A Reno woman hosts horse-led workshops at her South Reno ranch. They’re for women to reconnect with themselves and their faith.
Catherine Kaufer is the organizer of Embracing Life at Redeemer Ranch.
“My whole hope for everyone is just to rediscover themselves and, have hope and want to embrace life again,” she says.
At her ranch, Kaufer is helping women in the Truckee Meadows overcome life's challenges and take a load off of their shoulders after she was dealt a huge hand of grief over a decade ago.
“My husband was killed in 2015,” she says, “and Zebe was with me a month before he died. So, he was my therapy. And Theo came two weeks after he died. So, I was like, ‘God was setting me up.’”
Zebe, short for Zebedee, is one of Kaufer's horses. She says she started doing visits with Zebe in 2017.
A year ago, she got her other horse, Sunray, free of charge.
“Someone knew about my ministry and was like, ‘I have the perfect horse for you. she's injured right now, but if you rehab her, she's yours,’” Kaufer says.
Kaufer started these workshops with both horses last year. The two roam her ranch alongside Theo, a miniature Australian shepherd. All three are registered therapy animals.
Speaking on Saturday’s workshop, Kaufer says, “we're working on release. We're working on being open and then acceptance today."
Kaufer's workshops start with a roadmap for women to release the weight off of their shoulders, and to learn acceptance. Then, each participant does a one-on-one exercise with the horses to connect with them.
“Even if you don't realize you're holding stress or tension, the horses definitely let you know,” says Stephanie Manley, an attendee at Saturday’s workshop.
Manley has worked with Kaufer and her horses several times before and now feels a strong connection with the equine.
“I'm healing from bone marrow cancer,” Manley says, “so they're very healing and they know exactly where broken bones are. I've had broken ribs, broken spine, and a broken skull. They go right to the areas where I've had treatment, so they know."
Through Embracing Life, Kaufer has translated everything that's held her back into something pushing other women forward.
“My pain has become my purpose,” she says, “and I just want other people to be able to get through the pain and be able to live life again."
You can learn more about Embracing Life online. Kaufer offers workshops, women’s retreats, and visits with Zebe and Theo.
