Hidden Gems: Meet Suzy Stanfill of Eagle’s Nest Ranch

Today we’d like to introduce you to Suzy Stanfill.

Hi Suzy, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I have always had a love for horses ever since I was little. Even at about 6 years old, I wished I was a horse. Lol. That passion for them grew and grew and has never waned. My parents weren’t able to get me a horse, so I started looking for a job when I was 12 so I could be around them. There was a riding stable not too far away that hired kids to work and our pay was a horse after several months of work. They rented horses so we could choose a horse from their string. It was through that job that I obtained my first horse, a small Palomino mare named Buttercup.
Around that time my parents separated and later divorced. My two younger brothers and I lived with my Mom. She really struggled and would go into a depression. off and on. During my teenage years she struggled to complete day to day activities and would stay in bed. I could hear her cry at night. I often would go into her bedroom and try and comfort her. She attempted suicide a couple of times. When I was 23, she was successful in her 3rd attempt. As adults, one of my brothers became a therapist because of our experiences. He believes that she probably was bipolar. She was never diagnosed and so never treated.
by the time I was 15 or 16, I knew that I wanted to serve others who were hurting. I also knew that I wanted to serve God in that capacity. I came to understand how Christ took our pain and could make something good out of it. I knew that He dearly loves us and is there for us in our pain. I went to Bible college and became a missionary in South America with my then husband. We served 7 1/2 years in the Amazon jungle and 3 years on the northern coast of Colombia. I loved serving as a missionary over the years. I even had a horse while in Peru and rode her on the jungles trails.

Later back in the States, after a divorce, I worked for a non-profit Denver with kinship families, as well as veterans families. Also during this time a friend gave me a copy of the book Hope Rising by Kim Meeder. The book was about her own tragedy as a child, and then how God led her and her husband to open Crystal Peaks Youth Ranch to rescue horses and serve children who were experiencing their own challenges. Their story inspired me to start a ranch ministry here in Colorado to serve adults and children who were struggling with their own adversity.
Eagle’s Nest Ranch was born in 2014 to help people who are living with invisible wounds to soar above adversity.

Our mission is to provide Life Support for our nation’s heroes to take back what the enemy stole. We serve military, law enforcement and firefighters, as well as their spouses and children at no charge. We offer 90 minute sessions with a session leader and a horse. All sessions start with chores, and the remaining time is spent in either a structured activity or an informal time with a horse to foster a healing connection. God created horses to serve humans as companions and helpers. They sense our emotions and respond authentically. We learn about ourselves and what we believe. As animals that seek relationships, horses can help us build trust. Jesus Christ can use this connection to guide us into truth, freedom and the healing of invisible wounds. We do not want to see anyone come to the point of belief that life is no longer worth living and decide to end it. No matter how dark the day is, there is always hope. That hope lies in the love and healing power of Jesus Christ. He heals the broken hearted and binds up their wounds. psalm 147:3

Horses are prey animals which means they are very aware of their surroundings to assess if there is any danger to them. They have a unique capacity to “read” the situation as well as humans to know whether they can be at ease or if they need to be on alert. They then show us what their evaluation of us is. Are we anxious, genuine, domineering, sad, scared? They give us that feedback by their body language, and we learn more about ourselves. They also are herd animals. In the wild horses live in bands. They rely on one other for safety, relationship, friendship and survival. Because of those characteristics, they will accept us into their herd if they find us safe, reliable and non-threatening. What a wonderful way to learn about ourselves and where the gaps or pain in our lives is that we can work on to heal and become trusting and genuine.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
When you offer a service, feed 10+ horses, care for a ranch facility, there are lots of expenses. Since we started in 2014, we have not charged anyone a dime. We also have been able to pay all our bills thanks to the generous individuals, families, businesses and churches who believe in our mission and give to it. We started with $180 in the bank and have not looked back. There are certainly lean months and trials along the way, but we will not give up. We will be fundraising during the month of May through Horses for Mental Health to continue on in our mission.
Additionally, we will be also raising funding to purchase the 40 acre property we have been renting the past 7 1/2 years.

We also rely on the giving service of volunteers to help with the ranch maintenance, care for the horses and service to our participants.

We’ve been impressed with Eagle’s Nest Ranch, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
We are a horse ranch ministry offering a safe and loving environment to grieve, heal and leave stronger and more confident and hopeful.

We offer 90 minute session free of charge for individuals, groups and families at no charge. We operate from mid-April through mid-December.

In the summer, we offer three separate First Responder Buckaroo Days whereby we invite first responder families a fun filled day at the ranch. The 4 hour day is filled with horse, hayrides, outdoor games, crafts, lunch and a devotional. Each day is designed to give law enforcement and firefighter families a safe place to have fun together at no cost to them.

What matters most to you?
What matters to me most is changing people’s mind to not take their life and put their trust in Christ who loves them unconditionally. Part of our mission says “to take back what the enemy stole.” We do have a spiritual enemy who is a liar and a deceiver. He whispers to us to say their family would be better off without them, that nothing is going to change, this is the best isn’t going to be, you might as well kill yourself as their are no other options. Jesus said that He is the good shepherd and will take care of us IF we will trust Him.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.eaglesnestranch.org
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EaglesNestRanchColorado/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/110253104/admin/dashboard/