Wildfire Ranch Spiritual Retreat — Local services in Gregg Township

Do not be fooled by her "Christian" veneer--Cynthia is one of the most deceptive business owners you'll ever have the displeasure of dealing with.

Where do I even start? My riding lesson that was supposed to take place on a Sunday was cancelled. First she offered me a gift certificate even though I live four hours away and made it clear I had to move heaven and earth to make the weekend happen. Then she offered to refund me $45 instead of the $50 I was actually charged. I felt totally gaslit as she told me I was only charged $45 even as I looked at the bill right in front of me. The one that clearly said $50.

I then noticed the "hotel occupancy tax" was suspiciously high. When I researched the Centre County hotel tax, it I learned it was 11% and she was charging 14.5%. When I asked her about it, she told me the extra 3.5% was to cover credit card processing fees. Never mentioned that fee when I booked or gave me the option to pay cash. It's totally illegal to charge a fee, not tell people about it, and then pass it off as a tax.

Today I noticed a random $30 charge on my account. Cynthia will not tell me what it's for or refund it so now I am disputing it with my credit card company.

On top of all these shady billing practices, the actual visit was so disappointing. A large part of my equine therapy consisted of me listening to her personal tales of woe; the riding lesson instructor is one of the most arrogant people you'll ever meet (has zero respect for anyone who rides English and not Western); the $140 trail ride consisted of two hours along a road with cars whizzing by and zero trail time; and I could hear EVERY word my neighbors in the Amish Room were saying through my bathroom wall.

At one point in our therapy session, Cynthia claimed she was a prophet. She's not totally wrong when you consider she's a false prophet. She told bombastic tales of how paralyzed people could walk after a single equine therapy session, how some practicing witches were cured of their demonism when she said a prayer. It was like listening to the most whacked out late night infomercial or televangelist. My intuition was firing off warnings all weekend.

I also have some safety concerns. The first about her adamancy about always ground mounting horses. I was always taught it puts undue stress on a horse's back and should not be done habitually.

The other issue is how no one on the trail ride wore helmets. The other people on the ride had no experience riding and she had them cantering on asphalt. It's so grossly negligent to not have them wear helmets because a fall could result in a concussion or worse. (Like much, much worse.) You can believe in God's protection and still take commonsense safety precautions.

I did not feel God's love here. All I felt was lied to and ripped off. This was supposed to be a treat for my 40th birthday, a very rare getaway to unwind. It ended up being so disappointing. I thought I'd come home relaxed but I'm now dealing with Cynthia's shadiness and credit card disputes.

I urge anyone considering Wildfire Ranch to strongly reconsider. If you do go, watch your bill like a hawk and get...

Wildfire was recommended to me through a friend. Cynthia and Ariel are amazing. I’m not sure what I was expecting, but I am walking away with a lighter soul to say the least. My aid and I stayed in the Amish Country Apartment for 7 days/6 nights. I’m not sure I have the words to adequately explain the life change that happens at Wildfire. No matter what anyone says, these are 2 amazing gals. Oh and Patrice, who Cynthia recommended is an amazing Uber to get around State College with. Definitely walking away with 3 new human friends and 17 horsey pals. And let’s not forget Rango and his sissy.

Horses are my second love language. My gosh. Everyone is amazing, including the volunteers. Tiffany, Ryder, and Gail. Thanks guys. I appreciate it so much. It’s the “little things!” The horses are trained so, so well. And you have your special ones that you just bond with, who can look you straight in the eyes and read and or feel your broken soul.

We always had everything we needed. The apartment was so cozy and definitely helped feel like home, being so far away. The breakfast everyday was SO good! Never will I tire from that! It will actually be a sweet reminder knowing Cynthia and Ariel made it together every morning with love and prayer for the day ahead. I’m actually NOT a breakfast person and I loved it everyday! These gals have Jesus and the Holy Spirit, running through their veins. They were also very accommodating and understanding to my medical issues, although they don’t fully know them all, and allowing me to adjust things as needed. Or take a break. Sweet, sweet Jerusalem (J-ru!), thanks girl. Oh my heart. How does one say that in horse language? Navajo... you took a piece of my heart. And Promise! Girl, your head tilt is worth a million in carrots and apples!Freedom, your feisty! Mickey is beautiful. Lincoln, my boy, Bella, Phoenix, feel better. Please.

I feel like I am missing a lot. It’s hard to describe a week in paradise, to me anyway! Journal while you are there. Or take pictures. You’ll want to remember it all. We only had one bad weather day, rain. But the “games” you play in the barn with the horses were neat. Would have never thought to do that. Ariel and Cynthia had a printed schedule for us which made it a nice tentative adjustable schedule. And the book... love that a lot. The massage was A.M.A.Z.I.N.G!!! Artemis is hands down the BEST massage I’ve ever had. Boy was it welcome at the end of the week.

Whenever I get enough $$$ together, I’ll be back for sure. It’s the first real “vacation” I’ve had in over 5 years. They also let you make payments to fit your needs, instead of having to pay all at once. And they never got tired of the texting, emails or calls! Cynthia and Ariel, if you are ever in my neck of the “woods” look us up! I love my new friends I consider family.

“The horse is prepared for the day of battle, but the victory belongs to the Lord.” ‭‭Proverbs‬...

Wildfire Ranch is the perfect setting for those hoping to get away from the city to reconnect with their faith and/or to just be around horses and learn to ride. We did the Wildfire horse therapy retreat (6 days 5 nights). Cynthia, Ariel, and Gabby not only helped us grow in confidence while riding as complete beginners but also helped us to solidify our relationship with each other as well as God. They made us feel as if we were family helping on the ranch rather than just being guests to entertain. The Amish Villa where we stayed was just what we needed. There was plenty of sleeping space as well as utensils and cookware whenever we wanted to make a homecooked meal for lunch or dinner. The breakfast that Cynthia so lovingly made for us was an amazing start to our day. We stayed during the month of December, but the propane heater kept the room at a very comfortable temperature all day long.

The scheduling process was very simple. Cynthia did an amazing job with communicating with us before and during our stay so we could maximize our time at the ranch. She did as best she could to accommodate our planned schedule but with the ever-changing weather, she communicated with us about changes that were necessary to keep us and the horses safe. During the days when the weather prevented us from riding outdoors, Cynthia and Ariel took the time to answer all of our questions during the horse clinics including horse care as well as the overall cost of horse care, ranch-owning, and tack (riding equipment). We also had the unique opportunity to observe two new horses being introduced into the heard as well as learning the sort of induction process from Cynthia and Ariel. The included massage at Solace Therapeutics further added to our relaxed state of mind.

The horses were fantastic and so lovable. We had a special connection with Image, who truly is a reflection of God's image in this world, during our stay. Separately, we both had special connections with Glory, Legacy, Phoenix, Jerusalem, and Braveheart (lovingly nicknamed "BraveFart"). We would advise asking about posting (and if you are unfamiliar with horseback riding) if you are on a non-gaited horse so that you aren't left feeling too sore after your first ride. All of the horses are absolutely delightful and we felt lucky to be able to form relationships with almost every single one.

Overall, this has been one of the most extraordinary experiences we’ve ever had, and we very much plan to return as soon as we get the chance. We would like to thank Cynthia, Ariel, and Gabby for all of their kindness, generosity, and help...