PASCO COUNTY, FL. – Driving up Matis Road in Hudson towards the Kiddy Up Ranch, I felt as though I was transported to a different place in time. The lime rock beneath my tires kicked up the light white dust as the sun was starting to set in the west.
I approached an opened gate that led me past beehives in a grassy field to the parking area for visitors of the ranch.
Kiddy Up Ranch offers therapeutic riding using equine-assisted activities for the purpose of contributing positively to the cognitive, physical, emotional, and social well-being of people with disabilities.
My assumption of what I was going to see was far different than what I experienced at the ranch, as I walked from my vehicle towards the barn area at Kiddy Up Ranch.
There I met Tammy Sliger, the founder of Kiddy Up Ranch Therapeutic Riding & Learning.
“If you go into the barn, you’re gonna see a big picture of a little girl in a wheelchair,” said Sliger. “I was a volunteer at another barn. I was asked to help with a little girl who had cerebral palsy on a Saturday. I did. And I was like, oh my god, this is what I’m supposed to do. So I ended up finding that I could get certified.”
The little girl in that picture is Terissa Gautney.
Terissa passed away in February of 2018, in Polk County after her head got caught in her head rest on the school bus and couldn’t breathe. School bus workers were unsure how to respond and medical help was delayed. Sliger says Terissa is watching over the ranch.
“I took $500 that someone had donated to me, and we found the most dilapidated barn we could find in Pasco County, that we could afford, and we started on .83 acres and we just grew from there,” said Sliger.
The ranch started with 10 students, then 30 students, and has grown to 140 students each week.
“At Kiddy Up, one thing that the kids have definitely taught me is the children don’t want to be treated like they’re disabled,” said Sliger.
While in the barn, I had the opportunity to meet Amy Walker, who started as a volunteer at the ranch and now works full-time at Kiddy Up Ranch.
“I’ve been working here for a year and I volunteered for two years prior to that. So I get to do my dream job of working here, full-time,” said Walker.
“Our motto is that we find the ability in any disability. We want to treat the kids and have them do all of the same things, knowing that we might have to adapt or find adaptable things for them. But they want to drive a tractor, they want to lead a horse, they want to groom a horse, they want to tack, they want the work ethic that goes with it. So that’s why you’ll see a lot of the other things here that we do,” said Sliger.
Sliger wasn’t exaggerating the least. We walked past the barn towards the entrance of the ranch, where the “Crooked Shack” stands, filled with farm-fresh vegetables, jarred goods, candles, and a taste of old western.
“The Cooked Shack gives our adults with special needs a place to put on their resumes. We also have kids that come and do the inventory, and they let me know what I need to order, they dust, they clean, they put the eggs away, they make cheese. So they do a little bit of everything and it gives them an opportunity to establish a work ethic,” said Sliger.
On the third Saturday of each month, from 9 am until 2 pm, Sliger opens the ranch to the public for “Market Days” with a literal farmers market. Guests can visit the Crooked Shack for farm-fresh goodies, the farmers market, and even a garden center.
During the Market Days, families can also enjoy a petting zoo and the tranquil environment that is offered at Kiddy Up Ranch.
As we exited the Crooked Shack, and I thought I had seen it all, Sliger started to explain to me the Veterans program offered at the ranch, the new 4-H program that will be started at the ranch, and even holding the Special Olympics at her location.
“Eight years ago, we started with Special Olympics and it’s given a child, with an intellectual disability, an area that they’re able to compete,” said Sliger.
She explained that with Special Olympics, competitors have to have an intellectual disability to compete in the games,
Anyone can participate in Special Olympics if they meet the eligibility criteria of having intellectual disabilities or a similar developmental disability.
“So we do have kids here that have physical disabilities, but not intellectual, so this year we’re actually going to start a show series that’s going to gonna include all abilities, but really help out the kids that have only a physical disability,” said Sliger.
Sliger went on to tell me about the Freedom Reins program, offered at the ranch, which allows Veterans to come to the ranch and ride or groom the horses, “Or just be a part of the farm,” Sliger said. The ‘Freedom Reins’ program is open to US Military Veterans and First Responders.
Sliger then jumped into a new 4-H program that will be offered at the ranch for the children, which will allow them to compete at fairs, both county, and state.
“The other thing we’re going to start this year is that we are going to have a 4-H club. We will be the only one of this kind in Pasco County that serves the special needs kids in 4-H,” said Sliger
“We will have all different animals, different things that they can do, whether they wanted to do gardening, or if they wanted to show poultry or the bunnies, or be a part of the horses,” Sliger said. “A plethora of different things that they can get plugged into.”
“It’ll give an opportunity for the kids to show at the fairs, Pasco County Fair and State Fairs and events like that,” Sliger added.
Now, this is where we met Todd Myers. Todd was a former construction worker that would commute to Tampa from Pasco County and now works at the ranch. Todd started out as a parent at Kiddy Up Ranch and a volunteer but, as Sliger said, took a “huge leap” and “they needed someone with Mr. Todd’s experience”.
“I was driving an hour and a half down to Tampa each way, they offered me a job and now I drive 12 minutes now,” said Todd. “You can’t beat 12 minutes,” Todd said with a laugh.
“My son Ian rides. He’s been riding here for seven or eight years now, and he’s going to the USA Special Olympics in June. He was picked to go to the USA Special Olympics,” said Todd. “My younger son, Sean, is one of the instructors at the ranch.”
“He was mucker and a laborer, and slowly worked his way into the program. Now he’s an instructor and working for his passion,” said Todd.
The Beehives As You Enter Kiddy Up Ranch Ranch Participant With Amy Walker Leading Volunteer In The Barn Karin Calimano (L) With Amy Walker (R) Leading A Horse From The Field Lyle At The Ranch Kiddy Up Ranch Making New Friends At Kiddy Up Ranch Making New Friends At Kiddy Up Ranch Making New Friends At Kiddy Up Ranch “Kids Farming Chickens” Bella Riding West On The Trail
To the blind eye, the ranch is perfect, but as Tammy Sliger and I spoke more, needs for the ranch were discussed.
“Our main need right now is a covered arena,” said Sliger. “With inclement weather, whether it’s too hot or too cold. We do have some kids that aren’t heat tolerant or don’t do well in the cold,” said Sliger.
“We are part of these kids’ lives every week and we have been for 10 years. One could say that we’ve gone 10 years without a covered arena, but one is needed.”
Not to mention rainy days.
“We don’t cancel for rainy days,” said Sliger. “We teach the kids that you don’t get to call out on appointments just because it rained today, so everybody shows up anyways.”
So how can you help and be part of Kiddy Up Ranch? Easy, just visit their website at http://www.kiddyupranch.org to learn more about the programs that are offered.
To donate to the ranch, you can visit http://www.kiddyupranch.org/shop.html, and choose a sponsorship level.
To apply to volunteer at the ranch, visit http://www.kiddyupranch.org/volunteer.html.
“Kiddy Up Ranch’s dedicated volunteer team is the backbone of our organization,” said Sliger. “You don’t need to have horse experience but you need to feel comfortable with the horses and be able to complete tasks independently. There are many areas in which volunteer assistance is appreciated: participating during classes as a horse handler or side walker, providing horse care, grounds maintenance, office duties, and special events.”
Kiddy Up Ranch needs assistance 7 days a week and operates both mornings and afternoons. Ages 14 years and older can apply.
And…be sure to remember, the third Saturday of each month is the “Market Days” at Kiddy Up Ranch.
The ranch is located at 15232 Matis Rd Hudson, FL 34669.
By: Brian Burns
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