By Hannah Kosloski, Communications Intern
Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch
Last summer, three Ranch residents, Courtney, Sierra, and Megan, traveled to Medora with Amber Benham, Horse Program Coordinator, to hike and look for wild horses.
The idea for the trip started when the girls were at the horse barn, talking about how they'd love to see wild horses. Amber told them about the wild horses in Medora, and when she learned none of them had been there, she planned the trip. The special outing celebrated the progress the three girls had made at the Ranch, rewarded them for work they did around the horse barn over the summer, and served as a last hurrah for Courtney, who was discharging at the end of the week.
"My favorite part was the ride there and back," Sierra said. "It was filled with so much laughter that sometimes it was hard to breathe. Also, we all jammed out to music we enjoy and talked about so many cool things."
After the trip, the girls reflected on what the trip, and their time at the Ranch, meant to them.
"My Ranch journey has been so relieving," Megan said. "It has brought so much light and revival to my life. I think all young men and women, girls and boys, should know that some things are for the better. It may seem bad at the time, but it will always work out in the end. Being here has made me really think about the choices I've made and how I can share my experiences at the Ranch with everyone.
Sierra told a similar story. "My journey at the Ranch has been very helpful and has given me the ability to start healing from my past. I came to the Ranch, so I could work on myself and heal from my past trauma. The Ranch has helped insurmountably."
This article was originally published in Ranch Voice: Winter 2019.
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