendar - it is online and available for the entire school year: chra.us/c
Thanksgiving Break (sort of closed) - Monday, Nov 25 - Saturday, Nov 30
Winter Break Camp - 3 days | Tues, Wed, Thurs | Dec 31, Jan 1, Jan 2
Break between Fall & Spring Semester (sort of closed - Monday, Dec 23rd - Sunday, Jan 12)
Spring 1 weeks 1 - 8 begins - Monday, January 13th
Level-UP Workshop - Sunday, Jan 12
**Ask me what “sort of closed” means
Last, but not least… Please donate
Do you know that my husband, Philip Cheyne, is the largest donor to Cheyne Ranch? After that, we have a very generous board member, and several members of the community give regularly too.
A CPA is preparing our books to make them public and transparent to you. That is all part of being a non-profit, and I’m happy to share any financial details related to Cheyne Ranch.
We are all so passionate about how much impact we can have on the lives of others by sharing our animals, and teaching animal care and connection.
Sally (me) does not receive a salary - but let’s talk about all the reasons I am so driven to continue this mission, and how there is no salary that would convince me to go back to the corporate world.
I can’t do this without your help. Please consider a monthly, quarterly, or 1-time donation. These animals and this community means so much to so many people.
Current Students - Fall I NOTES
LEVEL-UP WORKSHOPS!! + Student Study Guides! +
OCTOBER BOO BASH!! + Vet update & more
Hello current students at Cheyne Ranch! We just completed week 6!! of our first Fall 8 week session.
This is our best session ever, I absolutely love each and every moment I'm outside with you all. We continue to grow and this is also our biggest group of students. We love having all our families, students, instructors & volunteers here.
A couple notes as we move into October (lots of notes, because it is me):
LEVEL-UP Workshops - this SUNDAY, September 29th at 11:15 AM!!
Levels curriculum - workshops
Level-UP Workshops: Opportunities to level-up and earn the RAINBOW! (or RED!) ribbon are available - these take place separately from the regular lessons
Dates this fall are Sundays at 11:15 AM every 3 weeks - October 20th, November 10th, December 1st
$30 for the Level-UP workshops, your student will receive a 15 minute evaluation, a ribbon & printed certificate. There are also opportunities to spend time with the animals, and a few other fun things are planned.
Online registration, or text Sally
There is still room for tomorrow (Sunday, Sept 29)
Questions? Please text Sally (407) 680-3348
Fall I & Fall II - Fall Semester
We just completed week 6!! of our Fall I 8 week session.
FALL CALENDAR: Our lessons meet in 8 week sessions all year round.
I send out invoices every 8 weeks (and you are welcome to make payments or pay in full)
We ask for families to commit to their lesson schedule in 8 week increments. There are lots of benefits to this, both for your student & our logistics.
If you have not yet paid the Fall I invoice, that is ok! Let me know if you need the invoice emailed again, and the entire fall 16 week semester doesn't need to be paid until December in order to continue into January.
**Moving into the FALL II session, everyone will keep their current lesson spot unless you let me know.
Student Study Guides are available for purchase!!
Hooray! These are awesome new additions!
Student Study Guides: We have the first 3 printed student study guides available! We got the price way down from the original expected price. The cost is:
Rainbow - $20
Red Riding - $25
Red Ground - $25 (Part 1 of 3 required to be a volunteer)
Text Sally to purchase
Did you know we follow a curriculum that has about 300 mounted lessons and about 200 UNmounted (ground care) lessons? This awesome curriculum also has STUDENT STUDY GUIDES!!
HALLOWEEN Cheyne Ranch T-shirts!
Look how cute these Halloween themed t-shirts are!! I love them (it is called the Ikea effect - when we have an inflated sense of loving what we “created”)
…and if you love this fabulous design too - you can ORDER SOME!! I chose to use the Bonfire platform again. The quality of the shirts are really nice. Cheyne Ranch makes a small percentage of each sale.
Order the t-shirts before midnight on Sunday, October 6th. They will be mailed you and arrive by around October 20th.
Boo Bash! Saturday, October 26th - all ages
Fundraiser FUN in October! This is going to be so much fun!! Please register online - historically our events always sell-out!
More info and online registration here: chra.us/boo
We are needing a LOT of volunteers for our boo bash all day that Saturday! Please text me to sign up you and/or your student for volunteering. You can choose whatever times are good for you - here is a general idea of what we will be doing:
9:00 AM - 12:00 PM - Animal care & barn clean-up
11:30 AM - 2:00 PM - Help with the NOON session at our BOO BASH!
1:30 PM - 4:00 PM - Help with our 2:00 PM session at our BOO BASH!
If you are willing to donate $20 for your volunteer(s), that will go towards a special t-shirt for helpers that day + pizza for lunch for our helpers
Online registration to attend the event as a participant: chra.us/boo
Text Sally to sign-up you/your student to volunteer
October Events!
