Horse of the Sun Ranch
Horse of the Sun Ranch, 28271 Old Hwy 80, Pine Valley, CA 91962
About
Horse of the Sun Ranch offers hands-on activities such as horseback riding, feeding and grooming horses, pony rides for kids, and a petting zoo. Children and teens can also take part in archery, laser tag, crafts, leather crafting, gardening, hiking, and animal husbandry. The ranch runs Ranch Day Camp sessions in spring, summer, and fall where campers experience life on a ranch, learn to ride, and care for horses, and it also offers natural horsemanship lessons that focus on presence, partnership, and peace with a herd of 14 horses, each with its own breed, background, and personality.
• Ages: 5–18 years old
• Schedule: Ranch Day Camp sessions in spring, summer, and fall; Horsemanship 1 and 2 are 30-minute lessons; Horsemanship 3 is a 60-minute lesson; Mini Ranch Camp 1 and 2 are 2-hour group sessions on set weekdays each month; general ranch hours are Monday–Friday 8:00am to 5:00pm
• Price: Horsemanship 1: 30-minute lesson TK–12 $50 per session; Horsemanship 2: 30-minute lessons TK–12 once per week $200 per month; Horsemanship 3: 60-minute lessons TK–12 once per week $299 per month; Mini Ranch Camp 1: 2-hour group session TK–8 twice per month $100 per month; Mini Ranch Camp 2: 2-hour group session grades 9–12 twice per month $100 per month
Horse of the Sun Ranch offers Natural Horsemanship Lesson Programs with several different monthly subscriptions and matches riders with horses from the herd. The ranch also offers Children’s Camps that combine horsemanship with outdoor adventure, Family Ranch Days, Home School/Charter School Programs with a variety of ranch and outdoor activities, Mini Ranch Camps, team-building day retreats, and equine-assisted day retreats. Ranch Days can be joined on scheduled days or booked as a private event, and special rates are available in the Natural Horsemanship Program for active duty military families, veterans, and first responders.
Horse of the Sun Ranch is a program site of the Armed Services YMCA San Diego and serves active-duty military families, veterans, and the public through respite and retreat programs. The Armed Services YMCA San Diego works closely with the Department of Defense and installation commands to support young military families. The Armed Services YMCA holds a Charity Navigator 4-Star Rating, a Charity Watch A Grade, and a Candid Guidestar Platinum Seal of Transparency.
The mission of Horse of the Sun Ranch is “to connect people with horses—and in doing so, reconnect them with themselves, their families, and the natural world.” The Armed Services YMCA San Diego mission is “to enhance the lives of military members and their families in spirit, mind, and body through programs relevant to the unique challenges of military life.” Equine-assisted day retreat facilitators at the ranch are certified through programs including EAL, Equus, and Touched by a Horse. Horse of the Sun Ranch is described as a relaxed ranch setting and a peaceful and healing environment where horses and people connect, and as a sanctuary for healing, growth, and connection. JJ has been a part of the ranch nearly as long as Hank, the original member who helped launch the program in 2012. Regina Butala Favre is listed as the Horse of the Sun Ranch contact.
Last updated March 15, 2026.
• Ages: 5–18 years old
• Schedule: Ranch Day Camp sessions in spring, summer, and fall; Horsemanship 1 and 2 are 30-minute lessons; Horsemanship 3 is a 60-minute lesson; Mini Ranch Camp 1 and 2 are 2-hour group sessions on set weekdays each month; general ranch hours are Monday–Friday 8:00am to 5:00pm
• Price: Horsemanship 1: 30-minute lesson TK–12 $50 per session; Horsemanship 2: 30-minute lessons TK–12 once per week $200 per month; Horsemanship 3: 60-minute lessons TK–12 once per week $299 per month; Mini Ranch Camp 1: 2-hour group session TK–8 twice per month $100 per month; Mini Ranch Camp 2: 2-hour group session grades 9–12 twice per month $100 per month
Horse of the Sun Ranch offers Natural Horsemanship Lesson Programs with several different monthly subscriptions and matches riders with horses from the herd. The ranch also offers Children’s Camps that combine horsemanship with outdoor adventure, Family Ranch Days, Home School/Charter School Programs with a variety of ranch and outdoor activities, Mini Ranch Camps, team-building day retreats, and equine-assisted day retreats. Ranch Days can be joined on scheduled days or booked as a private event, and special rates are available in the Natural Horsemanship Program for active duty military families, veterans, and first responders.
Horse of the Sun Ranch is a program site of the Armed Services YMCA San Diego and serves active-duty military families, veterans, and the public through respite and retreat programs. The Armed Services YMCA San Diego works closely with the Department of Defense and installation commands to support young military families. The Armed Services YMCA holds a Charity Navigator 4-Star Rating, a Charity Watch A Grade, and a Candid Guidestar Platinum Seal of Transparency.
The mission of Horse of the Sun Ranch is “to connect people with horses—and in doing so, reconnect them with themselves, their families, and the natural world.” The Armed Services YMCA San Diego mission is “to enhance the lives of military members and their families in spirit, mind, and body through programs relevant to the unique challenges of military life.” Equine-assisted day retreat facilitators at the ranch are certified through programs including EAL, Equus, and Touched by a Horse. Horse of the Sun Ranch is described as a relaxed ranch setting and a peaceful and healing environment where horses and people connect, and as a sanctuary for healing, growth, and connection. JJ has been a part of the ranch nearly as long as Hank, the original member who helped launch the program in 2012. Regina Butala Favre is listed as the Horse of the Sun Ranch contact.
Last updated March 15, 2026.
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