Rafter 7C Ranch

04/23/2025

Rainy day ranch hair doesn’t stop this cowgirl when she’s got on her Rafter 7C Ranch gear! Get your hat today! Black, red, gray, and brown available. $25 ($20 for current students).

04/23/2025

Happy birthday to two amazing young ladies! One got her first pair of spurs and learned how to use them in the proper way today and did amazing!
One is ready to drive and is also growing into an amazing horsewoman and friend.
We love them both and look forward to how God will work in their lives in the next year.

04/23/2025

Our spring homeschool equine science and history class is a wrap and what a great group it was! We celebrated with a scavenger hunt and learning to brand our own leather ear tags with the ranch brand. Looking forward to next year already! God did this!

04/23/2025

Have you ever felt peace? Last night’s ride was amazing! A time of finding trust, balance, release, and fresh perspectives. God blessed these ladies with a glorious sky as a reward. God did this!

04/19/2025

Need a ball cap for Easter? Text or PM and you can stop by and grab yours today! $25/hat but only $20 for current students!

04/18/2025

Also applies if you give a kid riding lessons. How blessed we are to share with so many kids and adults the opportunity to experience the joy of horses. God did this!

❤️ If You Give a Kid a Horse....

If you give a kid a horse,
they’ll ask for a saddle.
Once they have a saddle,
they’ll need a good pair of boots.

When they get those boots,
they’ll want to climb in the saddle.
Once they’re in the stirrups,
they’ll ask you how to hold the reins.

When they learn to hold the reins,
they’ll beg to trot.
Once they learn to trot,
they’ll dream of galloping across open fields.

Galloping will make them feel free,
and feeling free will make them brave.
Once they’re brave,
they’ll fall off...but don't worry, they’ll get back on.

And when they get back on,
they’ll ride with grit in their teeth and stars in their eyes.
They’ll muck stalls without complaint,
and wake up before the sun just to feed.

They’ll brush that horse’s coat,
And let the rhythm calm their soul.
They’ll learn patience, responsibility,
and how to speak without words.

They’ll whisper to that horse all their hopes,
and that horse will listen like no one else can.
They’ll build friendships in dusty arenas,
and learn trust on winding trails.
They’ll know the thrill of a blue ribbon,
and the heartbreak of a goodbye.

If you give a kid a horse,
you’ll give them more than just a ride...
you’ll give them confidence,
courage,
and a quiet kind of strength
that’ll stay with them for life.

Because if you give a kid a horse...
you’ll change them forever.

❤️ ©Michelle Knutson | Born In The Barn

04/17/2025

04/17/2025

They’re here! The 2025 Rafter 7C Ranch ball caps are ready just in time for enjoying spring and summer weather! Richardson 112 brand, available in the colors shown.

Get yours for only $25 per hat.
Current students get them for only $20!

Pickup or local delivery available. Shipping also available (additional cost). Comment, PM, or text us to grab yours today!

04/16/2025

“You know, everything just works so much better when you are centered on your horse and not all twisted around.”

Wise words from a young horseman. And that truth goes so much further than just learning how to stay on a tough horse and not falling off. It also applies to how we are to stay focused on Christ in everything we do

“If, then, there is any encouragement in Christ, if any consolation of love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, make my joy complete by thinking the same way, having the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves. Everyone should look not to his own interests, but rather to the interests of others. Adopt the same attitude as that of Christ Jesus,”
‭‭Philippians‬ ‭2‬:‭1‬-‭5‬ ‭CSB‬‬

04/12/2025

I used to help teach an intro to vaulting class before college. Knowing how difficult it is makes you appreciate the amazing challenges of this routine. So amazing.

04/06/2025

Through the stormy night, God is still faithful and good. Looking forward to worshipping Him alongside my brothers and sisters in Christ at church this morning. Praying you get the same opportunity as well! God is worthy of our praise!

04/05/2025

The weather predictions can bring a lot of emotions to the surface that we try to hide on a regular day. Frustration, anger, fear, anxiety. Horses feel weather changes better than we do, and yet, through it all, it amazes me how they continue to work, eat, and sleep as normal. When the weather changes, they adapt to it, ride the storm, and come out on the other side ready for the next task they are given. No worry, no stress.
God’s word reminds us to look to His creation and rest in Him. Because of sin it is a fallen creation, but He is still good and He is still God. Regardless of the outcome, He is still good and He is still God.
Today I pray that we can look to His creation as an example of how we should be: do not worry because He cares for us.

