MESSAGE FROM SUSAN CONNELL, FOUNDER AND OWNER

Hello! My name is Susan Connell, and I am a highly passionate and dedicated individual who has a sole mission to leave the world a little better than I found it. As the Founder and Owner of Cornerstone Ranch, I take great pride in being able to drive the connective bond between people and horses through our vast range of services because I genuinely believe that there are many wonderful life skills out there that only a horse can teach you.
 
Though I grew up in an upper middle-income family who owned a horse farm, my life was not exactly the picture-perfect scene you would expect to see. When I turned 14, I left home and became a ward of the state shortly afterward. This became the catalyst for me jumping to seven different foster homes, which undeniably took a toll on my overall wellbeing. As a way for me to break out of my own mind and clear intrusive thoughts, I began running as a healthy way to cope. And coming in at a close second was my rooted love for horses.
 
Now, even though I was living in foster home after foster home, something good did come out of it for a brief moment, emphasis on the “brief” part. I was set up with a job at a horse farm. The state’s work program knew I had a background involving horses, so they let me take on that role. But my adventure geek side took over, and on day two of the job, I decided to take one of the horses out to the local convenience store to buy some soda. There weren’t any saddles around, so I just threw myself whatever was handy on top and rode my trusted steed down a few main roads into town.
 
Big Mistake.
 
Needless to say, my little stunt didn’t go over too well, and I was canned from that job and placed in a boring office one. However, I still yearned for the opportunity to be mounted back on a horse riding free again. You bet I finally achieved that.
 
Fast forward to the present, I have been running my own 55-acre Ranch occupying Princeton and Rutland for the last 20 years, with two of my offspring still helping out in a big way. It involved a lot of hard work and sleepless nights to get to this point, but I am wholeheartedly filled with happiness every single day to be living the life I have always dreamed of, and proud to not have settled. We have so many beautiful horses for visitors to enjoy, and tons of incredible employees and volunteers that all have helped shape Cornerstone Ranch to become the thriving place it is today. 
 
From trail rides, riding lessons, riding workshops, horse-drawn wagon rides, sleigh rides, birthday parties, group outings, to family outings, we offer it all because I know firsthand how therapeutic horses genuinely are, and I want to share that with those ready to understand it. Overall, they are such gentle, majestic creatures, offering immense benefits unlike any other animal on earth, and I welcome you to come experience them for yourself.
 
Just don’t take my horses to the convenience store, deal?