Eclipse Overo Paint Gelding DOB: 1/1996 Height: 15 Hands	Eclipse was our very first horse and he is the herd leader. When he came to us, we knew nothing about horses, but Eclipse has been a most inspirational teacher. His gorgeous blue eyes, white “bald” face, perfect stockings and markings, and indomitable spirit have given us amazing times together and he has taught us incredible things about horses and people. There is no question that he watches over the herd and takes these 24/7 duties very seriously. Yet, he can be saddled up, taken on trail rides or to the arena, and he is at home everywhere he goes; in command of everyone’s attention with his stunning appearance. No one can avoid gazing into his incredible eyes, and he never misses a single thing.
	Jack Florida Cracker Gelding DOB: 1/1996 Height: 15 Hands	We needed to get a horse companion for Eclipse. Jack and Eclipse became immediate friends, especially since they were the only two horses on the ranch at the time. Jack has been a favorite horse for those who come to our ranch with experience, but is also as gentle as a lamb with newbies. Jack suffers with COPD, so has a semi-retirement, now doing ground work and riding only children and very lightweight adults.
	Fancy Arabian Mare DOB: 1/1994 Height: 14 Hands	We received a call to look her over, and the current owner told us as we got out of the car that Fancy didn’t take to new people quickly. She walked right up to us, gave us a nuzzle, and the owner was completely shocked. It was at that time he spoke of Lexy and said he would “throw her in” on the deal, as he "had to get rid of her too". After a two-hour drive to our ranch, the two “girls” as they came to be known, were inseparable and very happy to be in a place where they were loved, fed, and had room to run together to their hearts’ content. Fancy has the Arabian spirit and spunk, but she is full of love and gentleness. One of her favorite things is to be ridden by people of all ages. One of Fancy’s favorite activities is to stand in the rain and roll in the dirt, making her white coat as dark as possible. She requires much grooming, and we believe it is because she gets extra attention, pets and kisses. The time is worth it, because she is absolutely stunning when she is cleaned and groomed! She is truly a favorite here at CSRJP.
	Dancer Arabian Mare DOB: 1/2004 Height: 14 Hands	Information about Dancer appeared on the internet. We traveled south to check her out, and she did not disappoint. The current owner, a young girl, needed a horse with less spirit than Dancer had, and wanted another horse to replace her. After going home and praying about it, we felt that we should wait. The girl called us the next day and insisted that she wanted us to have Dancer. Dancer has proven her huge heart and boundless energy, yet teachable spirit, and has reminded us of Katie over and over again with her great beauty. She is extremely gentle, and another Ranch favorite.
	Ray American Quarter Horse Gelding DOB: 1/1997 Height: 16 Hands Newsletter Story	The mission of Cypress Swamp Ranch is to be a place where hurting people can come and find God’s love and restoration through the healing and rescue of abused horses. We were approached by the friend who orchestrated our adoption of Sugar and Bam Bam, wondering if we had room in our hearts and on our Ranch for a totally blind and starving horse. We are asked numerous times per month about adopting hurting horses, but we know our financial limitations. Yet, we also know that this is God’s Ranch and He will provide for everyone here. We knew in our hearts that we had to adopt this horse and give him a furever home here at CSRJP. He had to be physically rescued from the place he was living – a small barbed-wire confinement with very little hay and no grain. Thanks to his “rescuing angel” he was delivered into our hands with our promise to love and care for him and do all we could to restore his body to full health. After Ray’s arrival, he immediately made incredible progress – filling out beautifully and gaining much-needed weight. Ray and the minis bonded together in the same paddock, so he has not been lonely. He began to listen for the minis and to smell where they are and kept "watch" over them. They got along beautifully! Ray learned to trust us by blind faith – much as we have to learn how to trust God, when we can’t see Him, but we must know He is there for us. We have learned from Ray how we really can trust God, more than we could have ever imagined. Read about Ray in our Newsletter.
	Molly Miniature Horse Mare DOB: 6/2017	Molly came to the Ranch from Hope Equine Rescue in Auburndale FL. She had been in a number of shows where the volunteers had taken her and has been used to plenty of exposure with people, particularly young people. She immediately began working with children as well as adults here at CSRJP and is a favorite.
	Hershey Mule Mare DOB: 01/2007 15 hands	Hershey joined our equines in 2016 and we were delighted to welcome a new mule to the herd. She is very spunky and super smart as her predecessor Michaela and we have high hopes for her as she grows and learns and becomes familiar with people including us and those who visit the Ranch.
	HotRod Jerusalem Donkey DOB: 1/2004	When Star joined the Ranch, he had been used to having his “own” donkey friend who stayed behind to be companion to the horse adopted at his previous home. We could tell that Star was missing his donkey so we began the quest to find a donkey friend for him. Star became fast friends with HotRod almost instantly, to the point that he tried to protect Hottie from the other horses in the herd. However, Hottie is so friendly, he was ready to be friends with everyone, and Star soon realized that and gave in to let him be shared. HotRod is a “star” as he has been the donkey in the First Baptist Church Passion Play every easter since 2014.
	Jimmie Jerusalem Donkey DOB: 1/2006	Jimmie was adopted from the neighbors when they were cutting down their herd and became fast friends with the herd, as well as all the human visitors who come to the Ranch. He has a beautiful and pronounced “cross” on his back, proudly proclaiming the legend of Jesus’ cross!