“Consider the birds of the sky: They don’t sow or reap or gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you worth more than they?… But seek first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you. Therefore don’t worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭6‬:‭26‬, ‭33‬-‭34‬ ‭CSB‬‬

04/04/2025

We love our youth!

04/04/2025

Hannah and Cash rocked it this past weekend at the Tennessee Stock Horse Association show. Cash, a 3yo paint gelding, arrived at the ranch exactly 2 weeks before this class occurred. Hannah had only ridden him 4 times before this class. Then they rode out and won the Reserve Youth Walk Trot Chamionship! How was this possible?

1. Hannah has been riding under trained supervision almost daily since she was born, literally. Her first lope independently was at the age of 4 on our old lesson horse, Abe.
2. Cash has been under professional training for the past year with a trainer in the cowhorse industry and comes from bloodlines known for athleticism and a good mind.
3. I was blessed to be able to ride Cash previous to the show and get to know his mannerisms and training level, then coach and guide both of them through their patterns, made possible because of their teachable manners.

It’s not often everything works out this smoothly, but we have been blessed and look forward to what this team can do in the future. Look for Cash and Hannah in the youth walk trot as well as Jennifer and Cash in the junior horse division this fall!

03/31/2025

Tennessee Stock Horse Association put on an amazing show this past weekend! It was very special as we had many horses with little to no show experience alongside riders who either had never shown or it had been a long time since entering the pen. The fact that they all did as well as they did navigating some tough situations shows that solid horsemanship is the key to riding horses. I am so proud of this team!

(In alphabetical order)
Hannah Cruise and SHR Colormysweetcash
🐴 Reining 1st
🐴 Trail 3rd
🐴 Ranch Riding 3rd
🐴 Ranch Rail 5th
🐴 Cowhorse 4th
🐴 Reserve Youth Walk Trot Champion!
(All on a 3yo gelding we’ve only had 2 weeks and this was his first show!)

Laura Beth Cruise and Gold Sparks N Tinsel
🐴 Reining 3rd
🐴 Trail 1st
🐴 Ranch Riding 7th
🐴 Ranch Rail = 10th
🐴 Cowhorse = 2nd
🐴 3rd Overall in Novice Youth out of 14 riders!
(First year in loping classes!)

Cathy Dunn and Dunn’s Bear Hunt
🐴 Trail 8th
🐴 Ranch Riding 12th
🐴 Ranch Rail = 14th
🐴 Cowhorse = 5th
(All on a horse she’s only had a few months and took him to his first show! Great job in Adult Walk Trot)

Georgia McCormick and RHM Puddycat Nu Chex
🐴 Reining 6th
🐴 Trail 13th
🐴 Ranch Riding 12th
🐴 Ranch Rail = 17th
🐴 Cowhorse = 12th
(Love this team and how they keep learning to relax and have fun! Great job in Novice Amateur)

Lydia Nichols and LeDoux’n It Again
🐴 Reining 10th
🐴 Trail 11th
🐴 Ranch Riding 6th
🐴 Cowhorse = 10th
(Newt: One Marvelous Mule in Adult Walk Trot)

Lydia Nichols and A Lopin Detective
🐴 Reining 7th
🐴 Trail 3rd
🐴 Ranch Riding 13th
🐴 Ranch Rail 6th
🐴 Cowhorse 11th
(So proud of Watson in his first big ranch show in Adult Walk Trot!)

Ivy Robertson and Kissin The Blues Away
🐴 Reining 5th
🐴 Trail 5th
🐴 Ranch Riding DQ
🐴 Ranch Rail 7th
🐴 Cowhorse 3rd
(First show for both horse and rider! So proud of the hard work they did in youth walk-trot!)

Kelli Wright and Little Roanie Cat
🐴 Reining 12th
🐴 Trail 11th
🐴 Ranch Riding 14th
🐴 Ranch Rail 11th
(This team jumped in and in only 2 weeks decided to go and show in the adult walk-trot! That’s courage!)

Jennifer and Gold Sparks N Tinsel
🐴 Reining 2nd
🐴 Trail 3rd
🐴 Ranch Riding 4th
🐴 Cowhorse 3rd
(So proud of this mare! She just keeps getting more solid in the Open!)