September 2026 Updates
🍂 Five Weeks of Fall Already!!
Can you believe we have already completed FIVE weeks of Fall 1?!
The first three weeks were rainy. Really rainy. For nine lesson days in a row, lightning showed up somewhere nearby!
We adjusted plans, watched the radar, took shelter when necessary, and continued learning through groundwork, grooming, animal care, barn skills, and time with our horses. Riding is wonderful, but some of the most important learning at Cheyne Ranch happens with two feet on the ground.
Thank you to our families for being so patient and flexible while we worked around the weather.
☔ Please take a moment to refresh your knowledge of our Rainy Day Policy.
📰 If you missed our August Update, you can read it here.
**THANK YOU TO KATIE for most of the photos in this newsletter
🎸 Rockin’ for Autism Awareness
Cheyne Ranch is the nonprofit beneficiary of this year’s Rockin’ for Autism Awareness event!
Sunday, September 27
Doors open at noon
The Barn in Sanford
This is an all-ages event, so bring the whole family! There will be live music, food trucks, raffles, a silent auction, and a full day centered around autism awareness and community. A portion of the proceeds will support scholarships for Cheyne Ranch students.
Cheyne Ranch staff and volunteers will be there throughout the day, and I will be there ALL DAY! We would LOVE to see lots of Cheyne Ranch families and friends there. Buy a ticket, bring the family, enjoy the event, and please come find us and say hello!
We also need LOTS of volunteers to help throughout the day. Volunteers do not need to buy a ticket and can enjoy the event before or after their shift.
🎃 Join Our Halloween Parade!!
Cheyne Ranch is participating in the Songbirds Spooktacular Halloween Parade!
Sunday, October 11
Parade begins at 6:00 PM
Participants meet at 4:30 PM
Oviedo Aquatic Center
We are planning to bring our a few calm horses or ponies, lots of candy, and maybe some stickers to hand out!
We need families, students, volunteers, and friends to walk with us. You do not need any parade experience or special skills. We simply need lots of Cheyne Ranch people to show up, have fun, and help us represent our community!
Our Cheyne Ranch Halloween T-shirts are also available for adults and children. You do not have to participate in the parade to order one. Shirt sales help support Cheyne Ranch!
🎃 Parade details, participation signup, and Halloween T-shirts
🐝 Bee Farm Field Trip!
During our October break, we are planning a field trip to Black Hammock Bee Farms!
Tuesday, October 13
9:00 AM
Cost: $15
We will learn about honeybees, beekeeping, pollination, honey, and the important work bees do for our environment. This will be a fun opportunity to learn together somewhere other than Cheyne Ranch! All ages welcome!!
🍯 Field trip details and registration
Space will be limited, so please register early if you would like to join us.
🪜 Our New Mounting Block Is Finished!!
When I say mounting block, I mean MOUNTING BLOCK. It is HUGE!! 😂🐴
Zinn Schwartz (owner of Hamilton and Carter Garage Makeovers Plus) and Evan put a lot of work into making this project happen, and we are so excited to see it finished!
A very big thank-you to The Home Depot Foundation for providing the materials. We are incredibly grateful for their continued support of Cheyne Ranch and our students!
🎓 Investing in Our Instructors
During the first week of November, Cheyne Ranch will pause regular programs while Sally, Anna, Katie, and Erin travel to Phoenix for an intensive four-day Adaptive Horsemanship and Riding Instructor Development Clinic.
The training focuses on safe, effective instruction, adaptive teaching, lesson planning, instructor judgment, and equine welfare. Teaching adaptive horsemanship requires more than knowing horses. Our instructors must understand different physical, cognitive, sensory, emotional, and learning needs while making thoughtful decisions about safety and student progress.
The clinic is led in part by Saebra Pipoly, an important mentor of mine. Anna and I visited and learned from her in 2023, and we are thrilled that Katie and Erin will be joining us this time!
Cheyne Ranch and each instructor are making a significant investment of time, energy, and money. We take this work seriously, and our students and horses deserve instructors who never stop learning. 💛🐴
🤍 An Update on Honey
Honey is doing much better! She is more comfortable, moving better, and enjoying being part of barn life again.
She is still not sound enough to ride, and we are not going to rush her recovery. We are continuing her careful diet management and veterinary care, and she will now receive specialized therapeutic shoeing to support her feet as they heal.
This shoeing will cost approximately $400 every four to six weeks, creating a significant new ongoing expense for Cheyne Ranch. If Honey has a special place in your heart and you would like to help with her care, donations of any size would be greatly appreciated.
And the most important Honey rule remains the same:
NO TREATS FOR HONEY! 🤍🐴
For now, loving Honey means helping us protect her from foods her body cannot safely handle.
👑 Princess Turned 22!!
Our beautiful Princess celebrated her 22nd birthday!
Twenty-two is something worth celebrating, especially for a horse who continues to bring so much patience, personality, and sweetness to Cheyne Ranch.
Happy birthday, Princess! 👑🐴🎂
☀️ Lujen Had a Fantastic Summer!
Florida summers are especially difficult for Lujen because he does not sweat normally. Keeping him comfortable and healthy through the heat takes careful monitoring, cooling, hydration, and a whole lot of teamwork.
Lujen was rinsed with cool water every single day. He also received a very wet daily mash made with electrolytes, hay pellets, beet pulp, and most importantly, LOTS of water to help keep him hydrated.
We are very happy to report that Lujen made it through this summer looking FANTASTIC!
This was truly a team effort, led by Grace, who paid close attention to what he needed and helped keep everyone on track with his daily care.
Thank you, Grace, Anna, Katie, Erin, Abby, Eva and to everyone who helped rinse Lujen, prepare his mash, and care for him through another very hot Florida summer! 💛🐴
📅 Upcoming Breaks
There are NO CLASSES, LESSONS during these weeks:
Week of October 11: Scheduled break between Fall 1 and Fall 2
The Halloween Parade and Bee Farm Field Trip will still take place!Week of November 1: No regular programs while Cheyne Ranch teaching staff attend an intensive adaptive horsemanship and instructor development seminar in Arizona
Week of November 22: Thanksgiving Break
Week of December 20: Winter Break begins
Fall 2 begins Monday, October 19. Current students keep their reserved Riding, PALS, or Nature Club spot from Fall 1 into Fall 2 - unless a different time works better for you. Please contact me with any questions.
You can always review our full program calendar here.
Thank You! 🐴✨
There is always so much happening at Cheyne Ranch!
Thank you for trusting us with your students, supporting our animals, rolling with the weather, volunteering at our events, and being part of this wonderful community.
🐴 CHEYNE RANCH, INC. 🌟
Teaching Animal Care & Connection
📬 1963 Genova Drive, Oviedo, FL 32765
📞 Call/Text: (407) 205-7744 | 📧 Email | 🌐 Website | 📘Facebook | 📸 Instagram
💙 Cheyne Ranch is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Consider donating: chra.us/give
Our mission: We teach animal care and connection in a safe, inclusive, and accessible community where people of all abilities grow in confidence, develop life skills, and form meaningful relationships.