Our missionaries

These equines were rescued by Cypress Swamp Ranch and have been
serving as valuable missionaries at Chosen Reins Ranch

	Midnight in Manhattan Percheron/Thoroughbred Gelding DOB: 1/2006 Height: 16 Hands	Midnight was a PMU colt from Canada and was rescued by an organization here in Florida. He was just a baby, several months old, when we adopted him. Since then, he has grown to be an amazingly huge but gentle giant. Midnight always catches everyone’s eye when they drive to our ranch, because his size dwarfs the rest of the herd and he is usually the first one to come to the fence to meet new friends.
	Dixie Paint Mare DOB: 4/2007 Height: 15 Hands	Dixie was born to our neighbor's mare and stallion. We saw Dixie right after she was born. When she was old enough to leave her mommy, she came to live at our ranch. The first few nights, we had to keep her in the barn with the radio up full blast, because she and her mommy were calling back and forth to each other. Dixie replaced her attachment to her mother with Midnight who she became best friends with as soon as they met each other. She thought he was her big brother and has been her protector ever since. No one challenges her for hay, because she always stays in Midnight's shadow and she has that quiet but firm confidence. Dixie has been very happy here on our ranch and has grown to a full, beautiful size. She is definitely gentle and loving and comes up to the fence for hugs and kisses, right behind Midnight.
	Star American Quarter Horse Gelding DOB: 1/2001 Height: 14.3 Hands	Jean received a call about a beautiful gelding. The horse had been sent to a “trainer” who was unable to accomplish the goals they needed. An unpleasant episode occurred during the training period. The owners were very concerned, knowing they wanted to make sure their daughter to be safe as well as able to achieve her horseback riding goals. Our friend and their coworker told them about CSRJP and how we train horses using natural horsemanship, even those who might be considered difficult to train. We were invited to visit their farm and we fell in love with Star’s gentle spirit. He was delivered to the Ranch a short time later and he quickly gained his position into the big horse herd. Star has done amazing things through the gifts that God has given him. After his restoration to trust, he has continued to help heal and mend many hearts and souls and has a special affinity for young people and physically handicapped individuals.
	Slim Donkey DOB: 9/2007	Slim was Star’s companion at his previous home and when the horse there succumbed to colic, he was soothed by coming here to CSRJP to be with his old friend Star as well as the rest of the herd and his clown-like antics amuse everyone.

