Horseback Riding at Willow Creek Ranch
Western Riding Lessons, Corporate Events, Horse Boarding & Therapy Services Tacoma, Washington
About Willow Creek Ranch LLC
Our Legacy of Service
At Willow Creek Ranch, we are a family legacy property and have been caring for horses and their owners since 1968. Cindy Thomas has been running her family ranch since 2010 and 10 years later, she used her elementary school teaching experiences, combined with her Masters degree, to bring a whole new level of education to western horseback riding. She traded the inside of a classroom for the inside of a horse arena and added the American Riding Instructors Association certification to her long list of equine owning, riding and instruction experiences. Cindy and her husband Rick, former commander of the 1st Special Forces Group (A) of Joint Base Lewis McChord, have created an equine oasis where people come for instruction, rejuvenation, and a sense of family.
At Willow Creek Ranch, we are surrounded by God’s beauty with evergreen trees, native birds (eagles, hawks, owls, blue heron, and wild ducks to name a few), and enjoy the serenity of the sounds on the creek and in the trees. Being located close to Joint Base Lewis/McChord, the horses are conditioned to the occasional sounds of planes taking off and landing. The green, lush pastures are full of horses enjoying life as they wait for their owners or riders to come visit them. This property has been describe by many as being “heavenly”, “peaceful”, and “a place to call home”. It just "feels different here". It’s all about relationships with our equine partners, the kindness we show to one another and our deeply rooted faith. Truly, seeing is believing.
Our Services Defined
How Can We Be of Service?
Western Riding Lessons for Ages 5 and Up
Our riding lessons are specifically tailored for beginning to intermediate riders with certified riding instructors. Riders must be under 250 lbs. (horse weight /20%). We start at age 5 with instruction that begins with safety first; how we move around the horse, the importance of our riding attire, grooming, and
riding under control. All instruction is specific to each rider and their prior riding experiences. More advanced riders work on how to use their body to communicate with their horse and not just with their reins. We continue to work on how to control all four of the horses feet independently and by learning the subtleties of pressure and release. These lessons are all private unless there is an opportunity to ride with a friend of similar skill level.
Time Slots Available: 1 hour, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday from 12:30, 2:00, 3:30, or 5:00 PM. By appointment only.
Corporate Employee Rewards
Do you have a group of employees that you would like to recognize for their outstanding service or sales? Willow Creek Ranch has the perfect experience for them. Schedule some time away from the office to come to the ranch for a day of horsemanship and riding. You will start in the barn with a safety briefing, grooming, and then ride in the afternoon. Lunch can be Door Dashed in as your special treat as well. By providing such a special day, you encourage a greater office environment as riders engage in new communication skills with their equine partners.
By appointment only.
Learning To Be Present With Horses
Our barn time activity is for people, young or old, who would like to have some time in the barn to groom a horse, walk with them, and just visit with our instructor. Some people find that being at the ranch helps them melt away the stress of their busy lives. Horses can lift the human spirit and renew our energy!
Time Slots Available: 1 hour, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday from 12:30, 2:00, 3:30, or 5:00 PM. By appointment only.
Horse Boarding
Willow Creek Ranch offers full-care boarding on 10 crossed-fenced acres with run-in shelters in the paddocks. We provide turn out and turn into box stalls October - May to keep horses out of inclement weather. The "Little Barn" has 3 stalls and the "Big Barn" has 8 stalls. All stalls have rubber mats, pelleted bedding, stalls cleaned and fresh water daily, and have either alfalfa or timothy grass hay from Ellensburg. From June - September, all horses are fed in paddocks and stay outside 24/7 and fed twice daily. Our paddocks measure 400 x 56 feet, have grass for grazing and irrigated in the summer. We provide an optional grain program where we feed your choice of Purina products or can provide what you are currently feeding your horse to save owners the time of collecting their own supplies. Boarders have their own secure tack room with blanket storage. Trailer parking space is available upon request. The riding arena has lights for evening rides and measures 150 x 100 feet with a partial cover for winter riding. Trail obstacles are available year round inside and outside the arena. There are limited trails on the adjacent property. An exercise program is also available where horses can be ridden weekly by instructors or lesson students if so desired. We do not offer boarding to stallions.
Tours are available by appointment only.
Healing Willows Therapy
We are so pleased to welcome Britt Kelly Counseling, PLLC. Britt offers support to parents, adolescents, and adults facing challenges such as trauma, parenting, ADHD, anxiety, depression, school stress, and more. She helps clients develop coping skills, communication strategies, and strengthen relationships. Her approach is collaborative, creating a safe space where clients feel heard and empowered to make meaningful changes in their lives. She is committed to helping individuals and families navigate life's challenges with confidence and resilience. Britt uses Attachment Focused EMDR as the primary modality of treatment and offers therapy outdoors and incorporating equines when therapeutically appropriate for a goal or skill to be practiced such as grounding and mindfulness. Britt has a certification in Equine Interactions in Mental Health from University of Denver.
Please call her directly at (253) 342-3558 for an appointment.
Western Riding Lessons Gallery
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Horse Boarding Gallery
