About Wildfire Ranch!
CALL US AT: (814) 574-9942
Opened in 2012 Wildfire Ranch Spiritual Retreat is the passion and joy of owner Cynthia Sweeley. Following a series of traumatic events in her personal life, Cynthia discovered the healing power of horses and established the Ranch not only as a vacation destination but also a place of healing.
Operated seven days a week by appointment, Wildfire Ranch is a fully functioning horse ranch offering everything from riding lessons and unforgettable horseback trail ride adventures to horse boarding and carriage rides. Wildfire Ranch is most famous for it's unforgettable horse encounters for wellness (also known as horse therapy for depression). Our #1 package is the "Heartland Week-long Retreat" offering 5 nights lodging with horse therapy and trail rides enjoyed daily.
"I have high-functioning Aspergers Syndrome. I always isolated myself because of not being able to read peoples body language. I've always felt like an alien from a different world. The horses don't judge. They never give up on me. People say I will never be good at reading people but the horses don't give up. The horses give cues as to what they want or need. If I can't understand them they do the movement again or make it more pronounced. What people told me I'd never accomplish, the horses saw past and kept trying. It made me feel less alien and alot more human. Because of Wildfire Ranch, Cynthia and Ariel and their horse family, I have been able to enter a Walmart Super Center for the first time in my life. It may not seem like alot to a 'regular' person but entering highly social situations has changed my entire life!
-Cassie Widicker, Pleasant Gap, PA
THE STAFF
Cynthia Sweeley; Owner/Managing Director
Cynthia Sweeley has 20 years experience training horses with a specialty on producing beginner-safe trail-riding horses. As a result, guests frequently ask to purchase the Wildfire Ranch horses even when they are not up for sale. She has a Bachelors Degree from Penn State University with Deans List honors majoring in Professional Communications and Business Administration. Cynthia has 15 years experience as a 'Coach' in equine assisted activities that do not include counseling. Cynthia is also a Certified Faith-based Life Coach.
In 1995 Cynthia started a restaurant menu-and-placemat-advertising company named Menu Master. Over 13 years she sold 13 franchises and turned it into the largest menu and placemat advertising company in America. However as with many businesses the 2008/2009 recession killed the business. Out of that tragedy she began Wildfire Ranch instead turning it into the only equine therapy retreat center in the state of Pennsylvania.
Cynthia and her staff practice horse whispering with their herd of 15 horses with irrefutable results that can be seen in the equine therapy sessions and trail rides alike. Several licensed therapists have requested meetings with cynthia to discuss why their clients have "healed from unhealable" mental and emotional conditions. Wildfire Ranch Spiritual Retreat is located at 332 Harter Road, Spring Mills, Pa. 16875 and operates by appointment only 7 days/week.
Bobby Leak; Ranch Foreman
Bobby leak is our resident ranch Foreman. At 46 years Bobby relocated all the way from Arab Alabama to accept his new job position here at Wildfire Ranch in Pennsylvania. Bobby has spent 25 years training and riding horses and does the training of the wild and spunky horses. Additionally Bobby repairs everything around the ranch from the electric fencing to the horse truck and trailer. Prior to coming to Wildfire Ranch Bobby spent 30 years as a professional roofer.