A special place in our hearts are the ones waiting for us in Heaven

	Katie Paint/Warmblood Mare DOB: 1/01 Height: 15 Hands Angel Wings: 7/05	We only had two and a half thrilling years with Katie before she succumbed to colic that we and her veterinarian spent two days and nights trying to reverse. We will never forget her stunning gallop through the fields with tail and head held high – she was a sight to behold and she loved to run as fast as she could. We know that she and Lexy are racing through the streets of Heaven, amazing all those who watch them.
	Lexy Thoroughbred Mare DOB: 1/88 Height: 16 Hands Angel Wings: 12/09	Lexy was given to us when we purchased Fancy. Lexy and Fancy were practically inseparable. Lexy was reputed to be an ex-racehorse with no further use and no one wanted her any longer. She was very skinny with all her ribs showing and horrible feet from supposed racing injuries, but she had the most enchanting eyes and such a gentle whinny that we couldn’t resist her. We made it our mission to get her healthy and to make the rest of her life as comfortable and happy as possible. This involved numerous veterinarian visits and farrier treatments. During her few years with us, Lexy was the children’s favorite to ride, because she had those long racing legs and was so tall, yet she was the sweetest and most gentle horse. Lexy loved it when children rode her and we believe that she knew the hard years of her life were behind her, thus it was her desire to give everyone joy. One of the saddest days of our lives was in December 2009 when, after a lengthy fight with a sinus infection that poisoned her body, we had to release her to accept her angel in horsehair wings. We know that Katie was waiting to greet her and they are galloping the streets of Heaven with heads held high. Lexy will always be loved, honored and remembered, and much of what we do on this ranch is a tribute to her.
	Sugar Miniature Horse Sugar-Lineback Dun Mare DOB: 1/00 Angel Wings:1/3/16	We have had visitors to the Ranch, including a few of our own littlest grandchildren, who weren’t quite ready for encounters with the big horses. In November 2011, we prayed and started searching for a miniature horse or donkey or even a small horse to adopt, hopefully a rescue. In February 2012, we became acquainted with a wonderful horse rescue organization in Auburndale named Hope Equine Rescue. An owner was trying to take care of two miniature horses who had been emotionally cared for and fed, but their feet were horribly neglected, even foundered, and their coats were horribly shaggy from not being brushed. Their owner contacted HER and said they could no longer afford to feed these little ones, asking for help. HER wanted to care for the two little horses at their Ranch, but had no room to keep them, so had been delivering grain and hay to the place the little ones lived. When HER met us and checked us out, they graciously let us adopt these two little sweeties who had been together for the past five years. None of us wanted to split them up! Cypress Swamp Ranch was delighted to have them both, knowing that horses, even little ones, do not thrive if they are alone, and we knew we couldn’t put one tiny horse out with the big ones so this was perfect. Sugar was blind in her left eye and fought her bad feet issue valiently. She was 16 years old and on Jan 3, 2016 gave up the fight and passed away.
	Michaela Mule Thoroughbred/Donkey Mare DOB: 2/17/08 Angel Wings:5/9/16	Michaela came to us from a loving home in Central Florida. We had been looking to add a mule to the Ranch population for awhile. Michaela was the perfect equine. She lived here for less than one year before having a leg injury that required her to be sequestered in the barn. Sadly, after daily and intensive medical treatments of her wound which was almost completely healed, she colicked and we lost her. It was devastating because she was very beautiful and extremely smart – we had great expectations for her, but we have learned that our desires are not always in God’s plan.
	Bam Bam Miniature Horse Paint Gelding DOB: 1/94 Angel Wings:2/6/17	We have had visitors to the Ranch, including a few of our own littlest grandchildren, who weren’t quite ready for encounters with the big horses. In November 2011, we prayed and started searching for a miniature horse or donkey or even a small horse to adopt, hopefully a rescue. In February 2012, we became acquainted with a wonderful horse rescue organization in Auburndale named Hope Equine Rescue. An owner was trying to take care of two miniature horses who had been emotionally cared for and fed, but their feet were horribly neglected, even foundered, and their coats were horribly shaggy from not being brushed. Their owner contacted HER and said they could no longer afford to feed these little ones, asking for help. HER wanted to care for the two little horses at their Ranch, but had no room to keep them, so had been delivering grain and hay to the place the little ones lived. When HER met us and checked us out, they graciously let us adopt these two little sweeties who had been together for the past five years. None of us wanted to split them up! Cypress Swamp Ranch was delighted to have them both, knowing that horses, even little ones, do not thrive if they are alone, and we knew we couldn’t put one tiny horse out with the big ones so this was perfect. Bam Bam is a paint and was 23 years old and has great trouble walking because of the foot deformities. We were thrilled to have him for 5 years and to provide him with hospice care during his last months.
	Bo Paso Fino Gelding DOB: 05/09/94 Angel Wings:3/31/22	Bo came to the Ranch from Hope Equine Rescue in Auburndale FL. When Sugar the miniature passed away, we knew that Bam Bam the miniature would not be with us much longer as well and Ray our blind horse needed to have a companion with him to act as his eyes as well as a companion to be with. HER very kindly let us adopt Bo, a Paso Fino who had developed arthritis and, who had won many show awards in his past life. He was restricted in activity, bonded quickly with Ray since neither could safely run with the active horses. He was here for a number of years and was beloved by everyone who visited as he was so friendly and responsive. He passed away unexpectedly and suddenly on March 31, 2022. We all miss him, especially his buddy Ray.