Orrington Ranch, Specializing In Equine Therapy, To Hold 3rd Fall Festival This October

The Reigning Hope Ranch in Orrington is getting ready to host its 3rd Annual Fall Festival this October. It's an event, Shelly Mettler, Event and Fundraising Coordinator for Reigning Hope Ranch says is one of their biggest fundraisers.

"Reigning Hope Ranch in Orrington provides individuals with intellectual, emotional, and physical disabilities with equine therapy services. We also have veterans and first responder programming and have worked with multiple community groups providing therapy. We have a few fundraisers every year but our largest by far is our Fall Fundraiser. It is held right at the barn and we have games, food trucks, live music."

The equine-based activities and therapies are available to children and adults from many different backgrounds.

One retired Military Fire Chief says:

"I was diagnosed with first responder-related PTSD in 2015.  One of the ways in which I manifest my PTS is with nightmares. Since participating in the Coffee and Connect Program at Reigning Hope Ranch, I have noticed a reduction [in] the severity of my symptoms.  Being with the horses provides me with a sense of calm. At first, it was just for the rest of the day, but the more I learned to interact with horses, the better I [felt]. Now on the days when I spend time on the ranch, my nightmares are either greatly reduced or not there at all."

Another mother of one of the young clients that attends the ranch says this program has definitely been of benefit to her child.

"Two years ago, Pat met Jenna, Director of Reigning Hope Ranch, and learned she offered a therapy modality with her specially selected horses, to help individuals like Pat who suffered from anxiety and fears in a world that did not always understand him.

It has been nothing short of a miracle, what Jenna and her horses have done for Pat. His bonding with a horse has allowed him to become more trustful, more confident, and willing to take risks.  His anxiety is much improved as he has learned through Jenna and the horse's acceptance, how to release his fears and frustrations. In his own words, 'I feel all my anxiety falling away from me as soon as I come into contact with the horse.'"

The Fall Festival fundraiser will take place on October 21st from 11 AM to 4 PM right at the ranch, located at 305 Center Drive in Orrington.

Admission is $10 for adults and $5 for kids ages 4 to 15 years old.

A family of 6 can get in for $40.

There will be food trucks on hand, as well as live music, a bounce house, kid crafts and face painting, and all sorts of kid-friendly fun.

For more information on the Fall Festival or if you're interested in the services Reigning Hope Ranch has to offer, you can click on their website, here.

The Reigning Hope Ranch recently received an $18,000 donation from the 100 Neighbors Who Care of Penobscot Valley organization.