What a fun and busy time of year! We have some super fun stuff coming up!
FALL BREAK (sort of) - Monday, Oct 14 - Saturday, Oct 19
Fall II weeks 9 - 16 begins - Sunday, Oct 20
Boo Bash!! - Saturday, Oct 26th
Yes, check this out. It is awesome. chra.us/boo
Property Projects & Improvements
We certainly have big love for Todd & Son Tractor Service, he brought us a BIG load of dirt, and then used his handy machine to spread it out. And NOW! the big muddy puddle in our riding area is all gone! Mostly. It is much smaller and more in front of the bunny zen room now.
We are getting a SAND play area on the playground! That should be complete by the end of October
We are working on a plan towards using the guest house as a Cheyne Ranch play & work space. To do this, we are going to buy an RV that we can rent out as an AirBnB / VRBO (I do love the AirBnB income - it is a direct donation to Cheyne Ranch!)
We received a BIG donation of Schleich horses and accessories. We are working on creating a space where kids (and adults!) can play with these. Possibly the guest house eventually, aka the cheyne ranch play space.
More reason to donate! I do love taking care of this land. But it is expensive.
A LIST!! for our helpers!!
And I made a new list!
I LOVE LISTS!! I love that so many students and family members are willing to help us with the animal care! The animal care is 7 days a week / 365 days a year, and it doesn’t stop for weather or illness, or vacations, or anything actually.
Please read this post when you have a moment… it is a new LIST! that gives some ideas for what needs to be done each week.
Horse Vet Visit
In mid-September, our amazing vet, Dr. Seiler came out and our 10 horses all received their shots! It was 2 separate injections each.
EWT + WNV = Eastern & Western Encephalomyelitis + Tetanus + West Nile Virus (twice a year)
Rabies (once a year)
As Dr. Seiler is talking I am hanging onto his every word (he is as much a teacher to me as he is animal doctor) and I failed to take any photos. But here is a photo from 2 hours later at Wednesday Nature Club… Kids working!!
We will be giving the horses their de-wormer dose soon - Ivermectin in October. I’ll have one of the Nature Clubs help me with that.
I jokingly told Dr. Seiler he was working himself out of a job teaching me so much great information. Our horses are healthy and happy and we have very few health issues. And he replied, “Sally, just remember I taught you everything YOU know, not everything I know.”
Yes, point well taken. I’m so glad to have such an incredible vet / teacher / friend on our horse journey.
Lastly - some love to share
The BEST thing about Cheyne Ranch is all the incredible people.
All 5! of the Cheyne Ranch teenagers who live here volunteer (“volun-told”) 7 hours each week (and document it!!)
Additionally, Anna & Christopher help out with our students and they do an incredible job and are (rightfully) so so adored. Evan has one of his own students now!! And he does a fantastic job. Sophia does awesome at the Friday Nature Club & family visits.
Our volunteers and workers are awesome! Thank you so much for everything you do. Please reach out if you want to help out here - the animals would love to see you!
🐎 Helpful links 🐎
🦄 BOO BASH!! chra.us/boo
🦄 Family visits schedule online: chra.us/f
🦄 Interest List: chra.us/i
🦄 Horseback riding lessons: chra.us/hbr
🦄 PALS: chra.us/pals
🦄 Nature club: chra.us/nc
🦄 Equine Bridges: chra.us/eb
🦄 Kids Night Out: chra.us/kno
🦄 Donate: chra.us/give
🦄 24-25 Calendar: chra.us/c
🦄 2024 fall FAQ for current students: chra.us/248fall
🦄 Amazon Wishlist: click here
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
Cheyne Ranch is a nonprofit that provides a safe, inclusive and accessible way for people of all abilities to learn about animal care & connections.
We serve our local community through providing scholarships to our lesson programs, caring for the many farm animals that have been donated to us, and advocating for inclusive, accessible experiences for all individuals.
Please donate and help us with our mission: chra.us/donate
I love lists
Hello lovely workers and volunteers! You all are familiar with our AM Animal Care & PM Animal Care checklists (see below).
Well… I also created a WEEKLY checklist! These are things that are not necessarily done each day, but they should be done at least each week. I printed it, laminated it (of course) and I will find a place on the white board for it soon
Please feel free to ask for clarification on any of these tasks - this is just a list to help us brainstorm what might need to be done.
Thank you for being the best part of Cheyne Ranch!
Family Empowerment Scholarship Update - Article from the Tampa Bay Times
This article written by education reporter, Jeffrey S. Solochek, summarizes so many frustrations with the Family Empowerment Scholarship. It is short and sweet, I hope the law makers sit up and take notice.
Florida families say school voucher reimbursements worse than ever
Tampa Bay Times
https://www.tampabay.com/news/education/2024/09/17/florida-families-say-school-voucher-reimbursements-worse-than-ever